Anyone who has been on the road will tell you that a little planning goes a long way. I do a bit more than a little planning, but for me it’s like a scavenger hunt where you are scouting out little slices of heaven. Here are some rules, tips, and approaches I take.
Rule #1. Be flexible. Even the best planning cannot predict everything life throws at you. My mantra is: “Whatever happens, will happen…”. Another analogy, for you mountain bikers, is don’t death-grip the handle bars as the trail and rocks might dictate a slightly different path. If you fight it too much, forcing an unnatural path, your ride may end abruptly. More importantly, some of the best experiences happen when you flexibly change your plans.
Planning Tip #1. For each of our trips I have a general idea of where we start (obviously where we left Plato and Aristotle) and where we might end the trip. Then I look for potential parks, forests, and interesting stops in a wide swath between the two points. This allows for different routes and many options. If bad weather emerges, we have other options of where to go. If there’s a fire (and that does happen), again, we have options.
Rule #2. Knowing where the watering holes are. I’m using watering holes as a metaphor/euphemism for all those resources you need to live life in an RV or trailer. On the possible routes, know where you can dump waste water and refill your tanks – water, propane, and gas/diesel.
Planning Tip # 2. Utilize the many available apps and online resources for RVs/camping. I have an app folder titled “Airstreaming” for all the helpful apps. Here are a few that I use:
Finding Campsites and “watering holes”
- AllStays. This is both free and a subscription. The app may have a free version, but using the online site requires a subscription. The app identifies parks, public lands (all types of public lands where you can camp), campgrounds, overnight parking spots (Walmart, Moose Lodges, Crackle Barrel, etc), Camping Stores, RV dumps, RV service stores, Propane supplies, travel stops, gas stations, roads with low clearance (so you don’t shave off the top of your camper), and more.
- Campendium. This app/website is good for finding and seeing individual ratings/experiences on different campsites around the country – public and private campgrounds. It’s generally free, but you can also support the community by donating for a subscription. Either free or paid, it allows you to filter based on the type of services or type of campgrounds desired.
- Recreation.gov. This app/website is the reservation system for many publicly managed campgrounds in national forests and national parks. However, there are a ton of state and county campgrounds that you can find as well (use AllStays or Campendium).
- Harvest Hosts. This app/website may be viewed if you are a member. It identifies farms, wineries, breweries, distilleries, museums, and golf courses where members may overnight. You can even use their route planner to identify hosts within a set radius of your route. Hosts do not provide services, so you need to be self-contained. While the hosts do not charge for staying overnight, there is an expectation that you will purchase something – like wine, beer, produce, tour of the museum, etc.
- Boondockers Welcome. This is a membership site where you can both offer hosting at your own home to other campers or stay on someone’s property. Length of stay is negotiable. Being self-contained is generally expected, some hosts may offer electric or water, and may request a small fee for those amenities.
- Freecampsites.net. This is a free resource for registered members. It identifies several boondocking sites on public and private lands. It also indicates some sites that are paid and whether a site is free, but you need to have a national park pass or national forest pass. Members post GPS coordinates of locations found and rate the locations. They often, also, give great tips on the roads leading up to those sites. If you are going to use the app, pull your weight by giving reviews and adding additional sites.
- HipCamp. A site listing camping on private property, usually for a nightly rate. We’ve not used it much, but it looks like it might be a good alternative in some more urban areas where other camping alternatives are scarce.
- Google maps. Once I have identified potential locations for boondocking, I look up the coordinates on google maps and use the satellite view to pinpoint the best spots and potential obstacles. You can identify “used” spots often by seeing RVs camped out or disturbed areas where RVs have been.
- Airstream Addicts Facebook Group. This facebook group is useful when planning and, really, for advice. Just keep in mind that many people have really strong opinions, so a question or post might illicit strong responses.
- AirForum. This website/ listserv can be a source of so much information. It’s like having a hundred years of information on anything that can go wrong and how one might fix it. It’s the encyclopedia of Airstream camping, and like an encyclopedia, it can be technical at times.
- The Dyrt. Another site for reviewing and searching for campsites. This website lists both campgrounds and boondocking sites.
Rule #3. If you are bored, then you are lazy. Well, maybe it’s understandable if it has rained for 4 straight days and you have no internet to catch up on work or play or you don’t have a good book? Otherwise, opportunities are almost endless to experience the nature surroundings – from hiking, biking, trail running, fishing, or just meditating in the open space around you. Endless opportunities. Take advantage of them.
Planning Tip #3: Download apps that give maps for hiking, biking, and generally exploring the areas where you camp. Here are a few that I use:
- National Parks App – this is a guide to national parks hosted by REI
- Hiking Project – an app hosted by REI for identifying and commenting on hikes. You can download the maps to use on the trail and track your route.
- MTB Project – again, an app hosted by REI for identifying and commenting on mountain biking trails. You can download the maps to use on the trail and track your route.
- Trail Run Project – yes, you guessed it, an app hosted by REI for identifying and commenting on running trails. You can download the maps to use on the trail and track your route.
- TrailForks – free app/website for identifying and commenting on mountain biking trails. You can download the maps to use on the trail and track your route.
- AllTrails – another free app for finding hikes with the option of downloading routes.
My step by step approach:
- Determine the possible routes
- Use various apps/online sites to research and then identify a few different campsites that meet your needs along the route. A few questions to consider:
- How are the road conditions to the site? Many of the reviews on Campendium or Freecampsites.net will give some information.
- Does the camping site have cellular service? May or may not be important to you, and Campendium and FreeCampsites.net typically have user comments for each of the major cell providers.
- How far is the campsite from necessary resources (grocery stores, potable water, fuel, etc.)?
- Do you need hook-ups? Does the campsite provide hook-ups?
- Do you need a pass (a national park/forest pass)?
- Do you care how close other campers may be to you?
- Are there fire restrictions? Are there fire rings?
- If you think it will be crowded and you want to stay at a campground, then make a reservation.
- Look at the sites using satellite imaging to identify attributes. Sometimes large tire marks will indicate RV use which in turn indicates road access. Satellite images are also great to pick out ideal campsites at campgrounds.
- If going onto national forest land or BLM land, check out any restrictions in the area.
- Highlight dump stations on the routes and indicate spaced out fuel stops. Also good to indicate where you might fill with fresh water as needed.