What is boondocking and dry camping?

[Mello_Mike]

This subject is often brought up so I thought we'd put our collective heads together for the sake of newbies and others who are curious what these terms mean. This will be posted as a permanent thread at the top of this forum.

Dry Camping: Means no utility hook ups such as water, electricity, sewer, cable TV or telephone and may or may not require a fee. Can either be in a city, state, or federal campground, a sporting venue or a parking lot.

Overnighting: Stopping at a Rest Stop, Flying J's or WALMART overnight to catch a few winks.

Boondocking: Means wilderness or primitive camping out in the "boondocks." Natural beauty with little or no (noisy) neighbors. This type of camping (usually in Public Lands like State, BLM, and National Forests) is usually FREE. Just find a place and park.

Finally, you always dry camp when you boondock, but you don't always boondock when you dry camp.

[mdsd77]

now this is an interesting and informing topic, bein g a newbie still, are you saying that Wmart and fy J you can just pull in and get some shuteye, with no problem from the security people?

and this is ok by them??

also while traveling from say Mt rushmore to yellowstone, we could just pull of the hwy and stop and sleep ( as long as we are off road?)

thanks for your input...MD
27 ft itasca class A

[JK13]

Interesting topic. And timely, too. We just drove by the Wal-Mart in Denver and it sure did look like the Wal-Mart "camping lot." Looks like at this location they're kind enough to have an entire section of the pparking area designated for RVs. There were about half a dozen motor homes & trailers already in for the night. Wal-Mart, Flying J and also casinos are popular places to get free overnight accommodations.

Did you ever hear the term "blacktop boondocking?"

[Wapiti_Hunter]

That's why they call it a parking lot and not a camping lot!

Mike

[Fred_n_Jo]

Your revisions also reflect some of the other comments received in this thread. My intentions were to suggest optional wording and hope all think it will work. I learned, in my working years, that change should be written in pencil as there is always room for improvement.

Thanks for listening.

[Mello_Mike]

Excellent feedback, Fred n Jo.

[Fred_n_Jo]

May I suggest some slight refinements to your definitions?

Dry Camping: Means no utility hook ups such as water, electricity, sewer, cable TV or telephone and may or may not require a fee. Can either be in a city, state, or federal campground a sporting venue or a parking lot.

I don't think that there is any need to reference the use of WM or Flying J in the definition.

Boondocking: Means wilderness camping out in the "boondocks." Natural beauty with no (or few) noisy neighbors. This type of camping (usually in Public Lands like State, BLM, and National Forests) is usually FREE. Just find a place and park. Make sure no signs are in the area prohibiting camping or overnight parking.

You could be Boondocking with friends.

[Nascarcruzin]

I don't think stopping a WalMart for a few hours rest would be considered camping... anyway not mine! We don't even put both our slides out! Normally we would tune in the satelite dish!

We have a 12 hour drive on Monday, leaving Talladega, AL, heading to Richmond, VA. We will stop half way, to sleep for a few hours... probably at Wal Mart! Flying J is just too noisy, but better than nothing!

Rebecca

[Trailer_Trash_2]

Sameo, sameo, I always called it Dry Camping, but I guess a Yuppie thought it wasn't good enugh for them. I guess after that song "Down in the Boondocks"
Ha HA

[Jerrybo66]

Well I'll be durned. I too thought it was the same, like mongrel and mutt...... Don't tell me there's a difference there also? 🙂

[Sandy___Shirley]

Your definition of dry camping was close, but you forgot to mention the biggest hardship, no cable TV hookup. 😞

[DaYooper]

I don't care for the WalMart or Flying J falling under dry camping. I've done both and can assure anyone that staying one night in a Flying J, is no where close to the type of drycamping we do a week every year at a CG. I'm pretty certain I've never heard one semi while drycamping.

Seems like Flying J/Walmart camping should fall under doing an overnighter on the cheap or grabbing a few hours of shut eye. It needs it's own term, not Dry Camping. Make it a naming competition.
JMHO.

[John___Christin]

Thanks....I have done both for many years and didnt know that.

[StoneyPgh]

Thanks for posting that.

Your definitions are the same as my understanding of the terms.

[hwybnb]

Good definitions. Thanks.