"Free" Campgrounds

[lembaar]

As a result of corporate downsizing, I may be retiring early. If so, we intend to take a long awaited trip to Wyoming, Montana and Idaho to do some fly fishing, hiking and bicycling.



The costs I've calculated so far are substantial, for both fuel and campgrounds. Not much more I can do about fuel, but I have seen publications that list "Free" or "low cost" campgrounds.



My question - does anyone have experience with these guides and the types of campgrounds likely to be listed? We pull a 30' cameo 5er with two slides. Weight is around 12,500. Combined we are 20, 00 I guesstimate ( I know, we should know EXACTLY what we weigh - and will before we leave from South Carolina).



With this rig, I can hardly access remote areas with marginal access roads. So, before I spend the money for such a guide, I thought I'd pose the question on this site. Additionally, I am not looking for any dumps to stay in. My wife would quickly tire of unpleasant surroundings. However, spartan in a beautiful and remote area is not the same as a dump.



Thanks in advance for any insight on these publications.

 

[Mac]

Look at this site.

www.freecampgrounds.com

Most time the free campgrounds are just a parking space and no hookups and the area won't be very scenic since the campground usually belongs to a small town that is just trying to get somebody to stop and spend some money. You probably should plan on paying most places.

 

[merryman]

I have one of the "Free" camping guides, and have never been able to take advantage of it. Looking through it, most of the cites reported are on very secondary roads and a high percentage have notations such as "maximum RV length 16'" or in some cases 20". Few of them would accomodate a 30' fiver. However, since so many of them state the same length restriction, I suspect there is some generalization going on.



While I am not real familiar with other western states, in Oregon, camping is permitted on most BLM and Forest Service land-----just pull off the road and park. I have camped literally hundreds of places in the Eastern half of Oregon for free. I just find a place I can get well off the road and set up; I do usually take a side road for a ways just to get off highways. Another free site commonly available are "gravel pits"--places where the state or county road depts. store crushed rock for highway repair. They are commonly called "best westerns" by back woods rv ers out here. These places are, of course, for those who do not mind camping all alone.



Also, in Oregon and in Calif. (I would suspect the same would apply to other Western states), most county fairgrounds allow camping for a real reasonable fee. I have paid from $3. to $10. Some have full hook ups, some have limited hookups. Some are real jewels! At a few Oregon fairgrounds (especially in the sparsly populated areas), the fairgrounds is at the edge of town, and you will be virtually alone.



A third option is to find a small town business with lots of space--such as a small grocery store, buy a few grocery items and ask if they mind if you park off to the side of the property to sleep awhile. If you look like a "nice person", the odds are pretty good they will say "sure".

Enjoy the West.

Vaughn

 

[The patriot]

I see RV's camping in Wallmart parking lots all the time.

Maybe you should try to get one of those lifetime membership club things, so that it'll be very cheap to camp.

I forget what theyre called, there was a thread on them a while back.

Eric

 

[Bill Stockard]

lembaar,

Congratulations on your early retirement--when life really begins!! We retired when I was 53 and don't regret a minute of it.



I have those free campground and low cost campground guides. I have found the low cost guide the most effective. Many of the free sites were too small for our 31' 2 slide-out 5th wheel or were too far down an unimproved road with no hookups.



We have found that the "small town" city parks in the states of Kansas, Nebraska, North & South Dakota, eastern Colorado, and southeastern Wyoming offer some very nice parks for RVs. There seem to be more and better quality parks in the agricultrual areas than the "tourist" or "commercial" areas. Some have paved sites, some have electric with a water hydrant nearby to fill your fresh water tank, and some have water and electric, but few have sewer hookups; however, a dump station is usually located in the park. Most of these parks charge from free for 1 night, or a "donation", or less than $10, depending on the facilities. We stayed in several that were located next to or across the street from the police station. Others have been in quiet resdiential areas so not much of a problem as far as security.



We stay away from the big cities and try to minimize our travel on the interstates. You will see the real America off the interstates. The longer you are reitred, you will gradually get out of the vacation mode and be in less of a hurry on your trips. You'll find yourself leaving home earlier for your destination, taking the longer route, staying later, and taking much more time getting back home.



Enjoy your coming retirement!!



Bill

 

[BV]

I have visited a few and there are limitations in length and access. An alternate route I have taken here in Oregon is to hit the cheap BLM or State un-improved spots for $5-6 dollars a night - These have better access than the free sites visited and are still less expensive than the $16-40 charge at State/County/Private parks.



Congrats on the early retirement - 25 years (minimum) to go for me

 

[Pogodually]

Low cost campgrounds

Check with Camping World or Trailer Life magazine. There is an ad for 1/2 price camping cost is $39. 00 to join. Many of the campgrounds are nice [not dumps]. Go to website camping [www.passportamerica.com] mention code HWB,

phone 1-877-990-camp



I tried them for a few years when I was full timing.

 

[lembaar]

Thanks folks, for all the info. I will check further on some of these options. One drawback, I currently do not have a generator in the fifth wheel. My thoughts are that it will be a requirement if we do much camping at out of the way locations.