![]() Basically, boondocking is simply camping in dispersed areas within the public lands. These types of experiences don’t occur in campgrounds or motels. You’ll also need to bring the basics with you for cooking, cleanup, sleeping and bathroom - and doing so in the spirit of “leave no trace” ethics takes on a much higher level of importance.ĭepending on how far off the main roadways you go, boondocking also means having good navigation skills, given that there may be no cellphone reception or access to mobile map applications.Ī quiet fire along Cañon Sin Nombre at Anza Borrego State Park. ![]() That may seem simple enough for those who’ve camped out in the past, but doing so when you’re outside an established campground is a quite different proposition. It’s just you, your camper and a piece of land to call your own for a night or two.” “There aren’t any bathrooms, water spigots or picnic tables. The first of these is “how you camp,” she explains. What differentiates it from traditional camping revolves around two main concepts that Campendium outdoor writer Sara Sheehy calls “wild camping.” In a larger perspective, this type of camping is known as “boondocking,” which more or less translates as camping in the boonies. ![]() There are thousands like this throughout the BLM-managed parts of the Western states. I’ll go for total immersion from the first view of the morning light from my van to the last glimmer of sunlight over the ridge top.Įvery little corner has the potential for becoming a campsite. I can think of a dozen or two places like the Eureka Dunes in Death Valley, the Trona Pinnacles near Ridgecrest, Red Rock Canyon, Anza Borrego and others where the trek from town means an hour’s drive or more to get there. Most of the motels or campgrounds aren’t either. Most of the places I’ve learned to love aren’t near cities, big or small. Perhaps this has come from spending so much of my earlier years camping the San Rafael Wilderness, or on river trips or property I once owned in southwestern Utah. Credit: Ray Ford / Noozhawk photoįor me, the urge to camp out in nature rather than near it has been a guiding principle. Morning light at the Alabama Hills, one of the premiere dispersed area camping spots in California. Spending the night at the Alabama Hills near Lone Pine, which I’m planning on doing soon, won’t cost you a dime, while a midweek room at the Best Western in town goes for $170 plus taxes. There’s the cost factor, too. Spending the night at a Los Padres National Forest campground will set you back $30 at my camp along the Figueroa Mountain Road, $0. The trend toward camping out on the public lands rather than in a campground is growing ever more popular, partly because of past COVID-19 restrictions and the need for isolation, but now more a desire to camp in rather than near the places you want to visit. The concept is called “dispersed area camping.” It’s free, available throughout many parts of the national forests, most Bureau of Land Management-managed lands, and some state park lands. It’s a bit more remote, too, and the views are fantastic.Ī camper spends a quiet moment in the Hills of the Moon dry wash at Anza Borrego. There’s an existing fire pit, room to camp far enough from the road that provides a more isolated feeling, and an easy exit when needed.Īmazingly, it is OK to camp here, it costs nothing to do so, and you couldn’t ask for a better spot to wake up in the morning.Īnother of my favorites is the Zaca Catway, precisely because it overlooks the entire Santa Barbara backcountry. It’s one of the nicest spots you’d want to camp on the mountain. Just before the steep climb up to it, there’s a circular turnout on the right with a gnarled oak at the center. I made my way up the winding road and past the campground heading toward the Ranger Peak saddle. Recently I headed up to Figueroa Mountain Road to check out the wildflowers. My absolute favorite area to spend a few days. Camp setup on the Zaca Catway with Figueroa Mountain in the distance.
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