Where Can I Find Maps Of BLM Land?

[pirateexplorer]

Im kinda new to this but it seems like most BLM land is out west. I did a quick google search and do see they have a division and office in midwest and eastern states. I'm looking for BLM land in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan. I don't seem to see any mention of where the land is or maps. Can anyone help me out?

 

[Lucky mike]

google it by state.......if it doesnt come up.......there is none

the states you mentioned stand a better chance at having National forest land on them or trusts

 

[rvwandering]

The BLM does manage some land in the east but it's not opened for boondocking like the western https://www.blm.gov/maps

For national forests go here - http://www.fs.fed.us/locatormap/

 

[mockturtle]

I find that Benchmark atlases are the best source of public land maps unless you want only a specific region. The AZ atlas is particularly useful but I also use the WA, OR, ID, NV, UT, NM and CA Benchmark maps. And there is this ultra-useful site: Ultimate Public Campground Project It includes dispersed camping.

 

[pirateexplorer]

Ya I was surprised to learn Indiana Dunes I guess is a national park but they seem to be super strict about camping, doubt you could do boondocking there, shame too cuz its an awesome area minus the nuclear plants and refineries on each side of the beach lol

 

[Lucky mike]

you have me scratching my head......Indiana Dunes allows Dispersed camping... 14/30 days, I frequent Mt. Baldy when Im out there.

if you consider boondocking or living in your RV for more than 2 weeks in one spot....Then no , there are not to many LTA's outside of the dessert areas.

I frequent the hardest National parks because of being on the East coast...and have yet to be in one that didnt have dispersed camping!!

 

[pirateexplorer]

you have me scratching my head......Indiana Dunes allows Dispersed camping... 14/30 days, I frequent Mt. Baldy when Im out there.

if you consider boondocking or living in your RV for more than 2 weeks in one spot....Then no , there are not to many LTA's outside of the dessert areas.

I frequent the hardest National parks because of being on the East coast...and have yet to be in one that didnt have dispersed camping!!

Wow, that's awesome, every time I've ever looked into camping I've only seen pay camping and it's always full. I'll have to look into that. Do you happen to have any links to maps or know where at the dunes your allowed to camp. Thanks for the info super excited to head out there this spring.

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you have me scratching my head......Indiana Dunes allows Dispersed camping... 14/30 days, I frequent Mt. Baldy when Im out there.

if you consider boondocking or living in your RV for more than 2 weeks in one spot....Then no , there are not to many LTA's outside of the dessert areas.

I frequent the hardest National parks because of being on the East coast...and have yet to be in one that didnt have dispersed camping!!

You mind sharing some info as far as what exit to get off at or where to camp. Everything I google about the dunes has fees for entrance, camping, etc. Sorry I'm kinda new to the whole boondocking thing so have no idea where to start.

https://www.nps.gov/indu/index.htm

 

[Lucky mike]

when you do your search or read the maps......Dispersed Camping is what your looking for....not campgrounds or just contact the ranger station for areas open to "Dispersed Camping"

I have several places I park there

Note: I am Disabled and have Handi Tags and the national park amari-pass so they normally dont say anything to me ..and Im not charged admission or day use fees in national parks

 

[frickinducky]

After reading a long timers blog, I am grabbing a Nat Geo Adventure Atlas.

 

[rvwandering]

Hi Frickinduckies! I bought the National Geographic Adventure Atlas because I read on a blog ( Blond Coyote) that BLM land was marked on the maps. I'm not sure what exactly she was referring to because it's not marked on the maps. It's a good atlas and BLM recreation areas are marked with a little red square but I was hoping for swaths of color across the states.

 

[mockturtle]

The Benchmark maps have color-shaded areas for all public lands.

 

[frickinducky]

Howdy guys! And ack, poo. Literally just hit the buy now button. Oh well, been wanting a backup road atlas anyhow. I don't always trust my gps program. Think it goes homicidal on occasion.

Hope you are both well and groovy. I am sooo looking forward to getting rolling, blm maps or no. 87 degrees is my melting point.

 

[wagoneer]

Benchmark maps/mapbooks older ones are better, amazon is a good source.

 

[anm]

I find that Benchmark atlases are the best source of public land maps unless you want only a specific region. The AZ atlas is particularly useful but I also use the WA, OR, ID, NV, UT, NM and CA Benchmark maps. And there is this ultra-useful site: Ultimate Public Campground Project It includes dispersed camping.

I know this is a few months old but I'm going to try anyway:
I'm interested in getting a NM map, a good NM map, but too many of the ones I have seen don't have labeled county roads on them. Could I get you to have a look at your NM Benchmark atlas and see if it does? I'm particularly interested in the Cornudas Mountain area on the Texas border near El Paso. So far I've got two New Mexico maps and neither has the small county roads labeled. One map has the roads marked but no labels, the other doesn't even have them marked...

 

[peacetara]

Real paper maps: Besides what's already mentioned, the local BLM office/NF office in that area will have maps for free/sale. BLM maps are usually $2. NF maps are usually Free or $6... depending.

 

[anm]

I'll have to try the BLM office in Las Cruces, I think the Cornudas Mountains are in their purview. The two maps I currently have are from the US Geologic Survey series 1:100000 scale, 30x60 quadrangle. I ordered them online figuring I get a good printed, folded map, but what I got were ink jet printer pages of what they have online, I could have produced that! I also bought a used copy of the Benchmark NM map and it has some of the small county roads labeled but many of them are not. I'm not buying any other map sight unseen, but I will try the BLM in Las Cruces. I can also ask them about camping since the whole area is BLM land (as near as I can tell anyway).

One of the best maps so far is... I hate to say this... is Google maps, they list county road numbers that aren't on the USGS maps. But I'd like a printed version, something not dependent on electrons bouncing around in some expensive piece of equipment.

Thanks for the advice peacetara...

 

[highdesertranger]

peacetara has a good point. the geo communicator can show land use with good detail. as far as atlases go in checkerboard areas without some knowledge about surveying how do you know if you are actually on public land. highdesertranger

 

[peacetara]

The $2 maps from the BLM are not exactly high quality they work fine tho. The free maps from the NF are either laser printed on regular paper, or super fancy booklets in my experience. The $6 maps are also a mixed bag, as far as paper quality. But all of the BLM and NF maps get the job done just fine. I hear the benchmark maps, if you get one with the boundaries on it, are really awesome(apparently not all benchmark maps have them marked).

 

[highdesertranger]

where do you get $6 nf maps. all the recent ones out west are 10 bucks and they are basically junk. they only show where they want you to go. 4 years ago I went to a ranger station in Oregon ask for a map for a specific area so they sold me a nf map. well I went up in the forest and the map was so wrong it made me sick. so after I crossed the cascade divide and came down on the west side I went to another ranger station I notice the map they were selling for the same area was different. I brought this to the attention of the ranger behind the counter, she asked what map did they sell you. so I went out to the truck and got the map to show her and don't ask me why but I still had the receipt. when I showed her, she said that they never should have sold me that map they had a new one out for over 2 years. she offered me a new map when I told her I was prospecting she said you don't want that map anyway she said that was a general tourist map. she said that I needed the map that the rangers use it showed every road in the nf not just the tourist roads. she gave me both maps for free. it was an experience for me. 1st I found out that some US government employees will sell you anything just like any other rip off business. 2nd I found out there are actually 2 sets of maps you can get, tourist maps and real maps. 3rd not all government employees are shysters. highdesertranger

 

[anm]

So far I haven't been able to figure out head nor tail of the geo communicator... is that an oxymoron?

Oh crap! It doesn't matter anyway, they're redoing their website...