Free and cheap places to Boondock

[lvmci]

Hi All, ok, here it is at JohnZ's request, and I'll start it out...
Free and cheap places to Boondock, of course we all know about Quartzsite and your aunts farm, but what about what locals know is the hidden gems not  viewable from the interstate, where you can park for free or dirt cheap to boondock and feel safe, maybe even have a great view or hike?
Heres one me and my wife like, overlooking Lake Mead and the Virgin River, just a couple miles east of the village of Overton which is about 5 miles east of Interstate 15 off ramp at Glendale, NV.
There is a mesa, flat topped mountain, on the Lake Mead side of Overton, on the road out of town, that curves up a hill, at the top is Overton Mesa, not on any map, 25 or so boondockers at a minimum at any time, you can get a view of the lake or the town , short distance to Overton to the west, Lake Mead to the east, Valley of Fire State Park to the south, and Las Vegas about 30 miles south on I-15.  Flat dirt,  no wood, many rock fire pits around. Eagles, clear star lit nights, rock hounds, on free govt land, lvmci...
OK, here is the guidlines, free or dirt cheap, safe, directions of how to get there, whats around that makes it great, what do you like about it and you have to have been there...
OK, HOW ABOUT IN YOUR NECK OF THE WOODS?

[usbusin]

Is this one "Simplot land"?  If so, we camped there several times.  Great place, nice view.




GaryD

[Mex-Busnut]

I am reposting my previous post on this subject. Hope that is O. K.

For free campgrounds, check out:

http://www.freecampgrounds.com/

For RV parking at Wal-Mart, see:

http://www.walmartatlas.com/rv-parking-at-walmart/

Also some K-Marts, Cracker Barrels, and some other stores and many lodges (Elks, Masons, etc.) and casinos offer free overnight.

Some more great ideas, especially Bureau of Land Management's 400 parks and other great ideas for free or very low cost RV parking are here:

http://www.rv-camping.org/BLMCampgrounds.html     

Be warned: In many towns, the city governments are cracking down on overnight parking at shopping centers. Different reasons have been mentioned: Nearby RV parks are paying taxes based on their usage; some RV'ers abuse by staying many days, or taking choice parking spaces close to the store, or not asking permission, or littering, etc.

One personal experience: At a huge Sams in Arlington, TX, while my wife and daughter were inside emptying out the inventory, I took a long walk around the parking lot several times. There was a converted 45-foot Van Hool bus with New Mexico plates in the parking lot. I got to talking to Sam the security guy, and he said the manager was really mad because the bus guy did not ask permission, and it had already been there for five days. They were talking about calling a wrecker to haul it off. The  basic idea is: Park in such a manner that you do not close the door for others. 

[gumpy]

Don Wright's Guide to Free Campgrounds, East and West versions.  We have the West version because that's the direction
we typically go. This is a great resource to have in the RV. It lists a vast number of places you can park for free or very cheap ($10 and under).
All across the mid-western states, the small towns offer RV parking in their city parks. Some of these are fantastic places! Most ask for donations.
Some have a fixed fee that is usually quite reasonable. Most have water, sewer and electric and are well maintained and peaceful. 

Here's a few of our favorites:  Hebron, NE, Gettysburg, SD, Albion, NE, Randolph, NE, Stromsburg, NE,  New Salem, ND (though the trains
were close enough to be quite noticable). Trains can be a major problem in some of the small towns, especially across NE. We still refer to the
night we spent in Thedford, NE over a decade ago as the "Night of Hell".

[lvmci]

Hi Craig, where do you get Don Wrights Guide at? Lvmci..

[Seangie]

We have signed up for a membership to Harvest Hosts http://www.harvesthosts.com it is a listing of winerys and farms and other places that have free overnight parking.  They (harvest hosts) ask that you purchase a product from the host you are staying with (cheese, wine, tour the facility...etc) in exchange for a free night stay.  So far its been okay.  We have had a 50% return on email/phone call communications (you dont just pull up unless they know you are coming) but the places we have had a chance to stay are 15 minutes off of major highways and have been fun for us and the kids.  Its 40$ to join for a year and get the listing.  Its way better than a Walmart or truck stop.

-Sean

Fulltiming somewhere in the USA
1984 Eagle 10S
www.herdofturtles.org

[gumpy]

Hi Craig, where do you get Don Wrights Guide at? Lvmci..

I believe I bought mine from Amazon.  I'm sure other book stores will have it, too.  I think I saw it at Camping World too.

It looks like it may not be in print any longer, but I see used ones on Amazon starting at about $9.

[technomadia]

Here are some of the resources we use:

www.OverNightRVParking.com - it's a paid site, of $25/year, that lists lots of locations and updates
AllStays Apps - has many of the overnight commercial & roadside spots
Freecampsites.net - free site, maintained by fellow full time RVers
Harvesthosts.com - overnight stays at wineries, farms and museums
Days End Directory - available to Escapees.com members

and..

We recently created an app (for iOS and Android) called US Public Lands' that shows the land boundaries of BLM, US Forest Service, National Parks, ACOE and more.  It's a tool that boondockers can use to help scope out parking on public lands.

[gus]

Too many folks don't understand that WM's policy is for parking, not camping.

There is a big difference.

Those folks will eventually cost us all the parking privilege, some WM stores already have banned RV overnight parking.

On my recent 5000mi trip to the east coast I found at least four stores doing this. Not bad but slowly getting worse.

[Seangie]

Too many folks don't understand that WM's policy is for parking, not camping.

Gus - We found in California it seems that just about every Walmart has no overnight parking.  Also there are many truckstops in CA. that we found you now have to "register" to park overnight...some even charging to stay if you don't buy a said number of gallons of fuel.

One other app that is great (android and iPhone) is Rvparky we use it all the time...paid, free, walmarts...etc.  It also shows which walmarts ban overnight parking.

-Sean

Fulltiming somewhere in the USA
1984 Eagle 10S
www.herdofturtles.org

[shelled]

Re: Walmart parking policy

what I see, especially in larger urban areas, is that the "nimby" element of our population has pushed through local laws banning overnight parking at any store parking lot.  An aweful lot of suburbanites percieve all RVers as undesireables.

it's not Walmarts fault.

You show up in a vehicle that cost 100s of thousands, if not millions, from the factory and suddenly you're undesireable.  Go figure !

edward

[Cary and Don]

The truck stop in Sacramento, CA will let you park with utilities for free with a minimum fuel purchase.  The bad news is their fuel is really high, on our last trip 20 cents a gallon higher than any other truck stop.

Don and Cary

[Dave5Cs]

Also near Sacramento is Citrus Heights Antelope road WM south side truck parking overnight ask first and next to it is HD and trucks and RV's there all the time.
WM on Hyw 65 off Pleasant Valley Road in Rocklin CA
Thunder Valley Casino also on Hyw 65 to the west of the Road, overnight parking  in their RV lot across the street. No hookups great Buffet 18 to 20 for 2 people free parking.

[gus]

I found a few WMs in CA that don't allow parking. I don't even attempt to park near any large cities west or east! Only ones away from SF, LA and SD I've found not allowing are Redding and Salinas, pretty grumpy there. Red Bluff, no problem. The more rural the better.

I've stayed at Stockton and Ventura recently.

Truck stops are always our backup if no WM is available. I've never asked at any truck stop to park overnight and have never had anything said to me about it, fuel or no.

I haven't found a Cracker Barrel yet that stays open all night which we prefer because of security. One other advantage to truck stops. We like lots of lights and activity.

[Audiomaker]

Well I don't have any, but in keeping with the spirit of the thread...

If you are heading through Oregon, there are a pair of really nice rest stops right near Aurora.  Very well kept and scenic and have enormous back lots (i.e.. additional parking).  The back lots (or "overflow" lots) are pretty empty, easy in/out..etc.

I know it's not boondocking, but if you're on your way through, try to make it there for a rest.

I've seen a few RV's in the back that look like they've been there for a couple days or more.

Aurora is south of Portland by about 30-40mi.  Both northbound and southbound 5 has them.  There are signs for the stops, or use an app or guide.