Teardrop Trailer Boondocking

Many times when we go camping with our friends (who also own a teardrop trailer), we will boondock. Boondocking is essentially free camping on public land. It's also called dispersed camping, and there are various places around the U.S. where you can set up camp for the night with a minimal amount of amenities. Boondocking with a teardrop trailer is just as easy as with a larger RV, and maybe even more so because a small teardrop tucked away in the woods or in the desert does not have as high a profile as a larger RV and can be less conspicuous.

You can boondock on BLM land or National Forest property, and some people even boondock in the parking lot of Wal-Mart or a local truck stop. There are discussions among campers whether or not parking lot camping is really boondocking, and the word tends to refer only to free camping on public land.

Depending on the area and terrain, boondocking areas will have specifically designated areas for camping, vehicles and campfires and some sites may not even allow any kind of open flame. Boondocking spots normally don't have hookups, sewer, showers or water, but sometimes they have basic pit toilets. Many boondocking areas have a time limit of several weeks.

You can find boondocking areas on these two websites: Free Campsites.net and Boondocking.org.

Boondocking tips:

Bring your own water or a water filter

Several places where we like to boondock have a nearby creek or river where we will fill up canteens just for washing dishes or ourselves. This water should not be used for cooking or drinking unless it has been filtered or boiled. It's best to bring several five gallon tanks of your own drinking water.


Stay safe

Camp with people you know and trust. Boondocking is not necessarily dangerous, but since there is no camp host and some boondocking areas are away from populated areas, it's best to not camp alone. 


Re-use campfire areas

If you are boondocking and happen to run across a spot where someone once had a campfire, use the same area rather than creating a new area to burn. Depending on where you're camping, many boondocking areas have plenty of downed wood.

Use Dry ice

If you plan on boondocking for a week or more, use dry ice instead of regular ice. Your food will stay colder longer and you won't have to travel a long distance to re-stock your ice supply. Here are some tips on how to use dry ice.