RV Camping on Public Lands

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Recreational Vehicle Camping On Public Lands

Campgrounds provided on public lands offer a wide variety of RV camping and outdoor recreation opportunities. There are campgrounds set up for small RV campers and tents, while others can accommodate the largest RV combinations. You can find public land campgrounds that offer amenities from full RV hook-up campsites, to primitive, no facility designated camping areas. Not all campgrounds are suitable for all types of RV camping units. With campgrounds located in every area of the country, you will have no trouble finding great public lands campgrounds for your RV camping trips.

The Camping Locater Map on our home page has links to each individual states public lands administrators website. It's the easiest way to find RV camping resources for every state.

Boondocking

Boondocking provides tips on finding great RV camping sites. www.rv-camping.org defines boondocking as "remote location dispersed camping". To carry this definition one step further, the USDA Forest Service defines dispersed camping as "camping outside developed campgrounds". Learn about the rules and regulations of public lands boondocking. Includes ideas on ways to extend your limited RV water, electricity, and waste resources.

USDA Forest Service

Staying in USDA Forest Service Campgrounds offers you great RV camping locations. There are over 4300 developed campgrounds in our National Forests available for RV camping, and we have the information about finding them all. There are National Grasslands managed by the Forest Service as well, and primitive camping is allowed.

Camping in National & State Parks

The National Park Service (NPS) campgrounds are located in the most scenic RV camping locations. You can see more detailed information about America's gems by clicking on NPS Campgrounds.

When you think public lands campgrounds, don't forget state parks. These parks are located in beautiful surroundings and are great destinations for RV camping. State Parks gives you easy access to all 50 state park and campground systems.

RV Camping - BLM and USACE

BLM - Bureau of Land Management has great RV camping locations. From mountains to desert, you can find more detailed information by clicking on BLM Campgrounds and LTVA (Long Term Visitor Areas).

USACE - US Army Corps of Engineers, often referred to as COE, administers over 450 lakes throughout the USA. These water based recreation areas are great destinations for RV camping, and you can find out where they are in the USACE Campgrounds section.

Public Lands Campgrounds

The campgrounds administered by the USFS- USDA Forest Service, BLM - Bureau of Land Management, and the National Park Service - NPS should be taken advantage of by RV campers. Campground conditions and amenities vary widely too. From hot showers and flush toilets, to fire rings and nothing else, you can find a campground right for you and your family.

You need to do some homework before heading off onto public lands. These areas are still wild, and in some cases difficult to reach. Road conditions can go from great to horrible quickly with changing weather conditions. Stay informed of changing weather conditions and plan accordingly. Campgrounds can be built on the side of a hill, so don't forget to take some old boards to help you get leveled up once you find your camp site. Take the time to read the rules of the campground posted near the entrance. Very often you will discover that bears and other wildlife also like staying in the area you have chosen, and you may need to take precautions to avoid unnecessary wildlife meetings.

Plan your public land RV camping trip carefully. You can get great information about campgrounds and road conditions from the USFS, BLM, and NPS offices that administer the area you wish to visit. Ask questions and ask for advice from these folks as they know the area better than just about anyone. Tell them the type and size of RV you are camping with, and you will get directions to campgrounds just right for you and your RV.

Campfires are permitted unless posted otherwise. Many of the hosted public land campgrounds have firewood available at a reasonable fee. Many more un-hosted sites may have firewood available near the campground. Some campgrounds don't allow collecting firewood, but these usually have firewood available nearby. If you want a campfire, don't forget to take your hatchet and bow saw along. If you own a chain saw, this can speed up building your campfire wood pile. Pay close attention to fire restrictions. Fines for having a campfire during a fire ban can be painful to your wallet, but the much worse scenario would be your fire getting out of hand. As Smokey says "Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires".

The USFS often requires having an ax, shovel, and bucket in your campsite when having a fire. Don't leave a campfire to smolder all night. The wind might come up and scatter hot ashes. Use your shovel to bury your fire before retiring for the night. Fireworks are not permitted.

If your RV has a generator, we suggest that you run it only as much as necessary. Your fellow campers will appreciate your consideration. Don't forget to bring a bucket or water jug. Hauling water back to your campsite from a distant water pump or spigot in a pan isn't my idea of fun. Always pick up your campsite when getting ready to leave. From the condition of a few campgrounds we've been in, it would appear that the previous camper thought someone was going to follow them around and pick up their trash for them...which we did. Please be responsible and keep your campsite picked up, and leave it better than you found it.

If you like to fish, don't forget that you must comply with all state fishing rules for the state you are in. Hunting is also allowed on most public land, but again you must comply with local laws. Firearms and target practice is allowed on public land too. Be considerate of your fellow RV campers and find places to practice well away from your campground. There is a good chance you will meet the local law enforcement official if you are target shooting too close to a campground.

A good Internet RV camping information source in the western USA is www.publiclands.org. This site lists western states recreation opportunities. Most Forest Service and BLM campgrounds are listed, but there are just too many possible campgrounds for them all to be listed. There are state campgrounds listed here as well.

One other information resource is the www.recreation.gov website. This is a huge website with information about just about every state and Federal public land campground. The problem we see is that it is difficult to wade through all the information presented. It's a great site if you know where you are going, but trying to find new places can be less than fun.

With a bit of planning, you can find some of our nations best RV camping locations. Once you find your campground site, sit back, relax and enjoy!