Boondocking Laws and Regulations
Camping on public lands requires you to understand state laws on camping, boondocking, and overnight parking. These articles were carefully researched through state codes and administrative rules, including popular practices. But you also need to know how to look up these laws and regulations to stay up to date on recent changes.
Camping on Oregon State Trust Lands
Camping on Oregon State Trust Lands is open to everyone and is free of cost. The Oregon Department of State Lands (DSL) maintains an open policy of allowing the public to enter its State Trust Lands and enjoy a wide variety of recreation with few rules.
Camping on New Mexico State Trust Lands
The New Mexico State Land Office does not permit "recreational camping" on its trust lands. But, it does support camping for hunting purposes, in limited areas.
Camping on Montana State Trust Lands
Camping is allowed on much of Montana's State Trust Lands. As long as the land you plan to camp on is accessible from some kind of publicly-owned road or navigable waterway, you're generally cleared for camping. A "General Recreation License" must be purchased ahead of time.
Camping on Colorado State Trust Lands
Colorado permits camping and other forms of recreation on a small portion of its State Trust Lands (STL). However, Colorado's State Land Board (SLB) does not directly manage these recreational uses. They instead partner with various other government agencies to create a...
Camping on Arizona State Trust Lands
The State of Arizona permits camping on most of its 9.4 million acres of State Trust Lands. Camping is not free, however. On the other hand, boondocking (dispersed camping) is allowed at a very reasonable cost. See "Recreational Permits" below.
Camping on Idaho Endowment Lands
The State of Idaho allows camping on all Idaho Endowment Lands, as long as the land is not currently leased to other organizations, or is not closed off to the public. Idaho owns roughly 2.4 million acres of state trust land. About 70%...
Is It Legal to Dump Composting Toilet Waste on the Ground?
Composted toilet waste is technically not "compost" simply because it takes at least 120 days or more to completely compost and destroy all deadly pathogens. No composting toilet is capable of holding poop for that long of a time...
Is It Illegal to Live in a National Forest?
Yes and no. If you are a camper or RVer, it is illegal to live in a national forest or grassland. The U.S. Forest Service has rules prohibiting using forests as a residence. However, it is possible, and legal, to move to another...
How Long Can You Camp in a National Forest?
Fourteen (14) days is the most popular answer to how long can you camp in a national forest. But it's not always the correct answer. Some forests limit you to just 5 days, while others offers as much as 30 days. Each national forest and grassland creates...
How Long Can You Boondock on BLM Land?
14 days is the popular answer to how long you can boondock on BLM land. However, this is not always the rule. Officially, there is no single answer that applies nationwide. Each BLM State Office and Field Office is free to establish...
