Rest area overnight stops.

[Rodallg]

Is it allowed to spend the night at a rest area? Hope this isn't a dumb question to ask.

[wny_pat1]

I feel much safer in a Walmart parking lot, provided it is allowed by the manager. Way to much bad stuff goes on interstate rest areas. And yes, I have seen it, as a over the road trucker! Way, way, to much bad stuff!!!

[wb2ivu]

Whilst traveling through the state of Ohio, we found one (1) rest-stop that actually had a specific area for overnight RV parking. For the cost of $20, you had a spot the offered electric. A dump station was provided on your way out.

[msmith1199]

So let me throw a kink in the works. Somebody has already mentioned that they believe rest areas are safer than the big box stores. Having been a cop for over 28 years I can tell you that hasn't been my experience. Rest areas tend to attract a lot of crime and criminals. All you have to do is Google search for rest area crimes and you'll find everything from serial killers targeting people in rest areas to prostitution to drug dealing to everything in between. Remember Michael Jordon's father was murdered while sleeping in a rest area.

A few years ago we travelled cross country in the motorhome. One of the nights I pulled into a very remote rest area in Utah that looked just fine. With my experience in rest area crime I normally would never stay in one, but this one looked fine. I pulled into a parking space and less than 5 minutes after shutting the engine off there was a knock at the door. Two male subjects were outside and asking for a ride. I told them no and they asked if I could loan them some money. I told them no again and let them know I was a law enforcement officer and told them I would call the highway patrol for them if they needed help. Of course they scuttled off after that, but I think they had less than honorable intentions. We started up the motorhome and drove to the next town and found a Walmart.

I'm not saying Walmart parking lots are safer, just saying a lot of things happen at rest stops and a lot of criminals specifically target rest stops.

[crudeman]

Dick_B wrote:
I think all campgrounds allow overnight camping.

Good, this should not be a issue for you then. But to answer the op's question we have used some in several different states without issues.

[H345]

www.findfuelstops.com and www.gasbuddy.com along with Google will show you any location that is in your pre-trip planning . Looking at the entire area gives you a better view and location that you are in along with any problem spots .

I prefer " Welcome Centers and Rest Areas " to shabby overpriced RV parks and questionable urban areas . I have a file of " Alternate Stops " for most of my routes that cover parking , food , and mechanical help . I travel I10 , I75 , I95, and back roads for work - getting there is half the fun .

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[skipnchar]

Rodallg wrote:
Is it allowed to spend the night at a rest area? Hope this isn't a dumb question to ask.

Which rest area and located in which state. Roadside rest areas are controlled by the state government i which they are located. I don't know of ANY state that has the SAME rules for all of there rest areas. MOST of the ones that do not allow overnighting will be signed informing users of this fact. With MANY of them it's fairly obvious just by looking around the area. MOST Kansas Rest areas, for example, have a huge circle at one end JUST for the purpose of overnight visitors and these areas are equipped with fresh water fill stations and dump stations at no charge. Many also have free WIFI available. They are MUCH nicer than staying in ANY retail parking lot though a little short of most campgrounds.

[J-Rooster]

What a great question! In Washington State your allowed by law to stay in a rest area for 8 hours. A coworker of mine before I retired pulled over in a truck chain up area (This was during the summer) on Snoqualmie Pass, WA. and went to sleep. He slept for 10 hours and when he woke up he had a ticket on his windshield from the Washington State Patrol. The ticket said your only allowed to stay in a rest area for 8 hours. Don't know about the other 49 States!

[AllegroD]

We've done so in 1/2 the states, west of the Mississippi. As other said, it is a rest area.

[BB_TX]

Texas not only allows overnighting in the rest areas, they offer free wifi.

[Dick_B]

I think all campgrounds allow overnight camping.

[Sully2]

MrWizard wrote:
yes we do it when traveling
even pulled over in the middle of the day, if the wind got bad

Amen to that!

[rgatijnet1]

I had one trooper tell me how he looked at the whole situation. If you are truly stopping to REST, then he would never hassle you. In fact, he felt that he could be in a heap of trouble if he "forced" you to leave a rest area, after a certain amount of time, when you told him you were too tired to drive.
Now, if you are stopping to eat dinner and afterwards just sitting there with the slides out and watching TV, that could be a problem in some states.
As with many things, use a little common sense.

[Francesca_Knowl]

Rodallg wrote:
Is it allowed to spend the night at a rest area? Hope this isn't a dumb question to ask.

Not dumb at all!

Here on the West Coast, my observation has been that overnighting is permitted in nearly all rest areas on Federal Interstates. (And I've slept in most of those from the Canadian border to Los Angeles!)I do recall one exception on northbound I-5 near Seattle...

On other roads, it varies quite a bit. I've noticed that in Oregon, it depends on who has jurisdiction over the rest area...if it's their DOT, you're good, but if it's State Parks- fahgeddabouddit!

And when I traveled the length of 101 to Ukiah last year, I noticed that many rest areas on that road in California were prominently posted as "no overnight parking". I only recall one, in fact, that did allow such parking. It was north of Eureka somewhere.

[tatest]

Even when the sign says "no camping" it may yet be OK to stop and sleep. There's a difference between camping and parking overnight for rest, and that's what a rest area is for.

But some states have changed the function of their rest areas, or at least specific rest areas, to short stops, as rest areas become supplemented then supplanted by truck stops and "travel centers" along the Interstate system. They've done this most often to try to reduce security and policing costs, and reduce the amount of criminal activity associated with certain long-term visitors. Busy truck stops are easier to secure than remote locations along the highway.

If you want to make use of rest areas for extended sleeping, it usually works better to make your stops during the daylight hours, and do your driving at night. The predators seem to be less prevalent during busy daylight hours, and the police less likely to be checking who is staying how long. That is, if you can sleep with all the traffic and noise.

[DesertHawk]

Often, even when they have signs saying no camping, they will allow folks to overnight for a few hours.

Such as Wyoming DOT Rest Areas Policy.

Just don't over deploy all the camping accessories.

Seems TX, NM & AZ allow overnighting. Texas Rest Areas CA may not.

Free or Almost Free Sites Such as those in California.