Free Campgrounds

of the West
By Chuck Woodbury, editor
FreeCampgrounds.com
Originally published January, 2002
Updated May, 2003
Edition 2.2
Free Campgrounds of the West is copyright 2003 by Out West, 9792 Edmonds Way #265, Edmonds, WA 98020.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information
storage and revival systems without permission in writing from the publisher. Additional copies of this book are avail-
able from the address above for $14.95 plus $3.50 postage and handling (Washington state residents please add 8.9%
sales tax). Orders may also be made on line on our secure server from our website, FreeCampgrounds.com.

Please contact us with information about free campgrounds you find in your travels, or about any corrections to informa-
tion in this book. Our email address is outwest@seanet.com.

Index:
Page number
About this book and how we obtained our information. 2

An introduction to Free Camping in the West 3

Safety 4
What type of RVs are permitted 7
Really “unofficial” campgrounds 8
Wal-Mart camping 9
Truck stops 9
Rest areas 10
Casino “camping” 11
Schools, hospitals, etc. 11
Police stations 11
Camping World 11
Cracker Barrel stores 11
Public Lands 12
Shopping Centers and Factory Outlet Malls 12
Rural Small Towns 12
Off-season camping 12
About the format of this book 12

Page 1
Staying the night at Rest Areas 13
Rest area rules 14

Directory of free campgrounds

Arizona 16
California 19
Colorado 26
Idaho 29
Kansas 31
Montana 35
Nevada 39
New Mexico 44
Oklahoma 46
Oregon 47
South Dakota 50
Texas 51
Utah 56
Washington 56
Wyoming 60

Camping on Government Lands 62

Long TermVisitor Area locations 66

Pay Campgrounds 69

Reader comments and tips 70

Directory of Wal-Marts that do not allow overnight stays 75

Resources 83

About this book

Every effort has been made to make the information in this book as complete and accurate as
possible.
However, there may be mistakes both in typography and content. Places where the camping
is free today may not be free tomorrow. So use this book as a guide and please report any inaccurate
information to us so we can correct it for our next edition. We will also post updates and corrections
to this book at http://www.FreeCampgrounds.com/3update.html. Please check this periodically and
especially before setting off on a trip where you plan to use this book as a guide to where you will
stay.
Although we regret any inconvenience caused by inaccurate information, the author of this
book and Out West Newspaper shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity
with respect to any loss or damage caused, or alleged to be caused, directly or indirectly by the
information contained in this book.

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How we obtained our information
We used many sources of information for the directory in this book. Many of the listings
originated from tips received from readers of FreeCampgrounds.com, who emailed us about places
they had stayed.
In addition, we scoured every campground guide we could lay our hands on and then did our
very best to double check all the information to be sure that it was still valid. Information varied
between guides — one saying a campground was free, another saying there was a charge. When we
could track down a phone number we called to verify our information.
Most of the listings in this book are for official campgrounds. But we have included some
listings for “unofficial places” — often little more than an out-of-the-way parking lot. Please, if you
decide to stay at one of these locations, be considerate. Don’t stay if you are told you are not wel-
come. And if that should happen, please tell us so we can pass along the information on our website
update page and in future editions of this book. You will find many listings in our directory for
truck stops. We called nearly all of these and asked if it was all right for an RVer to stay overnight.
We didn’t say we were publishing a directory for fear it would take hours to get an official answer.
We simply asked if it was okay for RVers to stay the night, just as any RVer might when headed their
way and looking for a stopover to catch some sleep. About two-thirds of the truck stops we contacted
said it was fine to stay, but many did not have an official policy. As a rule, the best bet for a free stay
at a truck stop is at a Flying J Travel Plaza. Most welcome RVers.
Because a campground in our directory is listed as being free does not ensure it will still be
free after this book is published. And that’s why we’ll regularly update this book and our website —
to keep the information as accurate as possible.

Free Camping in the American

West
An introduction
This book is about camping for free. In it, you will find a directory of places where
you can park your RV for no charge or, in some cases less than $10, or in other cases a
donation of your choice.

You will find listings in this book for many official places to stay the night for free — often
in rural small town city parks. But this is really the tip of the iceberg, for there are literally a million
locations where RVers can spend the night without dipping into their wallets.
There are countless square miles of U.S. government land in the Southwest, where any
camper can stay for free for up to two weeks before having to move to another spot. To stay, simply
obey the few simple rules that you will find outlined in this book.
Other traditional free camping locations include truck stops, the parking lots of casinos and
Wal-Mart stores, and highway rest areas. These number in the tens of thousands. We recently visited
the Colorado River gambling town of Laughlin, Nev., and were amazed to find perhaps a thousand
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RVs parked in casino parking lots and adjacent areas. Some of the RVers were staying for months,
others for a night or two.
RVers’ motives for camping for free vary. For some, it’s based on economics — the money
they save on a campsite can be put toward gas or diesel fuel for their next day’s journey. Some of
these folks are retired and living on Social Security, and every penny counts.
Other RVers don’t go out of their way to find free camping locations, but if one is handy
they’ll gladly take it for the convenience.
Some RVers object to paying $15 to $35 a night for a campsite in an RV park when all they
need is a quiet place to pull over for a night’s rest. These folks are typically headed from one place to
another, with a long drive in between. When it’s time to stop for the night they don’t need utility
hookups, a laundry room or a swimming pool. A quiet corner of a Wal-Mart or a truck stop parking
lot will do just fine. If they’re passing through a small town with a free campground in its city park,
that will do, too.
Yet there are some RVers who consider camping for free a sport! They are passionate about
not paying to stay, and are incredibly creative at it.
On a Friday night, for example, they might hole up in the parking lot of an elementary
school, knowing full well that it won’t be used the next day. Others routinely pull into the parking
lots of churches or office buildings. Hospital parking lots are popular choices. Gutsy RVers will ask
the owner of a gas station where they fill up if they can stay behind the building for the night. Often,
the answer is yes. Some business owners consider an RVer in their parking lot the equivalent of a
free security guard.
Some RVers find a nice part of town where they park on a quiet side street. They will seldom
be bothered.
Other RVers form networks of friends who make their driveways available for overnight
stays. Such networks can provide free camping spots all across America and also help stregthen new
friendships.
Members of the Moose or Elks can stay at many of the group’s lodges for a small donation
and sometimes even free. Both clubs publish directories of their RV-friendly lodges.
The Escapees RV Club (http://www.escapees.com — more about this group later) permits it
members to dry camp (park overnight without hookups) for $2.50 at 18 of its Rainbow Parks and
SKP Co-Ops. An annual membership in the club is $60, which can be easily recouped by taking
advantage of this nearly free camping opportunity from time to time.
The U.S. Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management still provide thousands of free
campgrounds, although most of the freebies nowadays are far off the beaten path, and often along
dirt roads. Yet for RVers who seek solitude, these are peaceful sanctuaries where the price is right.
By far the best directory of locations for these places in Don’t Wright’s Guide to Free Campgrounds,
(http://www.freecampgrounds.com/fcwright.html) published in both Eastern USA and Western USA
editions.

Safety
The media has us all scared to death. We’ve seen so many stories on the local news about
murders and other violent crimes that many of us have come to believe that it will be our turn next if
we aren’t careful. But the fact is, as long as free campers avoid high crime areas, the chances of
being a crime victim are extremely low. The best way to avoid trouble is to use good common sense.
This is especially true for RVers who often operate in unfamiliar territory.
Common sense dictates that it’s a good idea to camp where there are other RVers. If you
decide to stay at a Wal-Mart for the night, then park in the corner of the lot where other RVers are
Page 4
gathered. If you choose to hole up in a rest area, do the same thing. A good rule to follow is that if
you feel uncomfortable in a place, then move on to the next freebie spot, or check into a local RV
park. If you stay in an uncomfortable area, every little noise you hear in the night may make you
nervous and keep you awake.
Very seldom do you hear of an RVer being a victim of a random crime. But it can and does
happen. So be careful. If you are, the chances are overwhelming that you will never have a problem.

Thirty years ago, most public campgrounds were free. Private campgrounds were not nearly
as plentiful as today and a campsite cost only a few dollars. These campgrounds were known as
trailer parks or trailer courts. KOA campgrounds did not arrive on the scene until 1962, when the
first one opened in Billings, Montana to snag campers traveling to and from the Seattle World’s Fair.
Today, KOA has about 500 campgrounds from coast to coast plus in Canada, Mexico and Japan.
In the late 1960s, I spent my college summer vacations working as a fire fighter for the U.S.
Forest Service. Part of my work when not on the fire line included maintaining campgrounds. I
remember when the first pay boxes went up requiring campers to pay $1 a night.
It didn’t seem right.
Over time, I got used to it.
Through the years, the charges increased a dollar here, a dollar there. Today, it’s common to
pay $10 to $20 to stay in a U.S. Forest Service campground. And these are not fancy places. In most
cases, besides a flat camping spot, facilities include a few water spigots and restrooms — either
flushers or the pit variety. Campgrounds with flush toilets generally cost about $5 more than those
with pit toilets only. Yet, there are still free Forest Service campgrounds, although these freebies are
usually far off the beaten path and not good candidates for a one-night stopover at least not as a way
to save money. Driving 20 miles out of our way for a free campsite and then back can eat up a lot of
gas and dollars, often more than simply staying at a private campground right along the pathway of
your journey.

In the mid-1980s, I took my first extended trip by motorhome. I was on a very tight budget
back then, and stayed in free campgrounds as often as possible. Lucky for me, it wasn’t hard to find
them. In four months, I spent less than $100 on camping. I divided my time between free U.S. Forest
Service campgrounds, which were plentiful, the parking lots of shopping centers, and city park
campgrounds like those listed in this directory. Once in awhile, I’d stay in a roadside rest area, but
only if other RVs were around. I felt safer in the presence of others, and still do today.
It’s not so easy to stay for free these days — at least not in campgrounds listed in most
directories. The big directories — including those published by Woodalls and Trailer Life, are
supported by the advertising of private campgrounds whose owners would howl if the directory
included many freebie spots.
Campgrounds today come in three basic varieties: private, public, and “unofficial.” In the last
two cases, free camping is still available — if you know where to look.
Public campgrounds include those in national parks, national monuments and state parks.
Others are operated by the federal government’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the U.S.
Forest Service (USFS), and by local counties across the USA. Others, less plentiful, are operated by
the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and by public power companies like PG&E in northern Califor-
nia. The majority of public campgrounds are located in the West. The average price for an overnight
stay in one of these public campgrounds is about $12. But many are free.
With few exceptions, public campgrounds will accept all types of campers, from those who
simply spread out a sleeping bag under the stars to travelers in luxury RVs. Many public camp-
Page 5
grounds, however, cannot accept RVs longer than 30 feet, and in some cases even a few feet less
than that.
Private campgrounds include those operated by companies like KOA, as well as smaller
chains or franchises such as Yogi Bear, plus thousands of Mom and Pop operations, most good, some
horrible. Other private campgrounds are member-only affairs. These include Coast to Coast and
Thousand Trails. The cost of camping at these places can be very high or very low, depending upon
use: The more a member stays, the lower the average cost per night.
Most private campgrounds will accept any length RV, and most will have full utility hookups
available, which isn’t always the case in public campgrounds.
Unofficial campgrounds are often not campgrounds at all, but “overnight parking spots.”
They include rest areas, truck stops, parking lots of shopping centers, big discount stores and casi-
nos, and “boondocking areas” (more about these later). Perhaps the most popular “unofficial” place
to camp in America is a Wal-Mart parking lot.
Unofficial campgrounds have no facilities, with the exception of truck stops which may have
showers and bathrooms available for an RVers’ use. Shopping center and casino parking lots may not
have official facilities, but RVers can usually find a public bathroom with little effort.
With today’s recreational vehicles, we can hole up for days on end without ever plugging into
an electric outlet, hooking up to a water spigot or needing to dump our holding tanks. If the land isn’t
flat, we can place a few blocks under our tires or, with pricier RVs, push a button and, presto, the rig
is level.
Yet, very often, we end up staying in an RV park where the charge is $15 to $35 a night.
There are many times, of course, when we are happy to pay this, for in an RV park, with its utility
hookups, we can live pretty much as we do at home — taking long showers and running all our
appliances without worrying about draining our fresh water tank or batteries. Most often, telephones
and laundries are a few yards away, as are game rooms, swimming pools, playgrounds for the kids,
private fishing lakes, a newsstand, and a small general store with groceries and perhaps even video
or DVD rentals. The most popular of these campgrounds are KOAs, which are located about any-
where an RVer travels.
But sometimes we don’t need all the amenities offered by private campgrounds. We simply
need a quiet place to park our rigs for the night. And on these occasions, it can really rub us wrong to
be forced to pay a wad of money for a campsite where we’ll basically park our rig for the night, then
move on without using a single kilowatt of electricity or gallon of water. After all, we have our own
onboard power and bathroom.

And that brings us to the purpose of this book: To inform you about all the to camp for free
in your RV, and to pass along some of specific locations in the American West where you can stay
for free or nearly free.
When we first announced this book, we envisioned it simply as a printed version of
FreeCampgrounds.com. But as we began to verify information from our website listings, we uncov-
ered many more free camping locations. And through tips from our readers and from what we
learned our own RV trips, we expanded our knowledge of ways to find creative places to stay for
free. And so the book grew. And we suspect that it will grow larger with each subsequent printing.
The edition you are reading is our third update. We have added a few listings, but removed some
others, including a few small-town campgrounds that were closed in the last year.
There’s one important criteria that must be met for a camping location to be listed here, and
that is it must be easily accessible with an RV. It must be right on the beaten path or barely off it, or
along a road that is used by RVers traveling from one part of the country to another. Don Wright, in
Page 6
his fine book “Guide to Free Campgrounds,” lists many more free campgrounds than we list here.
But his emphasis is on public campgrounds, no matter where they are. And many are, indeed, far off
the beaten path — much too far to justify the time and expense of driving to for simply one night.
They are often better suited to stays of a few days or more, where the price is not only right, but the
solitude as well. Many of these more remote public campgrounds are in the “middle of nowhere.” As
such, they usually afford wonderful solitude and often do so in very scenic areas — by steams, in
pine forests, along lakes.
But, as I said, they take some out-of-the-way driving to get to — often on bumpy dirt roads
— and that’s not what most RVers on the way from Point A to Point B seek for an overnight stop.
What they want is an easy-to-find place along their route where they can get some sleep. With a few
exceptions, that’s the type of “campground” will concern ourselves with in this book.

What type of RV is permitted?

In this book you will find listings for two kinds of camping areas: official campgrounds with
defined campsites, and unofficial camping spots where the intent is not to serve as a campsite, but do
so anyway in an unofficial way. The best examples of these would be the parking lots of Wal-Mart
stores, truck stops and casinos.
In the case of official campgrounds, most campers are welcome, whether tenters or RVers.
These campgrounds are often located in small-town city parks. They usually include designated
campsites and in rare cases even include electric and/or water hookups. Sometimes a donation is
requested (but seldom required).
However, staying in a parking lot is another matter all together. Tenters are not permitted.
RVers with folding camping trailers are generally not, either. RVers in self-contained motorhomes,
vans and truck campers (and trailers and fifth wheels, to a slightly lesser degree) are most easily
accommodated because they blend in. The owner of the parking lot can more-or-less turn his head
the other way at the presence of these rigs. At a casino, for example, who’s to know if the rig’s
owner is inside his RV snoozing or in the casino winning his fortune? In a shopping center parking
lot, who can tell whether the rig belongs to a customer inside the store or inside his RV fast asleep?
But any RVer who pulls his rig into a Wal-Mart and then rolls out the awning, sets up lawn
chairs and fires up the barbecue is asking to be kicked out. And even if he isn’t, this kind of behavior
repeated again and again by other RVers may force a store manager to put up “No overnight parking”
signs rather than fight local private campground owners and/or City Hall over whether he’s operating
a store or an illegal campground. And many stores, in fact, have posted “No Overnight Parking”
signs, either because of their own bad experiences or because of a city ordinance.
For now, most Wal-Mart and similar stores are tolerant of overnight stays by RVers. The
silent agreement between the parties, the RVer and the store owner, is that the RVer will keep a low
profile and stay only long enough to get some sleep, then move on.
Many RVers — and these are ones we should applaud — make a point to patronize the store
that allows them to stay. The management knows this, and it’s part of the reason a store continues its
free “camping” policy.
Some RVers even make a practice of tracking down the owner or manager of a parking lot to
request to stay, telling them — or at least implying — that they will “keep an eye out on things.”

V-e-r-y unofficial campgrounds

Staying at a Wal-Mart or Kmart is one thing, but some RVers can find free camping spots
anywhere and everywhere. They will pull off onto a quiet street, turn off the engine and hop into
Page 7
bed. Nine times out of ten they will sleep the night away with no interruption. But on that one other
night, a police officer may knock on their door at 3 a.m. and order them to move along. In very rare
cases, it may turn out that parking overnight on a city street is illegal. While I have never heard of
anyone jailed for such an offense, it could, in theory, happen. One RVer wrote to us recently to say
he had been fined more than $100 for staying overnight in the driveway of a friend. It turned out the
city had a law prohibiting stays in an RV anywhere within city limits except an RV park.
To many RVers, just knowing that they may be awakened at 3 a.m. to be ordered to move is
enough to keep them tossing and turning all night long.
Other RVers may not opt for a city street, but will instead choose a parking lot of a church,
school (best on weekends) or hospital. Hospitals can be a good choice as the families of some pa-
tients often stay in these lots in their own RVs to be with their loved ones, and one more RV in the
lot will seldom raise anyone’s eyebrow. I have stayed in a few hospital parking lots and never had a
problem. Coffee in the cafeteria is cheap, an added bonus.

Wal-Mart “camping”
As I have said, the most popular “unofficial” RV campground is a Wal-Mart parking lot.
There’s no reservation system here and no designated campsites. Nine out of ten Wal-Marts in
America will allow you to stay. That’s my estimate, but I’ll bet I’m pretty close. The basic rules are
simple:
•Upon arriving, search for “No overnight parking” signs. If you see one, don’t stay. If there
are no signs, then:
•Proceed to the quietest, most remote part of the parking lot. Often, you will spot one or more
RVs already there.
•Make no noise. Do not use hydraulic levelers: you may hurt the asphalt. Do not turn on your
generator. Do not set up awnings or pull out your barbecue or lawn chairs or do anything else outside
your RV that suggests you are “camping.” Do not crank up your stereo. Do not wash your wind-
shield or check your oil. In other words, be invisible. Exit your rig only to walk to the store to shop
or to grab a bite to eat.
•Leave early the next morning. Stay two nights only in an emergency. Never stay three days
unless you’re so sick you can’t move, and in that case parking at a hospital may be in order.
Some RVers feel more comfortable obtaining the permission of a store manager before
settling in for the night. If that’s you, then make a visit to the store your first stop. Ask for the man-
ager. Ask if it is okay to stay. If so, stay. If not, move on.
Wal-Mart’s corporate policy is that camping in its stores’ parking lots is okay. Wal-Mart
founder Sam Walton was an RVer, and he wanted it that way. Yet despite the official corporate
policy, some stores don’t allow such stays. Some made the decision themselves, or it was mandated
by a city or county law. Some stores, even though they post signs saying camping is NOT PERMIT-
TED, still look the other way when someone stays. Others, however, will send a security guard or
local police officer to your door at 3 a.m. to boot you out, and not always in a friendly manner. My
advice is that if there are “No overnight parking” signs, respect them by staying elsewhere.

Kmart is generally open to overnight stays as well as its Super Kmart stores. Like staying at
Wal-Mart, a good indicator of whether a store is RV-friendly is usually evidenced in the evening
when those that allow camping will generally have a few RVs huddled together in a corner of the
parking lot. If you show up at 8 p.m. and there isn’t an RV in the lot, there’s an excellent chance it’s
because overnight stays are not permitted.

Page 8
Truck stops
Many RVers stay at truck stops. One huge national chain of truck stops, Flying J, actually
encourages RVers to stay for free. Many designate a special area for RVs only. Others simply provide
one big lot to be shared by truckers and RVers alike. An excellent resource on this subject is the book
“Travel Centers and Truck Stops,” lists the facilities of more than 5,000 travel centers and truck
stops in the U.S. and Canada. Each listing includes the businesses’ restaurant services, diesel fuel
brands, propane fuel availability, locations that accept overnight stays in RVs, and whether they
provide a separate lot from the big rig trucks. See our Resources section for more information.
Flying J Truck Stops are usually right along interstates and other major highways and are
easy to find. Besides offering free overnight stays, they sell gas and diesel fuel, propane, and some
even have dump stations. All have restaurants. RVers generally don’t need to buy a shower because
they have one onboard, but at many Flying Js and other truck stops they are available for a few
dollars.
Another smaller chain, Love’s Truck Stops, has 70 locations in the Southwest, most of which
allow overnight stays in RVs.
For this book, we talked with many independent truck stops about their RV parking policies.
About half of them enthusiastically welcome RVers. Most of the rest said they allow RVs to stay, but
they didn’t seem too excited at the idea. The others pretty much said it was “okay,” but added that
they didn’t normally see many RVers in their lots. You can expect that in the years ahead, the truck
stop industry will increasingly open its parking lots to overnight stays in RVs. They are learning that
RVers don’t just stop, but they buy gas or propane, dinner from the cafe or souvenirs from the gift
shop.
We have listed several dozen truck stops in this book that are RV-friendly. But there are
many, many more including hundreds of Flying Js, which we didn’t include because nearly all of
them allow an overnight stay.
A good rule to follow, however, is that when you pull into a truck stop with the idea of
staying the night, first check with the Fuel Desk to see if it’s okay. And, please, if you have any room
in your fuel tank, fill it up. This will help ensure that the RVers who follow you also receive a warm
welcome.
A final note: When staying at a truck stop, if you have a choice, park away from the big rig
trucks. Not only will you experience more peace and quiet, but you will lessen the chance of a rookie
truck driver backing his rig into you at night. While this rarely happens, it has on rare occasion.

Rest areas
Rest areas are intended for short stops to use the restrooms or to take a nap. But anyone who
has done much traveling knows that late at night these areas are often populated by big rig trucks
and, in some cases, RVs. Inside, weary drivers and their passengers catch needed rest.
Most states will allow you to stay a maximum of eight hours before you must move on. Other
states permit longer stays. California, for example, allows stays of up to eight hours. Its policy may
state “No camping,” but how does a police officer know whether an RVer is taking a one-hour nap or
a seven-hour snooze? No meters are running.
The argument for staying at a rest area is that they are easy to find and right alongside the
road. There is no problem finding a rest area. And there is some sense of comfort in knowing that the
local highway patrol stops by often (on popular roads, at least).
The argument against staying in rest areas is that the diesel engines and refrigeration units of
big rig trucks can be loud, persistent and even choking if the exhaust is blowing your way. Ear plugs
Page 9
can help, but they won’t keep out fumes.
But the biggest argument against staying is that rest areas can be unsafe. Hoodlums can pull
in, knock on your door with a plea for help, and then point a gun at you when you emerge, demand-
ing your wallet. This rarely happens, but it does on occasion. A good rule for RVers who stay at rest
areas is that if someone knocks who isn’t wearing a badge, keep the door shut. If this should happen
to you, and you have the slightest suspicion your visitor is up to trouble, call 911 on your cell phone
(essential equipment for RVers) and keep your door locked. This is when a big dog with a deep bark
is real handy.
I do not stay at rest areas at night unless I am dangerously tired, in which case I will pull in
for an hour or two. I am much more likely to take a nap at a rest area during daylight hours, when
there are more people around.
The official rules about rest area stays in the Western states are elsewhere in this book.

Casino “camping”
It used to be that the only place in the West to stay the night in a casino parking lot was in
Nevada. Not so anymore, as casinos have popped up everywhere, many on Indian reservations.
Many, if not most, of these casinos permit overnight stays in RVs. As I noted before, how can the
management know whether an RVer is sleeping in his rig or inside gambling? If you stay, observe
the same rules as at Wal-Mart — keep a low profile and don’t overstay your welcome. A good place
to learn where to find casinos is at http://www.casinofind.com on the World Wide Web. Many RVers
make a habit of staying at casinos, where they are not only welcome, but where they can partake of
inexpensive buffets, pull some slots or even take in live entertainment.

Schools, hospitals, shopping centers, offices, city streets

Use common sense when you stay in any of these places. Don’t stay Thursday night at an
elementary school unless you set your alarm for 6 a.m. the next morning so you can leave before
teachers and students arrive. At a hospital, don’t stay if parking space is at a premium or if you don’t
see at least one or two other RVs. On city streets, pick your spot carefully, making sure you’re not
bothering a homeowner or are on the “wrong side of the tracks.”

Police stations
Believe it or not, you may find the easiest way to find a free camping spot in a small town is
to drop by the police department and ask. You might be surprised to be told you can stay right in the
station’s parking lot, or maybe in the city park next door. But make sure to ask. If the police point
you to a spot, you’ll sleep better knowing you won’t get booted out later. And it’s a good feeling
knowing a patrolman will likely drive by later to make sure all is okay.

Camping World
Camping World has 30 stores in 18 states, each a huge RV repair and parts store. Many RVers
report staying the night in the parking lots of these stores. I have passed by a few Camping Worlds in
the evening and seen RVs parked in the lot. I have always assumed the occupants were there for the
night. Perhaps some were waiting for repairs the next day.

Cracker Barrel stores

Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores, known for their restaurants, do not, as a company
Page 10
policy, allow overnight stays in RVs. But many, if not most of the locations, routinely allow RVers to
stay the night. Our advice is that if you want to stay, ask first.

Shopping Centers and

Factory Outlet Malls
The same rules apply here as staying at Wal-Mart: Look for “No overnight parking” signs. If
you don’t see any, find a quiet corner of the parking lot and stay only as long as you need to get
some sleep. If you have doubts that overnight stays are permitted, ask the mall management or one
of the merchants. Many RVers routinely stay in shopping centers and factory outlet stores.

Public lands
Now here’s a big subject. The U.S. government owns a heap of land in the West, and you can
stay for free or practically free on much of it in Arizona and Southern California if you follow the
simple rules. To many RVers, staying in these wide-open lands, or “boondocking,” is the way camp-
ing should be. They can stay for two weeks at a time in one place, then move on. Or, if they wish,
they can stay in a Long Term Visitor Areas (LTVA) for up to seven months for only $125. See a
separate story on this subject elsewhere.

Rural Small Towns

The small towns of the West that are located along lonely highways between one big town
and another are usually friendly places. They are commonly without private RV parks, and populated
with folks who will go out of their way to accommodate an RVer in need of a place to stay. Good
methods of finding a spot to park include asking at the police department, or the owner of a small
store with a quiet parking lot. Look for a local business that you might have something in common
with. Did you once run a hardware store? A plumbing business? An insurance agency? Stop by a
business that you “know” and you’ll likely be welcomed, often for more than one night. As the
publisher of a small newspaper, I have been welcomed overnight in the offices of a few small town
weeklies. It doesn’t take much effort to find a free place to stay in most small towns, as long as you
and your RV are presentable and you ask nicely.

Off-season camping
In the days and weeks after Labor Day, the water gets turned off at many National Forest
campgrounds in preparation for the winter freeze. Keep your eyes open for these campgrounds as
you travel, because when the water goes off, most often so does the overnight fee. These days,
however, more and more USFS campgrounds are locking their entry gates rather than operate on a
non-fee basis. Still, some do remain for a month or so as freebies after the summer season ends,
representing wonderful bargains for RVers who camp at this time of year.

About the format of this book

We chose to publish this book in its comb-bound format because it’s a work in progress. Each
press run will be less than 1,000 copies. When those copies go, we’ll fire up the printing press for
another 1,000. We generally update the information about every six months.
Information in each new edition will be as current as we can make it. Inaccuracies from the
old edition will be corrected or the information deleted. New listings will be added. In the interim,
Page 11
we’ll post updates of information at http://www.freecampgrounds.com/3update.html. Be sure to
check out this page before you head off on an RV trip.
This edition is number 2.2. The next one will be 2.3. When we do a major update one day, it
will be edition 3.0.

Why Wal-Marts and Flying Js are not listed in our directory

These are the two biggest freebie overnight stopping places for RVers. Between them, they
have thousands of locations, almost all very easy to find. We have not, however, listed any of them
in this book for the simple reason that the listings would occupy way too much space. Also, some do
not allow overnight stays. And the ones that do today may change their policies at any time. Please
let us know when you find a Wal-Mart that has “No overnight parking” signs or a Flying J that won’t
let you stay. Our list of Wal-Marts that do not allow overnight stays as of May, 2003 is included in
this book. A more up-to-date list is available for $3 from http://www.freecampgrounds.com/
noparking.html.
Serious free campers should carry along a directory that shows both Wal-Mart and Flying J
locations. The best one is the road atlas published by the Family Motor Coaching Association, which
lists all Wal-Marts, Flying Js and Cracker Barrel stores in America. However, the widely available
Wal-Mart edition of the Rand McNally Road Atlas includes a directory of every Wal-Mart store with
its address. It’s about $5 from any Wal-Mart store. You’ll also find a store directory at http://
www.walmart.com.
You’ll find more about this in the Resources section of this book.

Staying the night in highway rest areas

Here is what we think about camping in rest areas. First, spending the night in a
rest area is not “camping.” We don’t know of a single rest area in the West that per-
mits free camping. By this we mean pitching a tent and having a meaningful experi-
ence with nature.

But many states will allow a stay of up to eight hours and often more. A rest area, after all,
gets its name because it’s a place to rest. There is no law against sleeping in a rest area, it’s just a
question of “how long.”
Generally, parking your rig, putting on your pajamas and then climbing into bed to sleep for a
few hours isn’t breaking anyone’s rules and won’t land you in jail for sleeping without a license. The
police have better things to do than hang out at rest areas with stop watches. However, if you have a
rare medical disorder that necessitates a 36-hour nap, then by all means check into the local KOA,
plop down two day’s worth of camping fees, and then pray that a pop-up trailer with a six kids, a
monster stereo and three yappin’ Pomeranians doesn’t pull in next door.
Most RVers do not routinely sleep in rest areas. For one thing, the sound of a big rig truck’s
diesel engine roaring in one’s ear is not as pleasing as, say, the serenade of a babbling brook. And
then there’s the remote possibility that a totally bad dude could knock at your door after the local
tavern closes and say “gimme your wallet or I’ll blow up your holding tank.” The fact is, crimes
against RVers rarely happen at rest stops. But most RVers who are intent on a good night’s sleep like
to know that when they drift off into dreamland that Charlie Manson won’t come knockin.’
But, to be fair, Charlie Manson is behind bars. And the fact is, if you drive past a major rest
area at midnight just about any night, you will see at least a few RVs parked together. And the folks
inside aren’t watching Jay Leno. They’re snoozin.’ And 99.99 percent of them will pass the night
Page 12
with no problem except for inhaling a few cubic yards of diesel fumes.
As you will see in the rules on the next page, most states do not allow “overnight camping.”
We think, however, that in reality, rules that prohibit such a practice are on the books so that an
officer can legally kick someone out if he or she is staying too long or is up to no good. In practice,
folks minding their own business inside their RVs are hardly ever given the boot. We can’t remember
hearing about an RVer being asked to leave a rest stop in the middle of the night. We wonder what
kind of lawsuit would result if that drowsy RVer subsequently rear-ended a Toyota down the high-
way.
Our advice, though: Don’t stay in rest areas unless you can’t find a better place, or you are so
tired you can’t go on. And if you do stay, lock your door and don’t open it for anyone unless he or
she is wearing a badge.

————————————————————————————————————————
Advice from a California Highway Patrolman about
camping in rest areas

The law says “NO” [about overnight camping] but it really becomes the discretion of the Patrol
Officer, or Commander for that area. Where we have high crime report activity we will “suggest”
moving along. Some of our rest stops, particularly those close to major metropolitan areas, are prime
“Gimme all your cash and credit cards” opportunities for the criminal element of the area. If you
ARE going to hole up there, make it one night only, lock every entry to your coach to eliminate
surprise visits, and don’t open your door for ANYONE except a law enforcement officer no matter
what the sob story, screaming or other enticement. We see a lot of “Good Samaritan” robberies,
where someone will knock rapidly on the door late at night or early in the morning and holler,
“There’s smoke and sparks coming from under your ***!!” Once you open the door to see what
they’re talking about, you get shoved back to inspect the business end of their weapon of choice. So
don’t overstay your welcome, and be careful! — JIM IN SACRAMENTO, CHP

Page 13
Rest area rules
To the best of our knowledge, these are the offical rules for each of the states.

Arizona
No limit to length of stay, and overnight parking is permitted unless posted otherwise.

California
Stays are allowed of up to eight hours in any 24-hour period in designated parking spots, but overnight parking in
rest areas is not allowed.

Colorado
No length of stay limit, but no overnight parking or camping.

Idaho
Stays of up to eight hours are permitted, as is overnight parking unless posted otherwise. No camping or sleeping
outside the vehicle.

Kansas
Overnight parking is limited to one night and only in designated areas. Camping not permitted.

Montana
No limit to length of stay, but don’t camp outside your vehicle. Overnight parking is permitted.

Nevada
Stays of up to twenty four hours are permitted unless otherwise posted. Camping and overnight parking are
permitted.

New Mexico
Twenty-four hour limit and overnight parking is okay. Sleeping outside the vehicle is not allowed.

Oklahoma
No limit to length of stay, but no camping or overnight parking.

Oregon
Prohibited: Camping overnight or remaining in a rest area for more than 14 hours within any 24-hour period, or
setting up a tent in a rest area.

South Dakota
Stays of up to four hours are permitted. No camping or overnight parking is permitted.

Texas
Stays of up 24 hours are permitted. No “camping” is allowed.

Utah
No overnight stays permitted.

Washington
Stays of up to eight hours are permitted. But no camping.

Wyoming
Overnight parking and camping are not permitted.
Page 14
 Directory of
Free Campgrounds
Most of these listings have been checked and rechecked by our staff, and we have
even stayed at a few of the places. But we are not 100% sure of the status of some of
the sites, as these campgrounds come and go quite often. Some of the listings here
were submitted by our readers. Again, the free camping policy at some of these places
may have changed since these readers sent their reports. We have not listed informa-
tion on some of the sites that were submitted, however, as we were unable to verify
the information or had doubts about the long-term status of the situation.
Most of our listings are for free places to stay, but we have listed quite a few
sites with a modest fee. In most cases, these are either a very good deal or in a location
where private campgrounds would cost much more.
We believe that most of the information is correct. Please email us with any
updates. Our address is outwest@seanet.com.

ARIZONA
Chinle
Cottonwood Campground (elevation 5,540 feet) is a half-mile south of the visitor center of
Canyon de Chelly National Monument, adjacent to the Thunderbird Lodge and its restaurant. It’s
open year round on a first-come, first-served basis with 104 RV and tent sites. From April to October
facilities include flush toilets, picnic tables and drinking water. There are no shower facilities. No fee
is required.

Chloride
Free overnight camping (no hookups) is available at the VFW as well as on the old school
ground. Contact the Chloride Fire Department for camping on the old school property. Also there is
free entertainment on the first and third Saturdays by the Immortal Gunfighters and the Vaudeville
Troupe starting at noon. — R. CHANCE

Cottonwood
“Our favorite free campsite is on government lands between Sedona and Cottonwood. We are
able to spend two weeks at a time in one location (the limit) in the middle of desert range land where
an occasional Brahma herd of cattle would cross outside our living room window. We enjoyed
absolute solitude except for the daily morning hot air balloons which would land a half-mile away in
the desert. Dump stations are in Cottonwood, just a few minutes away.” — L. & R. BROWN

Gila Bend
There is free overnight parking and a free dump station at the Texaco Truck Stop. Go west from
Gila Bend on I-8 and take the 119 turnoff (1st one). Next to Super 8 Motel.
Page 15
Globe
Free overnight parking is permitted at the Apache Gold Casino, 7.5 mi E of Globe on Highway
70 at mile marker 258. There is water and a dump station at the Globe visitor center.

Kayenta
Navajo National Monument Campground: Navajo National Monument preserves three of the
most-intact cliff dwellings of the ancient Pueblo Indians. There is a free campground at the head-
quarters/visitors center of Navajo National Monument, 29 miles west of Kayente, 9 miles off of
Arizona Highway 160. The campground features 31 small sites, with picnic tables and parking
spaces. No open-flame fires (charcoal or wood) are allowed, campers must use camp stoves for
cooking. A comfort station has restrooms, a camper service sink, and running water. No hookups are
available, RVs are limited to 27 feet or less. No reservations are accepted for the campground. Open
year-round, but expect deep snow in winter.

Lake Havasu City

Just a tad north of town on U.S. 95 (between mile markers 190 and 191), just north of the
airport on the east side of the highway, is BLM land where a lot of RVers dry camp. South of town a
few miles, RVers often hole up in an area of government land east of the highway.

Morenci
Granville Campground (USFS) is 13 miles north of Morenci on the Coronado Trail Scenic
Byway, U.S. 191, a beautiful road that runs north-south just west of the New Mexico border. The
campground is right along the highway. Open April 1 to November 30.

Oatman
There’s a parking area at the north end of town for RVs, but no facilities. Oatman is a famous
stop on old Route 66, and now a tourist-oriented ghost town populated with free roaming burros that
beg for food on downtown streets.

Parker
The Bluewater Casino on Route 95 on the north end of town permits free overnight RV parking. One
lot is right along the highway adjacent to a shopping center — but a long walk from the casino —
where signs note that a free night’s stay is permitted after checking in at the casino. But many more
RVers simply stay in the casino’s parking lots, where they can walk to the casino and the Colorado
River.

Phoenix
“The Harrah’s casino on the Akchin Indian Reservation south of Phoenix allows overnight stays
in its parking lot. A security guard came by and asked if he could get anything for us.” — W.
KLAUS

Prescott
Indian Creek is a National Forest Service campground 4 miles southwest of Prescott on State
Route 89. Go a half-mile south on FR 63. The campground is open May 15 through September 30
and has a 14-night maximum stay. No showers, no drinking water, vaulted toilets.

Page 16
Quartzsite
This is Mecca for the boondocker. In the winter, tens of thousands of RVers at a time camp in
these parts — a dusty splotch of desert and center stage for the Mother of All Flea Markets. Here’s
the best place in America to buy a $2 wristwatch or a pound of fossilized dinosaur dung. RVers can
just roll off into the nearby desert and squat for free on government land, or pay $25 for two weeks
or $125 for the seven month winter season in the La Posa Long Term Visitor Area (LTVA) where
there’s water, phones, dump stations and pit toilets. Quartzsite, permanent pop. 2,000, has the basic
stores, post office, a few mediocre restaurants including a McDonalds (with live music every night
during the winter Snowbird season), a lively senior center, some RV parks, and, of course, the
Quartzsite Yacht Club — a landlocked Budweiser emporium. The town is located at the intersection
of I-10 and Arizona Route 95 east of Blythe, Calif. When in town, tune to KBUX, 94.3 FM, the local
radio station run from the spare bedroom of owners Buck and Maude Burdette. The popular recre-
ation around here: Rockhounding and sunbathing.

Superior
Oak Flat is a free National Forest Service campground just a half-mile off U.S. 60 on FR 496.
No showers, no drinking water, pit toilets, 14 night maximum stay, 22 foot limit.

Wickenburg
“A very secluded campground is one mile up a hill out of town across from the rodeo
grounds. It has large sites, is very secure and has a beautiful view of Wickenberg after dark. The only
noise you hear at night is coyotes. The $2 fee is well worth it.” — R. & D.THOMPSON

Why
There’s a BLM area 1.5 miles south of town on State Route 85. Look for a small sign. 14-day
limit. No facilities.

Yuma
The Imperial Dam Long Term Visitor Area (LTVA) is about 25 miles north of Yuma off State
Route 24 via Senator Wash Road on the California side of the Colorado River. The 3,500-acre
“campground” is in the flat, sparsely shaded desert with dump sites, two restrooms, outdoor showers
and trash facilities. Camping is $25 for two weeks or $125 for the September 15 to April 15 season.

“Take Highway 95 north out of Yuma to Circle K (Ave 7E), turn left and continue five miles to
the Mittry Lake area where there is free camping for ten days (no restrooms, showers, etc.). The road
turns into gravel, but we had a nice spot with our large rig right on the lake. There are a lot of areas
to camp here, some on the lake, some higher up. This road eventually takes you to the YMCA gate
entrance.” — SHARON H.

Many RVers camp for free six miles west of Yuma in California on the north side of the I-8 exit
to Algondes, Mexico.

Don’t try staying at the Yuma Wal-Mart. You will be kicked out.

Information on camping on public lands in the vicinity of Yuma is available from the Bureau of
Land Management (BLM) 2555 Gila Ridge Road Yuma, AZ 85365.

Page 17
 CALIFORNIA
Northern California
Big Bar
Big Flat. $5 per night. The small town of Big Bar is on Highway 299, the main road from
Arcata to Redding, through the beautiful Shasta-Trinity National Forest. Big Flat is a National Forest
Service campground three miles east of town. It is open May 15 through October 1. There’s a 14-
night maximum stay and a 25-foot limit. There are 10 spaces, no showers, pit toilets, a snack bar,
swimming, rafting and raft rental.

Bridgeport
You can stay free overnight at Busters Market which is along U.S. 395 in this one-street town.
There is a large parking lot on the west side of the store. Bridgeport is a good stop when traveling
between Northern and Southern California along the east side of the Sierra Nevada. Bodie Ghost
town is a short drive south.

Burney
Butte Creek. This is a free National Forest Service campground just two miles north of Lassen
Volcanic National Park on FR 32N21 (off of State Road 44). No showers, no drinking water, pit
toilets.

Burnt Ranch
Burnt Ranch is a free National Forest Service campground also on SR 299, about halfway
between Arcata and Weaverville. Open June 1 through October 1. Pit toilets

Corning
Petro Stopping Center along I-5, will permit an overnight stay although the person who an-
swered the phone when we called said, “we don’t generally advertise it.”

Etna (south of Yreka)

Free camping in the city park.

Fall River Mills

“Pit No. 1” is the name of a free Bureau of Land Management campground five miles west of
Fall River Mills on Highway 299. There are 10 sites, no showers, no drinking water. Swimming and
fishing are available onsite.

Fort Bragg
Jackson Demonstration State Forest. On SR 20 between Willits and Ft. Bragg, there are two
main campgrounds. A permit is required, but it is free and you don’t need to get it in advance. The
permit allows you to keep your campsite while you are off looking at the area, and to build camp-
fires. One area is open year-round. The other opens in spring, with the date depending on weather.
Nice ocean views.

Page 18
Fortuna
Hansen Truck Stop permits overnight stays in RVs. The best place to park is behind the coffee
shop. The truck stop is just south of Fortuna before the junction with highway 36 at 2404 Sandy
Prairie Road.

McCloud
Algoma is a free National Forest Service campground just one mile south of SR 89 on FR
39N06. It is open May 1 through November 1. It has a 20-foot limit, vaulted toilets, no showers.

Orick
Just south of Orick (between Crescent City and Eureka) on U.S. 101 is Freshwater Lagoon Spit
Campground, formerly one of northern California’s most popular free campgrounds (now $10), run
by the state of California. The camping spots are between the highway and the beach, practically on
the beach. There is no drinking water, but the state does provide portable toilets. Although there is a
lot of traffic on the road during the day, there is little after 10 p.m., so getting a night’s rest is no
problem unless you’re a light sleeper. The scenery is great and the crashing surf helps cover any
traffic noise from Highway 101. This site is just a short drive from Redwood National Park (and a
visitor center), where there are no park service campgrounds, making this a very handy home base
for park visitors in RVs.

Occidental
The Union Hotel offers some of the best Italian dining in Northern California. RVers who
partake of a meal at this wonderful old hotel can park overnight in the parking lot. Occidental is a
picturesque little community inland from Bodega Bay. No hookups. For more information call 707-
874-3555.

Platina
Basin Gulch-Middle Fork of Cottonwood Creek campground is 1.3 miles south of SR 36 on FR
29N13. SR 36 is a scenic route through the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. Basin Gulch is a free
National Forest Service campground, open May 20 through October 31, with 13 campsites. Pit
toilets, no showers, no drinking water.

Roseville/Sacramento
The new Wal-Mart along Route 65 (a mile north of I-80) north of Roseville allows overnight
stays. Downtown Sacramento is a 30-minute drive. A Camping World is along I-80 just a few more
miles north in Rocklin, where RVers are often seen parking overnight.

Redding
The Win River Casino offers free overnight stays in its parking lot. The casino is located west
of I-5, north of Anderson and south of Redding. Exit I-5 at Bonnyview Road and head west. The
casino is right before you reach Route 273.

Ripon
Jimco Truck Plaza allows an overnight stay “as long as it’s in a parking space,” according to the
person we spoke with. Look for Jimco at 1022 Frontage Road alongside California Route 99.

Page 19
Salinas
Valley Truck Stop will permit a stay “as long as it’s just for overnight.” Park alongside the
building. It’s located at the Airport exit off U.S. Highway 101.

Sattley
Yuba Pass is a free USFS campground on scenic SR 49, the popular highway linking all the old
gold mining towns of California’s Mother Lode Country. There are 20 sites, pit toilets, no showers.
14-night maximum stay and 22-foot limit.

Sierra City
Berger Campground is located approximately 2.5 miles northwest of Bassets at 5,900 feet. It has 10
undesignated sites for small RVs. There are toilets, but no drinking water. From Sierra City, go NE
on Route 49 (the popular tourist route through the Gold Country) for about 4 miles. Turn left onto
the Gold Lake Road and go about 1.5 miles. While you are in this area, take the very short drive to
Lower Sardine Lake, a spectacular “Lake Louise of the Sierra.”

Somesbar
Dillon Creek. This is an inexpensive ($4 per night) National Forest Service campground on
Scenic Highway SR 96, about 15 miles north of the small town of Somesbar. This is a beautiful route
through the Klamath National Forest. The campground is open all year, and it has 11 RV sites with a
32-foot limit. This is a great place for swimming, boating, and bicycling.

Truckee
Annie McCloud Campground (USFS) is located a short drive northeast of Truckee (on I-80 near
Donner Summit) at an elevation of 5,800 feet. This seasonal campground has 10 campsites with
space for small RVs. Travel north on Highway 89 for approximately one mile and turn right onto
County Route 787. Follow this route for approximately 3.5 miles and the campground will be on the
left. This is a good stopping point when heading east or west on I-80 between Reno and Sacramento.

Yreka
The Wal-Mart on the north end of town just west of I-5 allows overnight stays. Yreka is a good
overnight stopping point along I-5 between California and Oregon or Washington. Yreka is near the
very northern border of California.

Central California and east of the Sierra

Bakersfield/Onxy area
Auxiliary Dam, on Highway 178, located the southern end of Lake Isabella, in Sequoia Na-
tional Forest. No limit on RV length. Flush and chemical toilets. Dump site. Open year-round.

Also, Stine Cove, at the east end of Lake Isabella. Chemical toilets. Open year-round, no length
limit.

Walker Pass is a free Bureau of Land Management campground 14 miles east of Onyx on
Highway 178, the road you are likely to travel between Bakersfield and Death Valley. This camp-
Page 20
ground is open year-round with 10 sites, pit toilets, no showers. Facilities may be limited in winter.
There is a 30-foot limit.

Bishop
Crowley Lake (famous for trout fishing) is 29 miles north of Bishop on U.S. 395, a road that
can take you to Yosemite, King’s Canyon, and Sequoia National Parks. There is a free Bureau of
Land Management campground at Crowley Lake, a half-mile west of the highway. There are 47
campsites, a dump station and pit toilets, but no showers. It’s open April 24 through October 31 and
has a 14-night maximum stay.

Horton Creek is another free BLM campground, just five miles north of Bishop, but you have to
go four miles west of the highway on S. Round Valley Road. Open March 20 through October 10.
No drinking water. Pit toilets.

Buttonwillow
Travel Centers of America truck stop off I-5 allows overnight stays in its parking lot.
Buttonwillow is about 16 miles west of Bakersfield on I-5, California’s main north-south Interstate
highway.

Chowchilla
$6 per night. Eastman Lake is a Corps of Engineers campground 23 miles north of Chowchilla,
which is on Highway 99 northwest of Fresno. There is a dump station, flush toilets, a visitor center,
swimming, a boat ramp, dock, playground, nature trails, and fishing. Fourteen-night maximum stay.

Dardenelle
Brightman Flat is a free National Forest Service campground on Scenic Highway SR 108, north
of Yosemite National Park. The campground is one mile west of the small town, just off the highway
and is open May 25 through October 15. There are 29 campsites, vaulted toilets, no drinking water.
Maximum of 14 night stay.

Fresno to Yosemite
There are seven free National Forest Service campgrounds located on Highway 41 between
Fresno and Yosemite National Park. They are within the Sierra National Forest, but they are all just
off the main highway. If you are driving from Fresno, you will see the first one about 55 minutes into
your journey. From south to north, they are: (1) Whiskey Falls, open June 1 through October 31, 15
campsites, flush toilets, (2) Rock Creek, open April 1 through November 30, 18 sites, no showers, 14
night maximum stay; (3) Sweetwater, open May 1 through November 1, 16 sites, flush toilets; (4)
Upper Chiquito, open June 1 through October 31, 20 sites, 22-foot limit, 14-night maximum stay, no
showers, no drinking water, swimming, nature trails and fishing; (5) Lower Chiquito, open May 1
through October 31, 17 sites, flush toilets and fishing; (6) Bowler and (7) Granite Creek, open June 1
through October 31, 20 sites, but the entrance is difficult for trailers. Pit toilets, no showers.
For the “big spenders,” there are two $5 per night National Forest Service campgrounds along
the same highway. Rock Creek is the more southern campground and is open April 1 through No-
vember 30. It has 18 sites, no showers. Mammoth Pool is further north and is open May 1 through
November 30. There are 47 sites, a 22-foot limit, and a 14-night maximum stay. No showers, but
there is swimming, groceries, boating, fishing and water skiing.

Page 21
Groveland
Carlon is a free National Forest Service campground on SR 120, west of Yosemite National
Park. It’s one mile off the highway on Evergreen Road, which is marked. The campground is open
April 15 through November 15. There are 16 sites and a 22-foot limit. Vaulted toilets, no showers.

June Lake
Glass Creek is a free National Forest Service campground just one-third mile off of U.S. 395 on
FR 2S24 (in the area east of Yosemite National Park near the Nevada border). It’s open May 15
through November 1 and has a 21-night maximum stay. There are 50 campsites with a 50-foot limit.
Pit toilets, no showers, no drinking water.

Lone Pine
Turtle Creek BLM campground is located off U.S. 395, west of Lone Pine. Go west about three
miles on Whitney Portal Road, turn left onto Horseshoe Meadows Road, just under two miles turn
right onto the campground road. Bring your own water as none is provided. There is no charge for
camping but donations are accepted to help maintain the campground, water, trees, etc

Places to park overnight between

Los Angeles and Sacramento on I-5
The Apricot Tree Restaurant, at exit 368 (north of the Coalinga exit) allows RVers to stay
overnight for free in its parking lot. Be sure to order some apricot pie. A bit farther south, Harris
Ranch, at exit 333 (state route 198), allows RVers to overnight for free in its quiet parking lot be-
tween the hotel and restaurant (good food).
Also: See Buttonwillow, above.

Southern California
Adelanto (near Victorville)
“Adelanto allows overnight camping in its city park just one block off Highway 395. The
restrooms are not the cleanest but then, for that price, what do you want?” — W. SCHAAFSMA

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is the largest desert state park in the contiguous United States
and is one of the few California State Parks that allows open camping throughout its 600,000 acres.
A daily fee of $5 is required for such primitive camping. Sites at developed campgrounds cost more.

Baker
A large, free, overnight parking lot for trucks and RVs is located across the street from the Bun-
Boy Restaurant and Motel. It’s right downtown — can’t miss it.

Barstow
Rip Griffin’s Travel Center at exit 176 off I-15 will allow an overnight stay, but RVers must
register first at the Fuel Desk. Take Exit 176 off Interstate 15.

Blythe
Southwest Express Travel Plaza permits overnight RV parking. It’s located at 17970 West
Hobson Way.
Page 22
Death Valley
Wildrose Canyon has two free National Park Service campgrounds. (1) Wildrose campground is
open all year and is just a half-mile west of the Wildrose Ranger Station. There are 30 campsites and
there is a 30-night maximum stay. No showers and no water in winter. (2) Mahogany Flat is nine
miles east of the Ranger Station and is open from March 1 through November 30. It also has a 30-
night maximum stay. There are 10 campsites, no drinking water, pit toilets, no showers.

Death Vallley Junction

Actress/ballerina Marta Becket permits overnight RV camping in the parking lot of her
Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley Junction for a $2 donation. Be sure to see her one-woman
show, staged in the winter season only (too hot in summer). And if you’re interested in a really
unique experience, pop for a few bucks and stay in her historic motel.

Holtville
“Heber Dunes County Park. Take I-8 to Orchard Road, go south to King Road, turn west and go
to Heber Road, turn east 2 miles to the park. 75 sites, three day limit.” — GYPSY JOURNAL
NEWSPAPER

“On the west side of town, take Highway 115 to Walker County Park where there are 50 pull
through sites with drinking water and picnic tables. Three day limit.” — GYPSY JOURNAL
NEWSPAPER

See information on the Long Term Visitor Area in Holtville in the chapter about LTVAs.

Independence
A free National Forest Service campground called Goodale Creek is 11 miles north of Indepen-
dence on U.S. 395. There are 62 campsites with a 48-foot limit. The campground is open from
March 20 through October 20. 14-night maximum stay. Pit toilets, no showers, no drinking water.

Joshua Tree National Park (29 Palms)

“Seventeen miles east of the Twentynine Palms on Highway 62 is the Star’s Way Out Cafe.
Owner Dave will let you dry-camp on his property at no charge. If your rig is not self-contained he
will even leave the restroom open after closing time.” — DUTCH

Visitors to Joshua Tree National Park can choose from about a half-dozen free campgrounds,
most right along the paved park road. There are no facilities except pit toilets, but the scenery,
solitude and rock climbing are spectacular. All campgrounds are open all year with 14-day limits.
This park is worth a visit for anyone in the general vicinity.

Niland/Slab City
Slab City, near the shore of the Salton Sea near Niland, is a haven for boondockers. Camp for
free forever here on an abandoned military training center. Hundreds of RVers hole up in the mild
winter, many in organized groups with special interests (single RVers, for example). Bring your own
water and power (solar panels are popular) and a little extra cash to shop at the ongoing, informal
swap meet. Slab City isn’t just a place, it’s an experience. Read more about Slab City and see photos
at http://www.geocities.com/desert_dutch/slabcity.htm .
Page 23
Needles
The city park by the old railroad station downtown provides free overnight parking for self-
contained RVs. Needles often claims the nation’s high temperatures in the summer, so it’s best to
stay away then.

Oceanside
A reader reported in July, 2000 that the Oceanside Wal-Mart told her to leave late one night. In
December 2000, a reader named Kathleen replied: “But if you park at the Sam’s Club right next to
the Wal-Mart in Oceanside you will have no problem. Actually it’s inland a bit in the town of Vista
right off of Highway 78, just east of Oceanside.”

Palo Verdes
Palos Verde County Park is three miles south of Palos Verdes on State Route 78. Up to three
days of free camping is permitted. Thirty sites are available, 45 foot maximum on RVs.

Santa Barbara
Do not try to stay for free anywhere in town, not in parking lots or city streets. It’s illegal.

Tecopa
Tecopa Hot Springs. This campground is not free, it costs $10 per night. But if you are traveling
between Death Valley and Las Vegas, you should try it out. There are 365 campsites at this year-
round campground, a dump station, flush toilets, a rec room, recreation program, and, best of all, hot
mineral pools. The campground is off of Highway 127, about five miles south of Shoshone, on
Tecopa Hot Springs Road. Many RVers and tenters, however, often camp for free on an open piece
of BLM land at the intersection of Tecopa Hot Springs Road and Highway 127. There is a lot of free
camping in this area. Learn more about this area and see photos at http://www.desertdutch.org.

COLORADO
Brush
“Brush has a convenient municipal park on the south edge of town on Clayton Street that offers
free camping for one night, $10 after that. It’s a gravel lot, shady with electric hookups and hot
showers. Water, a dump station and pay phone are available. The campground adjoins a park and
municipal pool and is a ten-minute walk from town.” — G. RICHTER & DAVE B.

Cortez
The Ute Mountain Casino, 13 miles south of Cortez, allows free overnight stays.

Note from editor: The Wal-Mart that’s right downtown Cortez had about a half dozen RVs
parked overnight when I was in town recently.

Chimney Rock
Lower Piedra. Free National Forest Service campground open May 1 through November 1. One
mile north of Highway 160 on FR 621. 14-night maximum stay. 32-foot limit. No showers, no
drinking water, pit toilets.
Page 24
Dillon
Willows. Free National Forest Service campground, 30 miles northwest of town on Colorado
Route 9, one mile southwest of County Road 30. Open May 25 through October 31. 10 night maxi-
mum stay. 32-foot limit. Near Green Mountain Reservoir. No showers, no drinking water, pit toilets.
Swimming, boating, fishing.

Dinosaur National Monument

Gates of Lodore Campground. Free National Park Service campground at the junction of SR
318 and SR 430. (North of Maybell, south of Rock Springs). Open May 1 through November 30. 14-
night maximum stay. 24-hour attendant. No showers. Pit toilets. Nature trails, whitewater rafting,
fishing.

Fairplay
Buffalo Springs. Free National Forest Service campground 14.5 miles south of town on U.S.
285, a half mile miles west on FR 431. Open May 1 through October 30. 22-foot limit. No showers.
Pit toilets.

Fort Morgan
Riverside Park offers free overnight camping (electric hookups at ten sites) and generous-sized
sites, and has a swimming pool that’s open to the public. It’s located just off I-76 at exit 80. Fort
Morgan is about 70 miles northeast of Denver. Dump station two blocks away at Texaco station.

Haxtun
“Not free, but cheap: The city campground offers electric, water and sewer hookup for $8 per
night. It’s not very pretty, but reasonable. Haxtun is located on U.S. 6 in the northeastern corner of
the state.” — C. BROYLES

Hot Sulphur Springs

Pioneer Park State Wildlife Area is along the tiny Colorado River (it gets much bigger down-
stream), a stone’s throw from town. Pit toilets, but no water. Open all year with a 14-day limit.

Leadville
About four miles northeast of town on the north side of State Route 91 is a free BLM campground
with about 30 sites.

Massadona
“There’s a $3/night campground here ($8 with electric). The town consists of one cafe/bar, a
house and the campground behind the cafe. The town is about 35 miles east of Dinosaur on U.S. 40
in the northwest part of the state.”
— DAVE B.

Meeker
In the middle of town, a block east of State Route 13 is a city park that offers $4 a night camp-
ing with electricity.

Page 25
Paonia
A small city park allows stays of up to three days, and there’s a dump station.

Salida
On U.S. 50 east of town there is free 14-day camping along the Arkansas River.

San Luis
Camping is free at Rito Seco Municipal Park, which is 7 miles northeast of town off Route 159.
Turn right onto County Road 1690. Primitive sites. Water and toilets are available.

South Fork
Highway Springs. Free National Forest Service campground 5.3 miles southwest of town on
U.S. 160. Open May 25 through September 15th. 22-foot limit. No showers. Vaulted toilets.

Walden
“One mile east of town on County Road 12 is a State Wildlife Area with primitive campsites,
but no other facilities.” — N. OLSEN

Yuma
“The city park isn’t free, but for $6 you get a space plus an electric hookup. The library has four
computers and offers free Internet access. Yuma is on U.S. 34 in the northeast part of the state.” —
DAVE B.

IDAHO
Idaho Sportsman’s Access
Camp free at more than 100 sites maintained by the Idaho Dept. of Fish and
Game at state Sportsman’s Access areas. Most of the campgrounds are off the beaten
path and so not appropriate for quick overnight stops. But others are more easily
accessed. For info write Idaho Fish and Game or visit http://www2.state.id.us/
fishgame.

American Falls
Trenner Park. This is a free campground provided by Idaho Power Company at the American
Falls Reservoir.

Arco
Carrolls Travel Plaza at the intersection of highways 20 and 26 allows an overnight stay in the
very back of its parking lot away from the many truckers who often stay.

Boise
Boise Stage Stop truck stop at exit 71 off I-84 allows overnight stays in RVs, but in a separate
lot shared by passenger vehicles, away from the big rig trucks.

Bruneau
Page 26
Cove.
Free BLM campground two miles west on Highway 51 and 5 miles north on Highway 78 (the
scenic alternative to Interstate 84). Open April 15 through October 31. 25-foot limit. No showers. Pit
toilets. Swimming, boating, fishing, hiking. On the map this appears to be on the Strike Reservoir.

Challis
Spring Gulch. A free BLM campground is 10 miles north of town on Highway 93. Open May 1
through Nov. 30. No drinking water. Pit toilets. Swimming, boating and fishing.

Coeur D’ Alene
Just north of I-90 at exit 12 (U.S. 95) is a big vacant lot where truckers often stay the night, and
RVers, too.

Dillon
“The Kiwanis Park is across the street from Safeway, a movie theater, gas station and
McDonalds. The camping is free but there are no services — just a place to park.” — DAVE B.

Downey
The Flags West Truck Stop at exit 31 off I-15 (far southern part of the state) allows RVers to
stay the night if they park in a lot shared by big rig trucks.

Hells Canyon
Idaho Power Company has three free camping parks on the Idaho side of Hells Canyon, and
another park on the Oregon side (see Oregon listings):

Hells Canyon Park, on the Idaho side, has 24 RV sites with electricity. Some also have water
hookups. There are restrooms and showers.

McCormick Park is on the Idaho side of Oxbow Reservoir, just below Brownlee Dam. There
are 34 RV sites with electric and water hookups.

Woodhead Park, on the Idaho side of Brownlee Reservoir, is the largest park at 65 acres. 124
RV sites with water and electric.

Idaho Falls
Wright Brothers Travel Center, at exit 119 off I-15, allows an overnight stay in its parking lot.

“Exit I-15 at the U.S. 26/91 exit and go 2.5 miles south to the Southside Rest Area. There are 15
sites, restrooms and dump, right along the Snake River. The maximum stay is 24 hours.” — BOB B.

Kamiah
“There is a free campground at the city park at the east end of town on U.S. 12 between
Lewiston, Idaho and Missoula, Montana. No hookups are offered.” — DUANE

Kellogg
The Crystal Gold Mine offers customers of its underground tour free overnight RV parking in
designated sites. The mine is a mile from Kellogg, just off I-90 at exit 51, and is open all year, seven
Page 27
days a week except the major holidays. Pets welcome.

Ketchum
Murdock. Free National Forest Service campground 7 miles north of town on SR 75, 1 mile
north on FR 146. Open June 1 through October 15. Sixteen night maximum stay. 22-foot limit. No
showers, no drinking water. Flush and pit toilets.
Prairie Creek. This free Forest Service campground is eleven miles farther up SR 75. It is also
open June 1 through October 15. It can accommodate larger RVs, up to 32 feet. No showers. Flush
and pit toilets. Swimming.

Kooskia
Stays up to five days are permitted in city park.

Lowman
Kirkham. This National Forest campground is five miles east of town on Highway 21 and is
open May 20 through November 30. Note: No pets allowed. 32-foot limit. Near a hot springs. No
showers. No drinking water.

Mink Creek
The Mink Creek Roadside Campground is along Route 36 in the southeast corner of Idaho
northwest of Preston. The small roadside camping area on the southwest side of South Fork Mink
Creek Road just off of the main Mink Creek Road provides free camping. Dozens of roads and trails
are popular with mountain bikers, hikers, and horseback riders. There are no marked campsites, but
there’s plenty of flat ground. Mink Creek runs along the west side with several small, river-bottom
trees that provide shade and a comfortable and pleasant setting.

Pocatello
Tp Truck Stop in Fort Hall, just north of Pocatello along I-15, allows an overnight stay in its
truck parking lot. Take exit 47 off I-15.

Roberts/Rigby
“Between Roberts and Rigby, on State Route 48 after the exit from I-15, is a state run camp-
ground with boat launch for only $3, and half for seniors with Golden Access. It has picnic tables, pit
toilets and fire rings.” — DAVE B.

Salmon
McFarland Recreation Site. This is a free BLM campground with 10 sites, 36 miles southeast of
Salmon on SR 28. Open May 1 through Nov. 30. No showers, no drinking water. Pit toilets.

Wayan
East of town on Highway 34 is a small park with $5 campsites and clean pit toilets.

Weiser
Mann Creek Recreation Area. Free BLM campground is 13 miles north of Weiser on U.S. 95.

Yellow Pine
Yellow Pine campground is a National Forest Service campground just one mile south of town
Page 28
on FR 10413. Open May 15 through October 1, 14-night maximum stay. 22-foot limit. On Johnson
Creek. No showers, no drinking water. Pit toilets. Groceries and coin laundry.

KANSAS
State Fishing Lakes
Nearly all Kansas counties have a state fishing lake. Free camping is allowed for
seven days in designated camp sites. Note: We have listed only State Fishing Lakes
that are near major highways. Check your road atlas for more specific information
about the location of these lakes.

Arkansas City
There are city parks here where you can camp for free for up to three days. Newman City Park
is along a dike and has a dump station. Walnut City Park is on the south end of town, right by the
Arkansas River. Both have electrical hookups, with drinking water available. The city clerk says
Walnut Park is a lot prettier.

In addition to the two city parks, Cowley State Fishing Lake is 13 miles east of town and has 10
RV sites. No showers, no pit toilets. 14-night maximum stay. Limited facilities in winter.

Atchison
There are several city parks where camping is allowed in Atchison, the birthplace of Amelia
Earhart. Monroe Brown Memorial City Park is within the city limits. Warnock Lake is three miles
south of the city. It appears these parks were once free but now charge $2 per night.

Beloit
Camp at the city park in town for free, although a donation is requested. Some 20 amp power.

Bennington
Ottawa State Fishing Lake. Five miles north and one mile east of town. Ten campsites. No
showers, pit toilets, limited facilities in winter. Swimming and boat ramp.

Blue Rapids
Riverside Park has RV park services, including electric hookups and dump station. If you use
electricity, please donate $3 per night.

Chanute
“There is a public RV park at 25th and Sante Fe, with no charge for the first three nights. It has
30-amp electricity and water at each site and a dump station. The clean park is about a mile east of
Hwy. 169.” — J. HAYES

Garnett
“We spent a lot of time in and around this fine example of a friendly Kansas farm town. There
is a city lake with a small blacktop camping area with hookups. You just go to the police department
office and ask for a key to turn on the water, give them $5 — close enough to free — and then turn

Page 29
the key back in back in later. I got my $5 dollars back more than once.”

Greensburg
Kiowa State Fishing Lake. Northwest corner of town. 14-night maximum stay. 10 campsites.
No showers. Pit toilets. Limited facilities in winter.

Hiawatha
Brown State Fishing Lake. Eight miles east of town on U.S. 36, then 1 mile south on RR 3. 10
sites. No showers, pit toilets, limited facilities in winter. Boat ramp.

Junction City
Gear State Fishing Lake. 6.5 miles south of town, then just a half-mile west on U.S. 77. 20
campsites. No showers, pit toilets. 4-night maximum stay and limited facilities in winter.

Kingman
Kingman State Fishing Lake. 8 miles west on U.S. 54. 25 campsites, 24-hour attendant. No
showers, pit toilets, limited facilities in winter. Boat ramp.

Kingsdown
Clark State Fishing Lake. 10 miles south of town, then 1 mile west on SR 94. 30 campsites. No
showers, pit toilets, limited facilities in winter. Boat ramp.

Liberal
“We stopped by the Mid America Air Museum in Liberal and were told by the management that
we were welcome to stay in the parking lot. It’s a dry camp and nice and quiet.” — J. HILLIS

Lyndon
The city park at 10th and Topeka Ave., offers three hookups sites at no charge for stays of up to
a week. Lyndon is 27 miles south of Topeka on Highway 75 and is close to Pomona and Melvern
lakes. The park includes a two-story log house (circa 1870), a play area, covered shelters, picnic
tables and restrooms (open in summer only). Shops are nearby. For more info contact the city office
at 785-828-3146. — CITY OF LYNDON

Lyons
“Lyons Overnight Memorial Park has hookups and a dump station and you can stay up to five
days. It’s tree-shrouded, and located at the southwest corner of town in a low traffic area. Lyons is
not large, only 4,000 people. Anyone in town can tell you how to get to the campground, but it’s
easy to find, anyway.” — A. CHANDLER

Mankato
Jewell State Fishing Lake. Six miles south, then two miles west. 10 campsites. No showers, pit
toilets.

Marysville
City Park is just south of the intersection of Highways 77 and 36. The city’s website says, “You
can camp with electricity free of charge.”

Page 30
Meade
This southwest Kansas town offers free overnight stays in the city park on East U.S. 54. No
hookups. Meade is 32 miles northeast of Liberal.

Medicine Lodge
“There are four sites with 30-amp electricity in the city park, on the east side of town on U.S.
160. The outer two sites are closest to the water if you are not sharing. There are no directional signs
to this free campground, a well kept community secret, I guess.” — VERN M

Barber State Fishing Lake. The campground is on the north edge of town. 20 campsites. No
showers, pit toilets. Limited facilities in winter. Boat ramp and playground.

Moline
Located in the heart of the Flint Hills, near Independence. Has 3 or 4 full hookups in the city
park at no charge.

Neodesha
The city park at the west edge of town along U.S. 75 allows free stays of up to three days.
Electric hookups, but no water.

Oakley
Annie Oakley City Park is at 500 Price Street. The city phone number is (785) 672-3611.

Oswego
Kamp Siesta Municipal Park. On North Kansas Street, west of the ball fields. Electrical hook-
ups, bathroom with showers, dump station, pavilion and playground.

Parsons
Up to five days of camping are offered at $5 a night in the city park. Twenty-four RV sites have
water and 20-amp electric service, and there are showers and a dump station. The park is seven
blocks east of the intersection of U.S. highways 400 and 59.

Pittsburg
Mined Land Wildlife Area #1. This public campground is 3 miles north on U.S. 69. There are
25 campsites. No showers, pit toilets, limited facilities in winter. Boat ramp.

Montgomery State Fishing Lake. Four miles southeast of town on U.S. 160. 200 campsites, 24-
hour attendant. No showers, pit toilets, limited facilities in winter. Swimming, boat ramp, play-
ground, groceries, and boats for rent.

Smith Center
“Smith Center is the home of Peterson Industries, which manufactures the Excel line of fifth
wheels. The town has a couple of free overnight parking spaces with electric hookups by its city park
(look for the historic windmill). Be sure to tour the Peterson factory. They make a very high quality
line of fifth wheel trailers.” —D. BALERIA

Page 31
Stockton
A free stay is offered at the nice city park located on the west side of town and the south side of
highway 24.

St. Francis
A free campground nestled in trees is located next to the museum complex just south of High-
way 36 in St. Francis. It features hot showers, restrooms, picnic tables, grills, covered shelters and
disposal facilities.

Tonganoxie
Leavenworth State Fishing Lake is four miles northwest of town at the junction of SR 16 and
90 with 20 campsites and a 24-hour attendant. Dump station, no showers, pit toilets. Limited facili-
ties in winter. Boat ramp, playground, and rental boats.

Washington
Rotary Park is a half mile east of town on Kansas Route 36, and offers free overnight stays. —
R. JENSEN

Washington State Fishing Lake. Seven miles north, then three miles west. 15 RV sites. No
showers, pit toilets, limited facilities in winter.

West Mineral
This campground isn’t free, but it’s cheap, yet more important, it’s amazing. Why? Because you
can camp in the shadow of Big Brutus, the world’s second largest electric mining shovel. Walk
through its cavernous body, sit in the operator’s chair or climb 16 stories to the top of the boom for a
great view of the rolling prairie. Primitive RV sites are $5 or $7.50 with electric hookups. There is
also a dump station. West Mineral is in the southeast corner of the state, 15 miles southwest of
Pittsburg.

General information
From reader Gary M. of Topeka: “Kansas does allow overnight parking at its rest stops. Some
along I-70 have dumps and water. There are around 30-40 state fishing lakes in Kansas where you
can camp overnight free. Most are off the beaten path with no facilities and it’s dry camping only. A
good idea is to get the free official state highway map (tourist centers in the state have them or they
can be ordered from the state tourism department). ”

MONTANA
Anaconda
“Sportsmans Park, located 27 miles south of Anaconda, is about a quarter mile long, along the
river with free firewood (saws provided). There’s a host, picnic tables, fire stoves and restrooms.
From Anaconda, go south 25 miles on route 273 then two miles west on route 43. Donations of $5
are accepted which earns you a membership in the Sportsmans Club with full rights to attend meet-
ings.” — DAVE B.

Spring Hill. A free National Forest Service campground 10.8 miles northwest on U.S. 10A.
Page 32
Open June 15 through September 5. 16 sites, no showers, pit toilets. 14-night maximum stay.

Baker
Overnight camping is allowed at a shaded park one half block off Highway 12 on the south side
of the highway and three blocks west of main street. Restrooms. water and dump station.

Bighorn Canyon
National Recreation Area
Afterbay. National Park Service campground. 42 miles south of Hardin on secondary SR 313.
30 sites, no hookups, dump station, no showers. Visitor center, boat ramp, recreation program.

Big Sandy
“The town park on the west side of main street offers free camping. There are no services, and
only overnight and short stays are permitted.” — R LINDBERG

Coal Banks. A free BLM campground is 13 miles southwest of town on Highway 87 at the
intersection with a county road. Ten sites, 24-foot limit, no showers, pit toilets, boat ramp.

Boulder
Just off Main Street is the city park with restrooms with flush toilets. There are about 10 sites
for RVs and a dump station. It’s open May 1 to Sept. 30.

Bozeman
The Museum of the Rockies will allow you to park overnight in the parking lot at the very east end.
Ask for permission from Security at the front desk. Exit at 19th Street and follow the sigh to the
museum.

Butte
Dickie Bridge. This is a small public campground 10 miles west of Divide on Montana 43. 8
sites, open all year, no showers, pit toilets.

East Bank. This public campground is 8 miles west of Wise River on Montana 43. Five sites,
24-foot limit, no showers, pit toilets, boat ramp, picnic tables and grills.
Tosten Dam Recreation Site. Another small public campground. This one has seven sites, 24-
foot limit, no showers, pit toilets, picnic tables, grills, and boat launch.

Cascade
A one night stay is permitted at a park sponsored by the American Legion and the Lions Club.
Water, electric and a dump station. Look for lighted sign visible from I-15 at exit 256.

Choteau
Choteau City Park Campground is located in the center of town. It offers 30 tent and RV sites
along Spring Creek, as well as a park and playground. It’s operated by the City of Choteau and
donations are accepted. Restrooms, but no showers or hookups. Three day stay permitted. Open May
31 to October 1. Info: 406-466-2510.

Page 33
Clinton (east of Missoula)
The Rock Creek Tavern offers free camping in a grassy field. A lot of RVers stop. Saturday
night might be the one night to avoid, as the campground is right behind the tavern, and, well,
taverns can get a little noisy. Otherwise, this is a good deal. Clinton is 20 miles east of Missoula right
along I-90. Look for the road signs advertising the annual Testicle Festival.

Columbus
“Itch-Ke-Pe City Park is on the bank of the Yellowstone River located in a large grove of
Cottonwood trees. Most sites have picnic tables and fire rings and there are bathroom facilities. The
shade and the proximity to the river is what makes this free campground special. Many of the camp-
sites can accommodate large RVs. Columbus is about 40 miles west of Billings on I-90.” — BETSY

Culbertson
“The municipal park in Culbertson on U.S. Highway 2 just west of the North Dakota line has
free parking for about four rigs. It’s several blocks from the highway in a mostly residential area.” —
B. AND D. MOORE

Dillon
There are nine free Bureau of Reclamation campgrounds at Clark Canyon Reservoir, which is
alongside I-15 south of Dillon. This is a good midway point between Idaho Falls, Idaho and Butte,
Mont. Good fishing for rainbow and brown trout.

Ekalaka
Medicine Rocks State Park. Free camping 16 miles north on Montana 17. At Milepost 10, head
one mile west on a county road. 12 campsites, no showers, pit toilets, good wildlife viewing and
hiking trails.

Glendive
A very nice city park at 100 W. Towne Street has 20 sites for RVs of 25 feet or less and offers
two days of free camping. It’s set right along the Yellowstone River in a quiet area. On the premises
are a pool, tennis courts and a dump station. Take the Glendive exit from I-94.

Great Falls
Teton Truck Stop at exit 280 off I-15 just north of Great Falls permits overnight stays in RVs in
the same lot as the big rig trucks.

Haugan
Fourteen miles east of the Idaho border on I-90, the $10,000 Silver Dollar Saloon (plus store
and cafe) offers free overnight camping. Some sites have 15, 30 or 50 amp electric hookups. There
is no specific restriction on length of stay but a sign says “No Long-term Camping.” The cafe has
good food.

Helena
The Grub Steak Casino is six miles north of town at exit 200 off I-15 and offers an overnight
stay.

Page 34
Lewistown
“Last year when we were headed west, we spent a night in Lewistown in a Kiwanis Club park
on the top of the hill heading west. If you use the truck route, come back towards town about a mile.
There are no hookups, but nice level spaces and a donation box.” — A READER

Libby
The Volunteer Fire Department Memorial Park is on the west side of town on Highway 2 next
to the Chamber of Commerce. Free camping is permitted, but a $5 donation is appreciated. Water
and dump station.

Lincoln
Free overnight RV parking is allowed in the big, flat, gravel parking lot of the Hi-Country
Trading Post, which is on the very west end of town along State Highway 200. Lincoln, by the way,
is the ex-secret hideout of the Unibomber. Lots of good stuff in the Trading Post including world
famous beef jerky and other meat snacks.

Also in Lincoln: $6/night dry camping at Hooper Park next door to the library. Full hookups
$12.

Philipsburg
Flint Creek. Free National Forest Service campground 8 miles south on Highway 1, 0.3 miles
on FR 1090. Open June 15 through September 30, 14-night maximum stay. 32-foot limit. No show-
ers, no drinking water, pit toilets. Bike trails.

Poplar
Free camping is allowed in the city park.

Roundup
The Cowbelle Campground, one mile east of town by the fairgrounds, has a donation box.
Bring in bottled drinking water as the stuff from the tap doesn’t get rave reviews. The campground is
open May 15 to September 15 and has a nice 9-hole golf course and swimming pool.

Terry
“The city park on U.S. 10 in the center of town offers free overnight parking for RVs and tents.
Toilet, and other facilities are nearby.” — C. RING

Wisdom
(Southwest of Anaconda at the intersection of routes 278 and 43): “Wisdom has a beautiful,
grassy, free campground owned by the American Legion. It has picnic tables, rest rooms (his and her
pit toilets), fire rings, a manually operated water spigot, picnic tables, trash barrels and is only a five-
minute walk from the tiny town, where there is a public phone, post office and a couple of cafes.” —
DAVE B.

Zortman
Camp Creek Campground is along Highway 191 south of Malta near the tiny town of Zortman.
It has restrooms and 18 campsites, six with picnic tables. Highway 191 is a north-south shortcut
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from Big Timber on I-90 to Malta on U.S. 2. This campground is on the north end of the highway
south of Malta and requires a drive on an improved gravel road. There aren’t many other camp-
grounds in the area.

NEVADA
Austin
The BLM’s Hickison Petroglyph Recreation Site is 24 miles east of Austin right along U.S. 50,
and offers 14-days of free camping in its pinyon-pine and juniper-studded, 16-site campground with
a wonderful view of the surrounding countryside. This is a very convenient, quiet stop for anyone
heading east or west through Nevada on “the Loneliest Road in America” (not really so lonely!). Pit
toilets. No water available. It’s at 6,500 feet, so not a recommended stop in the winter, although the
campground is open.

Battle Mountain
See Valmy

Beatty (east of Death Valley)

In town, there is RV parking behind the Stagecoach Casino. Twenty-nine miles south on U.S.
95 at its junction with Nevada Route 373 is a large rest area with a toilet, picnic tables and trees.

Carson City
The Carson Nugget Casino, located downtown on U.S. 395 (the main drag) offers free RV
parking in a designated lot. It’s only a block from the casino and the state capitol complex, and
within easy walking distance of downtown shops and tourist attractions. This is a great place to stay.

Dayton
“There’s free overnight parking in the rear parking area behind the “Dayton Depot,” a small,
locals-style casino. Right across the street is a state park and the Carson River. The quaint downtown
area is a few minutes’ walk away. Dayton is about 15 miles east of Carson City on U.S. 50.” — F.
GUZAETTA

Denio
Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge, Virgin Valley Campground. This is an antelope refuge with
great wildlife viewing. Free Fish and Wildlife Service campground, 30 miles west on SR 140, then 2
miles on gravel access road. 15 sites, no showers. 14-night maximum stay. 25-foot limit.

A cafe 3 miles south of Denio where Route 140 turns west (Denio Jct.), offers a free overnight
stay and free water.

Ely
The Holiday Inn allows one free night of parking with full hookups. Additional nights are $9
each. Also included are use of the pool, spa and exercise room. This location gets high praise from
many RVers.

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Fallon
About 25 miles east of town along U.S. 50 — the “Loneliest Road in America” according to
Life Magazine — is Sand Mountain Recreation Area where there’s a free BLM campground right
next door to a huge sand dune. But beware, this is a popular place for dune buggy enthusiasts, so
bring your ear plugs on weekends. By the way, an old Pony Express station is nearby.

Gardnerville
Sharkey’s Nugget Casino has a free overnight lot just north of the casino. A good Basque
restaurant is across the street, or try Sharkey’s famous prime rib. The casino’s walls are lined with
memorabilia, including an original Abe Lincoln campaign poster. Tasty munchies can be scooped
from big bowls in the bar, where there’s an awesome horse saddle collection.

Gold Point
“This wonderful ghost town is between Beatty and Goldfield, 16 miles from the junction of
highways 95 and 266 in the hills near the “notorious” Cottontail Ranch. Highway 266 is good dirt
road. Sheriff Stone and partner Red Dog are always happy to see RVers. Hookups by donation or
free dry camping. Stay as long as you like. The town is restored to its original look. Shuffleboard,
pool, large library tables to sit and talk or play cards. See an original museum, post office, and store
as they were left. Very quiet with great views. For ‘real’ fun get initiated on Herb’s daily ‘wild water
runs’ to a 2000 gallon ‘fill em up’ BLM water tank: ‘rough riders’ only allowed — Yeeha!” —
PENNY AND PAUL

Hawthorne
The El Capitan Casino offers free overnight camping for RVers just a one-minute walk from the
casino, which has 24-hour free coffee. A free dump station is provided. This is a highly recom-
mended and popular overnight stop for RVers traveling between Reno and Las Vegas.

Fifteen miles north of Hawthorne, right between U.S. 95 and the shore of Walker Lake, are two
free Bureau of Land Management (BLM) campgrounds with magnificent views of the ancient lake.
Bring your fishing pole.

Hazen (near Fallon)

Tiny Hazen (pop. 25) is 45 miles east of Reno on U.S. 50 Alternate. The owner of John’s
Antique Shop writes, “You can crash out at my place for a few days and I’ll even throw you a power
cord if you buy something from my shop. I have room for two big RVs. If you come in at night, pull
in front of the shop as close to the building as possible or real close to the east side. Please shut off
all engines so we don’t irritate the neighbors.”

Jackpot (on Idaho border)

Barton’s Club 93 in the center of town offers free RV parking.

Lake Mead
Stewart Point: Right on the shoreline of the lake. From Henderson, Nev., go 6.4 miles past the
turnoff toe Echo Bay and turn right. There is no sign on the highway for Stewart Point, making the
turnoff easy to miss. Once there, a free dump and water is available at the Overton Beach Marina.

Page 37
Lake Tahoe
The Horizon Hotel and Casino reportedly has an area of its parking lot designated “RV park-
ing,” and we have been told that RVers stay overnight. Tahoe’s other South Shore casinos have
banned overnight stays in RVs for years and have quickly booted out those who tried.

Las Vegas/Henderson
South of Henderson (a Las Vegas suburb) near the intersection of U.S. 93 and 95, the Railroad
Pass Casino permits overnight RV stays in its parking lot, although, notes reader Emmy Hemhock,
“finding a spot there is getting hard as the lot gets pretty full by 4 or 4:30 p.m. The lot also slopes
quite a bit.” At the north end of Las Vegas along U.S. 95, the Santa Fe Casino also attracts a large
overnight RV crowd. We don’t know the official policy of either of these casinos regarding overnight
stays, but when I drove by early one recent March morning, many RVers were overnighting in the
parking lots. — THE EDITOR

“I saw a lot of rigs parked right between the Excalibur and the Luxor when I was in Las Vegas
last November.” — MELANIE

Lathrop/Amargosa Valley
Big Dune has good places to dry camp for free. This site north of Lathrop Wells, about a third
of the way to Beatty on U.S. 95, is popular with off-road vehicle enthusiasts who also camp in the
area.

Laughlin
In the winter, in the prime RV snowbird season, a thousand or more RVs can be seen
boondocked all along Casino Drive, which is right along the Colorado River at ground zero of the
casino and hotel area. Some of these RV-boondockers are there for a night or two, others for weeks
or even months. Starting at the top of Casino Drive, Harrah’s has designated an RV parking area
across the street from its casino. A quarter mile south of Harrah’s, just off Casino Drive, there are
dozens upon dozens of parking spots overlooking the Colorado River. Other popular free spots
include a parking lot across from the Golden Nugget Casino. One of the less attractive free places is
the parking lot of the Colorado Belle Casino — pretty much a parking lot close to the noisy street.
The Riverside Hotel/Casino is another option: arrive early at the parking lot and you might get a spot
along the fence with a river view. The bright parking lot lights are annoying, but the price is right.

The Colorado Belle Casino allows overnight camping but you must get a pass from the
casino and sign up for its free gaming card. The overnight area is very secure with guards making
rounds constantly. Signs indicate no overnight camping, but it is allowed with the pass.

The Avi Casino, located approximately 10 miles south of town along the Colorado River at
10000 AHA Macav Parkway, allows free dry camping on a huge dirt lot. There is a full service
campground located here, too. Water and dump facilities are also located by the gas station/conve-
nience store with a small fee charged

The Gold River Casino allows free overnight stays.

The Big Bend State Recreation Area is five miles south of Laughlin on the Needles Highway.
Nine RV sites are along the Colorado River, no hookups. It’s not free, but close. Camping is $3 a
Page 38
night, and there’s a onetime $3 park entrance fee. Open year round. Info: 702-298-1859.

Mesquite
The Casablanca Casino on the south end of town allows free overnight RV stays in two large
parking lots. No trucks are allowed in this lot, so it’s quite. The Oasis also allows overnight stays,
but trucks may be present.

Overton (Valley of Fire State Park)

“Our favorite site is about four miles south of Overton, near the east entrance to Valley of Fire
State Park. It is a very popular area, referred to by locals as ‘Poverty Hill,’ although I have seen
some very expensive motorhomes there. The camping area spreads over at least a square mile. I have
never seen less than 20 to 25 rigs set up there, sometimes more than 50.” — KELLY

Pahrump
Two casinos, Terribles and the Nugget allow overnight stays in lighted parking lots.

Rachel
“If you are into Area 51 and aliens, stop by the Little A’le’ Inn on the ‘Exterrestrial Highway’
(State Route 375) in tiny Rachel. They have a 12 space RV park but if you ask in the A’le’ Inn (cafe/
bar) they will let you park out near the highway for free. We were there in April and by evening, five
other RVs were there for the night. Great hamburgers at good prices, too.” — PAT AND SYLVIA

Editor’s note: Have a meal at the Little A’le’Inn, and check out the tacky souvenir items related
to alien beings and Area 51.

Reno/Sparks
The Nugget Casino in Sparks (alongside I-80 a few miles east of Reno) has set aside a special
RV parking area, and has generously permitted overnight stays for more than a decade. A few years
back they even delivered a complimentary morning newspaper. The casino is beautiful, and just a
short walk away. Check out the HUGE salt water aquarium and try to spot the freeway columns that
support busy I-80 right overhead.

The Boomtown Hotel and Casino, a five-minute drive west of Reno on I-80, has a full-hookup
pay campground, but plenty of RVers hole up each night for free in a big parking lot on the west side
of the hotel/casino.

RVers can park in the lot of north side parking lot of the Peppermill Casino on South Virginia
Ave. And a tip: Take the free shuttle from the casino to the airport, and then pick up a free shuttle
there to downtown and its casinos.

Searchlight
“There’s a large gravel lot across from the casino on the corner where the road goes to Nipton,
Calif. We have stayed there several times at different times of the year for six years now and no one
has ever said anything. It’s level, but there are almost always trucks with engines running. But it
works for a place to sleep.” — E. HEMHOCK

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Tonopah
North of town about 13 miles on U.S. 95 is a quiet and clean state rest area where a sign an-
nounces that stops of up to 18 hours are permitted. Many RVers routinely stop here because commer-
cial campgrounds in Tonopah are scarce (especially in the off-season). The rest area’s restrooms are
clean. In town, the Banc Club Casino allows overnight stays in its parking lot.

Wells
Free overnight parking is permitted on a dirt parking lot across the street from the only casino
in town. Go to the back to minimize noise from big rig trucks.

Wendover
The Red Garter Casino advertises free overnight parking for RVs in its dirt parking lot. Warn-
ing: Level spaces are hard to come by.

Valmy (west of Battle Mountain along I-80)

A rest area at exit 216 offers free stays up to 18 hours.

Virginia City
RVers can park a block below the main drag of town in a designated area. Inquire about the
exact location at the police station.

Yerington
Casino West Casino, right in the middle of the little town, offers RV camping for $5 a night,
with water and electric hookups provided. A rest area on Highway 338 a half mile south of alternate
U.S. 95 is also good for overnight stops. There is ample shade and potable water. Eighteen hour stay
maximum.

NO, NO, NO!

The city of Henderson, next to Las Vegas, has a new law that prohibits overnight stays in RVs
outside official campgrounds. Truckers are exempted, however.

NEW MEXICO
Albuquerque/San Fidel
The Sky City Casino permits free overnight stays in its parking lot. The Native American-
owned casino is west of Albuquerque, north of I-40 at exit 102.

Cuba
Clear Creek. USFS campground 11 miles east on SR 126. Open May 1 through October 31. 16-
foot limit. No drinking water. Pit toilets.

Datil
Datil Well. BLM campground just a third of a mile west on SR 12 or on U.S. 60. 22 sites, no
showers, pit toilets.

Page 40
Deming
The Loners On Wheels RV club’s home campground is at the LoW-HI RV Ranch, where mem-
bers (and nonmembers, too) can boondock for $2 a night.

Savoy Truckstop at exit 68 off I-10 allows RV overnight stays in a shared lot with truckers.

Gallup
“Giant Travel Center, about 17 miles east of Gallup on I-40, is a most rewarding site for tired
RVers, who can park for free away from trucks and cars. The center has most everything you might
need.” —N. SAULSGIVER

Speedy’s Truck Stop along I-40 at exit 16 allows overnight stays in a shared lot with truckers.

Grants
The Dancing Eagle Casino in Casa Blanca allows overnight camping.

Hachita
This tiny town of 75 in the Lordsburg vicinity offers free RV parking in town. We’re not sure of
the details. — THE EDITOR

Jal (vicinity of Carlsbad Caverns)

“When I was visiting Carlsbad Caverns, I stayed overnight at the Jal city park, 45 miles south-
east of Carlsbad in the very southeast corner of the state. There was free electric, water and a dump
station, all next to a pleasant fishing pond.” — L. COUSE

Jamestown (Gallup)
Giant Travel Center at exit 16 off I-40 allows overnight stays in a parking lot for RVs only.
Jamestown is a few minutes east of Gallup.

Los Alamos
“This past Memorial Day we saw a free RV parking area on route 502 just on the outskirts of
the city. It appeared to be offered by the city. We didn’t happen to use it on that trip. Nearby is the
Bandelier National Monument. Santa Fe is about 35 miles southeast. ”— G. NEKOLNY

Editor’s note: A reader reports (March, 2000) that this campground along route 502 is now $6
a night.

Lovington
The city park at Ave D and 11th Street has self-contained RV sites, and a dump station
— G. ELLIOT

Chaparral City Park, two miles southeast of Lovington on State Route 82, also offers free
overnight stays.

Moriarty
RVers can stay the night at Rip Griffin’s Travel Center, “anywhere they can find a spot,” ac-
Page 41
cording to the person we talked with there. Rip’s is located at exit 291 off I-40 along historic Route
66 east of Albuquerque.

Pietown
“Pietown, on U.S. 60, has a park with free RV spaces, but no hookups. There’s also a lot of
BLM land around.” — DAVID R.

Santa Rosa
Janes Wallace Memorial Park and Dam. This is one of 15 lakes in the “City of Natural Lakes”
which is on I-40 between Albuquerque and Amarillo. Excellent camping, boating and fishing. The
city’s websites claims that Janes Wallace has the best trout, catfish and bass fishing in the area.

Steins
Located about three miles from the Arizona state line on I-10, Steins is an interesting old ghost
town that is being restored by its owners. RVers are allowed to dry camp overnight for free if they
ask permission. The town is next to the railroad tracks, so it may get a little noisy.

Tatum
“On Route 380 near the Texas border, the city-owned Rampy Park on the east side of town has
five paved full-hookup sites. Watch for a hard to spot wrought iron sign on the north side of the
highway, then drive to the end of the road. The park is on the left. We didn’t spend the night, but this
free campground looked clean and quiet.” — GYPSY JOURNAL NEWSPAPER

OKLAHOMA

Blackwell
Free RV camping is offered at the Kay County fairgrounds, located two miles east off I-35. There are
electric hookups and showers. Police patrol the area. Flea markets are held here on occasion.

Billings
Cimmarron Travel Plaza at exit 203 off I-35 allows an overnight stay. “But we don’t have any
hookups or anything like that,” said the woman we spoke with there. “But you’re sure welcome to
spend the night.”

Calera
Choctaw Travel Plaza at the intersection of Highways 69 and 75 (Southwest Oklahoma) allows
overnight stays in an RV. “But just for one night,” they said when we called.

Disney
Little Blue State Park, two miles from town, offers $8 a night TENT camping. Ask for direc-
tions in town.

Lyons
Free RV parking is offered in the city park, with electricity.

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Sayre
“The fairgrounds here, north of I-40, has full hookups and is nice, clean and shady.” — R.
HALL

The Oasis Travel Center at exit 26 off I-40, while it does not see many RV overnighters, says its
okay to stay.

Talihina
A city RV park is located at Dallas and 1st Streets. Sites are not designated, but overnight stays
are free.

Tulsa
Bruce’s Tulsa Texaco Plaza at exit 238 off I-44, told us when we called that it would be “no
problem,” to stay overnight in an RV. “But no hookups,” they said.

Tuttle
“The city park (Schrock Park), a half-mile west of Tuttle on Highway 57, has water and electric
hookups. Check with the Tuttle police department. I do not believe there is a charge for a one night
stay in this park.” — A READER

OREGON
Baker City
Baker Truck Corral told us it “sees no problem” with RVers staying the night in its parking lot.
Just pick a spot. Take Exit 303 off I-84.

Bend
Fall River. National Forest Service campground 15 mi south on U.S. 97. Open May 1 through
October 15. 10 sites, 22-foot limit, no showers, no drinking water, vaulted toilets.

North Gate 76 Truck Stop, just north of town, will allow a stay if the RVer buys fuel.

Burns
Chickahominy Reservoir. $8 per night. BLM campground 34 miles west of town on U.S. 20. 40
campsites, no showers, vaulted toilets. Boat ramp and dock.

Idlewild. Free National Forest Service campground 17 miles north on U.S. 395. Open May 25
through October 15. 30-night maximum stay. 24 sites, 30-foot limit, no showers, pit toilets.

Canyonville
The Seven Feathers Casino along I-5 has a regular pay campground, but also offers free camp-
ing at the south end of its parking lot as long as space permits.

Chiloquin/Klamath Falls
The Kla mo-ya Indian Casino permits free RV parking.

Page 43
Coos Bay
The Mill Resort & Casino, located on Highway 101 north of Coos Bay, offers free no-hookup
parking in its casino lot. Check in first for a window pass permit for each night.

Coquille
Sturdivant City Park, a quarter mile west of Main Street, offers free overnight parking along
Coquille River. Walking distance to town.

Crescent
Cy Bingham Park. County campground a half mile west of Crescent on Crescent cutoff road.
Open May 1 through October 31. 14-night maximum stay. 10 sites. No showers, pit toilets. $3 a
night.

Estacada
Alder Flat Campground (USFS) is located southeast of Estacada on the Clackamas River and offers
six campsites at 1,300 feet elevation. The campground is easily accessible from Highway 224, and
activities include fishing and hiking. From Estacada, travel southeast on Highway 224 to the camp-
ground, which is on the way to the popular Detroit Lake area.

Gold Beach
“Huntley Park, on the Rouge River, seven miles up from U.S. 101 in Gold Beach, offers camp-
ing for $5 per night. There are no hookups, but there’s water and showers. The location is great and
the managers are helpful at this excellent family camp.” — M. STUCKEY

Jordan Valley
The city park on Highway 95 offers free overnight parking.

Klamath Falls
Hagelstein Park, about 10 miles north of town right alongside U.S. 97, offers about a dozen
sites in a well-maintained grassy park with clean restrooms. It’s not free, but at $5 a night it’s a good
deal.

18 Wheeler Truck Stop allows overnight stays in RVs in its parking lot. It’s located a couple of
miles south of town on U.S. 97.

Also:See Chiloquin

Lincoln City vicinity

The Chinook Winds Casino on the beach in Lincoln City and the Spirit Mountain Casino in
Grand Ronde on Highway 18 east of town (22 miles west of Salem) offer free overnight RV parking.

Madras
The city park behind the Post Office (a block off the main drag) permits overnight stays in self-
contained RVs. Walking distance to shops and restaurants.

Madras J & L Truck Stop enthusiastically welcomes RVers to stay the night in its 24-hour truck
stop. It’s located right in town.
Page 44
Medford
An overnight stay is permitted at the Petro Stopping Center at exit 24 off of I-5. Parking is in
the same area as where employees park.

North Bend
See Coos Bay.

Pendleton
Arrowhead Truck Plaza allows overnight stays. Park way in the back or over by the restaurant
along with the big rigs. Take exit 216 off I-84.

Plush
“Plush is at the edge of the Hart Mountain Antelope Refuge about 40 miles northeast of
Lakeview. You can stay free in a lot behind the city park.” — B. CRONIN

Port Orford
Edson Creek Park is about four miles north of town on U.S. 101 and then another four miles (or
so) east on Sixes River Road. A campsite is $10.

Prairie City
Dixie. National Forest Service campground 7 miles northeast on SR 26, then a half-mile north
on FR 1220. Open June 1 through November 1. 30-night maximum stay. 11 sites, 22-foot limit, no
showers. Pit toilets. Groceries available.

Prospect
Natural Bridge. This is a National Forest Service campground 10 miles north on SR 62, then 1
mile west on FR 300. Open May 23 through September 10. 14-night maximum stay. 16 sites, 22-foot
limit. No showers, no drinking water, pit toilets.

Seneca
Starr. National Forest Service campground 10 miles north on U.S. 395. 30-night maximum stay.
Open May 25 through November 1. 14 sites, 22-foot limit. No showers, no drinking water. Pit
toilets.

Sisters
Lava Camp Lake Campground is west of Sisters near McKenzie Pass. From Sisters, Travel 14.6
miles west on Highway 242. This scenic highway is a shortcut (in miles, but not time) between Bend
and Sisters. This free campground is on the edge of a massive and spectacular lava flow, one of the
best in the West. Long RVs should not attempt this narrow, curvy highway. Motorhomes under 28
feet will have no problem.

Sweet Home
Fernview. National Forest Service campground 23 miles east on U.S. 20. Open May 15 through
September 15. 16-night maximum stay. 11 sites, no showers, vaulted toilets. Swimming, fishing and
hiking.

Page 45
 Lost Prairie. National Forest Service campground 40 miles east on U.S. 20. Open May 15
through September 15, 16-night maximum stay. 10 sites, 22-foot limit. No showers, vaulted toilets.
U.S. 20 is a scenic route over the Cascades between Corvallis and Bend.

Talent
Talent Truck Stop, at the very southern part of the state at exit 21 off I-5, allows an overnight
stay in its parking lot. No hookups or other special RV facilities, just a place to park.

Ukiah
Bear Wallow Creek Campground. National Forest Service campground 10 miles east on SR
244. Open June 1 through November 1. 14-night maximum stay. 14 sites, 45-foot limit. No showers,
no drinking water, vaulted toilets.

Unity
Wetmore and Yellow Pine. These are two National Forest Service campgrounds, 10 miles and
9.3 miles northwest of town on U.S. 26. Both are open May 28 through September 15. Both are only
suitable for short RVs, no showers, pit toilets. U.S. 20 is a main road between western Oregon and
Boise, Idaho.

SOUTH DAKOTA
Aberdeen
Wylie City Park, a quarter mile north of town on route 281, has 30 sites for free overnight stays
and is open all year. No hookups.

Gettysburg
Gettysburg City Park. 5 blocks south of the junction of U.S. 212 and Main street. Open May 1
through Sept. 30. 30-amps. 3-night maximum stay. Six sites, dump station, flush toilets, pool, wad-
ing pool, tennis court, playground.

Groton
Up to three days of free camping is allowed in the city park, which is toward the north end of
town on Main Street two blocks south of U.S. 12. Of the 12 sites, four have free electric hookups.
Donations are accepted. Info: 605/397-8422.

Hot Springs
“I stayed the night in the American Legion lot. I was told that RVers stay there on occasion. I
suppose if there was something big going on then maybe they wouldn’t allow an RVer to stay. The
parking lot is big, there’s a bike path by the river and a $2 outdoor ‘all you can eat’ pancake joint.”
— DAVE B.

Miller
“The city park, very nice, offers free camping with some electric hookups.” — R. OLIVER

Pierre
Griffin City Park, with 20 sites and flush toilets, offers three free nights of camping with elec-
Page 46
tricity. It’s very nice and alongside the Missouri River just east of Pierre on U.S. 83 and 14. There
are all sorts of recreational opportunities here. Open May 1 to October 1.

Pringle
Rifle Pit. National Forest campground, 5 miles east on U.S. 385. Open May 28 through Septem-
ber 6. 10-night maximum stay. 14 sites, 6 are for RVs. No showers, no drinking water. Pit toilets.

Vermillion.
Two free nights are offered for free at Lion’s Park. Includes electricity with water nearby and a
dump station. Extra days are $5 each.

TEXAS
Abilene
Johnson Park (5 sites) and Seebee Park (4 sites) at Lake Fort Phantom. Flush toilets, but no
drinking water. Fishing and boat ramp. No fee, no reservations, 48-hour limit.

Andrews
“Chamber of Commerce Campground offers six free sites with all utility hookups near Prairie
Dog Town with a three day limit. It’s a nice campground in a friendly town.” — L. YOUNG

Big Lake
Reagan County Park. Large park area with community center, pool, camping with hookups.

Bowie
Selma Park on west side of Amon G. Carter Lake, south of Bowie on Highway 59. Free dry
camping, but $3 per night if you use electricity.

Brownfield
“There is a free campground with water and electric in the city park. Brownfield is 40 miles
southwest of Lubbock on U.S. 62/82.”
— D. & B. BASS

Canyon
“Canyon, just south of Amarillo on I-27, has a nice campground for $5 a night (honor system).
It’s on the north end of town within easy walking distance of the university, Wal-Mart, a grocery
store and restaurants. Train tracks nearby can be a little noisy, but kids love to watch them.” — D. &
B. BASS

Corpus Christi
“On the southbound side of I-37 coming into the Corpus Christi area is Labonte Park, a Corpus
Christi city park, which is right on the Nueces River. Since I-37 is a main highway for winter Tex-
ans, this park is used a lot. There is a visitor center and a restroom, but no hookups. It’s great for
overnight.” — A READER

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Crosbyton
The city park has five sites for RVs and is right on the main street through town. There’s a pool
and playground at this clean and convenient park. Crosbytown is about 25 miles east of Lubbock on
U.S. 82

Denver City
About five miles north of town is a nice county park that charges $14 per night. However, if
you bring along a receipt (or receipts) of money spent in town (restaurants, gas, etc.), the amount
will be deducted from your nightly fee. Amenities include water, electricity and a dump station. For
entertainment, there’s a playground, plus a pond with ducks and fish. A caretaker lives on the pre-
mises.

Dumas
There is a nice gravel (no grass) lot with 30 amp (only) electric hookups west of Dumas on
Highway 87 alongside Texoma City Park. There is water and dump station available. It is city owned
and there is no charge. Dumas is in north Texas in the Amarillo area. This is a real convenient and
clean park. In the busy season it’s a good idea to arrive before 2 p.m. to ensure getting a space.

Falcon Heights
“A campsite at Falcon County Park, just one mile from Falcon Dam and Falcon State Park, is
free the first night and $1.25 a day afterwards or $35 a month. There’s no electric, but water, and a
dump are at the State Park.” — DOUG

Floydada
“The first two nights are free at Floydada’s Wayne Russell RV Park. After that it’s $5 per night,
five nights maximum. There are 8 spaces with water and electric and a dump station. The park is
located on U.S. 70 (1st Street) at the north end of town (at Taft Street), on the west side of the road.”
— J. CROSSLEY

Gainesville
“The outlet mall on north end of town has an RV area. They might charge, but no one collected
from me. If you are northbound on I-45 and miss the mall, look for the Indian Bingo place on the
right just into Oklahoma.”
— THE FRIZZ

Goldthwaite
City Park has overnight RV parking. At intersection of U.S. Highway 183 and Texas Rt. 16.

Hallettsville
Hallettsville City Park. Enjoy free camping, electricity, water, and a dump station at “The City
of Hospitality.”

Hamblin
The city of Hamblin has a free overnight RV park at the 300 block of N. Central and U.S.
Highway 83. There are no hookups, according to the clerk we talked with at City Hall.

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Haskell
The city park has an RV campground, which is very nice with full hookups (30 & 50 amp),
pull-thru sites and lots of big trees. Public tennis courts are nearby. The first night is free, then it’s $9
a night. Payment after the first night is on the honor system.

Hereford
Five RV sites with water and electricity are available for up to a 24-hour stay at the Hereford
Aquatic Center. A dump station is nearby. The park has a pond, walking track and YMCA.
— CITY OF HERFORD

Iraan
City-owned Alley Oop Park is five blocks west and two blocks north of the intersection of U.S.
190 and TX 349. The campground has electric and water and is quiet. Iraan is a short detour off I-10
about an hour east of Fort Stockton. Formerly free, as of mid 2001 a campsite is $10.

Junction
Exit 456 on I-10 and go south to Schreiner City Park where camping is free. The campground
has trees and is next to Lake Junction. Our last reader report, however, was that the restrooms were
in disrepair and dirty.

Lake Whitney
“The Corps of Engineers has four, day-use areas (Kimball Bend Park, Steeles Creek Park,
Walling Bend Park, Cedar Creek Park) that permit up to 14 days of free camping per 30 day period
(tent or RV). All have boat ramps and chemical toilets but no electrical or water hookups and no
dump stations. The parks are patrolled by rangers and sheriff’s deputies. Dumpsters are provided.”
— O. McKEEL

La Mesa
Forest Park City Park at South 9th Street and Bryan Avenue offers up to three days of free
camping with electric hookups available for a fee. The park, which has a dump station, is a half-mile
south of U.S. 180 on Texas Route 137.

Levelland
Levelland-Hockley City-County Park is on U.S. 385 on the south side of town with seven sites
with water and electric and/or electric. You can stay up to four days in a one-month period, but you
must register with the police department. Very clean and attractive. The downtown area of Levelland
has much charm.

Littlefield
Waylon Jennings RV Park, named for the famous country western singer born here, offers 100
sites, most with water and electric. Littlefield is about 30 miles northwest of Lubbock on U.S. 84.
Camping is limited to four days in any 30-day period. There is no charge to stay, although there is a
box for contributions. The park has a dump station. Littlefield is 30 miles northwest of Lubbock on
U.S. 84.

Livingston
“I stayed the Pump and Handle Truck Stop on the west end of town, and it worked out well.” —
DAVE B.
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Lubbock
Rip Griffin’s on Highway 6282 East allows overnight stays in RVs. Just pick a spot.

Mansfield
Camp for free in a city park. No hookups, but right on the beach so you can fish from your front
door.

McCamey
At the crossroads of highways 385 and 67, about 51 miles south of Odessa. Two free sites behind
the museum on east side of town on Hwy 67.

Odessa
Exit 116, I-20 (U.S. 385), Grant Ave. Go five miles north on U.S. 385 to just past 42nd to the
county fairgrounds. Take a left, go about a block. Several of the light poles have outlets. It might not
be enough power for AC or an electric heater, but you would have enough for lights. Restaurants and
stores are close by. (Ppdate mid 2001: A fee of $10 is now charged).

Padre Island (near Corpus Christi)

You can camp free at Padre Island National Seashore. There is no time limit and the water and
dump are free. The only cost is an annual $20 fee. A lot of people stay the entire winter on the beach.
Read more at http://wildtexas.com/travels/tr_22.htm

Pampa
“There is a free campground here. Turn north on Route 70 off Route 60 and go about one block,
and it’s on the right next to the railroad tracks and a city park.Water, electric, toilets and a dump
station are available with a three day limit.” — TERRY P.

Perrytown
Whigham City Park is within the city at U.S. 83 and FM 377. There are four RV sites with
water and electric, limit two days. Dump station, flush toilets (locked in winter), and playground.

Port Aransas
With a six dollar annual permit that can be obtained at City Hall or local convenience stores,
you can camp on the beach of the Gulf of Mexico for three days in a given week. There are no
hookups, but there’s water. Trash cans are every hundred yards or so. Police patrol the area. A $2
dump station is at the county park at the north end of the island.

San Angelo
“Spring Creek City Park, on Fisherman’s Road (off of Knickerbocker) on the way to the airport,
offers free camping.” — A READER

Silverton
“The City Park on the south side of state highway 86 has two electric-only hookups. There is no
charge. An employee at the First State Bank of Silverton told me about them.”
— J. CROSSLEY

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Slaton
There is free camping at Slaton’s city park with water and electric hookups. The limit is three
days.

South Padre Island

An extensive visitor center, picnic area and developed campground are available at Malaquite Beach.
Primitive camping is allowed at no cost along the entire length of the Gulf beach and selected areas
along Laguna Madre. Since Laguna Madre is located on the central flyway, migrations bring thou-
sands of bird species to the lagoon and freshwater ponds.

Wichita Falls
The City RV Park has water and electricity, about 25 spaces and can accommodate rigs up to
about 35 feet. There’s an honor system toll box. $10 a night. Police patrol regularly.

UTAH
Duchesne
Free Camping, 48 hour limit, at the fairgrounds. Turn south off U.S. 40 on Center Street to the
fairground. Go to far east end of the parking lot and park on gravel rather than on the asphalt adja-
cent to a grassy picnic area. No water or dump. Beautiful paved “River Walk” in both directions
from picnic area.

Mexican Hat
Lions Club Park offers eight spaces with concrete pads. Follow the blue trailer signs in
town that lead to the park at the fairgrounds. Shade trees and dump station. Donations are
accepted.

Moab
Just northwest of town on State Route 128, a beautiful shortcut for travelers headed to I-70 and
points east, are several pullout “boondock” BLM camps along the Colorado River. They are not far
from Moab, and are in beautiful settings. Best time to stay is in Spring or Fall, as temps can exceed
100 degrees in the summer. In mid 2001 the BLM posted fee boxes on most of these spots, and so
there may now be a small fee to stay. Five miles west of U.S. 191 on Rt. 279 there is a little strip of
state land on both sides of the road were there is plenty of free boondocking parking.

Newspaper Rock
Thirteen miles west of U.S. 191 on the road to the Needles entrance to Canyonlands National
Park. Lots of boondocking spots on the south side of Highway 211 beginning just before Newspaper
Rock State Monument. Plenty of trees, a creek and some picnic tables.

Orderville
The Ramsey Oil Co. truck stop on U.S. 89 at exit 09 permits a single night overnight stay in a
separate lot from where the truckers park. No hookups. Orderville is east of Zion National Park.

Page 51
Plymouth
Tri Valley Chevron allows RVers to stay one night in its parking lot. It’s located just below the
Idaho border at exit 394 off I-15.

Thompson Springs
“Located on I-70 about 100 miles west of Grand Junction, Colorado. Take the Thompson
Springs exit and follow the paved road through town to Sego Canyon which is about three miles past
the town. Sego Canyon offers free camping with a pit toilet (no hookups). At the campsite there are
Native American petroglyphs and pictographs. Please respect the spirituality of this place. Also,
about three miles past Sego Canyon is the old ghost town of Sego. There are some structures still
standing. Take away only memories!”
— E. BROWN

Wendover
The Wendover Truck Stop at exit 4 off I-80 offers overnight stays and has a dump station.

WASHINGTON
Anacortes
The Swinhomish (Indian) Casino has a big dirt parking lot with a special area set aside for
overnight RV stays. From I-5, go west nine miles on the main road toward Anacortes and the San
Juan Ferry. Immediately after crossing over the big Swinomish Channel Bridge, turn right onto
Casino Drive. The casino is right there. RVers park on the fringes of the parking lot where they are
out of the way and where it’s quiet. There are many places right along the water at high tide.

Asotin/Clarkston
An overnight stay is allowed in the Asotin city park, which is along a creek, or in a big parking
lot by the grocery store, according to the Chamber of Commerce. But no “setting up camp.” There
are no designated sites. There are also several pullouts up the Snake River, commonly used by
RVers. Asotin is just south of Clarkston.

Buckley
Evans Creek. National Forest Service campground 35 miles south on Highway 165. Open May
1 through September 30. 27 sites. No showers, no drinking water, vaulted toilets.

Chehalis
Chehalis Shell Truck Stop at exit 72 off I-5 told us they “don’t care” if RVers stay the night.

Cle Elum
Swauk. National Forest Service campground 12 miles east on U.S. 970, then 10 miles north on
U.S. 97. Open May 25 through September 30 22-foot limit. No showers. Pit toilets.

Coulee Dam Recreation Area

Haag Cove Campground. National Park Service campground, 8 miles south of Kettle Falls on

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paved county road. 26-foot limit. 24-hour attendant. No showers, no drinking water, pit toilets.
Swimming, dock, boating.

Darrington
Clear Creek is a National Forest Service campground, three miles southeast of town on FR 20.
Open May 1 through September 30. 10 sites. No showers, no drinking water. Vaulted toilets.

Ellensburg
Both the Big B Truck Stop and Pilot Travel Center allow overnight stays in RVs. Of the two,
Big B seemed more enthusiastic about the idea of RVers staying.

Humptulips
Promised Land Park is on Highway 101, two miles north of town. It’s owned by the Rayonier
Timber Company and offers free parking on the river for up to five days a month. There are
restrooms, fire pits and picnic tables. — GYPSY JOURNAL NEWSPAPER

Lake Chelan
The Mill Bay Casino offers free RV parking with a three day limit. It’s located in Manson, at
455 E Wapato Lake Road. Info:l 800-648-2946.

Longview
Industrial Way Truckstop at exit 16 off I-5 (only a few minutes north of Portland, Ore.) allows
RV overnight parking if the RV arrives early and then leaves early. But trucks are first priority.

Mount St. Helens

“At about Milepost 19 on State Route 504 (the main tourist highway to the volcano), there is a
gift shop with a 20' Sasquatch and a ‘buried A-Frame.’ The owner lets you park in a large grassy area
next to the gift shop and public restrooms..” — DEAN H.

Mount Vernon
Truck City Truck Stop at exit 224 off I-5, says it’s “no problem” for an RVer to stay the night to
catch some sleep. Mount Vernon is midway between Seattle and the Canadian border.

North Bend (east of Seattle)

Ken’s Truck Stop allows an overnight stay. But check with the Truck Stop office first. There is a
charge for parking, but if you have dinner or buy something from the store, the fee will likely be
waived, according to the person we spoke with.

Truck Town will allow an overnight stay for $10 or for free for RVers who buy 75 gallons of
fuel. Take exit 34 off I-90.

Odessa
A grassy tourist park allows free RV camping. Odessa is 20 miles north of I-90 at the
intersections of state highways 21 and 28 in eastern Washington. The small community has a 9
hole golf course with no tee times necessary.

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Oroville
“Check out Prince’s RV. Park. It’s not free, but only $5.97 per night with a great view. Electric-
ity and water holdups only, but there’s a fresh water station and dump station and decent showers.
Prince’s store (grocery/department) is just feet away.” —KARLY

Pasco
Madame Dorion Park. Corps of Engineers campground, 18 miles south of Pasco on U.S. 12-
395. 14-night maximum stay. 45-foot limit. At McNary Lock and Dam, Lake Wallula. No showers.
Vaulted toilets.

King City Truck Stop permits overnight stays in RVs. Park with the big rig trucks or, better yet,
behind the motel where it’s quieter. The truck stop is on East Hillsboro Street.

Port Orchard
There’s a nice free campground here for self-contained RVs in a small stand of old growth trees.
There are no hookups or restrooms. It’s not within walking distance of the ferry system, but Port
Orchard buses run nearby and their main stop is at the passenger-only ferry to Bremerton. If you like
old ships, the mothball fleet in Bremerton is interesting, and the ferry ride from there to downtown
Seattle (where you can walk to everything) is fun. To get to the campground, take the Segwick exit
from Highway 16 and turn towards town. Take a left at the first light (Bethal) and travel towards
town. It’s a left hand turn.

Port Townsend
“Haines Place Park and Ride is next to Safeway and allows overnight camping if you call for
permission ( 260-385-4777). Ask if you wish to stay longer than one night. Check posted signs when
entering. Park and Ride is located a few miles from the historic downtown. A free shuttle will take
you there.” — J. NEU

Republic
Ten Mile. National Forest Service campground, 10 miles south on SR 21. Open May 25 through
September 10. 22-foot limit. Vaulted toilets.

Puyallup
The Puyallup Fairgrounds in Puyallup has a RV park with full hookups at $12-$16/night.
While not free, this is a good price for the Puget Sound area. There are occasional events that occupy
the entire park so call (253) 841-5018 to check for availability. There are about 160 spaces, so most
of the time there’s space.

North of Seattle along I-5 (about a 25-minute drive in light traffic) is Lynnwood. A new Wal-
Mart opened in 2000 right along I-5 on the east side, and it allows overnight stays. Farther north,
about 20 minutes beyond Marysville on the west side of I-5, is another new Wal-Mart that allows
overnight stays. Another 25-minutes north, on the east side of I-5 in Burlington, is yet another Wal-
Mart where RVers stay.

Spokane/Airway Heights
The Northern Quest Casino permits free overnight RV says in its parking lot. To get there, exit
I-90 onto U.S. 2 West and four miles to the town of Airway Heights. Turn right on Hayford Road.
Page 54
The casino is just ahead.

Toledo
Gee Cees Truck stop at exit 57 off I-5 told us they didn’t see any reason why an RVer couldn’t
stay the night. So you might want to check with the Fuel Desk when you arrive to double check it’s
okay.

Tonasket
The Tonasket Visitor Center, in the northwest area of town near city limits (between Winesap
and Western, bordering the railroad) has eight RV hookup sites at $10 a night.

WYOMING
Afton
“Lincoln Park, on Route 89 on the Idaho border, offers free camping, but it’s more of a parking
lot than a campground. In town, a canopy of hundreds of antlers goes all the way across the main
street. A Flying J Truck Stop is at the intersection of U.S. 30 and State Route 232 where there’s a big
parking lot, propane, free dump and a $9.99 T-bone steak.” — DAVE B.

Aladdin
“Free overnight stopovers in self-contained RVs are permitted at the Aladdin store or at the
fairgrounds, both owned by Rick and Judy Brengle who operate the store. This tiny town is in the far
northeast corner of the state on State Route 24 northwest of Spearfish, S.D., and is on the way to
Devils Tower National Monument. If you want to stay, call ahead if you can (307) 896-2226.” —
SALLY (who lives in Aladdin)

Cheyenne
Sapp Brothers Truck Stop will allow an overnight stay “as a rule” according to the fellow we
talked with there. He perked up when we suggested that payment for such a stay might be a fuel fill
up. Take exit 370 off I-80.

Cokeville
Two nights of free camping is allowed in the city park. Tenters are warned not to camp in the
grassy area or risk being soaked by the sprinklers that come on at night. Cokeville is west of
Kemmerer on U.S. 30, 11 miles southeast of the Idaho border. The area is quiet except for an occa-
sional train.

Douglas
Free camping (max. 48 hours) for RVers and tenters is allowed in pretty city-operated Riverside
Park, which is near the state fairgrounds and the local Chamber of Commerce on the northeast side
of town. Amenities: dump station, showers, dumpster, even automatic hand blow dryers. Watch out
Holiday Inn! While in town, don’t miss Jackalope Square, home to a giant jackalope. Take a photo to
impress your friends.

Page 55
Evanston
Hat Six Travel Plaza at exit 182 off I-25 says it “does not see a problem” with RVers staying
overnight.

Glenrock
“The rodeo grounds and park allows free camping. We stayed three weeks and it was fantastic.
There’s a dump station and water faucets.” — ROBIN

Granger
“You can park for free in the city park, but watch where you step for cowpies. This is open
range country and cows come into town. Grander is on Highway 30 about 5 miles west of Little
America (see below) and 25 miles west of Green River. Granger and its park are a little run down,
but the local citizens say they are trying to fix things up.” — DAVE B.

Kaycee
The city park offers free camping in a stand of cottonwood trees.

Lander
“The Lander City Park allows free camping. There’s a big grassy area for tents and a dry park-
ing area for RVs.” — D. FALES

Little America
This is a handy stopping place along I-80 (exit 68) west of Green River. One night of camping
for self-contained RVs is permitted in the southwest parking area or with tractor-trailer parking. A
restaurant, gift shop, restrooms and pay showers are nearby.

Lovell
A park on Quebec Ave. at Second Street offers two days of free camping, although donations
are accepted.

Pinedale/Stanley’s Junction
“Free overnight parking is permitted at the Food Mart at Stanley’s Junction at the intersection
of U.S. 189 and 191 west of Pinedale.” —A. HART

Powell
“Homesteader Park is just east of town on Highway 14A. There are a couple dozen RV sites
with a two day limit.” — W. STANLEY

Rawlins
Rip Griffin’s Travel Center doesn’t have an official policy about RVers staying overnight, but
the person we talked with there said she didn’t see that there would be a problem. So our advice is to
check in with the Fuel Desk when you arrive and make sure it’s okay to stay. Take Exit 214 off I-80.

Sheridan
“The City of Sheridan’s Washington Park on Coffeen allows free camping for self-contained
RVs. The park has large trees and a gravel parking area, but there are no individual sites. A creek and
Page 56
very busy street are adjacent. There’s a free dump station, public restrooms and water fill for a
charge. For info call the Sheridan Parks Department at (307) 674-7412.“ — RON

Torrington
A free municipal campground is right along the Platt River at 15th and Green Streets. There are
16 sites with 30-amp power available. Stays are limited to 10 days and payment is voluntary. The
sites are large and most are shaded. No water hookups, but there are restrooms (no showers). Rail-
road tracks nearby and trains pass all day and night, blowing horns at RR crossing making sleep
difficult.

Wheatland
City-owned Lewis Park offers both RV and tent sites, with about a dozen with 30-amp service.
Donations accepted. Don’t stay the 4th of July, as the partying gets pretty loud. Free dump stations
and pay showers are at the swimming pool. A nine-hole golf course is nearby.

CAMPING ON GOVERNMENT LANDS

IN ARIZONA AND SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Here is the official word on free and low-cost camping on Arizona and Southern California’s
public lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). “Boondocking” comes in
three forms: dispersed camping on public lands, and camping at short term and long term visitor
areas. Short Term Visitor Areas and Long Term Visitor Areas involve a fee, $25 for the short term
(14 consecutive days) permit, and $125 for the LTVA permit for a stay of up to seven months (from
Sept. 15 to April 15). STVAs and LTVAs have some amenities like trash collection, dump stations,
sewer disposal facilities and restrooms. Stays on other public lands costs nothing, and an RVer has
literally millions of acres to choose from. There are some rules, however, which we have outlined in
this section.

Long Term Visitor Areas (LTVAs)

The purpose of the LTVA program is to provide areas for long-term winter camping use. The
sites designated as LTVAs are, in most cases, the traditional use areas of long-term visitors. Desig-
nated sites were selected using criteria developed during the land management planning process, and
environmental assessments were completed for each site location. The program was established to
safely and properly accommodate the increasing demand for long-term winter visitation and to
provide natural resource protection through improved management of this use. The designation of
LTVAs assures that specific locations are available for long-term use year after year, and that inap-
propriate areas are not used for extended periods.

Visitors may camp without an LTVA permit outside of LTVAs, on public lands not otherwise
posted or closed to camping, for up to 14 days in any 28-day period. The following are the supple-
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mental rules for the designated LTVAs and are in addition to rules of conduct set forth in Title 43,
Code of Federal Regulations, Subpart 8365. 0-1 through 1-7. The following supplemental rules
apply year-long to all public land users who enter the LTVAs.

1. The permit. A permit is required to camp in a designated LTVA between September 15 and
April 15. The permit authorizes the camper to stay within any designated LTVA using the camping or
dwelling unit(s) indicated on the permit between the period from September 15 to April 15. There
are two types of permits: Long-term and short-visit. The long-term permit fee is $125, U.S. funds
only, for the entire season and any part of the season. The short-term permit is $25 for 14 consecu-
tive days. The short-visit permit may be renewed an unlimited number of times for the cost of $25.
No refunds are made on permit fees.

2. The Permit. To be valid, the short-visit permit decal or long-term permit decal must be
affixed at the time of purchase, with the adhesive backing, to the bottom right-hand corner of the
windshield of all transportation vehicles and in a clearly visible location on all camping units. A
maximum of two (2) secondary vehicles is permitted.

3. Permit Transfers. The permit may not be reassigned or transferred by the permittee.

4. Permit Revocation. An authorized BLM officer may revoke, without reimbursement, any
LTVA permit issued to any person when the permittee violates any BLM rule or regulation, or when
the permittee, permittee’s family, or guest’s conduct is inconsistent with the goal of BLM’s LTVA
Program. Failure to return any LTVA permit to an authorized BLM officer upon demand is a viola-
tion of this supplemental rule. Any permittee whose permit is revoked must remove all property and
leave the LTVA system within 12 hours of notice. The revoked permittee will not be allowed into
any other LTVA in Arizona or California for the remainder of the LTVA season.

5. Unoccupied Camping Units. Camping units or campsites must not be left unoccupied within
any LTVA for periods of greater than 5 days unless approved in advance by an authorized BLM
officer.

6. Parking. For your safety and privacy, you must maintain a minimum of 15 feet of space
between dwelling units.

7. Removal of Wheels and Campers. Campers, trailers, and other dwelling units must remain
mobile. Wheels must remain on all wheeled vehicles. Pickup campers may be set on jacks manufac-
tured for that purpose.

8. Quiet Hours. Quiet hours are from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. in accordance with applicable state time
zone standards, or as otherwise posted.

9. Noise. Operation of audio devices or motorized equipment, including generators, in a manner

that makes unreasonable noise as determined by the authorized BLM officer is prohibited. Amplified
music is allowed only within La Posa and Imperial Dam LTVAs and only in locations designated by
BLM or when approved in advance by an authorized BLM officer.

10. Access. Do not block roads or trails commonly in public use with your parked vehicles,
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stones, wooden barricades, or by any other means.

11. Structures and Landscaping. Fixed structures of any type are prohibited and temporary
structures must conform to posted policies. This includes, but is not limited to fences, dog runs,
storage units, and windbreaks. Alterations to the natural landscape are not allowed. Painting rocks or
defacing or damaging any natural or archaeological feature is prohibited.

12. Livestock. Boarding of livestock (horses, cattle, sheep, goats, etc.) within LTVA boundaries
is permitted only when approved in advance by an authorized BLM officer.

13. Pets. Pets must be kept on a leash at all times. Keep an eye on your pets. Unattended and
unwatched pets may fall prey to coyotes or other desert predators. Pet owners are responsible for
cleanup and sanitary disposal of pet waste.

14. Cultural Resources. Do not disturb any archaeological or historical values including, but not
limited to, petroglyphs, ruins, historic buildings, and artifacts that may occur on public lands.

15. Trash. Place all trash in designated receptacles. Public trash facilities are shown in the LTVA
brochure. Depositing trash or holding-tank sewage in vault toilets is prohibited. An LTVA permit is
required for trash disposal within all LTVA campgrounds except for the Mule Mountain LTVA. The
changing of motor oil, vehicular fluids, or disposal and possession of these used substances within
an LTVA is strictly prohibited.

16. Dumping. Absolutely no dumping of sewage, gray water, or garbage on the ground. This
includes motor oil and any other waste products: Federal, state, and county sanitation laws and
county ordinances specifically prohibit these practices. Sanitary dump station locations are shown in
the LTVA brochure. LTVA permits are required for dumping within all LTVA campgrounds except
for the Midland LTVA.

17. Self-Contained Vehicles. In Pilot Knob, Midland, Tamarisk, and Hot Springs LTVAs,
camping is restricted to self-contained camping units only. Self-contained units must have a perma-
nent affixed waste water holding tank of 10-gallon minimum capacity. Port-a-potty systems, or
systems which utilize portable holding tanks, or permanent holding tanks of less than 10-gallon
capacity are not considered to be self-contained. The La Posa, Imperial Dam, and Mule Mountain
LTVAs are restricted to self-contained camping units, except within 500 feet of a vault or rest room.

18. Campfires. Campfires are permitted in LTVAs subject to all local, state, and Federal regula-
tions. Comply with posted rules.

19. Wood Collection. No wood collection is permitted within the LTVAs. A maximum of 1
cubic yard (3' x 3' x 3') of firewood will be allowed per individual or group campfire at any one time.
Please contact the nearest BLM office for current regulations concerning wood collection.

20. Speed Limit. The speed limit in LTVAs is 15 m.p.h. or as otherwise posted.

21. Off-Highway Vehicle Use. Motorized vehicles must remain on existing roads, trails, and
washes.
Page 59
 22. Vehicle Use. It is prohibited to operate any vehicle in violation of state or local laws and
regulations relating to use, standards, registration, operation, and inspection.

23. Firearms. The discharge or use of firearms or weapons is prohibited inside or within 1/2
mile of the LTVAs.

24. Vending Permits. Any commercial activity requires a vending permit. Please contact the
nearest BLM office for information on vending or concession permits.

25. Aircraft Use. Landing or taking off of aircraft, including ultralights and hot air balloons, is
prohibited in LTVAs.

26. Perimeter Camping. No camping is allowed within 1 mile of Hot Spring, Tamarisk, Pilot
Knob LTVAs and within 2 miles of Midland LTVA.

27. Hot Spring Spa and Day Use Area. Food, beverages, glass containers, soap, and pets are
prohibited within the fenced-in area at the Hot Springs Spa. Day use hours are 5 a.m. to midnight.

28. Mule Mountain LTVA. All camping within Wiley’s Well and Coon Hollow campgrounds is
restricted to designated sites only and is limited to one (1) camping or dwelling unit per site.

29. Imperial Dam and La Posa LTVAs. Overnight occupancy is prohibited in desert washes in
Imperial Dam and La Posa LTVAs.

30. La Posa LTVA. Access to La Posa LTVA is restricted to legal access roads along U.S.
Highway 95. Construction and use of other access points are prohibited. This includes removal or
modification of barricades, such as fences, ditches, and berms.

31. Posted Rules. Observe all posted rules. Individual LTVAs may have additional specific
rules. If posted rules differ from these supplemental rules, the posted rules take precedence.

32. Other Laws. LTVA permit holders are required to observe all Federal, state, and local laws
and regulations applicable to the LTVA and shall keep the LTVA and, specifically, their campsite, in
a neat, orderly, and sanitary condition.

33. Length of Stay. Length of stay in an LTVA between April 16 and September 14 is limited to
14 days in a 28-day period. After the 14th day of occupation campers must move outside of a 25-
mile radius of the previous location. Violation of these supplementary rules may result in revocation
of the LTVA permit, issuance of a citation, and/or arrest which may require appearance before a U.S.
Magistrate or penalties up to $100,000 and/or one-year imprisonment.

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 LTVA locations
California
Imperial Dam Long Term Visitor Area
The Imperial Dam Long Term Visitor Area (LTVA) was created in 1983 to fulfill the needs of
winter visitors and to protect the local desert ecosystem from overuse. The campground is approxi-
mately 3,500 acres in size, flat landscape, sparsely vegetated with plants such as Creosote bushes,
Palo Verde trees, Ironwood trees, Mesquite trees and various species of cacti.
To get there, use Interstate 8 to Yuma, Ariz. T ake the 4th Avenue exit to Imperial County
Road S-24. Go north approximately 22 miles to SenatorWash Road. Turn left onto Senator Wash
Road and follow it for approximately 3 miles to the campgrounds. This Long Term Visitor Area is
located North of Yuma on the California side of the Colorado River.
Facilities include grey water dump sites, two restroom facilities with outdoor showers, black
water dump site with water, trash removal, ramadas and dance floor / music performance area. A
temporary fee of $4 for RVs and $2 for “blue boy” holding tanks is required.

Hot Springs LTVA

East of Holtville on Old Highway 80, the historic and still-active hot spring attracts both
local and winter visitors. Use hours for the spa area are 5 a.m. to midnight. Soap and shampoo are
not allowed in the hot spring. The camping area is designated as a LTVA. Since only minimum
camping facilities are available, only self-contained camping units are allowed. Services available
are a trash facility, vault toilets, and camp hosts. Pay telephones and dump station facilities are
nearby in Holtville.

Pilot Knob LTVA

Pilot Knob is south of Interstate 8 near Sidewinder Road. west of Yuma barely about the
Mexico border. The area in and around Pilot Knob is rich in both human and natural history. At one
time, General Patton’s troops trained here in preparation for desert fighting in World War II. A State
of California Historic Marker lies on the site of Patton’s camp. The marker is located just north of
Interstate 8 on Sidewinder Road. The Fort Yuma Indian Reservation borders public lands near Pilot
Knob.
The LTVA is a popular camping spot. Since only minimum camping facilities are available,
only self-contained camping units are allowed.

Mule Mountain LTVA

This site is located south of Interstate 10, southwest of Blythe. Turn south on Wiley’s Road at
interchange approximately 15 miles west of Blythe or approximately 29 miles east of Desert Center.
Proceed south past the state prison. This is a desert road and can be quite rough at times.
This is a nice camping area with garbage disposal, dump station and outdoor restrooms.
There is a hand water pump at Wiley well camp site (elevation 590 feet) nearby but no kind of
connection to fill holding tanks so take along enough water and dump before you leave. There is also
a rest stop on the north side of the I-10 interchange with a sanitary dump. If you have an all terrain
vehicle there are many rockhound areas to pick up semi-precious rocks, mostly various types of

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agates and nodules.
Tamarisk LTVA
Located off State Highway 98 west of Yuma and Pilot Knob LTVA, along the All American
Canal is Tamarisk LTVA. Because of its remote location, Tamarisk LTVA is quiet and peaceful.
Since only minimum camping facilities are available, only self-contained camping units are allowed.
The camping area is open September 15 through April 15. Services available are a trash facility and
camp hosts.

Midland LTVA
The Midland Long Term Visitor Area (LTVA) is located on the northern edge of the Palo
Verde Mesa, eight miles north of Blythe, California. Nearly all of the LTVA is situated on flattened
desert pavements, consisting of alluvium derived from the Big Maria Mountains. Site elevations
range from 600 feet on the northern boundary to 490 feet along the southern boundary.
Midland LTVA can be accessed eight miles north on Lovekin Road. (Lovekin Road will turn
into Midland Road two miles north of Blythe). Activities include camping, hiking or backpacking,
off-highway vehicle riding and scenic driving. Facilities include dump station, exhibits, primitive
camping and trash collection.

Arizona
La Posa Long Term Visitor Area
The La Posa Long Term Visitor Area (LTVA) was created in 1983 to fulfill the needs of
winter visitors and to protect the local desert ecosystem from over use. The campground is approxi-
mately 11,400 acres in size, flat landscape, sparsely vegetated with plants such as Creosote bushes,
Palo Verde trees, Ironwood trees, Mesquite trees and various species of cacti.
To get to it, exit Interstate 10 at the city of Quartzite. Take highway 95 south to the four
campgrounds. The campground entrances are approximately two miles south of town.
Facilities include 10 vault toilets (handicap accessible), dry dump station, dump station with
water, water station (eight faucets), trash services, some paved / improved roads, dance floor and
ramada.
Features include cultural sites, rockhounding, watchable wildlife, unique desert scenery,
solitude, hiking opportunities, security and nearby Quartzsite and its huge flea markets and gem
shows.
•••
For more information on camping on BLM lands including Long Term Visitor Areas, contact
these Bureau of Land Management offices.

BLM El Centro Field Office

1661 S. 4th Street
El Centro, CA 92243
(760) 337-4400

BLM Yuma Field Office

22555 East Gila Ridge Road
Yuma, AZ 85365-2240
(520) 317-3200
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Dispersed Recreation Camping
Camping on public lands away from developed recreation facilities is referred to as “dispersed
camping.” Most of the public lands in Arizona are open to dispersed camping, as long as such use
does not conflict with other authorized uses or occurs in areas posted “closed to camping,” or in
some way adversely affects wildlife species or natural resources.
Free dispersed camping is allowed on Public Lands in Arizona for no more than a period of 14
days within any period of 28 consecutive days. The 28-day period begins when a camper initially
occupies a specific location on public lands. The 14 day limit may be reached either through a
number of separate visits or through 14 days of continuous overnight occupation during the 28-day
period. After the 14th day of occupation, the camper must move outside of a 25-mile radius of the
previous location until the 29th day since the initial occupation. The purpose of this special rule is to
prevent damage to sensitive resources caused by continual use of any particular areas. In addition,
campers must not leave any personal property unattended for more than 10 days.
`To further protect public lands, campers must not dispose of any refuse, hazardous materials,
sewage, or gray water, in any manner pollute the surrounding area.

“Pay” Campgrounds:
What do they cost?
While finding free campgrounds gets harder every year, finding pay campgrounds does not.
There are plenty. Camping fees vary from as low as $5 a night for a primitive space (no hookups and
perhaps not even water or toilets) at a government campground to $35 and up at private ones.
The least expensive campgrounds are those provided by the federal government. The Bureau of
Land Management (BLM) and U.S. Forest Service (USFS) have literally thousands of campgrounds.
Fees range from about $5 to $15 a night, or half of that with a Golden Age Passport, which is avail-
able to U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are age 62 or older. There is a one-time charge of
$10, but the pass is good for life. It provides free entrance to most federal recreation areas and
provides a 50% discount on use fees, such as camping fees.
Many government campgrounds are free, however, these freebies usually come with a price,
however: a long drive to reach them. These campgrounds are often secluded and out of the way. For
campers who seek an experience with nature, they can be a wonderful choice.
Every state in the West has state parks. The campgrounds are generally very clean, with spa-
cious sites, and usually in scenic locations. The price of a campsite is typically between the cost the
ones we mentioned above and local private RV parks. Expect to pay $10 to $20 a night. Few of these
campgrounds offer full hookups, although electric and water are often available.
County parks sometimes include campgrounds. Camping fees range from nearly free to $15 to
$20 a night.
Private campgrounds come in all shapes and sizes. Buy a copy of Woodalls or Trailer Life’s
annual campgrounds directories and you will find thousands of listings. Generally, the closer these
RV parks are to major cities or tourist attractions, the higher the camping fee. Those in the middle of
nowhere will do very little damage to your pocketbook — sometimes offering full hookups for $15
or less.
The most familiar name in private campgrounds is KOA, short for Kampgrounds of America.

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More than 500 KOAs are located in all parts of the USA and Canada. An overnight stay costs from
about $20 to $40 on average, but sometimes more and (infrequently) a few dollars less. KOAs vary
in what they offer, but the common denominator is that they are easy to find, tidy, with a store,
telephones, laundry room and clean restrooms with excellent showers. Hundreds of KOAs these
days even offer Internet kiosks. Campers who plan to stay more than a few nights a year at a KOA
should purchase a KOA Value Kard for $12, which entitles the card holder to a 10% discount on
daily registration fees as well as a free KOA Directory and Atlas. The cards can be purchased at any
KOA or by mail from KOA Value Card, P.O. Box 31734, Billings, MT 59107.
Other private RV parks are mostly mom and pop operations and the quality is not consistent.
Some are in scenic locations and squeaky clean, with spacious campsites and clean bathrooms.
Others are an embarrassment to the industry, and are a reason that some RVers are hesitant to drive
very far out of their way to an unknown RV park based on its listing in a directory. Often what they
find is far from what they expected. KOA has benefited hugely from the inconsistent quality of these
parks.

Membership campgrounds
Thousand Trails and Coast to Coast are the biggest names in membership campgrounds. Each
organization has parks (or “preserves”) scattered around the country, most very nice places. After
buying a membership (usually not cheap), members can stay at some or all the campgrounds for free
or nearly free. For RVers who travel a lot, buying a membership can make economic sense. But for
casual travelers, the big advantage is the quality of the campgrounds, not saving money. Visit
http://www.thousandtrails.com to learn more.

Comments about free camping from the readers of

FreeCampgrounds.com

Here are some relevant comments and suggestions we’ve received about camping in “unoffi-
cial” campgrounds from the readers of FreeCampgrounds.com. Each paragraph below is from a
different person. Most comments have been edited for space. We offer these comments as food for
thought about the subject of free camping.

Overnighting at Wal-Mart

Many Wal-Mart stores now have “No Overnight RV Parking” signs. Be sure to circle the lot and
check ALL parking lot entrances. Some stores with “No overnight parking” signs: In Arizona, east
Tucson and Casa Grande, and in Oregon in Newport. We were also told of other Wal-Marts with
signs.

EDITOR’S NOTE:
In a survey on FreeCampgrounds.com, we asked our readers “How many times in 1999 did you
stay overnight at Wal-Mart?” Of the 227 respondents, one-third had stayed at least one night, with
23% staying three or more times. We suspect that in the few years since our survey that a higher
percentage of RVers have stayed at least one night in a Wal-Mart due to increased publicity of the
Page 64
practice.

I called the corporate offices of Wal-Mart in Arkansas and asked what its overnight RV parking
policy was. They were very friendly and said it was company policy to allow RVers overnight
parking. They also said it would be advisable to check in with the store manager when you arrive as
a courtesy. However, they said if we ran into a store that refused us we were to report this to them.
We have stayed in a number of Wal-Marts and have been welcomed with open arms. Management
even alerts security to keep and eye on the rigs during a stay. If you have a wife like mine (Wal-Mart
road atlas in hand) she always needs something from the store. If we stay in a Super Wal-Mart we
always hit the deli for a good chicken dinner with potato salad and cole slaw.

We drove the motorhome to the local Wal-Mart last night and got lucky and found a parking
spot right by the door. After parking, but before getting out, the greeter rushed out and knocked on
our door. He told me that I was very welcome to camp in their lot for the night, and he was ready to
show me the designated area, where there were already several RVs. Just in case anyone wonders
about Wal-Mart’s attitude toward RVers, this encounter should clear the air. Wal-Mart has figured out
how to get an otherwise under-used asset (the far end of the parking lot) to produce revenue by
encouraging RVers to park. They know that we’ll almost always run into the store for some goodies.
Smart, very smart.

I have spent several nights in Wal-Mart parking lots. We usually park then go inside and pick up
then odds and ends you always seem to need. We usually stick to the “Super” Wal-Marts as they are
24-hour stores. Others I know do the same and none of us has had any problems. I spoke to a trucker
who drives for Wal-Mart who told me that he likes seeing RVs when he arrives because he feels he is
not all alone on the lot while he waits for his delivery time.

Last year we traveled from the West Coast to the Canadian Maritime Provinces. We found that
Wal-Marts were happy to have us stop there overnight. There were very few times we didn’t buy
something. An inventive traveler can find places to stop without a fee — school yards, gasoline
stations, rest stops, club members yards, etc.

We have stayed at numerous Wal-Marts and have only had one tell us we couldn’t, in
Vancouver, BC. But they called around to the other area Wal-Marts to find one nearby where we
could stay. It was in Surrey. We have never had a problem with any of the Wal-Marts. We always
check first and make sure we do our shopping there, too. We always take out the garbage bags and
walk around our area picking up trash and then taking it to a dumpster.

On a 30-day trip though 12 states, we spent 10 nights on Wal-Mart and Big Kmart parking lots
and felt welcome everywhere except in Florida, where we were told that campers used the parking
lots like a real campground. We ate and shopped in every store, with pleasure.

A Wal-Mart or similar retail parking lot does not provide a “campsite.” It is still a parking lot
where, with the retailers approval, an RVer can get a few hours sleep. It also provides an opportunity
to do some restocking and other shopping. For example, we came through a Texas town recently that
had a free campground. But we bypassed it to go on to a Wal-Mart a mile away. We didn’t want to
“camp.” We wanted to do a little shopping and get some sleep. It was just easier to do our shopping
and then get some sleep where we were rather than doubling back to the free campground, or, for
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that matter, going on to a commercial park. We didn’t need swimming pool, showers or any other
amenities that come with the fee or the extra time it takes to get checked in. So, it’s not always a
matter of dollars. As in this case, sometimes it’s just more convenient.

Flying J Truck Stops

It is a well known fact that Flying J Truck Stops are RV-friendly. But if you use the truck stops
to stay overnight, by all means fill your tank, get propane, eat a meal or buy something in the conve-
nience store. Please don’t abuse this good thing or it will be taken away from us.

I recently completed a 12,000-mile trip in my motorhome, which started out in Canton, New
York and took me all the way to San Diego. I always tried to arrange my stops at the Flying Js. Their
gas prices were always better than anyone else’s and they will even give you a discount card (not
much, just one cent a gallon). I also filled up my LP tanks there. Most of them had a separate area
for overnight RV parking, away from the semi trucks. It was always a pleasure stopping there.

I have stayed at a Flying J once, but have attempted to stay many times. I’ve found arriving late
pretty much guarantees you won’t be staying there. They fill up in front.

Other Truck Stops

We have been on the road for three years now and have not spent one night in a Wal-Mart.
When we travel cross country we stop in truck stops and have not been turned down yet. We have a
book called “Trucker’s Friend” (buy it at most Truck Stops and at Camping World) and they list all
truck stops that welcome RVs. We usually get in the back of the parking lot and set up and have,
from time to time, set up satellite dish. If you need to run a generator who will notice? The only
problem is having a cattle carrier pull in and park next door. Keep a low profile and do business at
the establishment where you are parking. We also use the “Trucker’s Friend” to locate restaurants
that have table phones and we will have dinner and get our e-mail at the same time. Works great.

Camping World stores

Many Camping Worlds allow free overnight parking. But the one in San Marcus, Calif., just
inland from Oceanside in Southern California, is completely fenced in and no overnight camping is
allowed. We had to park in the Sam’s Club parking lot nearby — the Wal-Mart didn’t allow over-
night parking there either.

We travel in our motorhome about 7-8 months a year. Camping World is a good overnight spot.
Like Wal-Mart, they figure you’ll buy something.

I contacted the company’s headquarters and was told that some stores do let you stay overnight,
but to check with each store.

Cracker Barrel
You can stay a night in most Cracker Barrel restaurants(even the official company policy is “No
overnight stays”). As with Wal-Marts, you should ask first, but generally they don’t turn you down if
you arrive just before closing. Good breakfasts too!

Kmart, factory outlet stores & shopping centers

Kmart allows overnight parking. As a matter of fact, they were the first to provide the overnight
camping opportunity.
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 I normally ask the Kmart store manager if he minds if I spend the night. I have never been
turned down. Most will tell me they will let their security staff know so they can keep an eye on my
rig during the night. I always park off the beaten path and never leave any trash. If it’s a Super
Center, then my dinner will be its fried chicken, potato salad and cole slaw. Yum, yum.

Once we talked to the mall management at Grapevine Mills in Grapevine, Texas and asked if
we could park in their lot since we were shopping, having dinner and seeing a movie. They said fine
and even had the security guards watch out for us. The next day the guard came by and asked us if
we had a nice time.

Other camping areas

Highway rest areas

EDITOR’S NOTE: We recently polled the readers of FreeCampgrounds.com, asking them

“How often do you stay the night at a highway rest stop?” Of the 334 respondents, 13% reported
they stayed often, 31% once in awhile, 19% hardly ever, and 37% never.

We have stayed in rest areas many times, but only ones that list that overnight parking is okay.
We have never had a problem. We also look for other RVers and park as near to them as we can. We
seldom stay more than 8 to 12 hours.

Situation awareness is the key to survival. The highway rest area ranks right up there with a
watering hole in the middle of the desert. Stake it out and sooner or later lunch will show up. There
is no good reason that RVers should get themselves in a position to have to visit, let alone stay in a
rest area at night. The April 26, 2000 issue of Good Sam’s magazine has an article on full timing it,
with a section devoted to RVers and guns. The author guesses that approximately 50% of RVers have
a shotgun or pistol on board. None the less, stay away from the watering hole.

Some free (or very cheap campgrounds) happen to be at Elks Club Lodges. Many of them have
RV hookups at either free, or very cheap rates. Most all have nice restaurants and lounges along with
other activities (music, dancing, etc.). These benefits are for Elks Club members only, however, once
a member, you can use the facilities all over the country, and the Elks are a very civic-minded orga-
nization and contribute to many worthwhile activities.

I’ve never run across any Elks Lodges where camping is free. Most have increased their prices
over the prices listed in the books or they ask for a donation. The campgrounds are a large money
raiser for the lodges. Some of the members work very hard building and maintaining the camp spots.

Miscellaneous
Flying J and Union 76 Truck Stops publish flyers that list what they offer RVers — propane,
dump station, etc., and encourage them to spend the night. I have made it a habit that if I spend the
night I spend money at the business. I always need fuel. And if not fuel, I get a meal. More and more
truck service centers realize that RVers mean money and that offering the RVer the same service as
truckers increases their bottom line.

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 I saw an article in a Thousand Trail’s magazine about free camping at Union 76 Truck Stops. I
wrote them and they sent me a brochure listing all their truck stops, what they offered the RVer, like
propane, dump station, etc. The brochure stated very plainly that RVers were welcome to spend the
night. During my travels I have stayed at Union 76s along the way, always buying fuel or a meal for
being allowed to stay in their property. I believe it is the right thing to do and they know that by
tapping into the ever-growing RV market there is money to be made by offering them a free place to
stay. The same welcome mat is offered by Flying J and AmBest Truck Stops. Their corporate offices
sent me literature, each with a map of their truck stops and what they offer the RVer.

When parking overnight in a truck stop with an RV, use the front parking lot where the cars are.
It’s quieter, safer, and more convenient. It’s safer because you lesson the chance of a big truck
backing into you in the middle of the night. There are a lot of new drivers out there in big rigs now
that have a hard time parking when rested, and a terrible time parking in the middle of the night.

A veteran RVer suggests 12 rules for free campers

We have spent many a free overnight stay and have never had a bad experience at a Walmart, K-
mart, Flying J, and several shopping malls. We also patronize private RV parks about every third day
when traveling, so we are not anti-RV campgrounds.
We would like to offer a few rules we think RVers should keep in mind when using non-tradi-
tional camping areas. One should always keep in mind that these areas are not “campgrounds.”
Always be polite and courteous, even if asked to leave. Remember that this is their property, not
yours. We feel it is best to express gratitude to the store when you are ready to leave.
As obvious as the following suggestions may seem, believe me, some RVers just don’t take time
to think or else they are just plain dumb.
• Do not park if “No Overnight Parking” signs are posted. Drive the ENTIRE area to be sure.
• Park as far from the store entrance as possible.
• Do not block drive lanes surrounding parking sections.
• If possible, keep the generator side of the RV from facing the store front or facing a nearby
home.
• Do not make any connections to storm drains or electrical boxes that might be present.
• Do not extend awnings or set out patio chairs.
• Do not litter or use the stores trash bins for garbage or regular trash. (The store must pay for
this service)
• Do not play loud music or TV.
• Do not use the store’s restroom facilities when yours is available.
• Never dump any holding tank contents on or near the stores premises.
• Do not park for more than 12 hours unless you have asked to stay longer.
• Buy any needed supplies, eats, etc., from the store and save any receipts until after leaving.

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Wal-Mart stores that do NOT
allow overnight RV parking
Most Wal-Mart stores — perhaps nine out of ten — graciously allow RVers to stay the night in
their parking lots.
The following stores, the readers of FreeCampgrounds.com report, do not allow overnight
parking. This may be the decision of the store’s management or, more often, because of a local
ordinance that prohibits such stays.
This list is best used in combination with the Wal-Mart edition of the-Rand McNally Road Atlas,
sold at Wal-Mart stores for about $5. The atlas lists every Wal-Mart store in America and Canada,
plus its street address. Some RVers carry the atlas with them and use it to plot overnight stops. Using
this list in combination with the atlas will prevent drives to stores where overnight parking is not
permitted.
If you know of a Wal-Mart (anywhere in the USA, not just the West) that bans overnight stays
that is not on this list, would you please email us with the location. Or if you have stayed very
recently at a store that IS on-this list, but does, in fact, allow overnight stays, please let us know.
Some may have changed their policies since we posted them here. If you know the address of the
store you’re writing about (or even just the name of the street or its general geographical location
within its city — north, south, etc.), please provide that information.
Please keep in mind that this list is growing by the week and is the best information we have
available as of May, 2003. Many Wal-Marts that do not allow overnight stays are not yet noted here.
We offer an updated list (available instantly for printing) on our website for $3.
http://www.freecampgrounds.com/noparking.html

Alabama
Anchorage
Dothan (W.M. SuperCenter on US 231 South, about a mile South Of Ross Clark)
Foley
Fort Payne (Signs posted)
Gadsden (No signs posted, but guard will tell you to leave)
Jasper (Stopped allowing overnight stays because of vandalism and liability concerns)
Troy (signed posted)

Arizona
Apache Junction
Avondale (Store #2554. Just west of Phoenix. One night stay only, but must be gone by 9 a.m. City regulation)
Bullhead City (camp for free in a casino parking lot across river in Laughlin, Nev. Hundreds of RVs nightly)
Casa Grande (No parking anywhere in city limits except in campgrounds)
Chandler (City ordinance)
Flagstaff (No overnight parking or Wal-Mart or any city shopping center)
Glendale (no parking in any parking lot in the city)
Kingman (RVer was kicked out at 3 a.m. by police. Many RVers have stayed next door at Albertsons)
Lake Havasu City (no parking anywhere in town but RV parks. You could get a stiff fine if you stay at Wal-Mart)
Mesa (6131 E. Southern)
Phoenix (store at/near Dysart Rd)
Prescott
Scottsdale (signed posted in March, 2002. City ordinance. No parking in other public places, too)
Show Low (signs posted)
Sierra Vista
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Tempe (okay, but must be gone by 6 a.m.)
Tucson (Super Center at 7635 N La Cholla Blvd. — Foothills Mall Location)
Tucson (7100 E. Speedway at Kolb Rd)
Yuma (Cops will chase you out)

Arkansas
Arkadelphia (Overnighting okay, but watch for height barriers to prevent big rig truck entry)
Fayetteville (signs posted)
Hot Springs (Store on Central Ave. Signs posted)
Russellville (Flying J Travel Center is not far away where stays are reportedly okay)

California
Anaheim
Arroyo Grande (Signs posted)
Cathedral City (City ordinace bans stays, but RVers have been seen staying anyway.)
Corona (on Ontario Street, city ordinance)
Covina
Crescent City
El Cajon (store on Los Coches Road. Signs posted and enforced)
Fairfield (at 300 Chadbourne Road)
Folsom (on East Bidwell. Signs posted)
Huntington Beach (new store, Dec. 2001. No parking due to city ordinance)
La Quinta (police may show up at 3 a.m. to kick you out)
Livermore (We have conflicting reports on this store. RVers have been observed staying.)
Modesto (signs posted)
Mountain View (Showers Drive store. One RVer received a citation for “staying all day” after staying only two
hours while shopping in the store).
Oceanside (both stores in town ban overnight stays)
Oxnard (RVers who try to stay are asked to leave)
Pleasanton (local ordinance)
Poway (San Diego area. Local ordinance)
Rohnert Park (we have received conflicting reports on this store’s policy)
Salinas
San Clemente (no overnight parking anywhere in the city)
San Diego (Murphy Canyon Store #2177)
(Also stores at 3412 College Ave., and 6336 College Grove Way)
San Dimas (off I-210. Arrive after 8 p.m. and a stay may be okay. Leave early)
San Leandro (on the Davis Street Exit from I-880)
Santa Clarita/Valencia (one RVer woke up to a warning ticket on his windshield)
Santa Maria (RVers are told to leave.)
Santee (don’t try to boondock anywhere in town)
Suisun (signs posted as of June, ’02)
Tustin
Ukiah (signed posted in Aug., ’02)
Union City (some RVers have stayed. What is your experience here?)
Valencia/Santa Clarita (try the Camping World 100 yards away. RVers stay there)
Vallejo (ask the greeter about staying in an old truck parking lot a few blocks away)
Vista (University Dr. store. Manager may say it’s okay, but the security guard will bang on your door at night to
kick you out)
Windsor

Colorado
Brighton
Colorado Springs (at Platte & Chelton. Signs posted in April 2002)
Fort Collins (store on north end of town does’t allow stays, south store does)

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Frisco (city ordinance)
Gunnison (signs posted)
Wheatridge (suburb of Denver. Many RVers have been staying. So ask first to see if okay)

Connecticut
Avon (try the store in Torrington, 10 miles away)
Southington

Florida
Bradenton (signs posted)
Callaway
Chipley (off Highway 77)
Clearwater
Daytona Beach (1101 Beville Rd.)
Destin (but RVers have been staying there. anyway)
Florida City (the city owns a campground, doesn’t want competition)
Fruitland Park/Leesburg (signs posted)
Ft. Myers (store just south of airport on 41S has no parking signs
Haines City (a local resident reported in June, ’02 that RVers have been staying anyway)
Homestead (RVers have been kicked out. But some have been observed staying. Best to not stay)
Jacksonville (on I-295 exit 13)
Jupiter (Signs posted)
Kissimmee (4444 W. Vine. City ordinance)
Lakeland (just north of Interstate 4. Security guard will ask you to move.
Land O Lakes (State Road 54 and US 41)
Largo
Leesburg/Fruitland Park (signs posted)
Live Oak (U.S. Hwy 129 at I-10. RVers have been staying)
Marianna (store lot at old exit 21 off of I-10. Try TA Truck Stop one mile south)
Melbourne
Merritt Island (on State Road 520)
Mt. Dora (signs posted)
Naples (there are two stores here.The store off Highway 41 East bans stays. We’re not sure about the other store)
New Smyrna Beach (just off I-95)
Ocala (City ordinance. Applies to all Ocala stores)
Oldsmar (see Tampa)
Ormond Beach (1521 W. Granada)
Palm Coast
Panama City Beach (no stays in any public parking lot. City ordinance)
Pinellas Park (local ordinance)
Pompano Beach (police will give a ticket)
Port Charlotte (RVs have been observed staying anyway)
Port Orange (just off I-95)
Port Richey (signs posted)
Port St. Lucie (signs posted)
Punta Gorda (3811 Tamiami Trail)
Sarasota (store on Cattleman Road)
Sebring (On U.S. Hwy. 27 between Sebring and Avon Park)
Silver Springs (city ordinance)
St Cloud (city ordinance)
St. Augustine (2355 U.S. Hwy. 1 South)
St. Petersburg
Starke
Tampa: 3 stores:
Store along I-275 at exits 23A & B at 1505 N. Dale Mabry Hwy
Store at 7011 Waters Ave West
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Oldsmar store at 3801 Tampa Road
Titusville (city ordinance. However, we have been told (Jan., 2002) that the store allows overnight stays if an RVer
asks first)
Venice

Georgia
Cartersville
Commerce (No overnight parking signs were on order in mid Oct. 2001))
Dahlonega
Perry
Savanagh (at exit 94 of I95)

Idaho
Boise (at State Street and Glenwood)

Illinois
Bradley
Elmhurst (no signs posted, but an RVer who asked to say was told he couldn’t)
Geneseo (signs posted)
Mt. Vernon
St Charles

Iowa
Ames (city ordinance)
Davenport
Decorah (city ordinance)

Kansas
Wellington (some idiot reportedly dumped his/her sewage. Now overnight stays are off-limits to all)

Kentucky
Berea (Store on I-75 at exit 87. The parking lot is too small, the management claims)
Lawrenceburg

Louisianna
Bunkie (Signs posted.)
Covington
Farmerville (Signs posted)
Jennings (parking lot blocked to RVs and big trucks)Maine
Bangor (Conflicting reports. Some RVers report it’s okay, others say it’s not.)
Ellsworth (city ordinance)

Maryland
Berlin/Ocean City (the store on U.S. 50. Signs posted say $250 fine for violation)
LaVale
Westminster

Massachusetts
Plymouth (City ordinance)
Sturbridge (on Highway 20)
Wareham (signs posted)
Weymouth

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Michigan
Auburn Hills
Monroe
Petoskey
Sault Ste. Marie (signs posted)
Traverse City

Minnesota
Bloomington (and don’t try the Mall of America parking lot. You’ll get the boot)
Brooklyn Center (city may kick you out)
Eagan (Signs posted)
Grove Heights
Shakopee

Mississippi
Batesville

Missouri
Branson
Chillicothe (signs posted)
Eureka (no summers stays, but okay in winter off-season)
Laurel
O’Fallen (signs posted)
St. Louis area (if you stay, you will likely get booted out by midnight)
Town and Country - Manchester Rd (Mo. Hwy 100)
Kirkwood - Lindbergh Blvd and I-44
Eureka - I-44 at Six Flags St. Louis

Montana
Missoula (Highway 93/Brooks Street store. Store on North Reserve just off I-90 is allows stays)

Nevada
Carson City (Instead, stay at the Nugget Casino, where stays are offered in a special lot for RVs)
Elko (signs posted and warning tickets have been issued)
Henderson (No overnight stays in RVs permitted anywhere in town but in a RV park)
Las Vegas (we do not believe any of the Las Vegas stores allow overnight stays)
Reno (Northtowne Lane store and store off U.S. 395 at McCarran exit.Try the Peppermill casino or the Nugget
casino in nearby Sparks)

New Hampshire
Gorham (“No parking signs,” but RVers have been observed staying anyway)
Portsmouth
Seabrook (“No parking signs” posted, city ordinance)
Tilton (“No parking signs” apply to trucks. Ask manager if you wish to stay in an RV. Probably ok)

New Mexico
Silver City (City ordinance)

New York
Amherst (suburb of Buffalo. Signs posted)
Canandaigua
Greece

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Plattsburg
Watkins Glen (Signs posted)

North Carolina
High Point
Raleigh (off the east perimeter bypass)

North Dakota
Jamestown (Signs posted)

Ohio
Huber Heights
Mason (the store on Tylersville Rd.)
Mentor (signs inside store say “No overnight parking”)

Oklahoma
Ada (signs posted)
Claremore (signs posted)
Shawnee (but okay to stay in a lot just east of the store)

Oregon (most stores in state do not allow RV stays)

Coos Bay/North Bend (try the casino north of Coos Bay. See our Oregon listings)
Grants Pass (signs posted. RVers who tried to stay have been awoken and asked to leave)
Hood River (But many RVers have been staying as of Oct. ’02. So ask if you want to stay)
Klamath Falls (Sign posted)
La Grande
Lincoln City (don’t try any freebie parking anywhere in town)
Medford (Sign posted)
Newport (Sign posted)
Portland (4200 SE 82nd Avenue)
Roseburg
Talent (Signs posted)
Woodburn

Pennsylvania
Ephrata (No parking signs posted, but ask manager and it may be okay)
Indiana (signs posted)
Mt. Pocono
State College (Store at 1665 North Atherton Street. Signs posted)
York (the store does not own the parking lot property)Rhode Island
Warwick (store at Rhode Island Mall at Interstate 95 & 295)South Carolina
Myrtle Beach (try the Big K just a few blocks away)
North Myrtle Beach (signs posted)
Surfside (south of Myrtle Beach). Signed posted

Tennessee
Chattanooga (5764 Highway 153 location and the store at 2020 Gunbarrel Rd)
Clarksville (Manager said it was okay to stay, then security showed up at 11 p.m. and kicked the RVer out)
Collierville (area once used by overnighters has been blocked off. No RVs been staying as of Sept. ’02)
Johnson City
Kingsport (signed posted)
Pulaski (a big sign says “No Overnight Parking”)
Sevierville/Pigeon Forge (no parking anywhere in city except official campgrounds)
Union City
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 Texas
Bedford (Fort Worth area)
Brownfield
Galveston (police will kick you out if you try to stay — city ordinance)
Hickory Creek/Denton (Swisher Road, about six miles south of Denton)
Houston (at exit #780 on Interstate 10. Nearby Sam’s Club said to be okay to stay)
Also store at 10750 Westview Drive)
Irving
Sulphur Springs (Signs posted. City ordinance)
Victoria (signs posted, but RVers have been staying with no problems)

Utah
Logan (but you might be allowed to stay at the nearby Kmart. Ask first)
Park City (signs posted)
St George (sign posted, but ask and you might be able to stay)
Vernal (City ordinance. Signs posted and enforced)
Washington (city ordinance. Signs posted)
West Jordan (On S. Bangerter Hwy. Signs posted)Vermont
Rutland (Signs say “3 hour parking” limit)

Virginia
Charlottesville (store on Hwy 29. Tow away signs are posted)
Leesburg (city ordinance)
Lynchburg (Sam’s Club next door may let you stay)
Luray (signs posted)
Mechanicsville (store at 7430 Bell Creek Rd. “No Overnight Parking” posted)
Virginia Beach (store near Sandbridge Road)
Wytheville (off I-81. No parking signs posted)

Washington
Kennewick (RVers have been observed staying anyway)
Richland (signs posted)

West Virginia
Morgantown
Ripley (signs posted. Try next door at the Kroger store. But ask before staying

Wisconsin
Appleton (store on east side of town has signed posted. Don’t know for sure about store on west side)
Lake Delton
Waukesha (1/2 mile off I-94. No overnight parking signs are posted)Wyoming
Casper (signs posted)
Cheyenne (but RVers have been staying anyway. Police may knock to kick you out)
Rock Springs (but a Flying J Truck Stop along I-80 just east of town allows free stays. RVers have been reporting
in June, 2002 that RVers have been staying at the Wal-Mart with no problems. So ask if you want to stay to be
sure.)

Help us identify other Wal-Marts that do not permit overnight RV parking. Email us at outwest@seanet..com with the city where
the store is located and its address (or general location within the town).

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 Common sense rules about staying the night at Walmart
•No pop up trailers or tents
•Don’t stay if “No overnight parking” signs are posted.
•Obtain permission from a qualified person at the store that it’s okay to stay. However, if there are already many
RVs parked nearby each other in the parking lot, you can probably assume overnight stays are allowed.
•Park in an out-of-the-way corner of the parking lot. You will often find other RVs already there.
•Do not set up awnings or pull out your barbecue or lawn chairs or do anything else outside your RV that suggests
you are “camping.” In other words, “blend in!”
•Do not use hydraulic levelers. You’ll hurt the asphalt.
Make no noise. Don’t use your generator unless you are parked in a far corner of the lot with nobody around
including nearby residences.
•Don’t extend your RV’s slideouts unless absolutely necessary.
•Limit your stay to one night. Never consider a Walmart a campground, only a place to stay a night while on the
way to somewhere else or as a place to get some sleep when you are so tired that it would be dangerous to keep driving.
•Buy something from the store before leaving. Support the RV accessories department.
•Never litter. And pick up and dispose of any litter that is already there.
•Don’t stay if your RV has a leak in a waste holding tank or is dripping any oil or other automotive fluid.
•Carry a pack of post cards with you. After you leave the store after staying the night, send one to the manager
thanking him/her and noting that you purchased something while there (if you, in fact, did).
•Remember, the more people who abuse these rules, the more stores will post “No overnight parking” signs.
•Tell any RVer you observe violating these rules that you do not appreciate his or her behavior.

Free Camping Resources

And other helpful information

RV clubs & organizations

The Escapees
This is a national club of mostly full-time RVers. Escapee members own co-op campgrounds
in various areas, each member with his or her own space. But other club members can “dry camp”
$2.50 a night at 18 Escapees RV parks.

The Escapees also have favorite “boondocking” sites around the country, where members hole
up together for free for days or even weeks on end. The club has an information-packed member
magazine where many of these locations are publicized. Others are simply passed along by word of
month. A one year membership to the Escapees is $60 ($70 the first year) by calling (888) 757-2582
or online at http://www.escapees.com.

Family Motor Coaching Association

This is the largest national motorhome owners-only association in America. The club pub-
lishes an annual road atlas ($9.95 plus $3.95 shipping for members, and $16.95 plus $3.95 shipping
for non-members) that lists every Wal-Mart, Flying J Truck Stop and Cracker Barrel store in

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America. Using this as a reference while rolling down the road is a big help in locating RV-friendly
overnight stops. A one-year membership to FMCA is $25. Get more information by writing FMCA
at 8291 Clough Pike, Cincinnati, OH 45244, by calling (800) 543-3622, or online at http://
www.FMCA.org.

Elks and Moose Lodges

These two groups have lodges all across America, many of which allow overnight stays by
their members. The Elks publishes a comprehensive directory of nearly 200 lodges and their RV
facilities, most with hookups. Moose Lodges offer similar RV camping opportunities.

Good Sam Club

This is the world’s largest RV club, owned and operated by the same folks who bring us
Trailer Life and Motorhome Magazines. A big reason many members join is for the membership
card itself, which is good for a 10% discount on camping fees at most RV parks. A one-year mem-
bership is $19 from
http://www.goodsamclub.com.

Other clubs
Other RV clubs can be of help in saving on camping fees, primarily in the exchange of
information among members. Two we recommend are:
• Loners On Wheels (single, divorced or widowed RVers):
http://www.lonersonwheels.com
• RVing Women: A club for women RVers: http://www.RVingwomen

Helpful websites:
Free Camping in Southern California
http://www.desertdutch.org

Flying J Truck Stop locations:

http://www.flyingj.com

Loves Truck Stop locations

http://www.loves.com/Locations/locations.html

Wal-Mart store locator

http://www.savewealth.com/links/location/walmart

Kmart store locator

http://www.stp.com/Kmart.htm

Camping World store locator

http://www.campingworld.com/stores/index.cfm

KOA Kampgrounds
When you pay to stay, KOA has locations in easy to find locations from coast to coast.
http://www.koa.com
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Boondocking Guide
http://www.agt.net/public/waters

Free Campgrounds of the West Club

http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/freecampgroundsofthewest

Boondocking Club at Yahoo:

http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/boondocking

Quartzsite USA
Information about the West’s biggest boondocking area:
http://www.desertusa.com/Cities/az/quartzite.html

California Roadside Rest Area rules

http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/LandArch/restarea

Washington state rest area rules

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/fossc/maint/roadside/RestArea/RA_rules.html

Bureau of Land Management (BLM)

http://www.blm.gov

Beginners Guide to RVing

http://www.NewRVer.com

RV website links
http://www.RV-links.com

Gypsy Journal Newspaper

Lists free campgrounds in each issue
http://www.gypsyjournal.net

Helpful Books
Order these from your favorite bookstore or online at
http://www.RVbookstore.com

Guide to Free Campgrounds.

Don Wright’s book lists thousands of free campgrounds in the U.S — all “official camp-
grounds” unlike some of those in this directory. Most are operated by the federal government — the
U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, etc. For campers who really like to get out
into the sticks, and do it for free, this book is a MUST!

RVers Friend
A directory of services for RVs at more than 6,500 truck stops — now called Travel Centers
— along interstates and busy highways. Learn which ones permit free overnight stays, have dump
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stations and/or propane or offer Internet access. This serves as a great resource, too, of where to buy
diesel fuel. http://www.newrver.com/rversfriend.html

The Next Exit : USA Interstate Highway Exit Directory

Lists every rest area along the Interstates all the major businesses at each exit including Wal-
Mart, Kmart and Flying J.http://www.rvbookstore.com/nextexit03.html

Sign up for the free RV Traveler

Receive our free email newsletter about RV travel in the USA and Canada. Sign up or read back
issues at http://www.RVtraveler.com.

Updates of information in this book is at

http://www.FreeCampgrounds.com/3update.html

THE END
All content copyright 2003 by Chuck Woodbury, Out West.

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