Whats the appeal?

[Dingit]

If you're a tent camper, treat popup camping like tent camping. Then you get a lot out of your battery. And while it's a good idea to add solar, you probably don't need much.

 

[gladecreekwy]

We have a national park pass, maybe we could check it out this year...

Park pass won’t help in National Forests. Dept of Agriculture oversees the National Forests the Dept of Interior the Parks. Most National Forests don’t have an entrance fee or any services except primitive campgrounds.

 

[Susan Premo]

Park pass won’t help in National Forests. Dept of Agriculture oversees the National Forests the Dept of Interior the Parks. Most National Forests don’t have an entrance fee or any services except primitive campgrounds.

Actually

Park pass won’t help in National Forests. Dept of Agriculture oversees the National Forests the Dept of Interior the Parks. Most National Forests don’t have an entrance fee or any services except primitive campgrounds.

Actually they do, we have made reservations for 2 national forests, and they are part of the national park system, believe me, I made sure, and on my receipt it shows the discount.

 

[tombiasi]

Actually

Actually they do, we have made reservations for 2 national forests, and they are part of the national park system, believe me, I made sure, and on my receipt it shows the discount.

I get free entry and 1/2 price camping at all national forests. I camp a lot at Shenandoah National Forest. Entrance fee is $30.00 to enter Skyline Drive and camping is $15.00 per night. I pay $7.50 a night and no entrance fee.

 

[Susan Premo]

I get free entry and 1/2 price camping at all national forests. I camp a lot at Shenandoah National Forest. Entrance fee is $30.00 to enter Skyline Drive and camping is $15.00 per night. I pay $7.50 a night and no entrance fee.

I'm not sure what you mean by an entrance fee. But it sure sounds like your getting a great deal. I have a week reserved in northern Minnesota, that one is 5 nights $67.50 and the other is for 8 nights, is $108. I dont understand what the difference is, but, I thought it was a good deal. I wonder why one would be different than the other as far as national forests go.
Oh well.

 

[BillyMc]

Getting away from people! Getting away from others and unplugging is like supercharged R&R. Two nights of solitude is like a week in a campground. Finding a place to actually "boondock" is difficult in many states, but is the most peace you will find this side of heaven.

 

[tombiasi]

I'm not sure what you mean by an entrance fee. But it sure sounds like your getting a great deal. I have a week reserved in northern Minnesota, that one is 5 nights $67.50 and the other is for 8 nights, is $108. I dont understand what the difference is, but, I thought it was a good deal. I wonder why one would be different than the other as far as national forests go.
Oh well.

Some National Forest also host a national attraction. For those there is usually an entrance fee to the park, camping is separate.

 

[Toedtoes]

Actually

Actually they do, we have made reservations for 2 national forests, and they are part of the national park system, believe me, I made sure, and on my receipt it shows the discount.

There are different passes. The senior pass gives you 50% off most federal campgrounds: ACOE, NPS, USFS, etc). The standard annual pass does not give a campsite discount (only entrance fees if any).

 

[Beatrice]

The more I'm reading this thread, the more interested I become. The camper we bought is new enough to be prewired for solar--just plug in panels and you're set. I guess the difference for us is that we live in the "boonies". We are absolutely blessed to walk outside of our house at night and it is pitch black, owls are hooting in the woods, deer and turkeys are constantly in our yard(just ask my flower beds in the summer) and a bear occasionally wanders through. So going on our trips to campgrounds is like a trip back to civilization--and usually a reminder of why we live where we live. Also, in looking at maps, it doesn't seem to be a lot of these sites on the East Coast like there is "out West". But I might try this at some point...just because. Thanks to everyone for all the great info. and to Family Travels for posing the question.

 

[Arlyn Aronson]

 

[Susan Premo]

The more I'm reading this thread, the more interested I become. The camper we bought is new enough to be prewired for solar--just plug in panels and you're set. I guess the difference for us is that we live in the "boonies". We are absolutely blessed to walk outside of our house at night and it is pitch black, owls are hooting in the woods, deer and turkeys are constantly in our yard(just ask my flower beds in the summer) and a bear occasionally wanders through. So going on our trips to campgrounds is like a trip back to civilization--and usually a reminder of why we live where we live. Also, in looking at maps, it doesn't seem to be a lot of these sites on the East Coast like there is "out West". But I might try this at some point...just because. Thanks to everyone for all the great info. and to Family Travels for posing the question.

Your home sounds idyllic to me, we love the darkness and the outdoors, the BWCAW just received the darkness for the night sky designation. That's where we love to go. Were sort of in the middle of our state, so the southeastern portion and the northeastern are our favorites.

 

[Toedtoes]

The more I'm reading this thread, the more interested I become. The camper we bought is new enough to be prewired for solar--just plug in panels and you're set. I guess the difference for us is that we live in the "boonies". We are absolutely blessed to walk outside of our house at night and it is pitch black, owls are hooting in the woods, deer and turkeys are constantly in our yard(just ask my flower beds in the summer) and a bear occasionally wanders through. So going on our trips to campgrounds is like a trip back to civilization--and usually a reminder of why we live where we live. Also, in looking at maps, it doesn't seem to be a lot of these sites on the East Coast like there is "out West". But I might try this at some point...just because. Thanks to everyone for all the great info. and to Family Travels for posing the question.

This is part of why camping is different for so many people. And why there are different types of campgrounds out there.

Depending on where you live, what you do for a living, what you enjoy, etc., your experience camping will be unique.

I recommend folks at least try to dry camp - even if it is just waiting to hook up at the full hookup campsite until the next day. Knowing you have that ability and it's not so terrible, offers up a lot of options in the future for you.

 

[BillyMc]

And why there are different types of campgrounds out there.

Unfortunately, the variety is dwindling in many areas. In SC there are places to dry camp, dispersed camping for tents, and campgrounds with hookups. Finding a place to boondock with a camper is about as hard as finding the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.

 

[Toedtoes]

Unfortunately, the variety is dwindling in many areas. In SC there are places to dry camp, dispersed camping for tents, and campgrounds with hookups. Finding a place to boondock with a camper is about as hard as finding the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.

Boondocking is probably the most difficult to find, between limited available lands and finding an actual spot.

 

[BillyMc]

Boondocking is probably the most difficult to find, between limited available lands and finding an actual spot.

There are national and state forest here that offer dry camping areas, but not really anything for boondocking. The boys and I enjoy the dry camping, DW not so much. Hoping the soon to be ours hybrid camper makes her more comfortable with it. If not it will be the boy and me dry camping once or twice a year. Fortunately the demand for dry sites is so low that a last minute site is no problem.

 

[Susan Premo]

Unfortunately, the variety is dwindling in many areas. In SC there are places to dry camp, dispersed camping for tents, and campgrounds with hookups. Finding a place to boondock with a camper is about as hard as finding the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.

Yeah, I'm worried about that here, seems in Minnesota you have to have a permit.

 

[rescamilla]

That area sure looks familiar. I live only 17 miles from Mojave and I travel those roads all the time.

Yes sir, California City, setup camp near Galileo Hill.

 

[LongHammer]

That's painting all campgrounds with a very broad brush. We've been camping - in campgrounds and backpacking - for more than 30 years. Your choice may be to avoid campgrounds at all costs, but for us, they fit our needs and wishes, most of the time. There are some we would not return to. Some we go to are really pretty remote, one of our favorites is 45 minutes or so from the nearest town, no power, no cell service, etc. We don't boondock for many reasons, among them so many of the areas we like are being trampled by those that do. [in a USFS area of AZ we have not yet explored, I just saw a closure of at-large camping for the next two years, because it has been so over-used.]
On many trips, we choose campgrounds by the places we want to explore. Mather Campground at South Rim of Grand Canyon is an example. Mix of close to pretty well separated sites, dry camping, in normal times often pretty busy. [Last October, we were among the 2 or 3 sites occupied in our section of a loop, around 17 sites.] Is it remote? No, but it is within walking distance, or a short drive, of the "big hole in the ground". Not going to miss that to drive miles to get there from a more remote spot.

The majority of us boondockers leave no trace. The dispersed camping closures are all utv/atv related. You can see them everyday never leave camp the same way twice. Drive off road between campsites.... Then the feral horses have reduced nice areas to stockyards.

 

[Arlyn Aronson]

 

[Etexcamper]

Based upon my read of this thread most people boondock for 3 reasons: (1) sites are free and they are cheap, (2) you are out in nature and the only camper around and (3) better sites along rivers, creeks and beaches.