I have always loved camping: being out in nature, breaking it down to the basic necessities and it is way cheaper than any hotel I have ever stayed in. However, those $20-$30 campsites add up quickly over time, especially if you plan on sleeping under the stars as much as possible.

I began searching for ways to cut down costs when on road trips and traveling and I found so many resources out there to find free camping. Who knew there was so much land around the US where you can just set up your tent for free?

Here’s everything you need to know on how to find free campsites:

What to know before using free campsites:

  1. Amenities

Typically, when you stay at a free campsite, you will not have the same amenities as paid camping sites which means no toilets, tables, trash cans, showers, or fire pits. This isn’t always the case but do your research beforehand so that you can plan and pack accordingly! And with this said, please follow the Leave No Trace principles. Learn how to pick a spot to set up your tent, how to use the bathroom outside, and more. Respect the land!

  1. Roads

I have stayed in free campsites right off main roads and I have stayed in sites that took an hour from town to get to with long, bumpy dirt roads. Check beforehand for any road closures or if a 4×4 with high clearance is needed.

  1. Service

Lots of dispersed campsites do not have phone service and many sites are not marked. I recommend downloading an offline map or bring paper maps with you just in case.

Where can you find free camping?

  1. National Forests

National Forests are public, protected lands where you can camp for free. There are over 175 National Forests across the US. You can typically find places to camp right off main roads or you can find remote sites along forest access roads. You can stay up to 14-16 days at a time and should stay at least 200 feet from any water sources.

  1. BLM (Bureau of Land Management)

BLM is a government agency that manages over 250 million acres of land around the US, mostly out west, and is used for recreation, mining, conservation, grazing, and more. You can usually camp on BLM land for up to 14 days.

Here are the 5 best websites to find free campsites:

1. Campendium

Pros:Cons
  • Great for RVs and vans
  • Lots of filters including hookups, RV lengths, elevation, facilities, and more
  • You can also find RV parking in town and dump stations
  • Free iPhone app
  • Ability to create lists or favorites in app
  • You do have to create an account to continuously use their app
  • Not the best website for tent camping

2. Freecampsites.net

Pros:Cons
  • Offers a trip planner to plan road trips
  • Great for tent camping and boondocking
  • Lots of reviews on their website
  • You can filter by access road and amenities
  • Free android app
  • User-submitted locations means there’s inaccurate information on sites
  • Not as many filters as other websites

3. The Dyrt

Pros:Cons
  • Filter by site type, amenities, RV features, and more
  • User friendly & organized
  • Lots of sites and reviews
  • Free app
  • Must be a subscriber ($35.99 annually) to use some of the best features such as offline access and trip planner

4. iOverlander 

Pros:Cons
  • Free campsites all around the world, not just the US
  • TONS of filters
  • Also find showers, dumpsites, propane, wifi, and more
  • Access information without cell signal
  • Free app
  • User-generated can mean that some locations aren’t accurate

5. Free Roam 

Pros:Cons
  • Easy to use & organized
  • Tons of filters from cell service to safety to crowdedness to more
  • Provides lots of info on each site
  • Trip planner feature
  • Free android app
  • User-submitted locations mean there’s inaccurate information on sites