What Is Boondock Camping in an RV?

Don’t let someone tell you that you can’t primitively camp in an RV. Sure, an RV may have luxuries that tents can’t offer, but you can primitively camp in an RV, and it’s called boondock camping. Boondock camping allows you to get back to nature and enjoy “roughing it” while using the RV for shelter and a place to sleep.

What Is Boondock Camping?

Boondock camping in an RV means you don’t use any electricity, water, or sewerage hookups for your RV at your campsite. You can boondock camp almost anywhere because you’re not using any of the amenities or resources.

Most people boondock camp in an RV within national parks, national forests, or Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land. This is sometimes called dispersed or wild camping.

When to Boondock Camp in an RV

Even though you’ll be sleeping in your RV, it can get cold at night when you’re not hooked up to electricity and a running heater, so you’ll still want to choose the right time of year for boondock camping in an RV. Try to avoid boondock camping in extreme temperatures at certain times of the year.

We recommend avoiding boondock camping in the mountains during the winter and the desert during the summer to avoid the extreme cold and extreme heat during these times.

How Long to Boondock Camp in an RV

Most public land has a two-week limit on how long you can boondock camp. If you’re boondock camping in a parking lot, you may be able to stay for longer.

If you plan to boondock camp for more than two weeks, you’ll need to ensure you have a way to get water since there will be no water hookups available. We recommend packing water bottles to keep in your RV for cooking, cleaning, and drinking.

Final Thoughts

Boondock camping in an RV is a great way to travel to different parts of the country on a dime. Because most dispersed campsites are free or just a few dollars per night, you can save substantial money by boondock camping in an RV.