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Boondock
US & Canada
Year-round guide

Where to boondock, season by season

Chase 70°F all year. Here's where experienced boondockers go each month across the US and Canada — and what to watch out for in each region.

Winter

December – February

Head south and low. Most boondockers chase the sun across the southwest deserts. Daytime highs in the 60s–70s, cold nights, almost zero rain.

Quartzsite & La Posa, AZ

The most famous winter boondocking hub in North America. Huge BLM LTVAs with thousands of rigs, cheap permits, dump stations, water, and community.

  • La Posa LTVA
  • Plomosa Road BLM
  • Scaddan Wash

Watch out: Gets crowded mid-Jan during the RV show. Arrive early or push further out.

Yuma & Imperial Dam, AZ/CA

Even warmer than Quartzsite, closer to the Colorado River. Snowbirds park here for the entire winter.

  • Imperial Dam LTVA
  • Pilot Knob LTVA
  • Senator Wash

Watch out: Border Patrol checkpoints are routine — have ID ready.

Anza-Borrego, CA

Free dispersed camping inside a state park, wildflower super-blooms in late winter, easy LA/SD access.

  • Peg Leg Road
  • Blair Valley
  • Fish Creek

Watch out: Soft sand traps 2WD rigs — stay on packed roads.

Big Bend region, TX

Mild winters, dark skies, almost no crowds. Stay outside the national park on BLM and BLM-adjacent land.

  • Terlingua area
  • BLM near Study Butte

Watch out: Cell service is basically gone. Stock up in Alpine or Marathon.

Spring

March – May

The best shoulder season. Deserts are still pleasant, mid-elevation forests open up, and the Pacific Northwest dries out. Wildflowers peak.

Utah canyon country

Moab, Escalante, Capitol Reef — perfect temps before the summer oven hits. Endless BLM dispersed camping.

  • Willow Springs Road (Moab)
  • Hole-in-the-Rock Road
  • Notom-Bullfrog Road

Watch out: Roads turn to clay slime after rain. Don't get caught out.

Sierra Nevada foothills, CA

National forests open up below 5,000 ft. Green hills, waterfalls, mild nights.

  • Stanislaus NF
  • Sierra NF dispersed areas

Watch out: Higher elevations may still be snowed in until June.

Ozarks & Ouachitas, AR/OK

Underrated. National forest dispersed camping, dogwoods in bloom, cheap fuel.

  • Ouachita NF
  • Ozark NF

Watch out: Ticks and chiggers wake up fast — pack permethrin.

Florida panhandle & Apalachicola NF

Last chance before summer humidity. Free dispersed sites in the national forest.

  • Apalachicola NF
  • Osceola NF

Watch out: Mosquitoes ramp up by May. Bug nets matter.

Summer

June – August

Go up and north. Mountains, Pacific Northwest, northern Rockies, Canada. Avoid the southern deserts unless you enjoy 110°F.

Colorado high country

National forest dispersed camping at 9,000–11,000 ft. Cool nights, alpine meadows, hiking from your door.

  • San Juan NF
  • White River NF
  • Gunnison NF

Watch out: Afternoon thunderstorms are daily. Don't camp in a wash.

Montana & Idaho national forests

Endless free dispersed camping, fewer crowds than Colorado, world-class fishing.

  • Gallatin NF
  • Beaverhead-Deerlodge NF
  • Sawtooth NF

Watch out: Real grizzly country. Bear spray and food storage matter.

Pacific Northwest

Mt. Hood, Mt. Rainier, Olympic NF. Cool, green, dry July–September.

  • Mt. Hood NF
  • Gifford Pinchot NF
  • Olympic NF

Watch out: Wildfire smoke can shut down whole regions late summer.

British Columbia & Alberta, Canada

Crown land camping is mostly free for 14 days. Banff/Jasper area dispersed sites.

  • BC Recreation Sites
  • Alberta Public Land Use Zones

Watch out: Border crossing rules and Canadian firearm laws are strict.

Fall

September – November

Arguably the best season. Crowds vanish after Labor Day, fall color rolls south, deserts cool back down by October.

New England & Adirondacks

Peak foliage early–mid October. National forest dispersed camping in Green Mountain and White Mountain NF.

  • Green Mountain NF
  • White Mountain NF
  • Adirondack primitive sites

Watch out: Cold snaps hit fast. Furnace and propane ready.

Southern Utah (round 2)

Same as spring, but with cooler nights and no crowds. October is magic in Moab and Escalante.

  • Willow Springs Road
  • House Rock Valley Road

Watch out: Hunting season — wear orange when hiking.

Smokies & southern Appalachians

Late October fall color, mild temps, NF dispersed sites in Pisgah and Nantahala.

  • Pisgah NF
  • Nantahala NF
  • Cherokee NF

Watch out: Steep, narrow forest roads — scout before committing a big rig.

Texas Hill Country & Big Bend

Cools off by November. Quiet, cheap, friendly.

  • Sam Houston NF
  • Big Bend area BLM

Watch out: Hunting leases everywhere — confirm public land boundaries.