Question re: Dispersed Camping in Natl. For.

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highdesertranger said:
I believe in Alaska and Arizona you can disperse camp on state land.  I know in AZ you need a permit from the state.  highdesertranger

I know you can disperse camp in Michigan State Forests.  You need a permit, available online. You are required to fill out the permit and post it at your site, leaving the posted permit at your site when you vacate the site.

Indiana has some dispersed camping in their State Forest, listed as Backcountry Camping.
 
Spaceman Spiff said:
National Forest Motor Vehicle Use Maps are free and also available on-line.  They only show roads and special information (like where you can dispersed camp, road restrictions, etc.).

The waterproof, full color topo maps of a National Forest cost $14.  They are the USGS 1:100,000 maps with some added information, printed on plastic 'paper'.

I admit I've looked at the online Motor Vehicle Use maps and couldn't make sense of them. Perhaps if I had the map onsite, and a couple points of reference.
 
RowanFae said:
I admit I've looked at the online Motor Vehicle Use maps and couldn't make sense of them. Perhaps if I had the map onsite, and a couple points of reference.

Yes, it is easier to work with the paper maps; they are big: ~ 36" X 48", so you have to blow up the online map a lot to read and then you loose your place.  It takes a little practice to be able to use them and it helps to have a big screen.
 
Spaceman Spiff said:
Yes, it is easier to work with the paper maps; they are big: ~ 36" X 48", so you have to blow up the online map a lot to read and then you loose your place.  It takes a little practice to be able to use them and it helps to have a big screen.

Online mapping is much more useful on a laptop screen as opposed to any smartphone and most tablets. I turn on my Verizon smartphone's hotspot and use the laptop. Much more productive on the larger screen and with a mouse or touchpad. But paper maps are nice to get the "big picture" of an area. And the USFS maps are kept pretty much up to date on roads, road conditions, locations of facilities etc. GPS enabled digital maps are really great too. Especially if they allow plotting a route.
 
RowanFae said:
It was that site, you linked, that had me confused?

From the extended text off that site: [font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]You would need to leave your vehicle at an approved overnight parking area such as the backpacker's parking lot at the Garden of the Gods Wilderness area or at a designated trail head. You would not be allowed to leave your vehicle overnight at any designated Day-Use area or where blocking a road or other access.[/font]

[font=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]----------------------[/font]
Oh I see. What you've got here is the text regarding trailhead parking, or hike-in camping, not dispersed camping. If you look on the FS page on the left-hand sidebar, you will see a link that says "dispersed camping." That's the one to look at. Plus if you get the MVU map at the ranger station you'll be all set.

The Dire Wolfess
 
AreWeLostYet said:
The Forest Service charges $14 per map these days. They are very nice maps on water resistant material. Also, Bob recommends a phone map. I think it's called the public lands app or something. Shows boundaries of federal lands. So you can just drive into an area that's federal administered and dispersed camp.
No they don't. I've been travelling in NFS for the past 3 years. The first thing I do in a new forest is visit the nearest ranger station or visitor center and ask for the Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM). It's free. Even in one place on the Oregon Coast, they had run out and they made me a multi page copy of the office one. Free. It's a free map.

The Dire Wolfess
 
Moxadox said:
Oh I see.  What you've got here is the text regarding trailhead parking, or hike-in camping, not dispersed camping.  If you look on the FS page on the left-hand sidebar, you will see a link that says "dispersed camping."  That's the one to look at.  Plus if you get the MVU map at the ranger station you'll be all set.

The Dire Wolfess

Thanks  :) Hopefully the Ranger can explain the MVU map - because I still haven't quite made head or tails of the online ones I've come across.

I came across a website ( https://www.campendium.com/free-camping ) It had links to the NF campgrounds that are free and many even come equipped with fire ring, picnic table and have vault toiets available.  I'm planning on hitting a few in Indiana, Illinois and Missouri on my way to house sit for a friend.  Hopefully I'll have time to try out a couple here in Michigan too, before I head out.
 
I still haven't quite made head or tails of the online ones I've come across.

I came across a website ( https://www.campendium.com/free-camping ) It had links to the NF campgrounds

Once you have the paper map in your hands it will be much more clear. Yes, definitely have the ranger help you figure out what all the different stuff means!

Other great apps to get are:

freecampsites.net
UC Public CG (Ultimate Campgrounds Public Campgrounds)
Allstays Camp and RV
US Public Lands (essential for when you're on checkerboard BLM and need to make sure you're not on private property!)

I just realized I should probably do a post on boondocking apps. I totally depend on them to find general areas, but then there are ways of using Google Maps plus Earth to drill down and make sure the terrain is reasonable.


The Dire Wolfess
 
highdesertranger said:
I believe in Alaska and Arizona you can disperse camp on state land.  I know in AZ you need a permit from the state.  highdesertranger

You can in most units of New York State Forests also. In the Adirondacks, it is basically everywhere.
 
RowanFae said:
I admit I've looked at the online Motor Vehicle Use maps and couldn't make sense of them. Perhaps if I had the map onsite, and a couple points of reference.

I use them in conjunction with either Delorme or Benchmarks for the specific state. You can also look up topos online for many states. You just have to search until you find what you are looking for.
 
RowanFae said:
I came across a website ( https://www.campendium.com/free-camping ) It had links to the NF campgrounds that are free and many even come equipped with fire ring, picnic table and have vault toiets available.

A lot of them aren't listed. Last year I went to Tellico Plains, TN for a dry run a month before the Great Eclipse in Aug. They had maps of the Distributed Camping. These were not on the Forest Service website. They were free. I drove up the Cherohoula Parkway [SP?] about 30 min away and took the road on that letter-sized map. Drove around for about 4 hours trying to find a place to camp. Finally, I saw parked cars. This part of the Forest was designated spots only. The one I pulled into was right beside a river and very pretty! Unfortunately, I did what you are NEVER supposed to do. I was parking at 12:30 am on a Monday morning. Naturally, I didn't leave my SUV! But, it was very pleasant. I did walk around after the sun came up. It was quiet, but very littered with all sorts of trash!

When I walked around, I found the signs. I was just there overnight so it wasn't like real camping, in that I didn't get out my chair or heat a meal. I didn't need most of what I brought; my frozen Meals on Wheels were useless on a cloudy day. My cellphone didn't work until I went back down the mountain to Tellico Plains [SafeLink free mobile phone, I think it's T-Mobile]. I left quickly because my daughter would be worried about me. I could make local calls but couldn't call her or text her. If not for that I would've stayed longer. The camping pad I brought was totally painful because my Ford Explorer has the fold-down seats. I didn't sleep well. I was warm enough with no mods to my car. It was very hot and I couldn't get my solar system to work my fan. It's a USB fan. I made a thermoelectric cooler but didn't finish it in time, so I just had lots of ice packs from my Meals On Wheels from my deep freeze. They only lasted 2 and a half days of our 5 day trip in Aug. I had three Styrofoam coolers from meals my daughter had ordered for herself. The last day we were there, a man was camped next to us. I asked him to look at my solar.

"Ma'am, I don't know anything about solar."
"You know how to hook up a car battery, right?"

He had it connected right within 5 mins. It worked! So we enjoyed the USB fan, which moved air over ice packs [mostly melted] in a Styrofoam cooler with holes across the front under the lid. They were mostly water [or what passes for water in those] but for a sliver. It was good, though. On the long stay we used an inflatable air mattress. We got mixed up on what kind of batteries. My daughter walked a long way to a store because we already had stuff out of the SUV and she was too tired to pack it just to drive. She came back with the wrong kind. So the last night, we enjoyed the air mattress, but couldn't get it inflated all the way. Give me a foam mattress any day!

My one night dry run taught me 
1. I don't need a lot of stuff I brought 'just in case'.
2. My cheap battery radio and light did last but didn't have a good radio on it. The light was pretty useless outside the SUV.
3. I wasn't happy with the Wal-Mart air mattress. Once we got the right batteries, it worked well but batteries [RayOVac Energizer] didn't last long. Enough to add air twice. It looked and felt fine until both of us laid down. Flat. We added air. Very hard for me to move while we pumped more air in. No leaks, just very hard to gauge how much air to put in.
4. We REALLY needed a fan. We had those fans on a bottle, and they were lifesavers! But in the hot and humid Tennessee and Georgia climate, it is too humid for them to help much. We kept the windows down about an inch. Moisture kept the inside of my car wet. Not enough ventilation. So a way to run a fan 24/7 is a necessity. Didn't help that it rained 3 of 5 days, and it rained the night of my test run.
5. I had those black covers for all the windows to deflect the heat. Black? Really? I needed silver. I read a study by U of FL that said silver on one side and white on the other, with the silver towards the INSIDE of the car works better than double sided foil. This is from an article in Popular Science that referenced the study. I will add that they didn't have all the data they wanted. Study was from the 70's when most reflectors were white cardboard. They added foil for the study. Aluminum foil. I think the black ones are good for cold days, but wish I'd brought my silver ones! The black ones came with enough covers for all windows in my SUV.
6. The site came with a fire ring. There were a fair amount of bushes between the pull-in area [which was plenty of room for my SUV to get turned around] and the river. If I had wanted to get to the riverbank for fishing, I would need a machete'.
7. Being a disabled lady, just walking around the van holding onto it winded me. I had no energy to pull out a chair or find my insect repellant. I did have a hat with mosquito netting. I will definitely use that again, and did for the long campout! I would not have been able to spread out the air mattress and fiddle. I needed my daughter to pull out the coolers and chairs. So, if I am to camp by myself I will have to be super organized and have things where I can pull them out easily. I've had a year to read up! So many things I will do differently. And I thought I had watched and read and researched plenty before that trip! Not quite. I also took WAY too much stuff with me. It made it impossible to find things and dig them out. Next time, ONE cooler.

Popular Sci Article
https://www.popsci.com/keep-car-cool

Hope the info is helpful!  Good luck with your Dispersed Camping adventure! I want to do it again in my 1996 Chevy Astro Cargo van!
 

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