Boondocking
By Bob Wells
What is Boondocking?
The word boondock originated early in the 20th century from American military
servicemen serving in the Philippines. It comes from a Tagalog word for mountain
bundog. They started using it to mean a rural, remote, bushy area. Out of that came
the slang word "boonies". The RV community adopted the word to use it to describe
remote camping in rural areas. So if you were going fishing in your truck camper to a
remote National or State Park, when you got there you were camping in the
boondocks. Since you had no hook-ups, but were self-sufficient, you were
boondocking. Then some people noticed that while they were driving for several
days to get to the boondocks, they could save some money by staying overnight in
the parking lot of a WalMart store. Since they had no hook-ups and were self-
sufficient, they said they were boondocking. After awhile people saw that they could
save a lot of money by not staying in RV parks and so they started planning their
trips around WalMart stores, staying in their parking lots most nights of their trip.
WalMart thought it was great. They picked up a loyal group of shoppers who
obviously had extra disposable income.
On the other hand, the RV parks didn't think it was so great. They were loosing a lot
of business. So they approached the local city council and lobbied them to make
boondocking (sleeping overnight in an unapproved place) illegal in their city. The
cities wanted to protect the RV parks since they paid a lot of taxes on their land
and income, and passed ordinances making boondocking illegal. They made WalMart
post signs in their parking lot saying overnight parking was illegal. These signs are
becoming more and more common across the country.
There is a rift in the RV community about exactly what is boondocking. The purists
say, "Staying in a WalMart is not boondocking! It's just cheap parking without hook-
ups. Only a remote location in the woods is true boondocking." And, technically, they
are right, that's what the word means. There is a better word for staying in a
WalMart parking lot, and that word is Stealth Parking. In this article we will
examine both styles of mobile living. First, lets look at true boondocking in the
countryside:
Dispersed Camping On Public land
For the first six years I lived in my vehicle I stealth parked in a city. But after I
retired I said goodbye to the city and headed for the hills. For the last year I have
lived almost exclusively in forest, mountains and deserts on public land without
paying a penny for it. In the cold of winter I stay on BLM land in the desert
Southwest, and in the heat of summer I move up into the mountains in the National
Forests. Some people are concerned if camping in the wilderness is safe. In my
opinion and experience, it is by far safer than living anywhere in a city. More
importantly, according to crime statistics, you are much less likely to be victim of
any crime in remote areas than in the city. Combined with clean air and beautiful
scenery, the woods is the only way to go as far as I am concerned.
When you camp on BLM, or National Forest land without staying in a campground, you
are doing dispersed camping. Nearly all BLM and NF land is open to dispersed
camping. I just drive along until I find a spot that will make a good campsite and
then I pull in and set up camp. Very often the authorities will ask that you try to use
existing campsites instead of making new ones. The main issue there is if you make a
new campfire ring. These are unsightly and scar the land so they try to limit them. I
am a big believer in Leave No Trace principles so I almost never make a new ring out
of respect for the land. Every so often you will find a sign that says "Camp Only In
Designated Campsites." That means there is no dispersed camping, you can only
camp in sites with signs allowing you to camp there. The most common reason for
closing dispersed campsites is that the area is close to a city or National Park that
increases public use to the point that they have to restrict camping. Another reason
is to protect an environmental area that is overly susceptable to damage, such as
waterways.
The best way to find out the status of an area before going there is to call the local
BLM or National Forest office and ask for information on restrictions on dispersed
camping. Finding the phone number is as simple as doing a Google search on the name
of the National Forest or the name of the state and BLM (for example: blm nevada).
Stealth Parking
This is important because most of us will have to work sometimes, and most jobs are
in cities. It is usually impractical to drive to the boondocks every day before and
after work. So sometimes we are going to end up living in the cities in our vehicle
while we save money to move on. If a city has passed an ordinance making this
illegal, then we must be crafty in how and where we park so as not to draw attention
to ourselves. Even if it is not illegal, local police are often hostile to people who live
unconventional lifestyles. They don't understand them and it is human nature to fear
the unknown. If you are not breaking any laws, there is not much they can do, but
they can still hassle you and tell you to move on.
This is where stealth parking comes in. The police won't hassle you if they don't
notice you. You want to blend in and draw the minimum attention to yourself. A 30
foot motorhome does not blend in well, in fact it sticks out like a sore thumb. Many
people in big RV's have reported a knock on the door in the middle of the night and
being told to move on by local police. On the other hand, a box van or cargo van
parked in front of a big store draws no attention. In fact some people put a sign on
the side that says "Bill's Plumbing and Heating, call 345-2567." You are just a
plumber working on the pipes inside the store.
Stealth Parking Tips:
Following a few simple rules will make it much less likely anyone will notice you.
Vehicle Evaluation
This has a big impact on your choice of vehicle. If you have a pension and don't have
to work, it is not so important. If you are working and living in your vehicle it is very
important, so let's evaluate vehicles for their stealth ability:
Some cities have started to see boondockers as source of income. The police watch
the local WalMarts and when they identify someone as camping overnight they roust
them. Instead of simply sending them on their way, they issue them a fine of several
hundred dollars. Ignorance of the law is no excuse and you will end up paying. For
that reason alone, unless you know that the city does not fine boondockers, you may
want to avoid Walmart. Most cities have multiple big-box retailers like K-Mart,
Target, and Home Depot. Don't forget the large grocery stores. Many of them are
24 hours and you can blend in well there. Here is a partial list of areas to consider
parking:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Readers Report:
The choice of a parking spot is one of the most critical decisions a vehicle dweller
will make. The choice of parking spot for a night will have much to do with safety,
security, quality of sleep, and avoidance of police. Considering the fact that more
and more communities are passing laws that make it illegal to sleep in a vehicle,
stealth is of utmost importance if in the city. If one is boondocking in the wilderness,
this is of little consideration. So, the choice of parking spot creates an incredible
challenge. Let us consider several different scenarios, and analyze the pros and
cons of each.
Forested Wilderness
From a the standpoint of safety, security, and a quiet night's sleep, nothing is likely
to be better than a heavily forested location miles and miles from civilization,
parked next to a creek or river. The serene surrounding and gentle sound of
flowing water quickly settles me down and allows me to get right to sleep.
Finding such spots is not difficult in some parts of the country, such as the Rocky
Mountain region, Pacific Northwest, and central Appalachians, but may be much more
difficult in other parts of the United States. Your mileage may vary in other
countries.
A significant downside to living in these areas is also the reason you are there: The
remoteness. Being so remote also means you are far from gas stations and grocery
stores and other conveniences of modern life.
Desert and Plains
There is a lot of this land and many people congregate for certain seasons in these
open areas. You can usually be closer to civilization and have more of a community
atmosphere, but noise and other things that come along with being around other
Homo sapiens can be a negative. I have never done this before, so somebody else
could fill this in better. The BLM operates what is know as Long Term Visitor Areas
(LTVA) in the desert Southwest. You can stay at these areas for the entire season
for just a few dollars. Other areas have a 14 day time limit but there is virtually no
enforcement of the rule. And if there is, you just move 20 miles away and park for
another 14 days. Do a Google search on BLM LTVA, Quartzite, Slabs.
Information on BLM LTVA areas
City Camping: Residential
When van dwelling in an urban environment, you pretty much have three choices of
places to park: Residential, commercial, and industrial areas.
The beauty of residential areas is that it is usually common to have cars on the
street at night, so it is potentially easy to blend in, depending on what kind of vehicle
you have. It is less common in wealthier neighborhoods to see vehicles on the street,
and you should also be aware of crime rates in the neighborhood you choose to
inhabit. Living in a large cargo van makes me shy away from parking in most
residential areas, as the vehicle just doesn't fit in as well.
City Camping: Commercial Areas
Retail and business sectors are my preferred parking areas for my cargo van. It it
not unusual to see large cargo vans, box vans, and other commercial-looking vehicles
in these parts of town, since many businesses use them as service and delivery
vehicles. When stealth is of the utmost importance, commercial/business parks are
the cream of the crop. Not only are larger vehicles commonly parked overnight in
these parts of town, it is also common to see smaller cars in these areas because
there are night crews doing stocking, cleaning, customer service, etc.
City Camping: Indsutrial Sectors
Industrial zones are typically noisier and dirtier than most other parts of cities.
These areas are also more likely to have 24-hour operations, which means more
people coming and going during the night. Private security is also more abundant near
industrial facilities. This increases the likelihood of somebody seeing you come and
go, or of having your window tapped on in the middle of the night. In large
metropolitan areas, crime rates also tend to escalate near large industrial areas. To
me, these are all reasons to avoid industrial parts of town. However, if you need to
run a generator to charge your battery bank, this is a good choice for a short period
of time.
Summary: The Best Parking Place?
I personally find the best possible parking spot to be a quiet, low-traffic dead end
piece of road with several other vehicles parked nearby on the border between a
middle-class residential neighborhood and a large office or retail park. My van
typically fits in perfectly in this sort of place and I tend to feel safe and secure
knowing other people are nearby.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Van_Dwelling:Parking"
Click Here For More Ideas On Where To Park
The word boondock originated early in the 20th century from American military
servicemen serving in the Philippines. It comes from a Tagalog word for mountain
bundog. They started using it to mean a rural, remote, bushy area. Out of that came
the slang word "boonies". The RV community adopted the word to use it to describe
remote camping in rural areas. So if you were going fishing in your truck camper to a
remote National or State Park, when you got there you were camping in the
boondocks. Since you had no hook-ups, but were self-sufficient, you were
boondocking. Then some people noticed that while they were driving for several
days to get to the boondocks, they could save some money by staying overnight in
the parking lot of a WalMart store. Since they had no hook-ups and were self-
sufficient, they said they were boondocking. After awhile people saw that they could
save a lot of money by not staying in RV parks and so they started planning their
trips around WalMart stores, staying in their parking lots most nights of their trip.
WalMart thought it was great. They picked up a loyal group of shoppers who
obviously had extra disposable income.
On the other hand, the RV parks didn't think it was so great. They were loosing a lot
of business. So they approached the local city council and lobbied them to make
boondocking (sleeping overnight in an unapproved place) illegal in their city. The
cities wanted to protect the RV parks since they paid a lot of taxes on their land
and income, and passed ordinances making boondocking illegal. They made WalMart
post signs in their parking lot saying overnight parking was illegal. These signs are
becoming more and more common across the country.
There is a rift in the RV community about exactly what is boondocking. The purists
say, "Staying in a WalMart is not boondocking! It's just cheap parking without hook-
ups. Only a remote location in the woods is true boondocking." And, technically, they
are right, that's what the word means. There is a better word for staying in a
WalMart parking lot, and that word is Stealth Parking. In this article we will
examine both styles of mobile living. First, lets look at true boondocking in the
countryside:
Dispersed Camping On Public land
For the first six years I lived in my vehicle I stealth parked in a city. But after I
retired I said goodbye to the city and headed for the hills. For the last year I have
lived almost exclusively in forest, mountains and deserts on public land without
paying a penny for it. In the cold of winter I stay on BLM land in the desert
Southwest, and in the heat of summer I move up into the mountains in the National
Forests. Some people are concerned if camping in the wilderness is safe. In my
opinion and experience, it is by far safer than living anywhere in a city. More
importantly, according to crime statistics, you are much less likely to be victim of
any crime in remote areas than in the city. Combined with clean air and beautiful
scenery, the woods is the only way to go as far as I am concerned.
When you camp on BLM, or National Forest land without staying in a campground, you
are doing dispersed camping. Nearly all BLM and NF land is open to dispersed
camping. I just drive along until I find a spot that will make a good campsite and
then I pull in and set up camp. Very often the authorities will ask that you try to use
existing campsites instead of making new ones. The main issue there is if you make a
new campfire ring. These are unsightly and scar the land so they try to limit them. I
am a big believer in Leave No Trace principles so I almost never make a new ring out
of respect for the land. Every so often you will find a sign that says "Camp Only In
Designated Campsites." That means there is no dispersed camping, you can only
camp in sites with signs allowing you to camp there. The most common reason for
closing dispersed campsites is that the area is close to a city or National Park that
increases public use to the point that they have to restrict camping. Another reason
is to protect an environmental area that is overly susceptable to damage, such as
waterways.
The best way to find out the status of an area before going there is to call the local
BLM or National Forest office and ask for information on restrictions on dispersed
camping. Finding the phone number is as simple as doing a Google search on the name
of the National Forest or the name of the state and BLM (for example: blm nevada).
Stealth Parking
This is important because most of us will have to work sometimes, and most jobs are
in cities. It is usually impractical to drive to the boondocks every day before and
after work. So sometimes we are going to end up living in the cities in our vehicle
while we save money to move on. If a city has passed an ordinance making this
illegal, then we must be crafty in how and where we park so as not to draw attention
to ourselves. Even if it is not illegal, local police are often hostile to people who live
unconventional lifestyles. They don't understand them and it is human nature to fear
the unknown. If you are not breaking any laws, there is not much they can do, but
they can still hassle you and tell you to move on.
This is where stealth parking comes in. The police won't hassle you if they don't
notice you. You want to blend in and draw the minimum attention to yourself. A 30
foot motorhome does not blend in well, in fact it sticks out like a sore thumb. Many
people in big RV's have reported a knock on the door in the middle of the night and
being told to move on by local police. On the other hand, a box van or cargo van
parked in front of a big store draws no attention. In fact some people put a sign on
the side that says "Bill's Plumbing and Heating, call 345-2567." You are just a
plumber working on the pipes inside the store.
Stealth Parking Tips:
Following a few simple rules will make it much less likely anyone will notice you.
- Keep yourself and your vehicle clean and presentable. If either are dirty or
ratty, people will notice you. - Arrive at your sleeping spot late, and leave early. The longer you are in one
spot, the more likely it is that someone will notice you. So hang around a
different parking lot in the evening until just before bedtime, and then drive to
your sleeping spot and go right to bed. As soon as you wake up, get dressed
and leave. - Sleep in different places every night. If you sleep in the same spot every night,
it is much more likely someone will notice you. So scout out as many different
parking spots as you can find and rotate between them. - Choose a vehicle less likely to be noticed. Lets look at that in more detail:
Vehicle Evaluation
This has a big impact on your choice of vehicle. If you have a pension and don't have
to work, it is not so important. If you are working and living in your vehicle it is very
important, so let's evaluate vehicles for their stealth ability:
- Bicycle: To live on a bike means pitching a tent to sleep in. What could be more
obvious? Zero stealth ability. - Motorcycle: Same as a bike, you have to pitch a tent. Zero stealth ability.
- Car: Cars are everywhere so most people don't give them a second thought.
Parked in front of a store or mall at night you could be a janitor or stocker
inside working. Very good stealth ability. - Van: Just like a car, vans are also everywhere and don't draw attention to
themselves. Very good stealth ability - Box Van, These vans look like they belong in front of a mall or store at night.
Excellent stealth ability in commercial areas. - RV: These stick out like a sore thumb, obviously they don't belong in front of a
mall or store at night. Poor stealth ability.
Some cities have started to see boondockers as source of income. The police watch
the local WalMarts and when they identify someone as camping overnight they roust
them. Instead of simply sending them on their way, they issue them a fine of several
hundred dollars. Ignorance of the law is no excuse and you will end up paying. For
that reason alone, unless you know that the city does not fine boondockers, you may
want to avoid Walmart. Most cities have multiple big-box retailers like K-Mart,
Target, and Home Depot. Don't forget the large grocery stores. Many of them are
24 hours and you can blend in well there. Here is a partial list of areas to consider
parking:
- Big Box Stores
- Grocery Stores
- Malls
- Churches
- Residential Areas
- Industrial Areas
- Hospitals
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Readers Report:
The choice of a parking spot is one of the most critical decisions a vehicle dweller
will make. The choice of parking spot for a night will have much to do with safety,
security, quality of sleep, and avoidance of police. Considering the fact that more
and more communities are passing laws that make it illegal to sleep in a vehicle,
stealth is of utmost importance if in the city. If one is boondocking in the wilderness,
this is of little consideration. So, the choice of parking spot creates an incredible
challenge. Let us consider several different scenarios, and analyze the pros and
cons of each.
Forested Wilderness
From a the standpoint of safety, security, and a quiet night's sleep, nothing is likely
to be better than a heavily forested location miles and miles from civilization,
parked next to a creek or river. The serene surrounding and gentle sound of
flowing water quickly settles me down and allows me to get right to sleep.
Finding such spots is not difficult in some parts of the country, such as the Rocky
Mountain region, Pacific Northwest, and central Appalachians, but may be much more
difficult in other parts of the United States. Your mileage may vary in other
countries.
A significant downside to living in these areas is also the reason you are there: The
remoteness. Being so remote also means you are far from gas stations and grocery
stores and other conveniences of modern life.
Desert and Plains
There is a lot of this land and many people congregate for certain seasons in these
open areas. You can usually be closer to civilization and have more of a community
atmosphere, but noise and other things that come along with being around other
Homo sapiens can be a negative. I have never done this before, so somebody else
could fill this in better. The BLM operates what is know as Long Term Visitor Areas
(LTVA) in the desert Southwest. You can stay at these areas for the entire season
for just a few dollars. Other areas have a 14 day time limit but there is virtually no
enforcement of the rule. And if there is, you just move 20 miles away and park for
another 14 days. Do a Google search on BLM LTVA, Quartzite, Slabs.
Information on BLM LTVA areas
City Camping: Residential
When van dwelling in an urban environment, you pretty much have three choices of
places to park: Residential, commercial, and industrial areas.
The beauty of residential areas is that it is usually common to have cars on the
street at night, so it is potentially easy to blend in, depending on what kind of vehicle
you have. It is less common in wealthier neighborhoods to see vehicles on the street,
and you should also be aware of crime rates in the neighborhood you choose to
inhabit. Living in a large cargo van makes me shy away from parking in most
residential areas, as the vehicle just doesn't fit in as well.
City Camping: Commercial Areas
Retail and business sectors are my preferred parking areas for my cargo van. It it
not unusual to see large cargo vans, box vans, and other commercial-looking vehicles
in these parts of town, since many businesses use them as service and delivery
vehicles. When stealth is of the utmost importance, commercial/business parks are
the cream of the crop. Not only are larger vehicles commonly parked overnight in
these parts of town, it is also common to see smaller cars in these areas because
there are night crews doing stocking, cleaning, customer service, etc.
City Camping: Indsutrial Sectors
Industrial zones are typically noisier and dirtier than most other parts of cities.
These areas are also more likely to have 24-hour operations, which means more
people coming and going during the night. Private security is also more abundant near
industrial facilities. This increases the likelihood of somebody seeing you come and
go, or of having your window tapped on in the middle of the night. In large
metropolitan areas, crime rates also tend to escalate near large industrial areas. To
me, these are all reasons to avoid industrial parts of town. However, if you need to
run a generator to charge your battery bank, this is a good choice for a short period
of time.
Summary: The Best Parking Place?
I personally find the best possible parking spot to be a quiet, low-traffic dead end
piece of road with several other vehicles parked nearby on the border between a
middle-class residential neighborhood and a large office or retail park. My van
typically fits in perfectly in this sort of place and I tend to feel safe and secure
knowing other people are nearby.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Van_Dwelling:Parking"
Click Here For More Ideas On Where To Park
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