Boondocking record?

[CBDunkerson]

What is the longest time you've been able to boondock without needing to head back to civilization?

What was it that finally forced you back (e.g. full grey/black water tanks, gas/power, clean water, food, weather, etc) and how were you able to deal with those issues for so long?

Assume that traveling from one boondocking spot to another doesn't count as returning to civilization unless you also resupplied or used other amenities (e.g. dump site) en route.

[NewBlackDak]

Best I ever did was 10 nights. I was out in the desert with my 3 boys, and working off the weirdly good cell connection we get out at this spot. I had packed enough food for 2 weeks. Bed of the truck was full of jerry cans of water, firewood, and fuel. I had to make 2 trips out. One for the travel trailer, and one for the quad and dirt bikes. Gray was dumped off down hill. We peed outside in the bushes. I blew the dust off everyone with an air compressor every night, and alternated hospital wipes and army showers. Fuel was what made us pack it in. I didn’t have solar on that rig, so I had to run the generator for a couple hours every day to recharge the batteries. It also only had 40 gallons fresh, so I dumped a 7G jerry can in every other day. Same setup with the wife and 2 teenage daughters lasts 4 nights. The black fills about the same time we run out of water.

[Agesilaus]

We have only been out for three days. But I saw a message from someone claiming 3 weeks with one trip to the dump, one week in.

[Pyropete]

In a tent I had spent 10 days at slab city back about 8-10 years ago. We used to go boondocking when I was a kid up to early 20s with my grandpa and we used to always go for a week to 10 days. That was about our limit and all my grandfather could stand of us grandkids.

[astrocamper]

Spent 10 nights without a resupply at an astronomy event. We used the on site porta potties to extend the black tank. Sponge bath showers to preserve the fresh water. Used several cases of bottled water for drinking.

We have done multiple 3 week backpacking trips with 12 days between food resupplies.

[twogypsies]

You can't go by what someone says without know their tank capacity. Smaller tanks and you'll need to empty sooner. You can always drive your vehicle to get food and containers of water.

We had 105 fresh water; 65 grey; 45 black

We could go indefinitely if it weren't for our tank capacity. We used solar. We don't believe in dumping grey water on the ground and it's against the law in some places.

We've gone 2 weeks and after that we always feel it's time to move to a different area anyway so it's no inconvenience. Finding a dump station is no issue when on the move.

[Brad Wilf]

This past July 7 nights 4 adults and 3 kids 17-20 and 24 not really kids but there mine..LOL. No issue's with tanks or fresh water. Outhouse nearby, right next to creek for sponge bathing, lots of bottle water. 8cuft fridge sure helps for food. Cooler for drinks and what not. Lots of direct sunlight, no issues with power.

This Sunday the 15th, the DW and myself are heading out for 10 days of boondocking. I expect absolutely no issue's with capacities, using the same rule...maybe even squeak in a proper shower or 2...just not for 2..

[joes2901]

I get 19 days before fresh water gone and I have to dump the holding tanks and refill fresh water tank. Out on Sundays for Church and supplies. Fuel and propane good from June to Labor Day then top off fuel and propane tanks to mid-Oct when all the sites in the high Rockies are closing.

[pduggs]

I did ten nights alone at the free area just west of Quartzsite and south of I10, last March. Did navy showers to limit water usage. I still had over a quarter tank of fresh water when I pulled out of there. The waste tanks weren’t close to full either. I could have done several more days, but had to pick up the wife from the airport.

[Searching_Ut]

It really varies, but we often go up to 14 days in camping mode using paper plates, carrying spare water in the truck, and taking Navy showers every other day or so. We have 90 gals of gray water storage, 45 black, but only 65 gallons of fresh. I have several 6 and 7 gallon jugs, and a 60 gallon bladder I have used a couple times for fresh refills. 14 days tends to be the limit of stay without moving due mostly to rules, and we tend to get bored in one spot any longer.



As for our normal use, 4 to 5 days means pretty much no changes in behavior. We don't normally take all that long of showers anyway. For 5 to 7 days, Being carefull with the kitchen sink, and Navy showers every day. If more than a week, the two of us need to start going into water conservation mode.


Propane use really varies, with colder weather we can use a 30lbs tank in 2 or 3 days, summer considerably longer of course. The Norcold is 18cf so how long food will stay fresh is the issue there when it comes to how often we need to re-stock produce. Currently have 1200 watts of solar on the roof, so rarely run generator.



We do far more dry camping than boondocking, and if they have a dump station we normally just plan on dumping every 7 days. Adding water generally isn't an issue as it's normally available in the campground at least, so we just top off the tanks as needed using a spare water pump set up for that, and jugs or the bladder as needed. Last trip out was Colter Bay in the Tetons, only 9 nights. Navy showers every day for both of us, added 24 gallons of water during stay, dumped on leaving. Very typical for us.

[profdan]

Usually it's just a week at a time -- we shower every night before bed, and the gray tank fills up in about 5 nights. We dump the gray water into the toilet -- kind of a hassle, but there's not much choice.

After the sixth or seventh night, we need to dump, to get groceries, and to do some laundry.

[okmunky]

Many of us that stay on the LTVA (long term visitor areas) near Quartzsite, AZ have portable tanks that we use to transport fresh water and tank contents to and from the dump and water stations. I figure you’re being out in the boonies, but with the right equipment you can park for months at a time. Weather is what made me move after 3-4 months. It was getting too hot.

[Pyropete]

Originally Posted by twogypsies

You can't go by what someone says without know their tank capacity. Smaller tanks and you'll need to empty sooner. You can always drive your vehicle to get food and containers of water.

We had 105 fresh water; 65 grey; 45 black

We could go indefinitely if it weren't for our tank capacity. We used solar. We don't believe in dumping grey water on the ground and it's against the law in some places.

We've gone 2 weeks and after that we always feel it's time to move to a different area anyway so it's no inconvenience. Finding a dump station is no issue when on the move.

Thanks for this. We had facilities where we went so we had water (not connected, but there was an old hand pump about 500yds from where we would camp) and bathrooms. No hookups, but we did have the basics. Kind of like Quartzsite, AZ. Services are there but hookups are not.

[okmunky]

Originally Posted by Pyropete

Services are there but hookups are not.

And at a MUCH lower price, I bet.