Free Camping In Southern California - It's summer of (free!) camping in California! Of course, I love camping and always have, even when I was in high school and the mall was my favorite place to go. I'm more than happy to build a tent (or just sleep under the stars like a tree at my dad's house) and I'm not bothered by bugs or even a little dirt. (As I shocked everyone I saw and joined the care team - I didn't swim for a week, it quickly became a habit).
However, when I was little, we went camping a few times. So, when I graduated from college, I decided it was time to make my camping dreams come true. That said, camping can be expensive AF, especially here in the US, and I've been guilty of AF by accident. I need to find a solution.
Free Camping In Southern California
Then I stumbled upon BLM land. More below. First, a little history! If you hate stories, feel free to skip to why I love free camping.
The Best Car Camping Spots Near Greater Palm Springs
I remember the first time I went camping for free. My boyfriend and I drove my car from California to Arizona while I was with the conservation group and stopped in Joshua Tree while we were both away. We were both broke AF and even though we decided to go at the last minute, we didn't bother to find anything available.
After a quick Google search, I found that there is free camping outside the north and south entrances of Joshua Tree National Park. We pulled up after dark and drove slowly. Most of the sites were blocked and I was starting to worry that I wouldn't find any more... But we found one! We set up a tent from the light from the lights (my favorite tbh, very hard to see) and I always thought the police would run and say we can't sleep there for free. But nothing happened, we woke up in the morning and from then on I was free camping!
Of course, this is a lie. I went camping for free on my 15th birthday. My dad, my brother, his girlfriend and her boyfriend went camping in Big Sur. My father, a fan of free camping, found that we could camp for free on the Nacimiento-Fergusson road. We hit the rolling hills, got a good tow truck, and put an inflatable mattress next to the car. We didn't even use the toilet!
It's amazing. My birthday always coincides with the meteor shower, so I fell asleep to the stars in the sky.
The 20 Best Places To Camp In Southern California
So here's what you need to know about free camping in California. Most free camps are 'scatter camps' - more on this below.
[My old car and my friend, Sabrina, at our free campsite off Hwy 108 - we drove some dirt roads to get there!]
Scattered campsites are free campsites with little or no facilities. This means you will not have restrooms, drinking water, tables, trash cans, or fire pits. However, this is not the case - there is a combination of these things, and at least I have often seen rings of fire.
Sometimes you can camp at one or two sites, so it's worth getting there as soon as possible. However, there are places where there are many campsites!
Upcoming Dispersed Camping Changes You Should Know About For 2022
If there are only a few places, we leave before asking if we can camp with the people there if they are taken. But you can always ask.
These areas are off dirt roads, so it is helpful to have a vehicle with a high international permit and/or four-wheel drive. It doesn't always work, but it really does. I took my CRV everywhere until it got stolen (RIP) and it doesn't have 4 wheel drive but the high ground clearance is great!
So bring your own toilet paper and plenty of trash bags. Good to have supplies! Bring plenty of water (you may have more than you think, especially if you have to wash dishes, etc.), a sink, and biodegradable soap.
Before I get into the details, I need to be very clear: Please, please, please. Enjoy the places you camp and do it again.
These States Have The Best Free Camping In The U.s.
Be sure to unpack everything you bring and bring a trowel to dig a hole if you have to go #2. Dig a hole about 200 feet from the water and 6 inches deep. Then you can bury your TP (if it's cool and not smelly), although I recommend taking a plastic bag with you if you can.
Please be aware of fire laws and warnings as some areas only allow fires at certain times of the year due to fire danger (looking at you, California). You can easily Google the county/city you live in with "campfire regulations" or call the nearest campfire station and ask.
Make sure the campsite is at least 200 meters away from the water to avoid splashing onto the beach.
Try to camp on the ground as if it was disturbed by a tent or car.
The Best Free Campsites In All 50 States
Let us take care of the world and love our world. Don't be alone.
[Free camping in Oregon - reports of fireworks so we know it's a good camp. Also, we had to use tree guards (the ones that go under the hammock straps to protect the tree), but I didn't see them at the time!]
I've probably rolled into a campsite with no one around and thought… Wait, is this a legal place? Or, have I been driving on private land the wrong way?
Sometimes these signs are not found in a camp and the law is still in effect, but I look at these things just to be sure.
The Best Places To Camp On Blm's Public Lands
[The interface of freecampsites.net - for example, I just typed in "Joshua Tree National Park" and zoomed in to see nearby sites.]
The holy grail of finding free sites for me is freecampsites.net. Yes, it looks small, but it's an easy-to-use document. You can search your location or zoom in on the map. Easy peasy!
On this site, you can find free camping sites scattered throughout Southern California, Northern California, and around the Bay Area or highway 1. The world is now your destination. With desire.
And perhaps my favorite feature: THE REVIEWS! You can read reviews and advice about each camp from previous campers. Very useful!
Scenic Southern California Campgrounds With Swimming
I have camped many times in Mammoth/the Eastern Sierras, out of Joshua Tree and in Death Valley National Parks around Oregon and near Lake Tahoe on this side. He never led me astray!
I've heard of the iOverlander app being useful for boondocking (RV camping without hooking up to water, electricity, or sewer), but I've never used it myself.
What is BLM land you ask? This is a public area owned by the Department of Land Management. You can camp on BLM land for up to 14 days at many campgrounds.
Here is information about camping in California. Honestly, I'm not familiar with their site for finding campsites, so I prefer to use freecampsites.net as a directory of BLM campgrounds.
Free Camping In California: 7 Stunning Campsites To Try
Well, in case it's not already known, most of the country's forest areas are free to camp! Like BLM land, it is public land, but owned by the Forest Service or another organization.
And remember, I'm not talking about national parks - that's completely different. I'm talking about national forests like Stanislaus National Forest or Las Padres National Forest. You can go to Google Maps, type in "National Forest" and see what comes up nearby!
In National Forests, campsites are located near the service road. Check for any scratches or dirt, and any evidence of the area shown above. But honestly, I only use freecampsites.net because I don't want to search blindly haha.
National forests are similar to BLM lands and you can camp up to 14 days for free. And watch out for the "no camping" signs. Again, freecampsites.net has always had the right information for me.
Weekend Getaways: 7 Great Camping Sites Within Driving Distance Of L.a.
[Death Valley National Park has tons of free camping! We saw a poisonous snake across our path.]
In national and state parks, most sites are paid, but you will certainly find free sites as well. Just Google "free camping (any national or state park you want to visit)".
[Make sure you don't camp in Death Valley National Park in the summer heat or you might end up like this…]
Many national parks have free camping and/or lots of BLM land right outside the park. So instead of splitting up small campsites filled with loud campers, you can enjoy peace and quiet outside the confines of your campsite.
Amazing Spots For Camping In Southern California
Rv camping in southern california, lakes in southern california camping, river camping in southern california, camping in southern california, camping ground in southern california, free beach camping southern california, free rv camping in southern california, tent camping in southern california, group camping in southern california, best camping in southern california, overnight camping in southern california, trailer camping in southern california
