Boondocking is the practice of camping on public lands such as national forests and Bureau of Land Management lands. RV boondocking, then, is the act of doing so in a recreational vehicle -- everything from motorhomes to fifth wheels, truck campers to travel trailers.
Dry camping, a subset of boondocking, covers all forms of camping without the hookups and accoutrements of campgrounds – including overnight at Walmarts and truck stops, where permitted.
The term "boondocking" derives from “bundok,” the Tagalog word for "mountain." After the American-Philippines war of the early 20th century, American service personnel brought the phrase home, having battled guerrillas in the "bundoks." "Boondocks" or "boonies" came to mean "the countryside" or, perhaps more accurately, "the middle of nowhere." The verb followed on naturally.
Why do people boondock?
There are as many reasons to boondock as there are boondockers! However, themes that come up over and over again include:
- Enjoyment of nature in beautiful spots
- Solitude: Seeing trees instead of your neighbor's eyeballs out of the galley window
- Saving money
- Living green: It's common to see boondocking RVs covered in solar panels; some even have a wind turbine -- not to mention piggy-backed bicycles
- Getting closer to recreational opportunities, especially hiking, biking, off-roading and hunting areas
- Family time and learning about the great outdoors -- giant spiders, mosquitos, fluffy bunnies and all
- Volunteerism
While hardcore boondockers simply move from public land to public land in a long, slow cycle, hybrid approaches are more flexible and more common. Commercial or city campgrounds let you explore urban areas safely and within reach of public transit. Additionally, it's rare to find a city that doesn't ban RVers from staying overnight anywhere other than in campgrounds. Some even extend their restrictions to daytime parking.
Whatever your style of camping, adding in a little boondocking can be enriching, refreshing and provides a chance to escape the same-old of everyday life.
Do you boondock or dry camp in your RV? Subscribe to this column or read it in your feed reader to get fresh updates on the boondocking life. You can also follow the fun at the RV Boondocking Facebook page.
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