Common sense guidelines for boondockers

Here’s a question from a reader of RVtravel.com about boondocking. 

Hi Bob,

Q. I’ve just started boondocking and one negative aspect of it is that I find some of the places I find to camp can be a bit trashy and unpleasant. But unlike campgrounds with rules that make camping attractive for all users, there doesn’t seem to be a set of rules for boondocking. What can I do to make boondocking not only more pleasant for me but also for boondockers that follow? —Martin

A. Thanks for that question, Martin. It is one of my pet peeves also. Some might think that when you are boondocking on free public lands you don’t have any rules to follow. Admittedly, there are far fewer written rules that apply to boondocking than to organized (and more tightly packed) campgrounds. The administrators of our public lands, most notably the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Forest Service (FS), have some rules, but these are mostly meant to preserve the natural environment, like no dumping of trash or holding tanks, and leaving the campsite in a natural state. The rules aren’t hard to follow or unusually restrictive and don’t infringe on or detract from your boondocking experience. Simply put, common sense is how these guidelines should be interpreted:

• Upon arrival, walk the site with a bag and pick up any man-made trash left behind by previous campers. Just do it and don’t fret about it. It won’t take you long.
• If you build a campfire, anything that will not burn to ashes, carry it out.
• Keep your campsite neat. Put things away when not in use. Nobody wants to see all your stuff scattered about like a yard sale in progress.
• Pick up only downed and dead wood for a campfire. Chopping limbs off trees or uprooting bushes to burn is something only clueless teenagers would do. Best practice is to bring your own firewood with you.
• Think safety when building a campfire. Scrape all debris several feet away from your fire and keep your fire small. Build a rock ring or dig a depression to contain the fire. Rangers also suggest that when you leave, dismantle the fire ring and leave the area as if there had never been a campfire.
• If you plan to discard your dishwashing and rinsing water, wipe all food bits off everything with a paper towel first. Always use biodegradable soaps. Empty your dish washing tub on thirsty plants or bury in a hole well away from your campsite.
• When you leave, your campsite should appear as if no one had been there, just the way you would like to find your next boondocking site.
• Remember that the way others — hikers, off-road wanderers, rangers — see your site is the way all RVers are perceived. Set a good example — that of a responsible, environmentally aware, and conservation-minded steward of the land. It’s good for all of us. And thank you for doing so.

Read more about boondocking at my blog.
Check out my Kindle e-books about boondocking at Amazon.

Do you have a question for Bob? Email him at bob.rvtravel (at) gmail.com .

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