2023-08-31 13:29:45
Yellowstone, one of North America’s oldest and largest national parks, features a dozen campgrounds the Dream destination for campers. But even there it is difficult to spontaneously get a parking space, because the number of facilities requiring reservations in the USA is growing from year to year. Christopher Many, who has been traveling the world as a permanent nomad and writer for 26 years, has tips for travelers to the USA who want to explore the country without months of preparation.
WELT: The most popular national parks in the USA such as Yellowstone, Yosemite, Rocky Mountain, Zion, Arches and Glacier National Parks expanded the reservation requirements in 2022 in order to better channel the massively increased flow of visitors. Is a camping holiday still fun at all?
Christopher Many: Camping in the USA is and will always be great, because fortunately travelers have many other options for overnight stays in great natural settings besides the national parks.
WELT: For example?
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Many: The easiest way is of course wild camping, you don’t need a reservation or a pitch. The Americans use the terms for camping outside of official campgrounds dispersed camping or primitive camping. And in the National Forests, National Grasslands, and all public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management and therefore called BLM land dispersed campingso wild camping, generally allowed.
WELT: Just like that, without restrictions?
Many: There are a few rules, for example, the stand should be at least 30 meters away from natural watercourses such as streams, rivers, lakes and on the other hand as close as possible to roads and forest paths in order to limit damage to nature. In the event that the forest authorities have already created parking spaces, these may be used free of charge, but only for a limited time of a maximum of 30 days, in some places only for a week.
Of course, as a wild camper, you shouldn’t expect luxury; there is no garbage disposal or electricity in the national forests and on BLM land, at most simple toilets and simple fire pits. Of course you have to ask the ranger in advance whether campfires are allowed, the risk of forest fires in the USA is immense. But then you can enjoy the solitude in nature to the fullest. And best of all: near almost all western American national parks there is guaranteed to be a national forest or a BLM area where you can go camping.
WELT: Can you give three hot tips?
Many: Let’s assume that the campgrounds in Zion National Park are fully booked, then the Dixie National Forest offers itself as an “alternative quarters”. Ditto for Gallatin National Forest, which is a wonderful and inexpensive camper alternative to the often overrun Yellowstone Park. And for those who are put off by the overpriced campgrounds in the Grand Canyon, I recommend staying in the nearby Kaibab National Forest, where you can save big bucks and have great Canyon views to boot.
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WELT: Are there these public areas that can be used by wild campers, such as national forests and BLM land, in all US states?
Many: Yes, but most of the 154 National Forests are located in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, California and Alaska, i.e. in the Northwest of the USA. There are historical reasons for this, because the National Forests go back to a Californian legislative initiative from 1891. East of the Mississippi River there are therefore hardly more than ten percent of the state forests.
BLM lands are also predominantly in the western United States, as they are primarily desert and canyon landscapes. And the sheltered National Grasslands, where campers are also likely to find a spot with moderate conditions, are all in and around the Great Plains of the Midwest.
WELT: Is wild camping less popular in the eastern United States than in the west due to a lack of suitable public areas?
Many: The question cannot be answered in general. Especially since the reservation situation in the east is much more relaxed for campers; parking is generally easier to find in the major national parks between Maine and Florida, such as Acadia, the Great Smoky Mountains, and Shenandoah, than out west. Anyone who camps wild in the eastern United States does so less out of necessity than out of deep conviction, like me.
WELT: What do you mean?
Many: I was born and raised in the USA and have traveled to almost every state. When I’m in America, I almost always stay in the wild. As a permanent nomad and nature lover, I consider the wilderness my home. Just like climbing mountains and swimming in the sea, I don’t want to have to pay for a nap under a redwood. I don’t think nature should be reserved for the wealthy only.
If Christopher Many stays longer on a ranch, he offers the landowner his manual skills
What: Christoph Many
WELT: Are the regular campsites in the USA that expensive?
Many: And whether! An overnight stay for two can cost $50, $100, or even more per night. Even on a basic RV site with no sanitation, you pay at least $30.
WELT: Is it true that you can stay overnight in the more than 10,000 state parks in the USA as cheaply as in the national forests, national grasslands and on BLM areas?
Many: In some yes, but by no means in all. The respective modalities and costs depend on the municipalities that are responsible for the state parks. An example is Anza Borrego State Park boondocking, i.e. free standing in the mobile home, is allowed, but not in the state parks near Los Angeles and San Francisco. But even if boondocking is possible, you have to pay at least the regular entrance fee for the park.
WELT: There are also parking lots in many regional parks in the USA, are they also a good option for travelers to the USA?
Many: Regional parks are rarely located near well-known natural wonders and are therefore significantly less frequented than national and state parks. Many regional parks don’t even take reservations, it’s “first come first serve” there, which means first come, first served. At 20 to 30 dollars per night, parking spaces in the regional parks are comparatively cheap and often free in the off-season.
WELT: There are only a handful of national and state parks along the nearly 2,000-kilometer-long Pacific coast of California and Oregon. And the fact that wild camping is strictly forbidden there makes finding a pitch even more difficult. Where do you stay when you are on the west coast?
Many: It’s true that wild camping is illegal on the Pacific coast, but I’ve lived there in my vehicle for two months at a time without any problems. You just have to know how to hide well. You kind of camp under the radar stealth camping That’s what it’s called in the USA, i.e. stealth camping in good German.
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WELT: Do you have any tips for that too?
Many: Better not, because even those who behave completely inconspicuously, don’t bother anyone, don’t leave any rubbish behind and only spend the night in the vehicle can get in a lot of trouble, especially on the Pacific coast, which is heavily frequented by tourists. Everyone has to decide for themselves whether they want to risk it. It is clear that stealth campers will always find a place in this huge country and various free camp apps help better than I could.
WELT: Which apps do you recommend?
Many: Campendium, The Dyrt, Free Roam, iOverlander, US Public Lands, Outly, FreeCampsites.net, Park4Night. Interactive maps like USFS Interactive Map, US Forest Service Motor Vehicle Use Maps, BLM Interactive Map and Casino Camper are also very useful.
WELT: Have you ever slept in a Walmart parking lot?
Many: No, I generally prefer natural pitches. But you are right Big Box Stores such as Walmart, Costco, and Home Depot often allow overnight stays in their commercial lots. Also, some casinos don’t mind if you set up camp there, as long as you ask permission first and maybe throw a few bucks into the slot machines.
The fact that as a camper you can stay overnight in the parking lots of the State Waysides, i.e. the classic service areas along the highways, anytime and anywhere, as many German tourists believe, is a myth. In Colorado, Maryland, Nebraska, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, sleeping on the side of the road in vehicles is illegal – and that includes State Waysides.
WELT: Since you mention German tourists, camping on farms is becoming more and more popular here, is it the same in the US?
Many: I am personally not familiar with this. But I know from other campers that Harvest Hosts (harvesthosts.com) and hip camp (hipcamp.com/en-US) are booming and their service can now be booked nationwide. Harvest Hosts has a membership fee of $99 per year. You can then camp for free at more than 4,750 participating farms, wineries, breweries and golf courses, but only for one night at a time.
Large mobile homes with sanitary facilities on board are particularly welcome, the more self-sufficient the better. And campers are expected to shop at the hosts’ farm shops for at least $30. The simple camper clientele with pickups, minivans and motorcycles is deliberately not addressed by Harvest Hosts.
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WELT: And what is behind the term Hipcamp?
Many: Hipcamp is sort of an Airbnb for RV travelers. This means that private landowners offer pitches for campers via the website. Often this is just a piece of undeveloped land in the wild, electricity and water connections are not guaranteed. Nevertheless, Hipcamp users have to reckon with overnight prices of between 20 and 100 dollars, just as much as on privately run, well-equipped campsites.
WELT: You describe it so distantly, don’t you like this type of travel?
Many: I don’t use any of these so-called camping-membership-programs like Harvest Hosts and Hipcamp. If I want to get a taste of the spicy farm air and linger somewhere longer, then I offer my manual skills to the landowner, I do “work camping”, so to speak. In return, I get a nice pitch, three hearty meals a day, and good company. In the past I’ve worked as a carpenter, chimney builder, mechanic, horseman and ski instructor. When I spend a lot of time in one place, I find it nice to have something to do.
WELT: Sounds good, but by no means all campers are technically gifted.
Many: You just have to be able to lend a hand, then you can always find a job on a ranch, if necessary as a harvest helper. If you know something about animals, you could too Dog-and-House-sitting be an option. I’ve been doing this myself for a few years and am registered with TrustedHousesitters (trustedhousesitters.com). My partner and I regularly check the website to see if anyone needs someone to look after their house and dog during their vacation. For animal-loving long-term travelers like us, the deal is ideal: while we camp on a ranch for a few weeks and take care of all the dogs and cats, the homeowners can drive away in peace.
Christopher Many has been traveling as a writer since 1997 (publications include “Behind the Horizon Left”, “Beyond the Horizon Right”) around the world. He is currently on the road with his partner in a Mercedes 308D Postkögel towards Iran, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Information about his books and travels can be found at christopher-many.comdirect contact to the author: facebook.com/Hinter.dem.Horizont.links.
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