If you grew up in a camping family, you are probably well aware of the term dispersed camping. In fact, you might be shocked to find out that people live their entire lives never knowing it is even a thing. But, if that is you, you’re likely not reading this post. 🙂
Since you are here, my guess is that you probably grew up similarly to me, in what I’d consider a glamping family (nothing wrong with being a glamppie). As an adult, I was shocked that more people weren’t screaming from the rooftops that you can go camping for free while staying on some of the most beautiful terrain America has to offer. How is everyone not talking about this? Well I mean, I guess the whole pooping in the woods can deter some folks. I get that, but I’m getting ahead of myself…
Let’s start at the beginning, to fully answer the question you came here for: what is dispersed camping?
Dispersed camping is a term that federal land agencies like the National Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management use to classify camping outside of designated campgrounds. It involves camping in the undeveloped wilderness located on federal lands without electricity, restrooms, and water.
It also goes by several other common terms like dry camping, primitive camping, wild camping, and my favorite boondocking. Whatever you choose to call it, at the end of the day it’s just good old fashioned “roughing it”. But, there is a lot to unpack (oh those puns) before heading out on your first dispersed camping trip.
Unpacking Dispersed Camping
If all we are interested in is a definition, then that is easy. The term itself implies spreading out or separating from the group, and that is exactly what dispersed camping involves. You quite simply drive or hike out on a wide-open chunk of land and set up camp away from others on your own little slice of paradise.
But, we aren’t just talking about the meaning of the term here. You likely want to know what the activity truly involves and how you can take part in it. For that, we have to go a bit deeper.
Let’s start with the agencies that govern the practice of dispersed camping. Namely, the National Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management.
Those two agencies have a primary role of preserving and protecting the natural resources on the lands in which they are responsible. Each agency manages different regions, but they often fall inside each other or border the other. The type of land they govern is typically undeveloped wilderness like national forests and preserves.
In addition to preserving, part of the aim of each agency is to allow the general public to enjoy the natural resources found on their land. One of the most common ways to enjoy those resources, and the least regulated, is dispersed camping. But note that I say least regulated. Dispersed camping, as rough and wild as it sounds, does include a variety of guidelines that are constantly being updated by each agency.
So the best answer for what dispersed camping is, is quite simply what each agency currently says it is. In other words, dispersed camping in our national forests is what the National Forest Service says it is. Similarly, dispersed camping on BLM land is what the Bureau of Land Management says it is.
This seems like a rather simple thing, but the guidelines are actually different depending on the region you wish to visit. So for example, if you’re traveling through 4 states this summer and planning on utilizing dispersed camping, you can ensure you’ll run into different guidelines along the way. Likewise, in CA, we have several national forests and the guidelines are not the same.
BUT! Thankfully, the guidelines are very simple to find for each region you wish to visit on the NFS website and the BLM website. You can even call the nearest station (found online) to gather more information. I have found that rangers are more than happy to help educate and even give suggestions for the perfect spot for your needs and experience level.
For now, let’s just look at some general guidelines for each service. I couldn’t possibly go over each region, but I can give you a ballpark of what you’re likely going to see some variation of. Additionally, there are differences between each of the two organizations, but they generally require a variation of what follows.
National Forest and BLM land GENERAL Guidelines For Dispersed Camping
- It’s usually free without the need for permits or reservations.
- You can typically stay around 14 days in a single location. To continue camping you must travel about 5-25 road miles to another dispersed area. Returning to the same campsite is often not allowed anywhere from a month to a year depending on the region.
- Pack everything out including trash. Leave no trace.
- Do not set up camp within 100-200 feet of a water source.
- There are no restrooms, be prepared to pack out your waste or follow cathole protocol. Dig a hole 6-8″ deep at a minimum of 100-200 feet away from any water source, covering with the dirt you dug up when done.
- Be bear and other wild animals aware. (Here in California bears, mountain lions, and rattlesnakes are common.)
- Do not set up camp within a 1-mile radius of a developed campground, picnic, or recreation area.
- Keep campsites within 150 feet of a roadway.
- Check with the nearest ranger station to ensure you do not need a permit (in CA you do no matter the season) for campfires and other open flames like camp stoves. Even if permits are not needed, check to ensure there are not seasonal campfire restrictions.
- Large groups over 75 are typically allowed, but you will likely need to obtain a special free permit. Contact the nearest ranger station to obtain one.
- Bring water or a means to purify any water source found. One should assume any water source found in national forests to be contaminated.
- Using fallen wood is often allowed, but not in all regions. Be sure to check in on this before you head out. Additionally bringing wood from out of the area might not be permitted as well.
- It is strongly encouraged to set up camp in a spot that appears to have been used before (has a firepit ring of rocks etc) in order to preserve the natural growth.
How To Find Locations
There are two primary ways to go about finding locations where you can set up camp. To be absolutely prepared, I highly recommend using both. Additionally, keep an eye out around our website, we regularly post our favorite spots here in CA and surrounding areas.
- Find it yourself: Use the BLM and NFS websites to gather as much information about the area as you can. Specifically, you will find the land boundaries and guidelines for how far from a road you need to camp. From there, you will access maps / maps of the area you wish to visit and locate access roads fit for your vehicle. Jump on over to google maps and utilize their satellite view to find areas that look like they have enough clearing fit for camping. In many situations, if it is a popular national forest, you’ll likely see RV’s and other tale-tale signs of camp spots tucked away just off the roadways. Contact the ranger station near your area letting them know where you plan on staying to see if they can give you further insights or if there are any required permits (usually not required) and road closures. Always call before you go to see if fires are permitted, which is the most likely reason a permit might be needed.
- Let others find it for you: Use websites like Campendium and FreeCampsites.Net to find as much information about specific campsites as you can. These sites have user-submitted reviews that often include pictures, GPS coordinates, tips on finding the campsite, and much more. I recommend starting here if you are completely new. In short, you’re letting someone else do the leg work of finding the site for you by utilizing these sites. But do still contact the ranger station to gather more information.
Is Dispersed Camping Seasonal?
Yes and no. Some areas are closed for typical reasons like the weather. This means many alpine regions will be off-limits during winter, but some might be off-limits less regularly due to less common weather events like flooding.
Additionally, a specific region might close a portion or all of it’s areas due to overuse. This is typically for a season to allow for natural regrowth to happen.
But for the most part, there isn’t a designated camping season. You should be able to find a spot somewhere at any time of the year. As always, our mantra is to contact the station nearest the area you’d like to visit to be certain.