Did you know you can find free overnight parking for your RV? That’s right! There is absolutely no reason you need to be paying $50+ a night to stay in traditional RV sites. In fact, there are some RVers out there who make a point of rarely staying in paid campgrounds and stick to free RV parking options only.
Wondering how you can do the same? Read on to learn everything you need to know about free overnight parking.
Finding Free Campgrounds Near You
There are a number of different types of free RV campgrounds out there. From free dry camping at many BLM spots to spots with water and electric hookups at some city parks, you’re sure to find free overnight parking that works for you.
The following are places we’ve seen offering free RV parking in our travels across the country:
- BLM Boondocking and established campgrounds
- National Forest Service boondocking and established campgrounds
- NPS lands
- State Trust lands
- Army Corps of Engineers
- City parks
- County parks
- Water Management lands
- Department of Fish and Wildlife
Most of these places have a stay limit and some require you to obtain a free permit, so be sure to look into that before you head out.
Non-Traditional Free Overnight Parking Options
There are two types of free RV parking: those that allow actual camping (like the campgrounds and boondocking spots above) and those that are meant for a quick overnight. In this section we’ll discuss the latter—spots that should be used for resting along your travel route, but not for true camping.
The reason you aren’t supposed to stay more than one night is that most of these spots are found in the parking lots of businesses. Obviously, a bunch of RVs parked for days or weeks at a time doesn’t look great for any given business. However, allowing people to stay for a single night can actually bring them business. Just make sure you do your part by eating at the restaurant or shopping at the store while parked there.
Below are some of our favorite places to stop for a quick overnight. Just be sure to ask before staying and check signage forbidding overnight stays before settling in:
- Cabela’s
- Camping World
- Cracker Barrel
- Bass Pro Shops
- Lowes or Home Depot
- Rest stops (some states do not allow this, so be sure to check first)
- Walmart
Apps to Help You Find Free RV Parking
Knowing some of the types of places that allow free overnight parking is helpful, but what if you need to figure out where to find free RV parking quickly? In that case, there are certain apps and websites that can help.
Campendium
A favorite of many RVers, Campendium is amazing because it gives you a map view of all the campsites in a given location and allows you to narrow the results based on certain criteria. One of these criteria is price, meaning you can search for free RV parking specifically. The best part? This Campendium feature is totally free to use!
Roadtrippers
Recently, Roadtrippers merged with Campendium, and we aren’t sure if the Campendium app is going to stick around much longer. That’s okay though, because all of the same info is available on the Roadtrippers map.
We do find this interface a little more difficult to work with, and we’ve noticed some problems with a few paid campgrounds showing up under the “free” filter, but overall it seems to work alright, and it gives you the option to build your entire trip in one website/app. Just know that you will have to pay to add more than three stops to your trip.
RV Life
RV Life Campgrounds is another one that is totally free to use. It does offer a map view and a price filter, but we find that the database is less extensive. Additionally, if a campground is listed but hasn’t been reviewed, it is automatically listed as “free,” meaning you might have to do a bit more research to discover if the site is actually free. Still, it is a good tool to keep in your back pocket!
Hint: This app pairs well with the paid service RV Life Trip Wizard, which will help you build out every aspect of your trip.
The Dyrt
The Dyrt also gives users a very intuitive way to search for free overnight parking specifically and see results in map view. That said, while you can see the map and use some search features for free, you do have to have a Dyrt Pro subscription to use the “free campgrounds” filter. If you’re cool with paying a small subscription fee, we do think The Dyrt is an excellent option.
iOverlander
Although iOverlander isn’t set up for RVing specifically, we do find that it works well in some areas for finding free RV parking. Just keep in mind that the information provided is crowdsourced, and many people using the app are car camping or van camping. This means an RV may not fit in all places listed, so you’ll want to do your research.
Free Campsites
Technically this next one isn’t an app but a website. Free Campsites has been around for many years now and provides a huge collection of crowdsourced information on free (and super cheap) tent and RV campsites across the country. We have to admit that it isn’t the most user-friendly website, but it is a good resource, especially when other apps and websites fail to turn up any free RV parking options.
Boondockers Welcome and Harvest Hosts
Okay, so these two aren’t truly free, but they are very close. Both Boondockers Welcome and Harvest Hosts are memberships. The cost to join is minimal and members are offered access to privately owned campsites all across the US.
In the case of Harvest Hosts, these sites tend to be on farms or at wineries, or even museums. Boondockers Welcome features the driveways and land of individuals. In both cases, sites may or may not include any kind of amenities, and hosts may choose to charge for amenity usage.
Free RV Parking 101
By now you’re probably thinking that free camping sounds pretty great. However, there are some things you should know before jumping in. Below are some of our favorite dry camping and boondocking tips and tricks.
Remember Your Manners
While you won’t usually have neighbors while boondocking, there is a chance that you might. You will also probably have neighbors when you stop in parking lots for quick overnights. Therefore, it is always important to remember your manners by keeping your volume down, avoiding running the generator at night, and generally being kind and respectful.
Leave No Trace
This tip actually goes along with the tips about manners above. However, it is important enough to get its own spot on the list. Always, always remember to clean up after yourself after camping. No trash or items should ever be left behind, and free camp spots certainly shouldn’t be used for RV storage.
Carry Plenty of Supplies
If you’ll be camping far from any kind of store, you’ll want to be sure to take plenty of supplies along. Fill your freshwater tank and take some jugs of drinking water. Stock up on food and propane, and be ready to escape for a few days.
Have a Way to Generate Electricity
Generally speaking, free campsites will not include RV hookups. This means you’ll need plenty of water on hand, but it also means you’ll need a way to generate and store electricity. Usually this means investing in a generator, but some RVers turn to solar instead.
Note: Watch your generator usage. It can be tempting to run a generator all night long when dry camping. However, this is disturbing to those around you. Therefore, you will want to avoid running the generator late at night or early in the morning.
Always Put Safety First
Safety should always come first. Therefore, if a campsite ever feels unsafe for any reason, move your rig. A weather radio and emergency kit should always be close at hand. Additionally, many RVers feel it is a good idea to keep a can of pepper spray on hand for self defense.
Offer your Business
Planning to stay all night in the parking lot of a business? Help that business out by doing a bit of shopping while you’re there. Fill up at the truck stop or grab some groceries at Walmart. These are things you’ll need anyway, and doing this helps out the business that is helping you.
Why Some Campers Avoid Paid RV Parks
One last question: Why should an RVer go out of their way to find free overnight parking?
Well, there is the obvious answer of money savings. This is a huge factor for many campers. After all, when you camp often, those campground fees can really add up. That said, money is far from the only reason to seek out free campsites.
Another awesome reason some people choose to avoid the typical RV campgrounds and instead seek out free camping is, well, freedom. You see, most free camping is first-come, first-served, and many spots don’t have check-in or check-out times. This means you have complete freedom from reservations and can come and go as you please.
The third most common reason one might choose to find free camping is for the amazing locations that free camping often offers. Obviously, we aren’t referring to the truck stops and Walmart parking lots here. However, places like the BLM land and national forests that offer free camping opportunities can be absolutely stunning. On top of that, this type of camping—often referred to as boondocking—is typically very secluded. This means no annoying neighbors and plenty of space to spread out.
In our opinion, free overnight parking is an awesome way to go if you are able to find it! There are many free camping options out there, and some come with amazing benefits. Why not download some of the apps above and add some free overnight parking to your next trip itinerary so you can get a taste of what we’re talking about?
