Newbie question - Can you boondock in a campground?

[SJMaye]

Sorry, this is such a simpleton question.

Many times I can't find an available RV site, but see campsites without electricity, water or sewer available. Can you rent one of these spots for your rig and simply boondock there?

[Lv2Roam2]

Yes - you may also find that those sites are quieter and larger...

[hamm2018]

We boondock in some military parks like this.

[Punkinhead]

Sometimes sites without hookups are designated tent only and don't allow RVs but most do. We use them quite often. Check the park rules.

[SJMaye]

Maybe it wasn't as crazy as I first thought. I will definitely check park rules to confirm, though.

[Souljourner]

You can definitely do this, and I do it all the time with a couple of caveats -
Is the site large enough for your rig?
Is the site level enough to be practical?
Can you actually access the site from the road? (some tent sites are walk-up)
How heavily treed is the site and do you have room between trees to back-in?

Many online reservation sites ask you the type of rig you have and its length and will only show you appropriate sites - with and without services. I have never been surprised upon arrival by what was offered to me. Many “tent only” sites were not offered, even though available, due to the above reasons.

I like seclusion when I camp and have found many of the sites without services are more private. I also kind of like NOT having a sewer dump at my site (I can’t help but think of the “oopses” that have occurred) and I’m OK dumping at the dump station when I leave. I also have solar and lithium batteries so the lack of electric is not an issue for me.

If you’re OK with no electric I’d say go for it!

[KenZ71]

All depends on the campground management - if they say OK then maybe it will work.

I say maybe because depending on your rig size & weight you might have issues with low tree branches, not level ground, poor drainage, etc.

I am currently in a KOA where the management does not understand big rigs. Many big rigs get stuffed into spaces where leveling is a challenge and getting in / our without hitting trees or boulders takes multiple spotters.

[Punkinhead]

Another thing to consider... Out of courtesy, if we're camped in a tent only site we don't run noisy things like our split AC (the outside fans are crazy loud) or a generator. If it's a regular non-hookup site that is not labeled a tent site we'll use those things but still try to be courteous.

[twogypsies]

Staying in a campground without utilities is called 'dry camping'. Boondocking is out in the boonies.

If the campground is not a 'tent only' campground then yes, you can pay the camp fee and stay in it with your RV. These will mainly be national forest campgrounds. National parks and state parks along with Corp of Engineer also have campground with no hookups.

We love 'dry camping' and also 'boondocking'! So much better than a typical RV park.

[MKwilli]

As others stated, you can dry camp at a lot of campgrounds. If you can get into military campgrounds they sometimes have overflow slots.

[SJMaye]

Originally Posted by MKwilli

As others stated, you can dry camp at a lot of campgrounds. If you can get into military campgrounds they sometimes have overflow slots.

Yes, I am referring to Dry Camping. I am still learning the camping terminology. Thank you all.

[MRUSA14]

Originally Posted by SJMaye

Yes, I am referring to Dry Camping. I am still learning the camping terminology. Thank you all.

That’s splitting hairs. We knew what you meant, and many use “boondocking” and “dry camping” interchangeably even if it may not be precisely accurate.

[OldBaldFat]

Originally Posted by SJMaye

Yes, I am referring to Dry Camping. I am still learning the camping terminology. Thank you all.

A few years ago, the terms were used more precisely.

Boondocking was camping in an area without designated spaces or an organized campground. Mostly occurred in the western states due to the lack of dispersed camping areas in most states east of the Mississippi.

Wallydocking was staying overnight in the parking lot of a store, truck stop or roadside service area. Camping etiquette was to not put out the slides, not take more than a single traveling width of space, no awnings out, no grills, chairs, etc. You could sit in your chairs, but not use them to claim part of an area for the RV.

Dry Camping was in an organized campground, mostly in spots with no utilities. US Forest Service has some in almost every state along with other federal agencies, many state parks, county parks fit this description. Very, very seldom have I seen a commercially/ privately operated CG with no utilities.

When my family started camping in 1963, there were almost no campsites in the COE and USFS parks in the state of Arkansas with any utilities available. Many CG only had a hand pump for water.

The last place I stayed like that was a USFS CG near Glacier NP in 2017.

In the summer of 2018, we stayed at several USFS parks which did have a central potable water source - on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

2020 - Arizona.

Not 3 weeks ago, a COE CG in central Texas.

[Jkjavelin]

Originally Posted by MRUSA14

That’s splitting hairs. We knew what you meant, and many use “boondocking” and “dry camping” interchangeably even if it may not be precisely accurate.

It's like bad grammar. We know what they mean, but it's incorrect and irritating. Like calling a Ram truck a Dodge.
Some of us are old enough to be crotchety.