Boondocking Newbie ???

[reubenray]

We have never done this, even though we have the motorhome for doing it. Next spring I may finally attempt it if the wife agrees. I have a 41' Newmar with an 8KW generator plus an AGS system. I do not have solar. I am only looking for a spot a night or two. I will be traveling between Moab, AZ to Jackson Hole, WY. I am checking into locations around the Provo, Ut area off of Hwy 89 and Bear Lake, Ut areas. I figured this time of the year (last week of May) would be a good time - temperature wise.

[JMH]

Your rig will be fine for a night or two. Boon docked in both our 37’ and 43’ Newmar Ventana several times. Only problem you will have is where.

We were traveling through that area about 5 years ago and intended to stay in a camp ground. All were full. Then we looked for boondocking to fit our 37’. We ended up about 70 miles west of Salt Lake City in a Pilot.

Maybe now that we are a little more experienced (that was our first year in a class a) we would find other locations.

Check out allstays they are our go to. Also casino camper is a good site. Best of luck.

[twogypsies]

How are you driving from Moab? You could take Hwy 6 toward I-15. Here looks like a good one in Spanish Fork just south of Provo. It's wide open with easy access, very scenic and big rigs use it. We would definitely use it with our 40' MH. If you plug in the GPS coordinates which are given it will show you exactly.

It's Sheep Creek Dispersed Area, Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest.

Play around with this site:

https://www.campendium.com/sheep-creek-utah

How are you getting to Jackson?

[reubenray]

Originally Posted by twogypsies

How are you driving from Moab? You could take Hwy 6 toward I-15. Here looks like a good one in Spanish Fork just south of Provo. It's wide open with easy access, very scenic and big rigs use it. We would definitely use it with our 40' MH. If you plug in the GPS coordinates which are given it will show you exactly.

It's Sheep Creek Dispersed Area, Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest.

Play around with this site:

https://www.campendium.com/sheep-creek-utah

How are you getting to Jackson?

I will be taking Hwy. 6/89 to Provo and then Hwy 189 toward Evanston. I have some campgrounds in RVTW, but I figured if I could find a very scenic spot to stay a night or two it would be a good place to do our first boondocking. I have the KOA at Provo and Rendavouz Beach Bear State Park as my possible stops.

[Fossil one]

Take a look at ‘iOverlander’ for the geography you are interested in. It shows places to boondock, site info and often has current reviews. It even has a feature that allows you to jump to google satellite view of the site you have selected. Finally, the best feature.....IT IS FREE!
I am looking at going to Baja next winter. With this site I can locate a spot and if an RV was there when the satellite took the picture see them parked. Reading the reviews is a real plus.

[reubenray]

Originally Posted by twogypsies

How are you driving from Moab? You could take Hwy 6 toward I-15. Here looks like a good one in Spanish Fork just south of Provo. It's wide open with easy access, very scenic and big rigs use it. We would definitely use it with our 40' MH. If you plug in the GPS coordinates which are given it will show you exactly.

It's Sheep Creek Dispersed Area, Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest.

Play around with this site:

https://www.campendium.com/sheep-creek-utah

How are you getting to Jackson?

This could work for me as it is close to my route and one of my stops. I will need to research on how to get one of the sites and generator use.

[stinespool]

Look for any BLM land.

[twogypsies]

double post

[twogypsies]

Originally Posted by reubenray

This could work for me as it is close to my route and one of my stops. I will need to research on how to get one of the sites and generator use.

They aren't 'sites'. This is typical of boondocking.... you drive in and park wherever! That's the beauty of it. If you're lucky you will have the most scenic view from your windows.

These types of sites also don't restrict generator use. To be a good neighbor, if you see a RV with a rooftop of solar panels you should park next to him running a generator, if possible.

Also, if you pull in and see a couple of RVs parked, try not to park close to them. Boondockers relish their space.

You'll get the hang of it and hope you enjoy it. We think it's awesome!

[Fossil one]

The suggestion to look for an RV with a bunch of solar panels on the roof as someone to park near is great. First knock on his door, preferably late at night, and see if he has a good sense of humor about your open frame construction generator. Your furiously barking dogs will be a plus. Take note of the inventive expletives and you will then be free to enjoy your boondocking experience (Right after he punches you in the face).

[SteveJ.]

Most of our camping is boondocking with some driveway and some primitive sites. Although heat and humidity will drive me to a source for electric(think Army COE).

This little write up pretty well sums it up for me:

http://rvlife.com/rather-boondock/

For a night or two, depending on your set up, you may not have to even run the genny.

On occasion I will stop at a USFS district office for advice and a free map showing dispersed areas. They can be quite helpful for directing you to an area where a bigger rig will work and more importantly, where it will not.

Free campsites.net is most helpful. They also show dumping stations, free or otherwise.

[profdan]

Someone mentioned that places to boondock aren't "sites." Well, no and yes, I'd say. They aren't marked with little signs. But they are previously-used pullouts. You can often see tire tracks and fire rings.

The forest service asks that we NOT crush the vegetation to create new sites but instead use existing sites. There may even be regulations that require us to do that.

I have seen some areas in the Western Sierra where folks have run roughshod over previously untracked land, causing more and more folks to park on more and more territory, eventually leading to a lot of damage.

[twogypsies]

Originally Posted by profdan

Someone mentioned that places to boondock aren't "sites." Well, no and yes, I'd say. They aren't marked with little signs. But they are previously-used pullouts. You can often see tire tracks and fire rings.

The forest service asks that we NOT crush the vegetation to create new sites but instead use existing sites. There may even be regulations that require us to do that.

I have seen some areas in the Western Sierra where folks have run roughshod over previously untracked land, causing more and more folks to park on more and more territory, eventually leading to a lot of damage.

This is true. Only park where someone has parked previously or is a completely gravel pullout with no vegetation.

The recommendation I gave above is a large dispersed area for many RVs. The question from the OP was "how to get one of the sites"; I took it to mean that he thought it was a laid out dry campground not just an open large space.

[profdan]

twogypsies, just to be clear, I was not disagreeing with you at all -- just giving a newbie a tip -- we have a lot of freedom as boondockers, but it is not unlimited freedom!