BLM

[ilovemyvan]

I'll admit I feel very silly asking this question.......

Our map is giving us a general idea where the BLMs are but it's difficult to see where it starts and ends. Is there any markers like the Nat'l Forests?

Thanks in advance.

Nicole

 

[blars]

BLM is inconsistant -- some areas are well marked, many are not marked at all. Some don't have any way to get to them without trespassing on priavate property. Maps are available at BLM offices, MVUM ones are free but vary quite a bit from office to office, "surface management" ones are $4 each and sometimes pretty old. Each office should cary what they cover, but tends not to have much else.

Look for the vertical road signs, usually brown. They have the BLM road number and sometimes restrictions.

 

[ilovemyvan]

Thanks Blars,

I guess we'll work it out, no biggy.

Cheers

 

[WheelEstate USA]

We've visited several ranger stations and BLM offices and always found them helpful. They will mark a freebie map showing you dispersed camping in that area and usually let us know if its easy to get our rig in or not.

We were, however, rather miffed with the ranger who wrote us a warning outside of Bend, Or for "living on public land". We had been in a legal spot for 8 days of our allotted 14 and were visiting the area, not living. We took the warning ticket to the Bend Forestry office and were told it should have not been written in the first place. A note to that effect was entered so we wouldn't have a problem if spoken to again by him or other rangers nationwide.

 

[peacetara]

It can definitely be difficult sometimes. Generally if you are reasonably close, and not in someone's front yard, nobody will care, if you explain you THOUGHT you were on BLM land.

You can look online for BLM land as well, and overlay it with city/county roads, and also get lat/long gps coordinates from the geocommunicator website, so if you have a GPS, it can help you verify BLM borders. Obviously don't rely on the GPS alone to get you there, since phone maps and gps maps for directions tend to be abysmal out on BLM land roads. But the coordinates can definitely help.

Also, I agree stopping into the local BLM office for the area you are visiting is almost always a plus. It helps avoid the rangers stopping to poke at you sometimes, and they usually know the best local spots to camp(depending on what you are looking for). I've only had one BLM office visit go kinda not so great, I asked about camping spots, and they said anywhere, and really just wanted me gone. But that was a fluke, normally they are really nice and helpful, will draw maps write directions and help find a perfect campsite; the whole thing! One time, they even offered to drive me out there (have me follow him) to the campsite area I picked!

Wish you lots of luck!

With love,
Tara

 

[blars]

My experience is while they are willing to help, the BLM employs in their offices tend not to be knolageable about places to camp other than official campgrounds/LTVA or very popular areas. I've had to explain their maps to them at times.

 

[Van-Tramp]

I would also recommend stopping in at any BLM office and ask some questions. You will not always get helpful info, but when you do it is worth it.

Hey, part of BLM camping is 'hunting' out that special spot. Don't worry about it being an exact science. I bet there are many Rangers that do not know the exact line between BLM and Private land either. Be honest and do your best to be on BLM, but be apologetic if you are informed otherwise... you should be just fine.

 

[corky52]

I use DeLorme Topo and a GPS bug on my computer, shows way more BLM land than most people know exists. I've found and used places in areas where even the locals didn't know it was BLM land.

If you don't want to use a computer the DeLorme Gaza teer maps also have the same information.


Corky

 

[owl]

Many boondockers use these http://www.benchmarkmaps.com/ they clearly identify BLM land.

 

[WanderlustVagabond]

anybody else having trouble accessing the BLM website recently?

 

[Canine]

Being proficient with GPS helps. A fellow hunter told me he went to hunt a public area (could have been BLM- I can't remember). Instead he found No Trespassing signs on the land he wanted to hunt. Using GPS, he quickly and accurately verified those signs were not supposed to be there. He reported it to the Game Warden, and he also verified the signs were false. The signs were taken down.

A lot of previous hunters saw the signs and walked the other way. They never learned who posted the signs. I suspect they were tacked up by another hunter who wanted to keep the place to himself. This is a rare occurrence, but an interesting one.

 

[wagoneer]

PLANNING ON BOONDOCKING in Douglas County Nevada April. Topo say many acre available. Round up the Wagons.