Campward Bound Adventure

I have been camping for free since the late 70's and I am surprised that more people are not doing it.  First of all, I am not suggesting that you break any laws or camp where it's not safe.  I am talking about bonafide legal free camping.  I stumbled across this method when after I graduated from high school.  My buddies and I packed up our bicycle with camping gear and travel cross country.  We visited as many national parks as we could including Glacier, Grand Teton, Yellowstone, Bryce Canyon, Zion, and Grand Canyon. 

We learned the hard way where not to camp when we received citations for illegal camping in Wyoming and Colorado.

How To Camp For Cheap By Vanaboding

If you want to learn about free camping on $20 a day, you  need to check out Vanaboding.  This guy Jason (probably an alias) wrote an excellent eBook about cheap camping across the country by  using a nondescript white cargo van.  It's his home!  You can sleep up to 4 people-2 adults and 2 kids on the inside.  His set up is beyond genius because it's so practical.  You see these ugly vans driving all over town.  Everyone from delivery people to painters use them.  You have total privacy and a lot of space.  I am in the process of trying to locate a good deal on a used one.  We are running out of  space in our Subaru Outback.

City Parks Are Great Places To Camp For Bicycle Touring

While traveling west on our bicycles from Minnesota, we camped mostly in small city parks. It was easy to do because we were in stealth mode.  We never made it obvious that we were camping.  It was better to ask for forgiveness than ask for permission to stay in a local park.  Times have changed.  Most city parks now post signs and state that you cannot be in the park after certain hours.  If a city park is not marked, then by all means, spread out your sleeping bag and get some shut eye.

Treat Law Enforcement With Respect And You Will Get Respect In Return

While traveling solo on a bicycle for 6 months, I asked a local police officer if he knew of any places to camp in town.  I was in the deep south-Alabama.  The police officer suggested that I stay inside the jail for free-as a guest and not a prisoner.  I survived for a few hours until a prisoner kept me awake by crying and screaming.  The jailer let me pitch my tent in front of the station!  Can you believe that?  Local law enforcement can be  your best allies if you ask.

On the same cross country trip, another local police officer drove his cruiser across the park grass in the middle of the night with code 3 emergency lights illuminating the entire park.  He performed a quick search of me including a sobriety check of my eyes.  He asked me why my  eyes were so red.  I politely explained to him that like himself, when you are suddenly awakened, it's normal.  After a few minute check that satisfied him that I was no threat, he told me that nobody was going to bother me the remainder of the night and would make certain of it!

US National Forests Are Your Best Free Camping

I have done a fair amount of back packing in wilderness areas located inside our national forests.  Back country camping is usually free.  I  have never paid to back pack in with all my camping equipment.  But who says that you have to back pack in?  While hitch hiking, driving, or riding my bicycle, I have camped numerous times in undeveloped camp sites.  The US Forest Service approves of this method.  The idea is to use "no trace" camping.  I never build fire rings. I may have a camp fire if it's legal.  If there is an existing camp fire ring made of rocks, I will use it and then destroy it the following day.