Favorite Boondocking spots

[KatieinKansas]

<font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I love reading about all of the beautiful places to visit on this thread, and on other posts. &nbsp;It feels like a magnet, just pulling me to see all that's out there. &nbsp;There's so much that I haven't seen, but plan on seeing. &nbsp; I've read about many amazing works of nature that fill me with awe. &nbsp; It's great to read about these different places. &nbsp;I want to hear more of your favorites. &nbsp;It makes me happy!</span></font>

 

[gadgetMe]

Surfing during the wind storm this morning in the Yuma area and found this site with many good boondocking spots<br><br>Enjoy<img src="https://vanlivingforum.com/images/boards/smilies/cool.gif" align="absmiddle" border="0"><br><br><a target="_blank" href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=U...-99.404297&amp;spn=9.755861,11.052246&amp;z=6">Link to site</a><br><br>Putz<br>

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[akrvbob]

Great site, can't have enough free campground sites. Seems like everyone finds ones others miss. Bob<br>

 

[Mouldy]

Had an idea. I'm a GIS (digital mapmaker) dude and I could take all of your boondocking spots and create a mash up map just like Pondputz linked to. I would just need descriptions of how to get to the areas and a description of the place. I could also link in photos. Good idea or no?<br>

 

[akrvbob]

That is a Super idea!! How would it work? Would you need to get a website? If you did you could place advertising and pay for itself and probably make you a little money. We would be a great source of campsites. You might want to talk to Blars. He is involved with an open map project where people create their own maps from open source code. Of course it is hard to eat Google maps. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help. Bob <br>

 

[Mouldy]

No we wouldn't need a website, we could put a sticky link in the forum here to Google Maps. If we could get it paid for by advertisers I suppose we might as well. Blars would be key, he needs to chime in on this. Haven't done it for a year, but I could figure it out right quick. <br>

 

[blars]

<a target="_blank" href="http://freecampsites.net">freecampsites.net</a> already exists and is run by a couple that was at RTR.&nbsp; If there is something it lacks, you can talk to Jenn and Johnny.<br><br><a target="_blank" href="http://OpenStreetMap.org">OpenStreetMap</a> is volenteer done map of the world, with the entire database available for download so you can produce whatever type of map you want.&nbsp; In some areas of the world, it's more complete and acurate than any commercial map.&nbsp; For the most part, Google is more complete and acurate than OSM in the US, but OSM is easier to fix and add to.&nbsp; There are things that OSM covers better like bike and foot paths.&nbsp; (Google does what is profitable, OSM does what the volenteers want.)&nbsp; I'm thinking about doing a mashup type thing with OSM, but I don't think the software is as polished yet.&nbsp; It may be possible to import the BLM and NFS boundaries that haven't been done yet.&nbsp; So while OSM may eventually make a better base map, it probably isn't ready yet unless you want to help with the software and encorage people to improve the map.<br><br>

 

[Mouldy]

WAY TO BURST MY BUBBLE BLARNEY!!! ha i'm jk. glad to see someone else has taken the initiative. <br>I added one to freecampsites by Bishop, CA. Easy and functional, i like this site! <br><br>

 

[hitekhomeless]

Glad you like it Mouldy. <br><br>I'm a bit behind on my interwebs. Thanks for the obligatory plug, Blars.<br>

 

[Vern M]

<FONT size=3>Katie, another west-Kansas favorite is a real surprise for you. Come east or motor west on 96 and turn north at Scott City. Eight miles up there is a most comfortable and wildife-filled state park with the biggest Sycamore trees I've ever seen; 10-12 foot diameter trunks, along a creek behind an old stone house built by the settler. Well, European settler. There also is the most north pueblo site there, dating to 8-14 thousand years ago. Some easy hills to climb. A little lake. Lotsa nice rangers and hostess. </FONT><br><FONT size=3></FONT>&nbsp;<br><FONT size=3>On east on 96, then 56 from Great Bend, you can have a nice peaceful and economical time at the county park southeast ofMarion in Marion County. You may need to stop on the highway to get maneuvering directions as its on streets, not much signage.</FONT><br><FONT size=3></FONT>&nbsp;<br><FONT size=3>Then, only after you've suitably prepared yourself by reading Least Heat Moon's "Prairy Erth," stop at Cottonwood Falls. Some free to cheap 6-10 places to put the rig downtown while exploring the places and people you've then read about.</FONT><br><FONT size=3></FONT>&nbsp;<br><FONT size=3>I have more. Free spots under the cottonwoods and on the river at Chetopa and Baxter Springs city parks on 160 in southeast Kansas. etc. Walking the wagon tracks of the Santa Fe trail up by Cottonwood or west by Liberal. I could go on, but that'll give you something to work with in the land of&nbsp;Windwagon Smith.</FONT><br>

 

[KatieinKansas]

<font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Thank you, Vern! &nbsp;...Sounds peaceful just listening to you describe the different camp sites. The fresh outdoor and fresh air is calling me. &nbsp;I do appreciate the information! &nbsp;This is such a nice group of people!</span></font><div><font class="Apple-style-span" face="Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br></span></font></div>

 

[gadgetMe]

Another site for overnight and staying<br><br><h1><a target="_blank" href="http://www.discoveryowners.com/cginfo.htm">MAP OVERLAY FILES</a></h1><br><br><br><br>

 

[MCUNEO]

<P>I love camping in public campgrounds because they usually are in beautiful areas.&nbsp; The website I use everyday while camping is http://www.uscampgrounds.info/ It's a remarkable piece of work.</P>

 

[Kenny]

Glad I stumbled on this ...&nbsp;&nbsp; great info<br>

 

[Dust of the Sun]

Wondering if anybody might like to relay their experiences in Boondocking along the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina or Virginia??? Surely, you coddled west coasters found some reason you HAD to cross the Mississippi and wound up in the Appalachians...yes, baby mountains to those Rockies but still pretty darn...pretty. Any particular spots, camps, diners, locales come to mind??? I'm guessing the Parkway Police make it maybe impossible to boondock right on the Parkway but I'm talking within spittin' distance I guess. Oh, and I'm just jealous of all the vast opportunities you guys have on BLM lands in Arizona and environs...kinda deprived here out east. Dust<br>

 

[vonu]

My favorite spots are along the Hoback River south of Jackson, Wyoming, between where it breaks away from the Snake River and Bondurant. &nbsp;There's a parking lot just past the Elk Refuge, in the national forest, where the horsey park their trailers and ride up into the forest, that provides a wonderful view of the Tetons. &nbsp;I used to spend every weekend out there when I was working in Jackson.<div>There are also some really nice whitewaters along Chicago Creek on the road from Idaho Springs, Colorado to Mount Evans, but they are only big enough for a van alone.&nbsp;</div>

 

[Stillwater]

Linville Gorge is not far off the Blue Ridge Parkway. It's in a Nat'l Forest, not heavily visited and one of the prettier places I've ever seen in the CONUS.<br><br>http://www.ncnatural.com/Resources/Adventure/Gorge/Linville-Gorge.html<br><br>Some pictures of Linville Gorge<br>http://www.linvillefalls.com/hiking.html<br><br>Last but certainly not least... the haunting. (Or is it the moonshine??)<br>http://www.northcarolinaguide.net/hauntings-the-brown-mountain-lights/<br><br>

 

[Nevets]

The San Rafael swell near Goblin Valley Utah is hard to beat for beauty and isolation. I have been there 10 times at least and still not explored everything. Make sure to ask the rangers at the visitor center for directions to the many slot canyons. If you only hike one make sure you do the one called Little <a target="_blank" href="http://www.utahredrocks.com/images/hd_lwh.jpg">Wild horse</a>. <br>