How to Find Free Campgrounds

Finding free campgrounds for RV or other camping trips requires a little investigative work. Your best bet is to determine what campgrounds are free before starting your journey. There are several websites with this type of information, which are great tools to use before your trip. Having a campground guide handy on your trip, though, can make unscheduled stops much easier.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Buy a current campground guide online or from a local bookstore before hitting the road. Knowing where you can stop and what campgrounds are free before leaving alleviates the need to search out campsites on your trip.

2. Contact the Bureau of Land Management and request information on free campgrounds.

3. Visit the welcome center or visitor's center on major highways for every new state you enter. These centers offer free information about campsites located in their particular state.

4. Use camping websites to check out campsites that you are interested in. Determine if a fee will be charged as well as whether or not the site will accommodate you.

Tips & Warnings

• Investing in new campground guides periodically is a good idea. Information about existing campsites changes and new campsites may not be in older editions. Anything that makes finding a site easier is worth a few extra bucks.

Resources

• If you are looking for a free campground online, check out freecampgrounds.com before hitting the road.
• You can contact the bureau of Land Management at blm.gov.
• Once you have found a campsite that looks good, check it out on campgroundsontheweb.com to determine if the site is free.