best way to find free/dispersed camping sites

[gvb1940@gmail.com]

I use the app allstays
I'm not going to explain it here, just check it out. Once it's in your phone you do not need to be online.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

That's a very interesting site. Will look into a download.
Thanks.
Frank

 

[smlobx]

If you have internet access try:

www.iOverlander.com

 

[Cayuse]

Another set of paper maps worth looking at are the Trails Illustrated maps also available on Amazon and frequently available at BLM, FS and NP offices. They are more area specific and therefore generally at a better scale than many other maps but you need more of them but really can you have too many maps?

 

[Vintage62]

Good info on resources. I also prefer printed maps, and my truck is a roving map library (mostly Auto Club of So Cal county scale, which are no longer produced, you can guess what my opinion is on that).

Dispersed campsites by definition won't show up on maps, but you'd have to know the policy for that particular landholder, as was pointed out.

But when on the ground, look for existing fire rings, of which I've seen many from dirt roads in the desert. BLM (and probably other agencies) allow camping at 'established' sites, whether or not marked. They tell me they accept the presence of a fire ring as an 'established' site, so you can camp there without problem (or with a good explanation if a ranger does stop by and question). BLM HQ in Barstow has an internal database similar to GoogleEarth showing all such sites they've identified, and there are a bunch of them in the East Mojave whatever-it-is.

Obviously, whether a ground fire is allowed at that location at that time is another question.

 

[Gussie]

. BLM HQ in Barstow has an internal database similar to GoogleEarth showing all such sites they've identified, and there are a bunch of them in the East Mojave whatever-it-is.

Obviously, whether a ground fire is allowed at that location at that time is another question.

Yes, the BLM ranger lady in Barstow told me the same last week. If there's an EXISTING fire ring, you can camp there. They don't want 'new' fire rings popping up, apparently.

My girls gave me a Garmin Nuvia something or other with a big 7" screen for Xmas. I even let them mount it for me on my windshield. They worry about me, so the least I can do is let them rest easy.

On my recent foray into a Mojave and environs, I used it - but more as a novelty. The Benchmark and deLorme were right at hand. I dunno - there's something beautiful about pulling over to look at a map on the hood of your rig.

 

[clikrf8]

Another set of paper maps worth looking at are the Trails Illustrated maps also available on Amazon and frequently available at BLM, FS and NP offices. They are more area specific and therefore generally at a better scale than many other maps but you need more of them but really can you have too many maps?

The NatGeo Trails Illustrated maps are also available for download on the Avenza app. They are gps enabled. BLM in Urah is currently updating their maps for BLM land for each office. These are free from the individual website. Also, ODOT has more detailed maps of Oregon counties for download on their site plus I noticed some are now available from the Avenza store.