Campground, BLM, and National Park Apps

[Happy Camper]

Hey everyone. I have a family member that is going to take a two month trip from California to New York and back.

The plan is to car camp along the way, with a few hotels and Airbnb here and there. They'll mostly be camping in National Forest and BLM, plus some other campgrounds along the way.

Over the years I have seen mention of many apps that people here use. To keep it simple and avoid another hour of looking up threads, I need your help.

Please post the apps that you use. A blurb about the app with pros and cons would be great.

The trip isn't happening for while. But I'm trying to get them set up as best they can be. And there's no better resource than you. I appreciate it.

If you'd like to suggest particular routes to hit and miss, feel free. Just please don't let the thread go too far off track.

Launch date will be late August in all likelihood. Thanks again.

 

[Happy Camper]

I'll keep a list of apps as they are posted here, as a resource for others.

 

[WanderingRose]

I like the AllStays app, which includes campgrounds of all types, with filters you can use to screen out just what you are looking for.

Also includes rest stops, truck stops, propane suppliers and rv repair.

The last year or two I have also discovered freecampsites.net, which often has free spots I wouldn’t otherwise have found.

 

[maki2]

I do not use any apps other than Google Maps. But I might need them if I had a need to make reservations at paid campsites.

I did download the National
park app in case I wanted to stay in one but so far I have not used it so I uninstalled it.

I have tried a half dozen or so travel apps and kept none of them. Much easier to just keep it simple.

 

[rvwandering]

I like Campendium because it's so easy to use and very comprehensive. https://www.campendium.com/
but I also use freecampsites good for free spots and reviews that may differ from the ones on campendium
and iOverlander good for spots that may not be approved camping spots but okay in a pinch

 

[Tony's Dream]

I have used couple, depending on what I am looking for. I also like Campendiem when I am looking for a place with hoook ups. I use "Free Camping" when looking for no cost places.

 

[Happy Camper]

I have used couple, depending on what I am looking for. I also like Campendiem when I am looking for a place with hoook ups. I use "Free Camping" when looking for no cost places.

Is that the freecampsites as mentioned above? Or something else? Just making sure I don't miss anything.

 

[Overland One]

I have Recreation.gov (Good for locating Federal controlled sites with dispersed camping) Free Campsites.net (good for locating free campsites for boondocking) FreeRoam (good for locating free campsites and dispersed camping) The Dyrt (good for finding campsites of various prices including free) and Campendium (good for finding campgrounds and rv parks but I do not find it as useful for locating fee sites as of yet) So far, in making up my list of sites to stay at when I head out this summer, I like Freecampsites.net and FreeRoam. I am sure once I am out and about I will settle on just a couple of these apps/sites.

 

[Tony's Dream]

Is that the freecampsites as mentioned above? Or something else? Just making sure I don't miss anything.

Yes, the same one mentioned above. I just returned from a trip to the Carolinas and I used both apps on my phone.

 

[Happy Camper]

Found one from another thread so I'll put it here.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/ivm/

 

[talcon]

I'm also a big fan of the iOverlander app and it has gotten me a spot for the night, in a very tired pinch, more than a few times. The database is saved for offline use as well. I continuously use it to explore additional areas around me.

Another good app to have is "maps.me" for offline GPS use, or download offline maps in Google Maps if that's your preference.

I'd also like to point out Gaia GPS (and App) at https://gaiagps.com - this is the type of GPS that allows searching for interesting things around where you are. The free version is powerful enough with layers such as active fires, but for $39.99 / year you get access to additional layers, such as ALL the NatGeo Trails Illustrated maps ($14.95 apiece) which makes the deal worth it, IMO.

iOverlander allows you to also open their app locations in Google Maps, Maps.me, and Gaia GPS.

 

[talcon]

Another thought - I highly recommend a National Parks pass for such a trip
https://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/national-parks-and-federal-recreational-lands-pass.htm

 

[Overland One]

Another thought - I highly recommend a National Parks pass for such a trip
https://www.nps.gov/olym/planyourvisit/national-parks-and-federal-recreational-lands-pass.htm

I agree. I am not sure about other Park's prices as I know they will vary, but with that pass (Senior Lifetime Pass for $80) I can camp at Mammoth Cave National Park here in Kentucky for $12.50/night which might do in a pinch. That's not bad as they have facilities (showers, water, etc.) and I can also throw out my trash in their receptacles while I am there. A long time ago I used to camp there all the time in the winter for free but I do not think they do that any more. It is a really beautiful National Park and I have been to many National Parks across the country.

 

[Happy Camper]

They will be getting the annual pass. Thank you for the app suggestions.

 

[rvwandering]

This is a useful one that I recently started using to make sure we're on public land when boondocking. I haven't used the map to find camping yet but I did a quick review and many dispersed camping areas and public campgrounds where we've stayed are not on the map so it probably needs more work in that area. https://outly.com/outly/explore/land

 

[Overland One]

This is a useful one that I recently started using to make sure we're on public land when boondocking. I haven't used the map to find camping yet but I did a quick review and many dispersed camping areas and public campgrounds where we've stayed are not on the map so it probably needs more work in that area. https://outly.com/outly/explore/land

I had never heard of this app so I just tried it for my state. Mammoth Cave National Park shows up just fine but not Daniel Boone National Forest, which is a huge forest. (From the USDA forest Service: "Spread across 21 counties of eastern Kentucky, the Daniel Boone National Forest manages more than 708,000 acres of national forest system lands within a 2.1 million-acre proclamation boundary." I wonder why that is not there on the Ky map page? National forests from other states seem to be showing up ok.

 

[bullfrog !]

My home area years ago. Probably just locals trying to limit outsiders cause they don’t like crowds! Lol!!! Road into Zilpo campground (shortened form of Zilda Power’s home place, a relative of mine, Cave Run Lake) from Salt Lick Kentucky used to have a primitive boat ramp in the Daniel Boone National Forest as well as a shooting range a ways up the road both with parking areas. The campground had some really good blackberry bushes come summer. Nearest major town was Morehead Kentucky for supplies. I would avoid it during turkey hunting season Riggs family can’t shoot worth a damn! Lol!!!

 

[talcon]

I agree. I am not sure about other Park's prices as I know they will vary, but with that pass (Senior Lifetime Pass for $80) I can camp at Mammoth Cave National Park here in Kentucky for $12.50/night which might do in a pinch. That's not bad as they have facilities (showers, water, etc.) and I can also throw out my trash in their receptacles while I am there. A long time ago I used to camp there all the time in the winter for free but I do not think they do that any more. It is a really beautiful National Park and I have been to many National Parks across the country.

Love that park! I was taken there as a kid, and have returned twice since then with my own family. I was able to get a lifetime pass recently - and I already know some places I'll be using it

My very first boondock spot was in Kentucky in March 2020 at Great Meadows in the Daniel Boone forest - https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/dbnf/recarea/?recid=39722 I was there out of season so it was free as they had left it open. Very nice and peaceful there. I was chased out of many spots after that as everything started closing down - you can imagine...

 

[Overland One]

My home area years ago. Probably just locals trying to limit outsiders cause they don’t like crowds! Lol!!! Road into Zilpo campground (shortened form of Zilda Power’s home place, a relative of mine, Cave Run Lake) from Salt Lick Kentucky used to have a primitive boat ramp in the Daniel Boone National Forest as well as a shooting range a ways up the road both with parking areas. The campground had some really good blackberry bushes come summer. Nearest major town was Morehead Kentucky for supplies. I would avoid it during turkey hunting season Riggs family can’t shoot worth a damn! Lol!!!

I read that bears love blackberry bushes so I will be avoiding them, ha ha. I had one very close encounter (4 feet away) with a black bear once off of Skyline Drive in VA near the AT and that was more than enough. My friend was even closer so I figured the bear would go for him first, ha ha. We were sitting in a secluded spot in my VW bug with the doors open and eating a Mrs Smith's banana cream pie. We had both doors open and the music was playing so we never saw nor heard that bear sneak up on us until he let out a loud snort. My friend, in the passenger seat about 1.5 feet from the bear, froze. I told him not to move and, that on the count of three for him to toss the pie toward the bear, and I would start the car and take off at the same moment. I quietly pushed in the clutch and put it in gear and counted. The car started and I popped the clutch as he threw the pie tin. Both doors closed instantly from the car moving forward quickly and when we looked back, that old bear was just leaning over eating the pie like he did this every day. It was a while before my buddy could speak again, ha ha.

 

[Overland One]

Love that park! I was taken there as a kid, and have returned twice since then with my own family. I was able to get a lifetime pass recently - and I already know some places I'll be using it

My very first boondock spot was in Kentucky in March 2020 at Great Meadows in the Daniel Boone forest - https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/dbnf/recarea/?recid=39722 I was there out of season so it was free as they had left it open. Very nice and peaceful there. I was chased out of many spots after that as everything started closing down - you can imagine...

Daniel Boone National Forest is one of the places I am going once I head out in July. If it is too hot there I may head down toward the Smokies to get some elevation. I have used various apps to find several other boondocking spots around this state that I will be trying as well. Later, like a lot of people seem to do, I will be heading west.