I want to know the truth about Boondocking, the pros and cons.I don't want it to turn into a 'story telling' thread but a thread about concerns, issues, advantages etc.Some examples I wonder about are where to boondock, how do you know if you're allowed to camp there, how to know if you're not on private land and not get shot for camping there. What do you do with gray and black water? Do you pee in the woods or behind a rock if in the desert to save tank space? Yeah, seems like silly questions but I wonder what people really do? How long do people stay in one place, do they move when they run out of water or food etc. Do you leave the TT there to get water or whatever? Do you worry about theft, people roaming around near or in your campsite? I read somewhere about people being attacked by wild animals at night while letting their pet relieve themselves nearby. Is it the 'wild west' shoot first ask questions later? I've read on the net lots of honky dory stories about boondockong but never the truth about some of the examples I listed above. These are just some of the questions I'm asking myself and very interested in hearing from others who do this type of camping.Please add other examples good and bad I love to hear about it and what to do.Thanks

The term boon docking can mean different things to different people.Parking at WalMart is not my idea of boon docking for instance. My idea is a nice quiet NF camp ground with no hookups on a peaceful stream or lake. Some think their ideal place is along side a forest service road in the woods where you cannot even have a fire.

icanon wrote:Some examples I wonder about are where to boondock, how do you know if you're allowed to camp there, how to know if you're not on private land and not get shot for camping there.Most of the National Forests I have been to have MVUM (Motor Vehicle Use Maps) that show where dispersed camping is allowed. In a disperced camping area you can camp just about anywhere the camper will fit, thou they do prefer you use existing "trails" and such to get there. BLM and State lands often do something similar. Check out the website for the public land where you intend to go. http://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/programs/ohv/ohv_maps.shtmlicanon wrote:What do you do with gray and black water? You will get plenty of opinions on this one. We use biodegradable soap and our grey water stays at the campsite. I generally dig a small hole under the drain and open the grey water valve upon ariving. I have found that it is very neat, and doesn't stink, if you let it drip out at the rate you use it, just like the tent campers with a 7 gal jug on their table. Dumping it at the end of the trip does stink and make a mess. Black water stays in the tank until we dump on the way home. Even on 10 day trips we have never ran out of black space with 5 people. icanon wrote:Do you pee in the woods or behind a rock if in the desert to save tank space? Yes.. which is part of the reason our black tank can last for 10 days, or more if we had to. This includes my wife and 3 daughters. icanon wrote:Yeah, seems like silly questions but I wonder what people really do? Not really silly. IMHO campgrounds (not including the primitave ones miles from pavement) isn't camping. Dispersed/Boondocking IS camping. So ask all the questions you want and get into the woods away from everybody. icanon wrote:How long do people stay in one place, do they move when they run out of water or food etc. As long as my trip is, which is generally 3 or 4 days and as many as 10 days a couple times a year. We take enough food and water for the duration of the trip. Sometimes the onboard 50 gallons is enough and sometimes we take extra. I will find out if there are any nearby water sources. I have driven 45 minutes before with empty water jugs to get potable water. For a 10 day trip it takes a potable water source and taking water, but these are both easy enough. icanon wrote:Do you leave the TT there to get water or whatever? Yes. icanon wrote:Do you worry about theft, people roaming around near or in your campsite? Only if I have to camp in a campground near civilization. Generally people that leave the city and head into the woods are not the kind of people you have to worry about. They also realize that most people that recreate in the woods are armed, at least out here anyways. icanon wrote:I read somewhere about people being attacked by wild animals at night while letting their pet relieve themselves nearby. Is it the 'wild west' shoot first ask questions later? I have never heard of this happening. We have had foxes, coyotes, raccoons, etc roam thru camp but never anything happen from it. I am armed fairly well, but generally don't worry about anything. Be sure you have a way to recharge your camper batteries. Camping is so much better when your off the gird, off the pavement, can't hear the highway and just enjoy the stream/river/lake with friends and family.

In my younger days boon docked a lot. Never seemed like rocket science. Things have changed a lot over the years. In this day of crazy people I understand questions about it. Never know who might wander into your camp site. I think being observant is really important. If you feel uncomfortable don't camp there. BLM land is a great place to boon dock. Their office has maps etc. for places to camp. Also U.S. forest office for their maps. In the western US probably more remote places to camp. In the 60 years I have been camping there have only been a few occassions where I moved on be because I had any concerns. Having a dog that barks to warn you of problems helps. Most of the problems I have had is the people that will steal stuff when you are away or sleeping. A barking dog scares sneaky thieves away. Fortunately 99% of people you meet boon docking are good people. Being a retired LEO my first course of action is to avoid situations by being observant.

Great Answers, AH64ID!I would also suggest that before you boondock camp on NF lands, stop by the Ranger Station and specifically ask them about their boondocking policy. Those MVUM maps are sometimes a nightmare to read or understand or navigate with. The policy on what info can be on those maps was dictated by Wash DC, and the local Forest Officers would have liked to make them much more user friendly, but weren't allowed to. They may even give you some excellent suggestions about great places to boondock. (I know this, because I had to put these maps together and was frustrated by what info could go on them - now I'm retired).

dewey02 wrote:Great Answers, AH64ID!Agree they are Great answers.

The truth about Boondocking | Good Sam Community

Naio
Explorer II
Apr 28, 2016
If I pull up and I see a lot of broken glass and shotgun shells, I usually move on.

Or trash. What is with people dumping whole piles of trash? Not food scraps, but stuff like old magazines, clothes... I found a great place north of Yreka last year, fantastic view of Shasta -- but it had been used as somebody's trash dump. Gave the place such a creepy vibe, I went on down the road. It felt like some personal tragedy had taken place there.
icanon
Explorer
Apr 28, 2016
Naio wrote:
If I pull up and I see a lot of broken glass and shotgun shells, I usually move on.

Or trash. What is with people dumping whole piles of trash? Not food scraps, but stuff like old magazines, clothes... I found a great place north of Yreka last year, fantastic view of Shasta -- but it had been used as somebody's trash dump. Gave the place such a creepy vibe, I went on down the road. It felt like some personal tragedy had taken place there.

Same here I'm disgusted when I see trash being left behind! Like to see them do that at some CG or some parking lot.
dave54
Nomad
Apr 29, 2016
My definition:

If I can see or hear anyone it is not boondocking.
If there is any sign someone else has ever camped there, it is not boondocking.
If you have to ask yourself "Is this remote enough?" it is not boondocking.
profdant139
Explorer II
Apr 29, 2016
Well, Dave, I must respectfully disagree with your statement that "if there is any sign someone else has ever camped there, it is not boondocking."

The dispersed camping rules in every national forest, as far as I know, strongly recommends (if not requires) that we camp in places that have already been trampled by other campers -- otherwise, if we all chose to camp on untracked fresh ground, the whole forest would soon be trampled.

I don't know if BLM land follows the same rules.

If I am wrong about the national forest rules, let me know! Thanks.
oldtrojan66
Explorer
Apr 29, 2016
profdant139 wrote:

If I am wrong about the national forest rules, let me know! Thanks.

That's what we were told. "Try to find an empty place where someone has camped before, to minimize the impact on the forest."
icanon
Explorer
Apr 29, 2016
dave54 wrote:
My definition:

If I can see or hear anyone it is not boondocking.
If there is any sign someone else has ever camped there, it is not boondocking.
If you have to ask yourself "Is this remote enough?" it is not boondocking.

If everyone did that I imagine in a few years there will be no place to boondock as all the places would have been camped! Then you really have to go hike a few miles and go tent camping.
Gjac
Explorer III
Apr 30, 2016
When I used to backpack in the White Mtn NF in NH there was always a discussion among the rangers about where to set up camp. Some felt that if you chose a new site every time the old sites had a chance to recover, and of course the other argument was using existing sites prevented new sites from being cleared. Either way was fine with the rangers legally as long as you were 1/4 mile from a road, and 200 ft away from a stream, river or lake. I preferred existing sites only because the were already cleared with a fire pit.
highplainsdrift
Explorer
Apr 30, 2016
oldtrojan66 wrote:
profdant139 wrote:

If I am wrong about the national forest rules, let me know! Thanks.

That's what we were told. "Try to find an empty place where someone has camped before, to minimize the impact on the forest."

I cast my vote for trying to find a spot that has been used before. I think there will be less damage overall. Used spots are probably the best spots...best access, flat, have a fire ring, etc. Why make vehicle tracks and build a fire ring in a new area if you don't have to? Most places where we camp, we have been there many times before.
dave54
Nomad
May 01, 2016
Gjac wrote:
When I used to backpack in the White Mtn NF in NH there was always a discussion among the rangers about where to set up camp. Some felt that if you chose a new site every time the old sites had a chance to recover, and of course the other argument was using existing sites prevented new sites from being cleared. Either way was fine with the rangers legally as long as you were 1/4 mile from a road, and 200 ft away from a stream, river or lake...

That is the LNT philosophy. In popular areas camp in existing spots. In remote rarely used areas choose new. We almost never build a campfire, so no one will ever find an old fire ring left by us. I tend to dismantle any old fire ring I encounter anyway.

And the 200 foot rule is not the current water edge, it is 200 feet from the high water mark. Many desert washes are a quarter mile wide or more, with only a trickle down the middle most of the year. 200 feet from the high scour mark maybe be a loooonnng ways from the current stream. A lot of folks do not want to hear that.

Many states have little known regulations on the books that prohibit camping near water holes in arid areas if that is the only water source within a defined distance. The reason is your camp may be keeping wildlife from the only water within miles.
BoonHauler
Explorer
May 01, 2016
highplainsdrifter wrote:
Snip

I cast my vote for trying to find a spot that has been used before. I think there will be less damage overall. Used spots are probably the best spots...best access, flat, have a fire ring, etc. Why make vehicle tracks and build a fire ring in a new area if you don't have to? Most places where we camp, we have been there many times before.

I agree as well, find somewhere that has already been used.

If everyone is out there cutting in new campsites, this will boarder on the whole OHV thing and we all know where that leads ...... more regulation and less acreage. :(

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