Boondocking, Then What?

[Rzrbrn]

The longest we have been on a single outing was for three months, last year. We did a variety of RVing, including a bit of boondocking.

But what do you do when in a remote campsite?

Walking trails are essentially nonexistent, and is what we normally do: We like to walk 3 to 5 miles a day. I was a hunter and backpacker in my younger days. We carry paper topo maps, compass and GPS units, and know how to use them. But I do not bushwack anymore, and trails are required.

So if you camp for say 14 days in one spot, say in the BLM or NFS land, what do you do in a typical day or week?

[Ray Eklund]

Obviously, you need to try something else.

Living in the Rocky Mountains gives us the opportunity to stay longer or move frequently.

Two weeks in one spot... probably not going to be doing that. Boondocking is a choice that most RVers do not. The minority of true Boondockers and Off the Grid Boondockers do it because they have an interest in what they are doing. Myself, a geologist find an unlimited number of things to do. My wife enjoys being away from civilization during these period, but may find reading and taking it easy from time to time.

Our two Blue Heelers find it all a new experience and always ready to do... something.

You do not say anything about yourself and interests. Why are you looking for a trailer, when a hotel / motel may be a better option. A tent.

We knew immediately why we wanted a trailer and how it would be used, long before we owned one. You will eventually figure it out, but it is best to wait before making an expensive mistake of purchasing and then not know what to do.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

There's a lot to be said for a tent. I spent a lot of time doing that. Rain and tearing down wet gear is an issue that we ran into quite a bit. Bears and other "critters" take some management. We never could work out a really good way to handle the dogs when in tents. (hotel rooms with dogs .... forget it). All of this is *much* easier in a trailer. Of course getting into "...gee .... should we *really* have come down that road?" is a bit less of an issue with a tent in the back of the truck Sometimes a bit more caution might have been a *good* thing.

One size *never* fits all

Bob

[pcskier]

In most cases the boondocking spot is just base camp, then drive to other places/trailheads/attractions etc. Esp if boondocked near national parks or other places that offer lots of activity options.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

Half the group is "crippled up" at the moment so "drive" is the operative word for us right now. Normally I would normally include "hike" and "paddle" as other ways to depart from your campsite. It does not take a lot of access to get kayaks or canoes into the water. Trading an "improvised" campsite for a long hike / portage is sort of a no brainer in my book. Driving 30 miles at the start of the day *and* getting back at the end of the day to drive another 30 miles .... no way !!!

Yes, the paddle thing does require water These days for us it requires fairly calm water as opposed to something with "class 6" in the description. Finding waterways that are "rational" is way easier to do in some areas than it is in others. Indeed if the "Gorge of Death" sounds like fun to you ... go for it !!! I'd bet a six pack it's way more accessible from someplace "obscure". Drying out the wet suits in a tent ..... not much fun ..... I have data on that. Score one for the shower stall in the trailer.

I don't have a magic way to drop a bunch of boats into a Classic. To me, the boat trailer goes behind one vehicle and the AS goes behind the other one. Four people is about the minimum I'd consider for some of this. There's just to many ways to get "stuck" with a very small group. This is wandering a bit off into another topic .... sorry about that.

Bob

[Tn Traveler]

We do boondocking (I call it dispersed camping) mostly for touring an area and stream fishing. Really mostly fishing. My brother does for mountain biking and canoeing/kayaking. Without some other interests I probably wouldn't do it.

[Rzrbrn]

I live in a house in TN most of the year. We travel, usually west in a Casita, a TT (hoping to talk wife into an Airstream 25 soon), pulled by a Tundra. As I mentioned we hike a lot, bird watch a bit. I do have a inflatable boat, but really only for lakes, since we only have the one vehicle.

We like to take dirt/gravel road, and two rut roads, just to see what it leads to; our two adult boys (no grand kids, neither married) get upset sometimes when we are out of communication, but have grown accustomed to it.

We seldom spend more than a few days to a week in one place, usually driving to trail heads or walking in small towns, visiting museums. We move on when we get bored.

I have read the threads on boon docking, very interesting. Not quite sure what to do with myself in a remote spot, camping for a long period of time.

[SSquared]

We will typically drive to a trailhead, hopefully less than 30 minutes away, and hike for two to four hours, then return to camp. The rest of the day is reading, napping, birdwatching, skywatching, ham radio, even board games. Paddling is also an option, though we have never taken our canoe out with the AS because our AS tow vehicle is such a pig, the roof rack is about a mile off the ground.

[Dingo Girl]

Ray Eklund has it figured out. Get 2 blue heelers & there will never be a dull moment.

[Jamespio]

Flyfishing, mushroom hunting, berry picking, bird watching, photography, painting/drawing, reading, driving to trailheads to go hiking, more fishing, mountain biking, hunting, sleeping in, taking naps, more reading, writing (such as a journal), stargazing, reading, tying flies, playing cards and backgammon, cooking foolishly complicated meals, etc., and so on.

I'm not a boondocker. But I've been camping, backpacking, carpacking, and more for a long time. I almost never get bored. Which is to say, I may not have a lot to do, but not having much to do is a great part of the joy. I've always thought camping in general, if done for longer htan a weekend, is best suited for people who don't mind slowing waaaaay down.

[NevadaGeo]

Drive that way, second star to the right for a couple hours, get out and pick up the gemstones on the ground.

[Rzrbrn]

Thanks to all that have replied. We are both retired. I guess I just miss work, wife does not. Happy Trails!

[Ray Eklund]

Originally Posted by Jamespio

Flyfishing, mushroom hunting, berry picking, bird watching, photography, painting/drawing, reading, driving to trailheads to go hiking, more fishing, mountain biking, hunting, sleeping in, taking naps, more reading, writing (such as a journal), stargazing, reading, tying flies, playing cards and backgammon, cooking foolishly complicated meals, etc., and so on.

I'm not a boondocker. But I've been camping, backpacking, carpacking, and more for a long time. I almost never get bored. Which is to say, I may not have a lot to do, but not having much to do is a great part of the joy. I've always thought camping in general, if done for longer htan a weekend, is best suited for people who don't mind slowing waaaaay down.

******

Did you say where you will be going next... week? There are about 500 Airstream owners lined up to follow you.

If you see an Airstream, two Blue Heelers, Colorado plates on Highway 95 heading north this week... hide.

[Rzrbrn]

First of Sep expect to again go West for a few months. Prob take a northern interstate across to Yellowstone then west to Sierra Nevada mts. Want to explore those mountains, so will head south and criss cross as much as possible. Maybe meet our 2 sons and camp for a week or two. They will be in tents or maybe we will rent a cabin: This is why I want a AS25 FBTwin, so they can be inside with us. Then eventually return home to TN via 40 or maybe 10, because of winter weather,
Got caught in a snowstorm west of Denver last year, going east on 84. Pushed through it but prob should not have. Must prefer to avoid a blinding snow storm such as that: Wife says She thinks I sometimes nap while driving, I did not on that stretch of road.

[InterBlog]

My husband and I are in the process of doing something a bit different. We took an undeveloped piece of land that I bought 24 years ago as an investment, and we hired a local contractor to put in a road and a boondocking pad. Our on-site activities will include grooming the property and developing its lake view which is currently hidden by a solid wall of trees. Also putting in paths, fire pits, etc. We expect to stay busy on the tract, plus take day trips to nearby areas of interest.

And also we will possibly be blazing new trails in the area. I see what the OP is saying about facing some limitations on the issue of what-to-do. Back when I was a kid, we got from point A to point B largely by making our own trails. If the forest is very young and dense, this is obviously impractical. But in looser woodlands, it can be done without too much effort. The land surrounding our boondocking location is partly public, partly private but the private owners are for the most part absentee and simply holding the acreage long-term for timbering purposes. It would be rare that someone would pick a bone with anyone who entered such property as long as their use was respectful and non-destructive (it's also located in Canada where the laws are different; specifically, recreational traversing is more allowable).