6 ms·

How do you find these spots? That sounds like a great excuse to bring out the 4x4.

jwives 7y ago
You look at a map of interesting roads, maybe look at satellite imagery of the area if you're not at all familiar with it, and take your 4x4 out for a drive. Go slow, keep your eyes open, and you'll probably see a spot which looks perfect to camp at in no time.
leggomylibro 7y ago
These days, forest roads and primitive roads are often marked on Google / Apple maps and OpenStreetMaps. So asking your phone for directions to a national forest usually works well, as long as you check the camping rules and conditions ahead of time. You'll usually just see a series of pull-outs with fire pits and cleared areas along the unpaved roads. Lands managed by the BLM or USFS usually allow dispersed camping in at least some areas, but it's still a good idea to double-check before you leave, and you should be aware that the same lands are often used for other activities like hunting, logging, horse-riding, grazing, offroad vehicles, etc. You can also get more specialized outdoors mapping apps which can download data like USGS topographical maps and quad sheets for offline use. If you think you might like the backcountry, a satellite messenger is a good investment and those often have companion phone apps. Don't forget to bring a big battery if you rely on electronics for mapping, though. And you can usually get decent paper maps from local NPS/USFS/etc visitor centers once you get to the area. The people in those visitor centers will also tell you where good sites / hikes / drives / views are, but then you have to actually talk to someone. Also, read about pack-in/pack-out policies, what a cathole is, and how to keep your food from attracting animals.
bitexploder 7y ago
You just look up the regulations in your area, Federal Forest and Wildlife Management land have uniform rules as far as I can tell. Then you explore. I just spent a few weekends off riding and cruising the mountains this summer, visiting places and taking notes of good camp sites. That’s part of the fun. You can find sporadic information online, but generally I think people keep their favorite spots to themselves? Great reason to bang around, bring food. I set up the back of my truck to sleep in. Poor mans Tepui tent.

You look at a map of interesting roads, maybe look at satellite imagery of the area if you're not at all familiar with it, and take your 4x4 out for a drive. Go slow, keep your eyes open, and you'll probably see a spot which looks perfect to camp at in no time.

leggomylibro 7y ago

These days, forest roads and primitive roads are often marked on Google / Apple maps and OpenStreetMaps. So asking your phone for directions to a national forest usually works well, as long as you check the camping rules and conditions ahead of time. You'll usually just see a series of pull-outs with fire pits and cleared areas along the unpaved roads. Lands managed by the BLM or USFS usually allow dispersed camping in at least some areas, but it's still a good idea to double-check before you leave, and you should be aware that the same lands are often used for other activities like hunting, logging, horse-riding, grazing, offroad vehicles, etc. You can also get more specialized outdoors mapping apps which can download data like USGS topographical maps and quad sheets for offline use. If you think you might like the backcountry, a satellite messenger is a good investment and those often have companion phone apps. Don't forget to bring a big battery if you rely on electronics for mapping, though. And you can usually get decent paper maps from local NPS/USFS/etc visitor centers once you get to the area. The people in those visitor centers will also tell you where good sites / hikes / drives / views are, but then you have to actually talk to someone. Also, read about pack-in/pack-out policies, what a cathole is, and how to keep your food from attracting animals.

bitexploder 7y ago

You just look up the regulations in your area, Federal Forest and Wildlife Management land have uniform rules as far as I can tell. Then you explore. I just spent a few weekends off riding and cruising the mountains this summer, visiting places and taking notes of good camp sites. That’s part of the fun. You can find sporadic information online, but generally I think people keep their favorite spots to themselves? Great reason to bang around, bring food. I set up the back of my truck to sleep in. Poor mans Tepui tent.