US national parks and campgrounds are almost inseparable from each other. If you want to see the parks, you can hardly avoid at least a couple of nights at the campsites. So how do you save and find a free camping USA and what to buy in a camping gear shop? We will tell about all this in detail in the article below.
What is camping?
Camping sites are specially designated places where you can stay with your tent or RV (mobile home). Yes, in the USA you can’t just take and put up a tent in any place you like, you have to look for a camping site for this (there are exceptions, about them below). They are found almost everywhere throughout the United States: both in the national parks themselves and beyond.
Camping sites can be paid, free, with amenities, or completely “wild”. We’ll start with the simplest ones.
Where can you go camping for free?
So, where can you go camping for free and how to find free camping? Remember the definition of “national forest“. The National Forest is a state (non-state) territory and is subject to federal laws. Forests are marked on a free camping map, plus a very noticeable sign will be installed at each entrance, indicating that you have entered the forest. It should be noted that the “forest” here may be the most natural desert with rare bushes, where the density of large trees is one per square kilometer.
In theory, you can stay in any national forest, in any place you like. In practice, each forest has its nuances. For example, it may be forbidden to spend the night due to the threat of fires, somewhere you can get up exclusively in specially designated places (campsites), somewhere you simply do not physically stop because of the lack of ramps and road fences.
Almost always at the entrance to the national forest, there are special information boards, on which all the conditions are detailed. For example, if you can stop only in specially designated places, then on the shield there will be a map with marked places. If fires cannot be burned, this will also be written about.
It is not difficult to find a place near the road – look for traces of those who have been here before you (traces of cars, trampled sites). You can often find a fireplace lined with stones. Be careful – the presence of a bonfire does not mean that you can start a fire.
Perhaps, at the moment, it is prohibited due to the threat of fires (information will be at the entrance to the park), and fines for violation can be very impressive. What to expect at free camping?
Please note that these locations do not require toilets or other amenities, including water sources.
However, free camping is found and fully equipped, but they are located in little-visited places or where you can’t get there by car (only for backpackers).
Why do you need to stay at campsites and not in hotels?
Firstly, this way you will be closer to nature. Reindeer will not come to visit you at the hotel, but at the campsite, it is more possible.
Secondly, it is much cheaper than hotels.
Thirdly, sometimes you simply will not have a choice. In some places, hotels may be either overcrowded, terribly expensive, or none at all. That is, they will be, but dozens of kilometers from the place where you might want to meet the dawn.
What do you need for camping?
We have not seen any services for renting equipment directly at the campsites, so everything should be your own: tent, sleeping bags, rugs (for sleeping bags), dishes and, preferably, a burner for cooking. Now, all you need is to enjoy your outdoor recreation, dear readers!
