Newbie - boondocking, trailer, East Coast dry camping

[Lonewolf55]

I would also Advice you to spend some time and Money on the GaiaGPS App for a tablet. And then download as many National Geographic Trails Illustrated Maps for the areas you are going.



The National Forests are friendly for tent campers, but for trailer/car campers not so. Especially in the mountains. The roads are built with ditches on either side so water doesn't wash away the road, so its not as easy to just pull off and park in an open space to camp. The coastal areas are better since they are flat lands, but you find a lot of "Boondocking Sites" will be full of party'ers around 12midnight, and not before. Look the areas over carefully for lots of beer cans and trash. It's a nice gesture to clean them up, but they may be returned to dumps at Midnight.



Nat. Geo Maps will show "Approved" campsite that you can often share if someone is already there and make life long friends besides. Also the NF MVUM (Motor Vehicle Use Maps) will show where you are allowed to drive on wild back woods roads where you can easily find a place to pull off and camp. Those you must download from the Forest service Website you will be visiting.



There is a lot to know to boondock successfully.

Originally Posted by camper07

It's good to know that National Forests are options in Virginia. I'll be curious to see what other states are good. On my list.


Thanks much.

[RvNaut]

Originally Posted by camper07

Hi all,

Thanks, hope you're all safe, and look forward to chatting.

If I were you, I would head straight for northern W.Virginia and start poking my way south.. Look for COE campsites and use the online boondocking websites to find locations.

The Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkways are not to be missed, and camping fees are not that high.. then you can go west through Tenn and Ark.. by the time you get to BLM-Land it will be Dec...

[Gammel]

Here's the low down on Nat Forests: 'dispersed camping' is what they call boondocking. It varies with the particular forest and some can be downright persnickety about it. They always have their rules posted on their websites although they're not always easily understood. I've seen where one side of a road is cool but not the other!

As for bears they're largely not the problem that most people think they are. However when they are then you have a problem. Bear spray is extremely effective - keep one handy at all times when you're 'in the zone' and don't worry about it. Most bears are easily shooed away. Remember this: if you do feel threatened enough to use your spray WAIT until it is no more than 20' away. Spray towards the ground in front of it, NOT directly at its face as it will likely just go over it. There's very little you can do about food storage unless you have a hermetically sealed safe. If you intend to camp in bear country and go off for day hikes then YOU ABSOLUTELY MUST buy a steel tool box like a Knaack and chain it to a tree or something. Buy one big enough to put a cooler in. Storing food in your car is a bad idea. A bear will either just push in on a door window or hook their claws in the top of the door and peel it open like a sardine can! When you checked into a campground in Yosemite you had to watch a short video of da bears doing exactly these maneuvers.

Next week we'll discuss dealing with Grizzlies and Polar bears.