BLM – Bureau of Land Management. The BLM administers public lands that encompass roughly 1/8 of the total land mass of the U.S. Most of these lands are in the western states. Often mineral rights or grazing land are leased from the BLM by private companies or individuals.

Dispersed camping is allowed on most BLM land for up to 14 days. Even if land is leased or has mining claims, you may camp there unless posted otherwise by BLM management. You may cross private land (as long as there is a public road) to reach BLM areas. You should not come across a locked gate, but if you cross a gate, please leave it in the state you found it – open or closed.

Fantastic camping opportunities can be found on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) undeveloped public lands.  BLM camping is a highlight for any recreation enthusiast who wants open space and solitude to pitch a tent and enjoy the great outdoors.  In addition to developed campgrounds, national conservation areas, and outdoor recreation, the BLM offers dispersed camping for those who want to truly get away from it all.

The BLM is responsible for land, mineral, and wildlife management on millions of acres of U.S. land. With over one-eighth of the US land mass under the agency’s control, the BLM also has plenty of outdoor recreation opportunities to offer for campers and outdoors enthusiasts. on public land.

BLM Goal: “to sustain the health, diversity and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.“

About BLM Recreation and Visitor Services

The Bureau of Land Management areas include 34 National Wild and Scenic Rivers, 136 National Wilderness Areas, 9 National Historic Trails, 43 National Landmarks, 23 National Recreation Trails, and more. The  National Conservation Lands, also known as the National Landscape Conservation System, include the West’s most stunning and sensitive landscapes. They include 873 federally recognized areas and approximately 32 million acres.

The conservation lands are diverse and wild, and protect some unique habitats for conservation and recreation.

Visit the BLM Interactive online map to find public lands in the  state-by-state map. You’ll find specific information by region and get directed to each state’s BLM recreation website, and find specific recreation opportunities on BLM Public Lands.

What does that mean for campers? Well, you can enjoy these natural wonders from 17 thousand campsites at over 400 different campgrounds, mostly in the western states.Most campgrounds managed by the BLM are primitive, although you won’t have to hike into the backcountry to get to them. The campsites will typically be a small clearing with a picnic table, fire ring, and may or may not offer some type of restroom or potable water source, so be sure to bring your own water.

BLM campgrounds are usually small with not many campsites and are available on a first come, first serve basis. You may not find a campground attendant, but rather an iron ranger, which is a collection box where you can deposit your camping fees, usually only $5-10 per night. Many of the campgrounds charge no fees.

Reserve a BLM Campsite Online

The easiest and most efficient way to find BLM campgrounds across the country is at Recreation.Gov, which allows you to search for outdoor activities on public lands, including the national parks, national forests, and army corps of engineer projects. From the results page, BLM campgrounds are listed with a link to area descriptions and campground details.

You can check the available campsites by interactive map, find an open campsite with the online calendar, and reserve your campsite with an online payment and reservations system.

The following websites have everything you need to plan a camping trip at Bureau of Land Management campgrounds:

• Bureau of Land Management – home page.
• Recreation.gov – public land campground search.
• Recreation Opportunities – on BLM public lands.

About the BLM’s History

The Bureau of Land Management was created in 1946 through a merger of the General Land Office (GLO) and the U.S. Grazing Service. The agency has history going back to the creation of the GLO in 1812.  In addition to the development of the GLO, the Homestead Act of 1862 gave individuals the opportunity to freely claim rights to government land. During the homesteading era tens-of-thousands of people claimed and settled more than 270 million acres across America.

In celebration of 200 years of the General land Office and 150 years of the Homestead Act, the BLM created a website and interactive timeline to commemorate the history.

So now that you know that you can set up camp just about anywhere in the forest, how do you go about finding a great RV camping/boondocking site? This is where the work starts, but the harder you work at it, the better the RV campsite you’ll find. If you live near the public lands area you wish to camp in, your task is easier as you can explore more frequently and learn the area completely. For those of us that travel and want to find great boondocking sites, we’ve found that doing our homework before we get to a new area will always pay off with a great boondocking site.

RV type and size sometimes determines where you can boondock. Pop up and truck campers have a distinct advantage for getting to really remote RV camping sites. When you have a large 5th wheel or motor home, boondocking seems more difficult, but with just a little practice, you will soon determine how to explore effectively to accommodate your rig.

The easiest way of finding RV boondocking sites in a new area requires that you:

• Have maps and navigational information.
• Contact Public Lands administrators for the area being visited.
• Locate a “base” campground.
• Exploration.

After determining a general location you wish to boondock, it’s time to examine some general information. USFS – USDA Forest Service, the BLM – Bureau of Land Management, and other State and US Government departments have Internet web sites with recreation information. Getting official travel maps of a new area can help in finding a good RV camping site. Topographical maps are in our opinion the best way to determine where we want to camp. We prefer DeLorme Topo 6.0 maps for our personal exploration needs. MapTech is our choice for online topo mapping information. Examine the Topo map for areas that look interesting for your type of RV camping. It won’t take long to find areas that look interesting to you.

The areas you find with your Topo map can further be researched by contacting the local public lands administrators. Ask about dispersed camping in the area you are interested in. You may or may not get the answers you need. Some of the folks providing information may not be aware of some great RV camping sites. Get information about designated campgrounds and if reservations are required.

Armed with the campground information, locate one near where you think you want to boondock. This campground will be your “base” camp to explore for that perfect RV boondocking site. You will often find a great RV camping site on the way to the designated campground, which eliminates the need for exploration, but always plan on needing to find your own RV camping site.

Exploring can be fun, but it’s also frustrating from time to time. Our frustrations always come from finding great RV camping sites that don’t offer a clear view of the southern sky for our satellite Internet connection. Most folks won’t have that as an issue, and will easily find boondocking sites. The size of your RV is a major consideration when heading into remote areas, and be sure to consider potential weather changes and how they might effect road conditions where you want to camp.

Once you find that terrific RV boondocking site, it’s time to settle in and enjoy the area. Conserving your resources is the key to enjoyable boondocking. Leave no trace camping principles should be your guide to help protect our RV camping resources for future generations. Boondocking offers the RVer the most options for outdoor recreation, but the responsibility of good stewardship towards the land is in your hands. You wouldn’t want to find a great RV boondocking site that has trash and human and pet waste all over the area, and you shouldn’t leave your site that way either. Always leave your RV camping site better than you found it.

Here are a few tips to extend your resources:

• Battery charge can be extended by turning off your furnace/heater at night and adding a blanket or two on the bed. Turn off lights when not needed. Minimize use of TV and other electrical appliances. Florescent lights use less energy. Solar panels and an inverter can set you free…electrically.
• Generators are popular for extending RV camping trips too, but try and limit their usage to battery charging so as not to bother nearby campers.
• Generators are popular for extending RV camping trips too, but try and limit their usage to battery charging so as not to bother nearby campers.
• Extend your RV propane supply by turning off your water heater and only use it when needed. Adding that extra blanket to your bed will save propane too. Put on a sweater or jacket instead of turning up the heat.
• Water…It seems you can never have enough. Carry extra water containers if you can. Take very short “military” showers. Wash dishes once a day after wiping dirty dishes off with paper towels. Wash dishes in a dishpan. Use disposable dishes, cups, and eating utensils. An electric transfer pump can move water from containers into your RVs fresh tank easily. Using an old milk jug filled with water for flushing is much more water efficient than letting your RVs toilet do the job.
• Bears poop in the woods, and you can too. As long as you are well away from water, digging a “cathole” is perfectly acceptable, and part of the Leave No Trace camping principles mentioned above.
• Your dirty dish water can be dispersed as long as you are well away from water sources. Don’t dump it in the same place all the time as flys will become a problem. Some folks use their dish water for flushing purposes.

Boondocking locations can be found on the Internet on RV forums and newsgroups. Local chamber of commerce offices and visitor centers are good places to inquire at too. Talking to other RVers is one of the best ways to find new places, but be aware that many people don’t want to share their favorite RV camping and boondocking sites. Finding great RV camping and boondocking sites can be a bit of work, but with some research and exploration, you should find exactly what you are looking for.