camping for free across the states
 

hello guys,

know this sounds tame in comparison to what i read on these boards... am very admiring of what you guys do.

i am about to go on my third cross country in the states, and i'm looking to reduce my costs.

what advice do you have for free camping in the states?

i heard once of camping on church property with permission. who do i ask?

thanks,

r.j.y.

Here's a link to free campgrounds in the USA. Google is your friend. :D
Also, here's a link to a report a friend did - lived for 1 yr on his bike and spent $40 or less per day.

Good luck on your ride!

In the west, in states like Arizona, New mexico, Wyoming and Nevada, camping on Bureau of Land Management Land or BLM, is free. California it's tough to come by. And it's non-existent in the East.
Lorraine

BLM, USFS and some State Forests allow free camping to some degree.

In the west, just pull off the road behind some bushes or trees, cover the shiny bits, put of a shy camp and pay no attention to the 90mph bull coming your way. On freeways, hide the bike near an overpass. Climb up the support ramp. between the bridge/overpass road and the support ramp there is usually a flat spot 10 x the width of the highway above and about 6 ft. tall. out of the wind, safe from bad guys and free. Other than this wonderful advice eagerly noted by everyone, look for campgrounds no closer than 5 miles to a town. They will nomrllay be cheaper and have room. Stay away from KOA unless you have the money for a nice hotel. We do a lot-really a lot-of wild camping and to date have never been asked to leave from anywhere. We also have the old folks pass and get into the BLM, USDA, and Forest Service campsites for half price. Same thing lets us visit all the national goodies for free. If you are not old, borrow your grandfathers I.D. and go get the pass.

Free in Ohio
 

Hey guys,

Until it gets out of hand, I have room and a garage in Ohio for any travelers needing the space and a place to crash (excuse the term). I am a retired Police Motor Officer, and teach the Motorcycle Safety course in the summer. So, I may not be here on weekends. But, during the week, I am usually hanging about playing on the "GS....... Let me know if you need space..

Jeff apopj@mac.com:welcome:

Thanks Jeff (Ohio) for the offer .. I suggest you join the HU community (or make one if there is not one in your area) .. that is the usuall meassage thingy when travellers are passing through .. sometimes in trouble (sick, tired, crashed, drive train etc) and need help, advice .. or even just some other biker to talk to.

r.j.y - all travellers are interested in reducing their costs ... so free camping is a choice some make ..

For the church .. there should be a sign out the front saying who the pastor is .. and some contact details ? I'd try not to stay over the weekend - they can get noisy!

ADVRider has a list of camping spots they let people use. Its gust members back yards but its free.

www.couchsurfing.com
 

Have a look at couchsurfing.com
IN the spirit of the traveler...A website listing people that have a spare couch/bed to crash on. You do a search for the area, have alook at the people listed find someone that sounds like they're on your page and give them a email... Sometimes you'll get a free guide for the area and a nice home cooked meal..... not always.. but every bit helps stretch the budget!

Adv List..
 

DLBiten is spot on.. have a look on advrider.com they have had a list of folks willing to put up fellow bikers and its also a great resource for local knowledge.

If you have your route sorted for the most part, then a post of two can help secure you the odd night free and some local guiding about to find the best roads and sights to see. Local knowledge is always best for finding those hard to locate places and quiet spots imho..

And don't forget the site if you run into problems of a mechanical nature, a good set of folks out there who usually able to point our parts sellers, mechanics etc..

All the best..

John

Many times BLM and National Forest land can be camped on for free. Look them up on the internet for rules and locations. Campgrounds sometimes charge a fee but most places you can just camp anyplace (non campground) for free.

I mostly set up camp after dark and leave early in the morning and in a dozen times camping I haven't had any real problems camping all over the west.

I see people RVing in WalMart parking lots, Does this work for camping a night?

Garry

I don't know your age, but if you're retired, you can get a "golden pass" for about $20usd. and then everything, including camping on federal land is 1/2 price.

24 hours of lights, shoppers and traffic make for a crappy night of sleep. In an RV ok but in a tent I would not consider this.

If you hone your stealth camping skills youll find that it is not hard, sometimes even easier than finding a hotel.


Just veer off the beaten path for a few miles and hunt for a secluded spot. Its not that hard and once youve done it a few times, it will not bother you. When you are getting close to you bed time just scan the side roads as you ride, you see one that looks like to leads to a seclude spot, make a turn and scan that for a mile or two. If you see a good spot ride past it for a quarter mile to make sure you arent too close to the a home. Then turn around, pull into the spot, setup your tent and catch some shut eye.

I hide completely or I "hide" in plain sight depending on my options.

This is my technique, the one you develop may vary.

BTW: I went motorcycle camping for the first time this summer and I always guerrilla camped with little to no issues. beforehand I did not even own a tent so this goes to show that it can be done even if you are inexperienced.

If you are unsure about the whole thing, just practice around your area first. I was supposed to do this before my trip but I ran out of time.