As other said - check your carrier's web site for a coverage map. If you are in a mountain valley without a town is sight, or well out in some desert, it is quite likely that you will not have a cell phone signal.
As for free camping, the options that I'm aware of are:
- 6-8 hrs at freeway rest stops
- store parking lots (e.g. Walmart, truck stops etc)
- an occasional town park
- designated but free FS and BLM campgrounds. There aren't nearly as many of those as a couple of decades ago. Campgrounds in forest close to cities (e.g. Mt Baker near Seattle) are mostly concessionaire operated with a resident host, and reservations on ReserveUSA.
National Park campground fees tend to be cheapest, especially in the Rec areas that they operate.
- dispersed camping on FS and BLM land. National Parks do not allow camping outside of designated campgrounds (esp. in vehicles).
There are not, as a rule, maps or books locating possible dispersed sites. Locals know about them, and tourists can find some by just driving along and looking for spots where people have camped in the past. Also they are more abundant on backroads, usually gravel and dirt. FS now has rules, limiting how far off the road you can drive, but also insisting that you don't block traffic.
For a start you should not count on FS and BLM dispersed camping. It's too remote and unknown to suit your needs. It may be an option when you are a seasoned camper. Also it is easier if you have pickup with slide in camper, as opposed to a big trailer or 40ft bus.
In the west, most FS land is mountainous - the mountains are wetter and colder, better suited to forest, and not good for farming. BLM lands are mostly grass land and desert, land that is too dry to farm. Both are used for grazing. So your free campsite might be littered with cowpies.
If you need cell phone coverage, and few grades (and big vistas off cliffs) stick with the freeways and major highways, and boondock at Walmart.
* This post was
edited 07/06/12 11:38am by paulj *
sbishop wrote: I read your post with great interest and started to answer you in my usual scarcastic manner and then, well I thought I'd give you some real answers. First a few real questions, where are you going and where do you plan on staying. If you are like us travel oriented and not destination oriented it makes a big difference. What do you mean by Dry Camping? If it's no water, eletrical and sanitation, try the National Parks, only one campground in Yellowstone has hookups, the rest in my opinion are dry. Do you mean free? Not to many but try the BLM ot FS area listing for where you will be the next few nights.
We have no plans to stay anywhere in particular. We figure we'll wander from one "tourist attraction" to another, only paying when it's necessary - like back in the 1970s. We couldn't afford the trip otherwise being retired and with the cost of gas these days. That's why we don't want reservations anywhere. We don't want to be tied down to any place and any particular time. Like gypsies, we plan to wander. So you can say we're travel oriented. Dry camping is fine as we'll have everything with us we need, so no need for nightly full hookups. We do plan to spend some nights at places like WalMart but would rather be out in the desert or forests somewhere. Somewhere relatively safe safe where we're likely to see other RVers doing the same thing. After that night in Montana, I wouldn't want us to be all alone somewhere remote. I'm taking our ages into consideration also. We're both in our late 60s. The age when anything can happen and so would like to know help can be found in a reasonable amount of time... meaning some way to contact the outside world.
Being young and fearless and stupid in the 1970s my ex and I spent nights out in some desert areas miles from anywhere, never considering one of us could suddenly get very sick, injured, or the Van conversion break down. The criminal element never crossed our minds until Canyon De Chelly where there were warning to lock cars and RVs due to theft.
Quote: Which brings up cell phone coverage, as suggested, try the coverage map for your carrier, I you mean are you going to be alone and stranded, most of the time no. Just try and look safe and clean and in trouble and most likely some one will help you. Most of the horror stories about being left stranded have to do with lousey responce by insurance carriers not from isolution. WiFi is really big out here, but, it's usually not free, you can stop at any (so they say) McDonalds and use their free WiFi, many libraries and Municiple Buildings have free WiFi. Many State run visitors or information centers have free WiFi and do truck stops. Rest areas as noted have been closed due to lack of planning on the part of the Government and in CA where we live, overnighting is not allowed but 8 hour or so rest breaks are permitted. No slides out, campfires or lawn chairs please.
We have Verizon and so take our own "hot spot" with us but the idea to find out where their coverage (cellphones and Internet) is is a good one. We'll get that map before leaving. If they don't cover an area it's good to know where a hot-spot/signal can be found. It's sad that a country like ours can't even keep open Comfort Stations for travelers. Where are they expected to relieve themselves and take a break from driving... alongside the road somewhere? Until 5 or 6 years ago when we got the first RV, we depended on Rest Stops.
Quote: Last fall we took off on a cross country trip in our 23 year old rig, in pretty good shape but old. We stayed in a lot of private campgrounds, selection was slim due to many, many closures for winter and KOA was usually a good bet and many had off season rates. Never in 13,000 miles, seven provinces and 35 states did we feel threatened. Maybe we're nieve, but, we're getting on in age and careful where we park and camp. We had two cell phones, one AT&T one Sprint/Nextel, AT&T was best but we did use my S/N a lot. Our oute took us N/E to Neb. North to Canada, East to Great Lakes and Sout to FL, then East thru Texas. We sort of went around the really steep area of the Rockies. We have taken roads like the Beartooh pass roas to Yellowstone from the East and while steep it is so beautiful if you temp gage stays in the cool area it's really fun.
My heart's in my mouth when we cross Mont Eagle mountain here in TN on our way to FL and back each winter. I'm not sure if we'll check out Calif or not. From what I've heard you either pay for an overpriced CG there, or you keep moving. I was hoping there was a pass someone knew about that wasn't very steep.
Quote: Basically while most of the undeveloped land in the nation is between MO and CA, from Utah South to Texas, it is very safe and the only real differennce is we're dry, your wet and we have lots of really big spread out cities while you have clustered small towns and farm lands. Knowing where you live, what general routes you wish to take and what sites interest you, there's not much in the area of specific information available.
This is true. I have to get together with my husband and pick a route that will take us to the places he especially wants to see since I've seen many places in the 70s. A route that covers as much as possible.
Quote: Another place to check for dry sites is in the 5er forum, a lot of them are toyhaulers and off road and most of those places used to be free.
Have a great trip and enjoy the West.
Thank you. I personally love the west. It's beautiful, uncrowded and I remember so well the friendly people I met back then.
paulj wrote: As other said - check your carrier's web site for a coverage map. If you are in a mountain valley without a town is sight, or well out in some desert, it is quite likely that you will not have a cell phone signal.
Will do. Thanks.
Quote: As for free camping, the options that I'm aware of are:
- 6-8 hrs at freeway rest stops
- store parking lots (e.g. Walmart, truck stops etc)
- an occasional town park
I think WallyWorld and the truck stops will be seeing a lot of us.
Quote: - designated but free FS and BLM campgrounds. There aren't nearly as many of those as a couple of decades ago. Campgrounds in forest close to cities (e.g. Mt Baker near Seattle) are mostly concessionaire operated with a resident host, and reservations on ReserveUSA.
We don't want to make reservations and have to be in any particular place on any particular day. We want to blow in the wind as we meander around and park wherever evening finds us - if possible. I was afraid there would be less free places than back in the 1970s. At one time these trips could me made on a shoestring. Now it seems, they're becoming something for the well-heeled only to enjoy.
Quote: National Park campground fees tend to be cheapest, especially in the Rec areas that they operate.
- dispersed camping on FS and BLM land. National Parks do not allow camping outside of designated campgrounds (esp. in vehicles).
There are not, as a rule, maps or books locating possible dispersed sites. Locals know about them, and tourists can find some by just driving along and looking for spots where people have camped in the past. Also they are more abundant on backroads, usually gravel and dirt. FS now has rules, limiting how far off the road you can drive, but also insisting that you don't block traffic.
I'll have faith that like in the 1970s, we'll find such places as we wander around the west. We're really looking forward to this trip.
Quote: For a start you should not count on FS and BLM dispersed camping. It's too remote and unknown to suit your needs. It may be an option when you are a seasoned camper. Also it is easier if you have pickup with slide in camper, as opposed to a big trailer or 40ft bus.
We're both used to camping on the east coast - from mid NYS to Sarasota FL. (cell phone and wifi signals everywhere) This will be my second, and my husband's first trip to the west. In the east, TN and east of us, we don't even look for natural places to dry-camp in our travels. We look for WalMarts or Truck Stops. This coming trip out west will be done in an 1993 Dutchman Class-C with 44,000 miles on it. It's smaller than our TT, and we feel better for a trip west.
Quote: In the west, most FS land is mountainous - the mountains are wetter and colder, better suited to forest, and not good for farming. BLM lands are mostly grass land and desert, land that is too dry to farm. Both are used for grazing. So your free campsite might be littered with cowpies.
If you need cell phone coverage, and few grades (and big vistas off cliffs) stick with the freeways and major highways, and boondock at Walmart.
We just may do that. We can enjoy the scenery and stop here and there during the day... then head for a WalMart or Truck Stop for the night.
Gale Hawkins wrote: We did that last year. You will be fine and a lot of good ideas have been posted.
On breaking down out in middle of no where it is best to make sure you have new like belts and rubber hoses on the chassis, old brake fluid removed and replaced with new. We pushed out our 4 yr/ 9K mile old ATF with new Dexron VI(Chevy) and put new tires on it. We had already recored radiator, replaced the water pump and fan clutch.
We plan to have everything checked and will be bringing tools and "spare parts" with us.
Quote: It the mountains scared you last time it may be the same this time.
We did it without reservations and that was only a problem inside of Yellowstone. There are parking lots all over the USA we learned.
This is true... but it seems like a lot of places don't allow people to stay the night. We have that book of Maps that have the lists of Wally Worlds. Most likely that's where we'll spend most nights. We will also look up where all the Truck Stops are as we'll also need to dump the tanks and take on water every 6 or 7 days. We've already learned to live with as little water as possible.
First of all - 60 is NOT old!! We're way beyond that!!
Secondly, if you or your husband is 62 or older, be sure to get the Golden Age Passport available at Corp of Engineers offices near you or at national park Visitor Centers and other national facilities. For it's lifetime fee of $10 it will give you 1/2 off on basic camping prices - usually not concessioner campgrounds. You can camp in beautiful surroundings for $10 a night in many places, including the national parks and there will be no entrance fees to pay.
I really think you'd like the western states' national forest campgrounds. They are mostly dry camping and will have a campground host to help you. Here's a great resource that we use all the time:
You might also want to order from Amazon - the Mountain Directory for Truckers - Western Edition (it comes in Eastern, too). We also use it all the time. It will give you mile by mile on what to expect on the mountain highways.
Lastly, if you want to really "see" the beautiful parks in the west you are going to do some mountain driving. There's no way around it. That's where the parks are. I think once you start driving in the west you will get used to the roads gradually.
Think positive....you can do it!! If you stay on the interstates you won't see anything and you'll be wasting your gas money.
As you begin heading west, test your "off the interestates" skills in the "flat" states - Texas, etc. and by the time you get to the mountains you'll be pros! Stop at the state's Welcome Centers for traveling information and a good state map. Your Wal Mart atlas won't help you for detailed maps near the national parks. You will need a more detailed map.
I might also suggest that to begin your planning that you first decide on where you want to go and then break it down in small chunks for your first destination and post your questions about that particular area. When you have your answers, then go on to the next destination, stating where you're starting from and where you want to end. I think most people on this forum will be very helpful to you but there will always be some who will give you rude answers or say to "search for it". To me, that's the purpose of this forum - to get answers and there's no reason for rudeness. I think you'll be surprised by the help you'll get.
Also, if you're planning this for a fall trip - begin from your home state in August, if you can. Fall comes early in the western mountain states and you don't want to be in the mountains beyond the end of Sept/beg. of Oct.
Good luck and enjoy your trip....and stop worrying about everything. Millions of RVers out there will be willing to help you with any problem you encounter along the way. Don't be afraid and don't be afraid to ask for help. In 16 years of full-timing we haven't had any reason to be afraid...and we've even been to Canyon de Chelly a few times!
* This post was
edited 07/06/12 07:25pm by 2gypsies *
Extremely Happy Full-Timers for 16 years
.... now trying to adjust to 3-season traveling - and it isn't easy!
2004 40' Newmar Dutch Star Diesel Pusher
2004 Jeep Liberty
2gypsies wrote: First of all - 60 is NOT old!! We're way beyond that!!
We're 66 and 68 but still in good health. We want to make this trip while we still can. While our health is still good. We're at the age when anything can happen.
Quote: Secondly, if you or your husband is 62 or older, be sure to get the Golden Age Passport available at Corp of Engineers offices near you or at national park Visitor Centers and other national facilities. For it's lifetime fee of $10 it will give you 1/2 off on basic camping prices - usually not concessioner campgrounds. You can camp in beautiful surroundings for $10 a night in many places, including the national parks and there will be no entrance fees to pay.
We have that pass already but only COEs give us 50% off. Most state CGs only give us 10% off, or less. I'd be thrilled if the National Parks gave us 50% off.
Quote: I really think you'd like the western states' national forest campgrounds. They are mostly dry camping and will have a campground host to help you. Here's a great resource that we use all the time:
You might also want to order from Amazon - the Mountain Directory for Truckers - Western Edition (it comes in Eastern, too). We also use it all the time. It will give you mile by mile on what to expect on the mountain highways.
Yes, that book looks helpful. We have something similar for the East Coast. That website is very helpful.
Quote: Lastly, if you want to really "see" the beautiful parks in the west you are going to do some mountain driving. There's no way around it. That's where the parks are. I think once you start driving in the west you will get used to the roads gradually.
Think positive....you can do it!! If you stay on the interstates you won't see anything and you'll be wasting your gas money.
I just wanted to avoid those mountain roads that were extremely steep with sandy run-offs for runaway trucks and sheer dropoffs at the road's edge. I remember the Van (back in 1978), less than a year old, was giving my then fiance trouble going both up and down. The van was overheating going up *some* of those mountains. This was in June so days were sunny and quite warm. Then, going down the mountains the brakes were overheating he said and the engine wasn't enough to slow us down to safe speeds. He used both, trying not to burn out the brakes. One mountain was white-knuckle for us both. I don't find that kind of thing enjoyable at all.
Quote: As you begin heading west, test your "off the interestates" skills in the "flat" states - Texas, etc. and by the time you get to the mountains you'll be pros! Stop at the state's Welcome Centers for traveling information and a good state map. Your Wal Mart atlas won't help you for detailed maps near the national parks. You will need a more detailed map.
That's good advice. Maps of each state will go on our "must have" list. As for being pros on steep mountains after driving on flatlands, I don't know about that. I don't know if that would help keep an engine from reaching the point of overheating going up or the engine and brakes keeping a safe speed going down steep grades. Truckers are real pros and they sometimes need those runaway-truck stops on those mountains. I've been on some steep mountain roads in NY and PA and other eastern states (Catskills, Adirondacks, Appalachians)... but nothing can compare to the western or Rocky Mountains.
Quote: I might also suggest that to begin your planning that you first decide on where you want to go and then break it down in small chunks for your first destination and post your questions about that particular area. When you have your answers, then go on to the next destination, stating where you're starting from and where you want to end. I think most people on this forum will be very helpful to you but there will always be some who will give you rude answers or say to "search for it". To me, that's the purpose of this forum - to get answers and there's no reason for rudeness. I think you'll be surprised by the help you'll get.
Thank you, I'll do that. We'll be leaving from middle TN and heading west. That's all I know so far - for right now. Next, he and I have to sit down with the maps we have now and mark a course of what we want to see on this trip and what roads will get us there. Since he wants to go in the early fall, I think we should head north first and then swing back to the south and TN. I don't think he realizes how early it gets cold in the northwest. I'm going to try and talk him into waiting until spring when we get back from FL. What do you feel is the best time of year to see the National Parks? In 1978 we went in June. The weather was great with warm to hot days and cool nights good for sleeping without A/C.
Quote: Also, if you're planning this for a fall trip - begin from your home state in August, if you can. Fall comes early in the western mountain states and you don't want to be in the mountains beyond the end of Sept/beg. of Oct.
Good luck and enjoy your trip....and stop worrying about everything. Millions of RVers out there will be willing to help you with any problem you encounter along the way. Don't be afraid and don't be afraid to ask for help. In 16 years of full-timing we haven't had any reason to be afraid...and we've even been to Canyon de Chelly a few times!
Thank you. I wish I still had the nerve and chutzpa and fearlessness of youth I once enjoyed.
If you have your machine up in good shape and are self contained for days at at time you can really punt your way through most issues. Over thinking things is one mistake I made on our 8000 road trip last year.
We left KY on Sept 10 and returned Oct 10 and I was glad that we reversed our route at the last minute and did Yellowstone before the Pacific Ocean instead of the Grand Canyon. It was still freezing in Yellowstone with some snow flakes but several inches fell two days after we left. CA, NV, AZ, NM and TX were still hot however.
In the west there are a lot of Casinos-most of which do offer cheap or free overnighting. as an example In our town of Albuquerque there are two of them. I-40 going east and west has numerous casinos. Check this site:http://www.casinocamper.com/
New Mexico has excellant state parks for $14.00 nightly for W/E.
NM and AZ has tons of free dispersed boondocking as well.
We'll be friends until we're senile-then we'll be new friends:::::
Other posters have given you my best answers, casinocamper.com & freecampgrounds.com. We have found many acceptable spots on those sites. Also, the Mountain Directory West is an excellent tool. There's also Don Wright's Free Camgrounds (West & East) available on Amazon, we've used that a lot. There are many city & county campgrounds that allow overnighters. We try to avoid truck stops, too noisy. I disagree with the poster that said "most" states do not allow you to overnight at rest areas, we have found many that allow an "8 hour rest". They are pretty noisy too. New Mexico has areas that you can pull off by yourself so you don't have to listen to the trucks pulling in & out.
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That's why we don't want reservations anywhere. We don't want to be tied down to any place and any particular time. Like gypsies, we plan to wander. So you can say we're travel oriented. Dry camping is fine as we'll have everything with us we need, so no need for nightly full hookups. We do plan to spend some nights at places like WalMart but would rather be out in the desert or forests somewhere. Somewhere relatively safe safe where we're likely to see other RVers doing the same thing. After that night in Montana, I wouldn't want us to be all alone somewhere remote. I'm taking our ages into consideration also. We're both in our late 60s. The age when anything can happen and so would like to know help can be found in a reasonable amount of time... meaning some way to contact the outside world. 
