BLM Camping

Someday I hope to experience the Federal Forests of the PNW, they look beautiful on YouTube.

Here in Michigan camping on federal land is strictly controlled, maybe because there's so many people? It's also a crapshoot due to public land auctions turning the forest into a checkerboard of public and private side by side. The private folks bluff and put no trespassing signs and chains on public land too.

Most forest service roads have been co-opted by logging companies who have widened and graded the roads. This grading makes it impossible to pull off unless you want to dig out a berm some two foot tall and six feet wide of mud and tree stumps.

Areas that have been exploited in recent years (clear cut) are prime for camping before mother nature's scabs form by means of tall grass and weed tree saplings. Loggers are not required to replant areas they clear cut in Michigan.

There's a few small federal campgrounds here and there, now managed by a company American Land and Leisure. Ones that years ago were free now have an iron ranger demanding a pittance be paid for all the management services provided by the good folks at American Land and Leisure.

NFS camping at West Yellowstone for $8.00 with senior discount.
Baker's hole

Public Campgrounds $$$$$ and very tight spaces.

Check out Free Camping

and

More Free Camping

This is good website for government type campgrounds.
us campgrounds

Your main security issue while boondocking (or CG camping) on BLM or NF land out west is with your cooler and food. Do not feed the bears inadvertently! Keep coolers out of sight. Keep the site clean and do not leave food or good-smelling items lying out. More danger of 4-legged thieves than 2-legged ones.

What rangers? I had an outdoor career and have been backpacking for 57 years. I never run into any rangers. Maybe twice in my life.

GordonThree wrote:
Someday I hope to experience the Federal Forests of the PNW, they look beautiful on YouTube.

Here in Michigan camping on federal land is strictly controlled, maybe because there's so many people? It's also a crapshoot due to public land auctions turning the forest into a checkerboard of public and private side by side. The private folks bluff and put no trespassing signs and chains on public land too.

Most forest service roads have been co-opted by logging companies who have widened and graded the roads. This grading makes it impossible to pull off unless you want to dig out a berm some two foot tall and six feet wide of mud and tree stumps.

Areas that have been exploited in recent years (clear cut) are prime for camping before mother nature's scabs form by means of tall grass and weed tree saplings. Loggers are not required to replant areas they clear cut in Michigan.

There's a few small federal campgrounds here and there, now managed by a company American Land and Leisure. Ones that years ago were free now have an iron ranger demanding a pittance be paid for all the management services provided by the good folks at American Land and Leisure.

In the PNW, we also have state forests plus DNR land in Washington plus the equivalent in Idaho and Oregon. The Tillamook state forest in Oregon along the Oregon Coast and Capitol state forest near Olympia, WA are wirth exploring and there are dispersed sites plus rustic ones. There are remaining stands of old growth forest groves that you can wander around to nurture your sense of wonder.

ppine wrote:
BLM land is full of great places to camp. They have few developed campgrounds. Just go find a spot. My backyard is a million acres of BLM with wild horses on it.

We really enjoy your state of Nevada. We have met some wonderful people eho allow us to camp on their ranches and hrlp us find agates and jasper. I suppose because it is so very different from our home in Washington that we enjoy the landscapes. Our favorite places are around Tonopah, the ghost towns, Ruby Mts, Black Rock Desert and wandering the valleys and mountain ranges between highways 6 and 50. We enjoy the wild horses and burros we find througout Nevada.

This year we plan to go to Jarbidge, Pine Forest Range, Seven Troughs, Goldpoint and the area east and north of 140.

Security? No problems for us in our 5+ years of boondocking and camping at undeveloped federal and state campgrounds except for once. We should have avoided this rest stop on the way to Florence through the Coast Range but it was getting dark, the rain was a torrential downpour and the road was narrow and winding. The bathrooms had grafitti on them which should have been a clue. During the night, some idiots stopped by us and raced their engine then left. Unnerving? Yes, but we have two big dogs and are armed. Just trust your instincts but i believe you will be better off at a federal or state facility or boondocking than you will in a city.

WA are worth exploring and there are dispersed sites plus rustic ones.
we enjoy the landscapes. Our favorite places are around Tonopah, the ghost towns, Ruby Mts, Black Rock Desert and wandering the valleys and mountain ranges between highways 6 and 50.
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yaya wrote:
We are going out west this summer and I am hearing about camping on BLM Land. I am not familiar with this. My research says it is BLM Land and they have some places with fire rings and tables that you can dry camp. Very private and in the woods. Do I have that right? That sounds like a great thing to try, just wondering about security? Has anyone had any issues? We will be travelling in a 30' MH. Any info in BLM Camping would be helpful
Thanks in advance

Speaking only for our area (Wyoming), to my knowledge there are no recognized camping spots on BLM (tables, fire rings,etc.). Fire rings can be found....but we’re made by someone there before you (campers, hunters, etc.).

Security.....you can have problems anywhere! Probably much safer than most any metropolitan area. Most thefts here, are crimes of opportunity.... a quick hit and run! Thieves around here expect “EVERYONE” to be armed, and “more than willing” to defend there property. If you use reasonable care....theft should be a pretty low risk. That risk will likely increase with proximity to a town or city!
Be aware that most BLM lands are accessible by gravel road or “two-track” roads....and road quality is weather dependent!

Last but not least, in Wyoming......most BLM land is “TREELESS” or nearly so. I think that is true across much of the west. Your true forest, is generally National Forest. There are many semi-primitive camping areas in the forest, and many places that you can merely park and call it camp! Most roads will be as described for BLM lands.
lands.

Something to consider.....bring a trailered 4 wheeler or side by side, or Jeep, etc. The best places to see can’t be had with a Motorhome. A great book (at least for Wyoming) is “Back Roads of Wyoming - 8,000 miles of Dirt”. This will take you to many places that most tourists and many Wyomingnites have never seen!

Much to see and enjoy in the West!