The Best Practices for Boondocking with Your RV

We all love the idea of going completely off the grid and camping in the middle of the world’s most beautiful views, but boondocking is more than taking in the sunset with a cold beer in hand. There are several things to consider before you decide to boondock in your rig for the first time and also a handful of rules to abide by to ensure that you aren’t endangering the environment around you.

We’ll first start with what boondocking is, in case you’re new to the RV world. Boondocking is considered a form of dry camping, where you live off what you have in your RV and are not hooked up to any external electricity or running water. You simply must live in the conditions you are in without any extra help or power.

Now that you know what boondocking is, let’s talk about what you need to know before trying it out for yourself.

Here the top 5 things to consider before boondocking with your RV:

1. Determine if your rig can feasibly boondock.

This means taking a real, hard look at your RV and thinking about what it would take for you to make it boondock ready. Not all rigs are meant for wide open spaces and most RVs will need some extra work in order to make them ready for dry camping in the wilderness. If you have an extremely large rig, you may find it difficult to boondock in most places as most boondock-friendly areas can be difficult to find and hard to navigate.

2. Ask yourself if you are ready to live without day to day electricity and running water.
Not only do you have to inspect your rig, but you also have to inspect your daily usage of electricity and running water. For some, boondocking is the only way to live on the road, but others love their amenities while they travel. If you are traveling with a significant other, it’s important to discuss the changes you can expect when boondocking before trying it out to ensure everyone is on the same page. It can sometimes become a chore or a point of frustration if expectations are not set appropriately.

Related Read: Best Places to Go Off Grid in Texas

3. Look at the weather forecast for your location before deciding to heave-ho out of the campground.
Not all places are good for boondocking every day the of the year. It’s important to keep an eye out on the weather each day to ensure you won’t get overheated or freezing in the middle of the night. It’s also important to check for emergency flood warnings and snow-ins as these things can happen overnight during the Fall seasons without warning. Boondocking is best done in temperate areas during Fall or Spring seasons.

Related Read: Weather Apps and Websites for RVers

4. Double check you have all the essentials to make it in the wild for a few nights.
You always want to be more safe than sorry. When you boondock, several emergencies can happen quickly. You may find that your RV needs a repair or runs out of battery if you weren’t eyeing it closely. That means you could end up staying out in the wild longer than you expected. Always make sure you have extra storage in your rig for additional food, tools, spare parts, and water so you won’t get stranded without the essentials.

5. Consider boondocking in a driveway of a friend’s house or at a campground first before going offroad.
When you boondock for the first time, it’s inevitable that you will have some difficulties. You may have forgotten extra water or realized that your propane tanks are almost empty. It’s better to figure these issues out before you find yourself in the middle of nowhere, even if it does seem silly to be unplugged at a friend’s house.

Now that you’ve considered everything, it’s time to know the rules of boondocking. The rules resemble many of the same rules you abide by when you camp outdoors, but it’s important to keep them in mind when you get ready to set up camp with your RV.

1. Always boondock on hard, durable surfaces like gravel, rock, or hard dirt. Soft sand and vegetation are not meant for RV camping.

2. Always camp 100 feet away from a cliff’s edge, lake, or rock shelter. You put yourself and your rig in danger, as well as the environment around you.

3. Bring enough trash bags and cleaning materials with you to ensure you pack out everything you pack in.

4. Consider others in your area, including hikers, tent campers, and other boondockers, by keeping your noise down after sunset.

5. Disturb as little vegetation and wildlife as you can to keep the area as wild as it was before you arrived.

6. NEVER take any natural resources from your boondocking area back on the road with you when you leave.

7. Be considerate of fire warnings and restrictions in your area. Never start a fire if you are unsure about the conditions around you.

8. Always keep emergency rations and a first aid kit on hand in case of injury to you or your rig.

9. Let someone close to you know where you are at all times in case of emergencies.

10. Conserve as much as energy as possible while boondocking to make sure you can safely get out and back on the road when you are ready.

I don’t mean to scare you with these rules or considerations, but boondocking is much more than just parking on a beautiful lake or canyonside. Safety is always your number one concern when you head out into the wilderness, but you can always expect to have fun if you come fully prepared.

Boondocking allows you to spend more time in Mother Nature and not worry about the open road ahead of you. For many RVers, it’s the only way to camp and experience the world around them. So if you’re ready to head out into nature and make it your home, try boondocking for a new way of living on the road. Just don’t forget to come prepared!