Campground or Boondock?

[John~SWNM]

My wife is just like me when it comes to public campgrounds, ONLY as a last resort. We enjoy the outdoors to get away from people, not be around more of them, lol. Fortunately where we live & the areas we travel to most often there is no issue with backcountry/dispersed camping.

 

[CSG]

I far prefer dispersed camping and generally avoid areas where it's not available. My son and I are heading to the Oregon and Washington coast this week after not visiting for a good 10 years. I suspect we will have to pay for camping at least a couple times or more but we're also taking the camping van and not the big RV so little in the way of onboard amenities (read private toilet and shower). There are times and places where you have to suffer through paid camping but I go out to get away and mostly stick to Idaho and Utah. Lots of free dispersed camping.

 

[Billiebob]

Boondock for me.... although "backwoods camping" is a bit more descriptive of where/how I camp. Remote enough that I can teach my kids to shoot without bothering anyone else.

View attachment 31352

This ^^ I agree "boondocking" was a term I used to like then I joined a few "boondocking" forums. The main topics were where can I park for a few months. What do I say when someone tells me to move on. Boondockers are homeless aquatters which has nothing to do with overlanding, camping or dispersed camping.

I was really surprised but I've run into those squatters often. Some of them live like pigs. Most of them break every rule & regulation which make overlanding a clean, green activity.

 

[MidOH]

I'll take either one this fall. You guys are lucky to have the choice.

I've turn each into the other, plenty of times. If the campground gets too noisy, I'll grab my tent and run off to the woods to find a spot. Tear down before anyone notices in the morning. And I've boon docked on one side of a lake, then paddled over to the campground on the other side to mooch off of the showerhouse.

 

[LD5050]

 

[1derer]

avoid actual campgrounds unless there are no other campers

 

[Cpol]

Electricity and water access you get at camp ground.. boondocking is when you don’t have those amenities and for the most part no neighbors.. it all depend on a choice and a necessity.

 

[adventure_is_necessary]

While I prefer boondocks/dispersed camping, we do not have the public land in Kansas for that. State, county, and city ran campgrounds are all we have. Thankfully my experience with them has not been too terrible. I still opt for the primitive sites based on cost and the chance that I won't have neighbors. Water usually isn't an issue and we do just fine without power since our electrical needs are low. Showers sometimes are a must but we've managed to figure things out.

 

[natematos]

It entirely depends on the intent. Going solo/cheap over the summer? Dispersed. Going in winter? No one is going to be there so may as well hit up a campground. We usually plan 1 or 2 big trips each year with friends traveling from 3 separate states to be there. With that many people coming, showing up at different times, and lack of cell service (despite my protests no one seems to want to get their ham license) it's often easier to book a large group site at a campground.

 

[HB Maverick]

I like both - the National Parks and State Parks have great sights and hiking trails. Electricity and showers are a nice addition on occasion as well. On our longer trips we will do both to mix it up. Thankfully there are lots of National Forests and BLM lands within driving distance of SoCal!

 

[64Trvlr]

Other than one time with about 50 fellow Jeepers I always get as far away from people as I can.

My ex and I were camping off a little used 2 track in southern WY. We hadn't seen anyone with in 190 miles f camp in 2 weeks it was a perfect trip.

Then we went for a drive and to do a little fishing for the day when we got back to camp there was a tent less than 10 feet from ours. The couple had a radio blasting and were sitting in our camp chairs. I asked them what the hell they thought they were doing camping on top of us and using our stuff. They were surprised we didn't want their company and baffled I was pissed they were using our stuff.

I gave them directions to a USFS campground about 15 miles away and offered to help them get packed up.

We could never figure out with 100's of thousands of acres to pitch a tent why they had to be 10' away from us.

 

[Downs]

Social functions are mentally draining for me. I much prefer to be off somewhere undisturbed, with exception of a less than a handful of people I don't mind camping with. I'll make my way to a more established site once a week or so to maybe grab a shower and that's about it.

 

[11B overland]

Over where I’m at, there’s not much public land. It really sucks. I’ll get away from people every chance I get. I find most campgrounds to be noisy.

 

[buckwilk]

I camp 6 mo. every summer all over the western U.S. I don't go to rv parks or state parks (expensive and crowded). I will use the more primitive campgrounds on occasion (fewer people) but much prefer dispersed camping. National Forest, B L M. Some western states are beautiful but so overcrowded and overused as to be worthless. Colorado is the big one of these, Arizona another. I have not seen a track in Colorado that is not overused by quads, side by sides and bikes with nonexistent mufflers. Even dispersed sites now days seem to have multiple rock fire rings full of bottles and cans and other trash. I honestly think that drugs and alcohol abuse is destroying many areas in this country. The wilds of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and Utah are fast disappearing. Folks that frequent sites like this one understand how to use and protect the wilds. Problem is there are thousands and thousands who couldn't care less. When you speak with forest service folks and the blm people they can't keep up with the pressure. The social media sites encourage meet ups of thousands of people which overwhelm an area. In Quartzsite Az. there are groups of people who have been encouraged to live in vans and come to the area every winter for seminars on how to live in a van on public property. Needless to say this is leading to closures and restrictions most of us never thought would happen.

 

[Jaytperry89]

We are half and half. I totally enjoy being out and away from everything. My wife on the other hand has problems with predators. And living in the pnw we do have mountain lions, bears, newly discovered wolves, bobcats, etc. So sometimes we find ourselves in a site. Especially if we are pushing the limits of daylight. Usually we use primitive sites, so no water or trash. Boondocking what i strive for, its harder to do tho when you've never been to the area.

 

[ZombieCat]

Both.
It depends on what you plan to do in the area. If you’re visiting a national or state park, it’s often more convenient to be in the park and closer to trails/attractions. In both 2020 and 2021, hiking trails have been super crowded, making it imperative to arrive early, meaning at dawn. Being inside the park means less driving both before and after your hike.
Many boondocking locations this year will packed during prime vacation months, due to the advent of apps and websites identifying their locations. They can be just as bad as campgrounds - noisy, trash everywhere, and poorly behaved campers.
I also like to know that in the most popular areas, I have a “home” at the end of a long travel day, especially when I’m hauling a trailer. A real shower isn’t a bad thing, either!
So I guess you need to evaluate your needs and preferences and do what works best for you!

 

[North40overland]

Boondocking is all we are willing to do. Our friends think we are crazy but I did not go all the way out there to camp right next to people we don't know. Is it really camping? For us, very easy choice. Plus, I love setting off on a trip and having no idea where we are going to set up that night.

 

[Make Wai Overland]

We have done both, just to get an idea of our limitations and what to expect in both situations.

 

[grubworm]

boondocking...but with water and electric hook up.
the wife and i camped at cloudland state park in GA in the off season and had one entire section of the campground to ourselves with water, elec and a heated rest room without anyone else around. now THAT'S camping!

generally we take the camp trailer as a base camp at a state park and spend all day exploring and hiking and usually get back at dark, so hit the shower and go to sleep and it doesnt matter if folk are around us because we are either not there or asleep.

we'll gladly go off grid and boondock if there are good sights to see. doesnt make sense to go out in the middle of the desert and go without elec and running water if there isnt anything to see or do.

 

[PCO6]

My wife is relatively new to camping so it's mainly Provincial Parks for us. I'm generally OK with that as we basically use them as a base camp and head out from there daily usually hiking, kayaking or off roading or exploring in the Jeep. We kayaked to some paddle in sites while camping a few weeks ago and I could tell she's not up for that. Even in the PP's we've been able to find fairly "neighbourless" sites. It helps to be somewhat self sufficient with having a privacy tent with our own shower & toilet & facilities.

When I go on my own it's a bit different. Crown land or at race tracks. My wife won't go to either. One with basically "me" and the other with way more race fans than you'd ever see in a campground. I've been doing the latter for more than 50 years. I sometimes go to small race events and basically have the "back woods" of the track to myself.