Free overnight RV parking

Tom Dunlap

Tom Dunlap

Here from the beginning
Administrator
Location
Retired in Minneapolis
There must be more people here that travel in campers.

I found this site, Boondockers, a while ago. Even though I haven't joined, I will be before they increase the membership fee next month.

Here's the deal...with a membership you get access to hosts where you can park overnight when you travel.

There are businesses and parking lots where RVs can stay for free but they're problematic.

For the price of membership it covers one or two nights at a campground. For me, when I'm traveling through I usually just want a level, quiet place to sleep. It's not the destination, its overnight.
 
[QUOTE="Tom Dunlap, post:
There must be more people here that travel in campers.

I found this site, Boondockers, a while ago. Even though I haven't joined, I will be before they increase the membership fee next month.

Here's the deal...with a membership you get access to hosts where you can park overnight when you travel.

There are businesses and parking lots where RVs can stay for free but they're problematic.

For the price of membership it covers one or two nights at a campground. For me, when I'm traveling through I usually just want a level, quiet place to sleep. It's not the destination, its overnight.
[/QUOTE]
WalMart-Cracker Barrel- rest area-cabela’s some Walmart have signs when entering parking lot that state no overnight rv parking but not common
Ohio turnpike actually has sites at their service centers with dump site and electricity but They charge I think it’s $20 so we don’t use their rv site and just park with the big Riggs for free
 
Overnight RV parking used to be common at those places. It became problematic when overnight parking was construed to mean camping or living. Some cities have passed ordinances about staying in vehicles that aren't in camping facilities.
 
Tom Dunlap said:
Overnight RV parking used to be common at those places. It became problematic when overnight parking was construed to mean camping or living. Some cities have passed ordinances about staying in vehicles that aren't in camping facilities.
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I’ve been doing it for years but I’m only their a maximum of 8 hrs
Most of the time less
 
surveyor said:
Try church parking lots.
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Done that too.

I got a knock on the door from Sheriff Andy who was doing his rounds. He checked me out and and gave me the OK. I'd parked next to the charity 'dumpster' and he told me that people had been stealing loads of stuff out of it. Not me!

ON the last family roadtrip before going off to college...August '72... we planned to go to the Ford Museum in Dearborn the next day. My folks didn't know of a nearby campground so they stopped at the police station to ask. The desk officer told them we could setup our tent-trailer over in the corner of their parking lot. It wasn't woodland quiet but we were secure.
 
In my 20's I had a Ford Bronco and it was just big enough for me to sleep diagonally with the back seats down. The tinted windows were dark enough I would park all kinds of places and jump in the back for the night. It was great just being able to take off on a whim with fishing pole in hand and not need to worry or pay for a place to stay.

Fast forward to today, I've been really enjoying all the various "van life" type vids on youtube these days. People are DIY'ing some really cool vehicle retrofits and like I found back then, it's really nice to be able to blend in and just park and sleep with nobody noticing.
 
@brydan

Did you read ‘Pictures from a trip’? About some buddies from Twin Cities who piled into their Broncitis and went west. Great travel and buddy story

I’ve had more vans than pickups in my life. Much better for work and travel. Now I have a ‘97 Geo Tracker 4wd to tow behind my camper. Best of both worlds
 
Dispersed camping is a good option if your near any national forests or certain other public lands. Not sure how big of an RV we're talking, that might limit you some
 
Tom Dunlap said:
@brydanDid you read ‘Pictures from a trip’? About some buddies from Twin Cities who piled into their Broncitis and went west. Great travel and buddy story

I’ve had more vans than pickups in my life. Much better for work and travel. Now I have a ‘97 Geo Tracker 4wd to tow behind my camper. Best of both worlds
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Not yet, I'm going to have to look that one up! Another book I've been recommended is "Travels with Charley" by John Steinbeck
 
I read Travels with CHarley many years ago. When his route brought him through Minneapolis he needed to see 'Golden Valley', a first tier suburb. He missed the visit because of traffic congestion and didn't turn around to make the visit.

Here's a pic of Steinbeck's camper named 'Rocinante' which is the name of Don Quixote of La Mancha's horse.


John Steinbeck's 'Rocinante' camper.jpg
 
Federal land such as blm is good for upto two weeks per location.

Some state park systems allow free camping in trade for being a volunteer host or some such service. Oregon beaches are fair game outside city limits and not adjacent to a state park.

Some chain stores are fair game too
 
Tom Dunlap said:
I read Travels with CHarley many years ago. When his route brought him through Minneapolis he needed to see 'Golden Valley', a first tier suburb. He missed the visit because of traffic congestion and didn't turn around to make the visit.

Here's a pic of Steinbeck's camper named 'Rocinante' which is the name of Don Quixote of La Mancha's horse.


View attachment 63166
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Had the same era GMC truck in 4WD back in the early 80's. Was driving to work at 4:30 am on some steep mountain roads on an extremely foggy morning when all of the sudden there was a fucking horse in the middle of the road. Quickly decided to avoid the horse and drive off the road instead. Rolled the truck and utterly destroyed that beautiful old rig. Crawled out of the wreckage, pulled the plates, threw them in the woods, and grabbed a ride from the 1st empty log truck that came by. I imagine that truck is still sitting there upside down in the woods. .
 
Burrapeg said:
Just bought this roof tent for my Tacoma a couple months ago. Love it! It collapses down to 11 inches tall and so far I haven't noticed it affects my gas mileage very much. It is 7 feet long by about 5 feet wide, very roomy. Plenty of height to sit up inside.View attachment 63462
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I want one! Don’t know what I’ll mount it on, chip truck maybe? But I want one!
 
That's sweet... perfect for going fishin' and stuff... was it expensive? Just asking for a friend, who might be stalking Hillary or something.
 
JeffGu said:
That's sweet... perfect for going fishin' and stuff... was it expensive? Just asking for a friend, who might be stalking Hillary or something.
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They don't exactly give them away at $2700. but cheaper than buying a second hand small motor home. It is raised above the rack about 7 inches so I can still slide a ladder or a certain amount of lumber on the rack right below the roof tent. And I can slide my dinghy in the bed of the truck for rowing. I have used it about half a dozen times now and love the thing. It has some gas struts in it like one sees on the hatchback of a car, so that it raises itself up when you unclip the latches. I can pull in and within just a few minutes, I am ready to crawl in it. Takes a bit longer to collapse, maybe 5 to 10 minutes. But beats the absolute hell out of wrestling a damn ground tent, driving stakes, etc. And it feels really neat to be up in the air that far, away from critters, etc.
 
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