One of the nice things about RV camping is making a home away from home and being able to take those longer trips to premium destinations. Last summer I was able to do just that when I towed my Outdoors RV 24TRX from my home in West Virginia to Wyoming. For 5 weeks, I played tourist, explored the lesser known spots, hung out in the camper hiding from the rain, and basically felt like I was living in Wyoming instead of visiting.

In order to make the trip affordable, and honestly, I enjoy it more than staying in RV parks, I set up camp on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land and National Forest Land. The Outdoors RV is designed around boondocking and camping without hookups. My toy hauler comes with a 100 gallon fresh water tank, enough waste holding tanks to keep the water once used, and even a generator when the solar system needs a little boost. As a solo traveler, I have no issue with spending four weeks before needing to refill the water and dump the tanks. However, two weeks is typically how long I stay in one location due to the camping regulations on the BLM and National Forest Lands.

 

How do I find these locations? Several sources, but I mainly use OnX maps to research the area and mark several possible camping locations. Before the trip, I will scour the map on my desktop for the larger screen, turn on and off the different layers, compare the locations with google maps and set a flexible plan of where to stay. OnX has recently added a layer to their Offroad version showing disperse camping locations. However, I have found it a bit unreliable and not very accurate. Generally it is permissible to camp on BLM and National Forest Lands for up to 14 days in one location.  Most BLM lands allow dispersed camping unless an area is posted “Closed to Camping”. Rules can vary by state or local area, so always comply with posted signs and verify specifics with the  local BLM office. But basically, here are the things to know about camping on Public Lands:

• Stay Limit: Dispersed camping is generally limited to 14 days within any 28‑day period, though specific stay limits vary by state and field office. After reaching the stay limit, visitors must move to a new location — often at least 25 to 30 miles away.

• Stay on Designated Roads: Vehicles must stay on designated roads and trails unless the area is specifically designated for off-road vehicle use.

• Permits: Most areas don’t require permits or reservations. Some regions may require permits for large groups or campfires.

• Fire Safety: Fire restrictions can vary throughout the year, so check current regulations before you go and follow posted guidance. Make sure fires are completely out before leaving.

• Try To Use Existing Sites: Camp in spots that are already disturbed to protect plants and soil.

• Camp Near Roads: Camp within 150 feet of designated routes; avoid creating new tracks.

• Avoid Developed Areas: Don’t camp too close to campgrounds, trailheads, or picnic areas.

• Pack It In, Pack It Out: Take all trash and belongings with you.

 

So, yeah, on BLM and National Forest Public Lands, you can drive down a dirt road, find a cool spot to park the camper and stay for 14 days for free. Well, not exactly free, you did pay for it with your taxes. But you get the idea.

On this particular trip, I parked the RV east of Cody, WY in the McCullough Peaks area. I was a five minute drive to downtown Cody, had views for miles, not another camper in sight, and was able to ride my ATV for miles and explore in any direction. And with Yellowstone National Park an hour drive from my doorstep, I was set for the next two weeks of living in Wyoming.

 

During my 14 days here, I went for early morning drives, hikes along the Shoshone River, mountain biking, visited the Buffalo Bill Museum, long ATV rides, canoed and fished the Snake River, casually explored Yellowstone National Park, and even did the most touristy thing a guy could do and visited Old Faithful. The longer stay relieved the pressure to get it all in. On trips like this, I tend to leave the more touristy things for the less crowded times like early mornings or later in the evenings.

 After a quick stop at the City of Cody provided dumping station and water filling station, I turned south and headed for the Wind River Canyon and the town of Thermopolis, WY. In my over five years of living fulltime in my RV and taking these longer extended trips, I have found that finding a waste dumping location or a place to refill water has not been a problem. There are many locations around that we generally don’t notice, but they are around. Generally, they can be found in State Park campgrounds, many western cities and towns have public dump / fill stations at one of their facilities, lately I’ve noticed some truck stops have dump/fill stations, and my personal favorite in the Western States are the convenience store Mavericks. A bit of advice though, be prepared to wait for a few minutes to dump and fill at the Mavericks in Moab, UT, as it tends to get a little crowded. But on the upside, it is a great place to meet other travelers and share stories and camp locations.

 

Again, as with my stay in Cody, WY., I parked the RV on BLM land. This time I was on the south end of the Wind River Canyon in the Bridger Mountain range. Again, not another camper or person in sight of my campsite. My stay here was a short 2 days but well worth the Wind River trout fishing and the ATV ride through the Bridger Mountain Range.

 The last two weeks of this RV adventure were my favorite. Tucked in the Teton National Forest is the Buffalo Valley with miles of easily accessible RV camping locations. Well, kind of easily accessible. It is dirt roads, and some of the sites are a little tight. But when you are able to back your RV up to the river’s edge and watch the elk and deer drink from the river with the Teton mountains in the background, the dusty roads are well worth it. Teton National Park and Jackson WY. were both within an easy short drive from camp and for the next two weeks, I went exploring, fishing, hiking and even downhill mountain biking at Jackson Hole. Twice!

       

However, I think my favorite part of that camp location over the two weeks was sitting by the campfire with visiting friends watching the sunset over the Teton Mountains, while the flow of the Buffalo River a few feet away provided the background music and the elk drank and fed in view on the other side of the river. The time spent here was priceless, and the lodging was free.

 Next summer, the plan is to spend two months in the RV exploring Idaho and Montana and of course I’ll take a new camping journal with me and spend as much time s possible with the RV set up on public lands camping for free.

Explore, Reflect, Repeat.

Happy Wandering!

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Tags

Behind the Sawdust BLM campgrounds Camping Cody WY Fishing Grand Teton National Park Hiking Jackson WY McCullough Peaks National Forest Public Lands onX maps Outdoors RV 24TRX Overlanding Prompted Journals Road Trip RV Camping State Parks Teton Mountains The Finer Things Yellowstone National Park

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