Community Forums

dixonge · 08-19-2021, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbridinger

I would be happy to share the areas i boondock but not specifics as I want to keep them to myself. Yes, a little selfish. PM me if you want suggestions, let me know what area you are interested.

Nothing personal, but most of us out here boondocking find it somewhere between difficult to impossible to believe what you are saying. My wife and I, for example, haven't seen a single place in the last 14 months where we could boondock in relative quiet and/or solitude. This includes Washington to New Mexico, Montana to south of Los Angeles.

And here you are claiming an entire forest is empty except for yourself? It would be right for you to be surprised at this. Are you sure you haven't entered an area that has been closed?

followingsea · 08-19-2021, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nwcid

I rarely see people when I boondock. If I do I am too close to other people. We mostly find places off the beaten path.

I agree. Like it when the beaten path is paved. In Northern California found numerous empty boondocks just off a paved road. Except an occasional car passing down the road, I saw no one.

Then I stayed at a full NP campground 7 miles down a gravel road.

mbridinger · 08-19-2021, 04:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dixonge

Nothing personal, but most of us out here boondocking find it somewhere between difficult to impossible to believe what you are saying. My wife and I, for example, haven't seen a single place in the last 14 months where we could boondock in relative quiet and/or solitude. This includes Washington to New Mexico, Montana to south of Los Angeles.

And here you are claiming an entire forest is empty except for yourself? It would be right for you to be surprised at this. Are you sure you haven't entered an area that has been closed?

Funny.
The spot I was at last week is 13 miles from a town in northern AZ. Dirt road. I saw no people for 6 days straight. I went for a drive before that and saw a few campers about 5 miles away but not many. It has taken me years to find my spots. I never claimed "the entire forest" whatever that means.

Backcountry1 · 08-23-2021, 06:48 PM

I can’t attest to “where have the boondockers gone” because where I go I never see campers to begin with. (My favorite spot I only ever hear a 4 wheeler go down a side road every now and again, but never near me). But I suppose it depends on how remote your spot is to start, and how many people normally go there. We have a very nice and popular boondocking area not far from me and I drove up to it last weekend, and there was about half dozen campers there. But then 15 miles away at a small NF campground off a gravel road… Not a soul.

murphylawe · 08-24-2021, 07:35 AM

Funny thing... I have seen fewer boondockers this year too. I have been staying in high altitude National Forests in Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado this year.

RV Parks seem to be doing fairly well, but I am not seeing anyone in the really remote locations. Of course, that the reason I go there, so to be honest I ain't missing them.

dixonge · 08-25-2021, 05:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbridinger

I never claimed "the entire forest" whatever that means.

To be fair, you did say "Last year the forest was packed, this year no-one" - which kinda implies the whole forest. At least the one you are in...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Backcountry1

But I suppose it depends on how remote your spot is to start, and how many people normally go there.

Quote:

Originally Posted by murphylawe

Funny thing... I have seen fewer boondockers this year too. I have been staying in high altitude National Forests in Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado this year.

RV Parks seem to be doing fairly well, but I am not seeing anyone in the really remote locations. Of course, that the reason I go there, so to be honest I ain't missing them.

I think this thread shows that A: most people are *not* finding these unpopulated spots, and B: most people aren't going for 'remote' spots. However, I've been in quite a few spots I would consider remote that were still full. One was adjacent to the Tetons, but several miles away. Still full. Remote western Oregon, got the last spot, and I would never take my 32-foot rig up that road again...

So these remote spots - how remote? How far to the nearest town for dumping, LP, water, etc.?

Another question - are any of you living in your rig full-time?

Backcountry1 · 08-25-2021, 07:36 AM

Quote:

I think this thread shows that A: most people are *not* finding these unpopulated spots, and B: most people aren't going for 'remote' spots. However, I've been in quite a few spots I would consider remote that were still full. One was adjacent to the Tetons, but several miles away. Still full. Remote western Oregon, got the last spot, and I would never take my 32-foot rig up that road again...

So these remote spots - how remote? How far to the nearest town for dumping, LP, water, etc.?

Another question - are any of you living in your rig full-time?

Most of my “remote” spots are miles from a town, mostly in the NF areas and BLM lands. I don’t full time, the longest I’ve been in one spot at a time boondocking in a trailer has been about a week. Water, propane, and a dump station are all available in the towns. But I do have to say that many of my spots I would not take a Class A to it, or anything longer than 28 ft. (Clearances from trees more so than the road conditions) So yes I understand the limitations that many might have on where they can go.

But I will say this as fas as “how many people go there normally”. My favorite spots are within an hour drive of very popular areas that see a lot of people visit and spend time at. If I chose to be closer then yes I would be contending with others for spots.

Gammel · 08-25-2021, 10:36 PM

Went to a very popular national park last fall. We knew there were no spaces available in any of the campgrounds or RV parks for miles outside the park. No problem - I had a choice boondocking site already picked with a number of backups. My first choice was open! There was another boondocker 250 yards away. We were a 10 minute drive from the park.

Miah · 09-21-2021, 09:43 AM

Maybe their Enhanced Unemployment Insurance benefits ended and they had to go find a job again?

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbridinger

I have been boondocking all summer in the same area as last year. Last year the forest was packed, this year no-one, did they all go to Disneyland? Don't get me wrong I am not complaining, just very different tan last year.

RunningHard · 09-22-2021, 08:55 AM

We have not noticed any difference in the amount of people where we travel. We stay West of Mississippi, been boondocking for close to 30 years. Always on a river, stream for fishing, or mountains, desert for riding SxS and metal detecting and exploring.

mwachel · 10-10-2021, 06:19 PM

I'm still out there boondocking it up as much as I can! We have seen quite a few people out there but it depends on where we are at. Utah has some pretty remote places so that helps. I have a YouTube video coming out this week of our trip to the Grand Mesa in CO @ 10,500 feet.

HopsBrewster · 10-10-2021, 06:26 PM

Serious boondockers have found quieter places. Many noobs decided b'docking wasn't for them and have 'graduated' to RV campgrounds and resorts, which are ow incredibly crowded.

Tarcowboy · 10-14-2021, 10:19 AM

They all ended up in South Dakota. Never seen so many campers. Lot of newbies..

Itinerant1 · 10-15-2021, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tarcowboy

They all ended up in South Dakota. Never seen so many campers. Lot of newbies..

Seen a lot fresh fire pits this year in the Black Hill NF which DOES NOT ALLOW CAMP FIRES in SD. Folks won't be happy till they close all boondocking down due to stupidity.