Free boondocking in your RV in the Carolinas

I love the Appalachian area and this is a short trip headed to the coast after spending some time there. It will take you through the Carolinas. In this series of free camping spots, I selected 4 places you can stay for 14 days each. After each 14 day stay, visit a low cost campground with full services to take that long hot shower and recharge your batteries. After your water tank is full, you can travel along to the next boondocking adventure. Two months and you only have to pay for for those 4 nights camping.


There is a complete trip across the southern states and one across the southwestern states if you are a full timer and want to enjoy these area for a few months.




A: Franklin, NC
Franklin is a small mountain town surrounded by beautiful streams, waterfalls, mountains, hills and valleys. The Franklin area is the Gem Capitol of the World, so if you try your hand at mining you are bound to find many beautiful and sometimes very valuable stones. The forest is the Natahala and Franklin is 11 miles away from the Appalachian Trail. It is a popular stop for hikers. The Mountain Waters Scenic Byway is a 61.3-mile drive that winds through southern Appalachian hardwood forest, two river gorges, and rural countryside. Traveling from Highlands to Almond the byway follows U.S. 64, old U.S. 64, SR 1310 (Wayah Road), and U.S. 19.

In Franklin, NC, at the intersection of US Routes 23/441/64, take US Route 64 west for 12 miles to Wallace Gap/campground sign (Old Murphy Road. Old 64). Turn left onto Old Murphy Road and proceed 1.9 miles to the sign for the campground. (Forest Route 67) Turn right onto Route 67 and drive 1.8 miles to the "Y" intersection. Just pass the campground is forest service road. There are some decent spots where you can park a travel trailer along the Forest Service Road. You just have to search for suitable locations.


B: Mills River, NC
This is a popular spot for fishing, mountain biking, and horseback riding. There are several popular starting points for trails along both the North and South Mills Rivers. The South Mills River is rugged and wild, with many excellent trails criss-crossing the gorge and mountains through which it runs. Several of these trails can be accessed from the Turkeypen trailhead. Don't forget tubing or floating on the river. It is a popular past time in the area.

Public campsites in the Pisgah National Forest along a gravel road in the mountains. From Asheville, follow Interstate 26 East to Exit 9 (Asheville Regional Airport). At Exit 9, follow SR 1419 past the airport, to the intersection with Highway 191. Turn left onto Highway 191, and then turn right onto SR 1345. Follow signs to the North Mills Recreation Area. Following FS 479 from the recreation area to the first Forest Service road on the left accesses the upper North Mills River, Big Creek, and Fletcher Creek. Primitive camping is allowed on forest Service lands throughout the North Mills River area, except where signed: no camping.

C: Whitmire, SC

The Sumter National Forest and its diverse resources provide a full range of active outdoor recreation activities. These include hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, canoeing, photography, scenic viewing, etc. The Tyger, Enoree, and Broad Rivers flow through the Enoree Ranger District. All three rivers, along with several of their major tributaries, offer good fishing for catfish, bream, and bass and have several good access points along their lengths. Don't forget to check out the Woods Ferry Recreation Area.

Check with the local rangers in Whitmire for a primitive camping pass.

D: Congaree National Park Hopkins, SC

This is an old growth forest with hiking, canoeing, fishing, and just general enjoyment of large shade trees. There are numerous hiking trails here with the Oakridge trail being a moderate one. It passes through a rich stretch of old-growth forest and is a good choice. Traveling by canoe or kayak is a great way to enjoy this primeval wilderness while floating past some of the tallest trees in eastern North America. Paddling is also a thrilling way to encounter the diverse wildlife of the park. Deer, river otters, turtles, snakes, raccoons, and wild pigs are a few of the animals that may be seen. The Congaree River Blue Trail is a 50-mile designated recreational paddling trail, extending from the state capital of Columbia, downstream to Congaree National Park. Paddlers begin with an urban adventure experience, with quick access to the Three Rivers Greenway hiking trails, as well as opportunities to learn about the historic significance of the capital city, including prehistoric Native American sites on the river's tributaries

You must enter from the North, off Hwy 48. Look for bluff road, then Old Bluff Rd. Stop off at the Harry Hampton Visitor Center for a camping pass.

A boondocking trip across the Southern States

I have looked at many places in the US for dry camping or boondocking. These are places to camp for free but do not have services so your RV must be self contained with its own toilet, electricity, and water. Most national forests will have a place for dispersed primitive camping but they aren't the only places. Don't forget the grasslands and I especially like the wildlife management areas for photography. When staying in areas that allow hunting, you must keep aware of the hunting season and its safety rules.

Across the south with no particular place to go.
My plans are simple. I started with the criteria that each site much be no more than 200 miles apart and allow camping for at least 14 days. Every 14 days, I plan to stay at a campsite with services so I can recharge my batteries, fill my water tanks, dump my holding tanks, and take that all important long hot shower. So, I spend no more than 4 days in a paid campsite every 2 months. By the way, the forest service does have some really reasonable campsites for a low fee that includes electric, water, and hot showers. Each excursion is planned for two months which includes 4 stops.

This group of 2 month excursions will take you through the south and you can put the trip together many different ways. It becomes a never ending excursion through the southern states for as long as you want to keep making the rounds.

1. Appalachian Excursion

2. Tennessee/Kentucky

3. Alabama

4. Gulf Coast

5. Louisiana

6.Western Arkansas

7.Eastern Arkansas

A boondocking trip across the Southwest States

There are many places in the US for dry camping or boondocking. Places to camp for free but do not have services so your RV must be self contained with its own toilet, electricity, and water. The long term places( at least 14 days) are usually found on some kind of public property like BLM land, forests, or grasslands. For short stays, you can find overnight camping in many places like rest areas, businesses, and even multiple days in city campgrounds. Some of the city campgrounds may even include services.

Across the southwest to the LTVA sites.
My plans are simple. I started with the criteria that each site much be no more than 200 miles part and allow camping for at least 14 days. Every 14 days, I plan to stay at a campsite with services so I can recharge my batteries, fill my water tanks, dump my holding tanks, and take that all important long hot shower. So, I spend no more than 4 days in a paid campsite every 2 months. By the way, the forest service does have some really reasonable campsites for a low fee that includes electric, water, and hot showers. Each excursion is planned for two months which includes 4 stops.

This group of 2 month excursions will take you from the Oklahoma panhandle all the way to the LTVA sites near California. Of course, you can stay less at each site and take less time for the total trip.

1. The Grassland Excursion

2. Northern New Mexico

3. Western New Mexico

4. Eastern Arizona

5. LTVA

Vagabonds make many friends

The life of a vagabond takes him to many new places throughout the year. With each new place comes the opportunity to meet new friends. All you have to do is be friendly and say hello. People are always wanting to find out where you have traveled and where you are going. They are curious about good spots you have found they may be interested in exploring. Since you met them at this place, changes are good they like the same kind of spots you do. So, you get a chance to make connections all over the country and with each connection a chance to reconnect somewhere down the road.

Extended family on the road
You can develop quite an extended family being a vagabond. This happens because you start enjoying the conversation and soon several people are wondering aloud if they is a mutual destination that appeals to the group. Soon, you have a caravan of sorts traveling around together. The core group stays together and various individuals join for a time then move on. It can be fun getting to know the various personalities while listening to their life stories. As an individual, I tend to move throughout the whole traveling group but couples will latch on to a group and become their own family.

Vagabonding is about experiences
The things in life that you get to live over again by thinking about them are what makes life special. These experiences are what define us and make vagabonding so much fun. Each day brings a new experience and each move brings a whole new set. Life is meant to be lived and the opportunities to do just that on the road are enormous. The advantage being found in relocating if the current area doesn't make you happy. So, if you are ready to find those rich experiences that define your life, try vagabonding, the life is full of them.

Vagabond excursions through boondocking

When I am vagabonding, I make plans to stay in one area of the country for at least 2 months so I can minimize the driving time. This also saves gas and allows me to explore the area. Since most free campgrounds come with a 14 day limit, I plan 4 separate areas to camp in for those two months. At the end of the 14 day boondocking, I stay in an improved campground with full services. This one day and night gives me time to take a couple of nice long hot showers, recharge my batteries, and refill my water tanks before heading out to the next campsite. I try and  find one close to the next boondocking site so I am not hauling water all over the country.

Here are 3 examples of my 4 x2 week excursions. Each one contains 4 places for boondocking in the same area. Click on the photo to see more information.

Northern Arizona and Utah
See the grand canyon and the wonderful sites of southwestern Utah

Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi
Take a leisurely trip through the south to do some canoeing, hiking, and fishing.

Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina
Enjoy the mountains with a side trip to the Smoky Mountains National Park

Vagabonds in the 21st century life style

There are many ways to live as a vagabond from roaming in that $300,000 RV to hiking the back roads with all your possessions on your back. I surveyed them all and selected something in the middle that was frugal enough to let me retire early and enjoy life while I still had my health. The simple life I live in a small bumper pulled trailer that minimizes my costs but still allows me to work those jobs designed for full time RVers. The life is simple and I have lots of time for the things I enjoy. Work is now a very small part of my life and living life as I want to is the objective.

Working
There are many ways to work and live in an RV. Trading work for a small amount of funds and or a campsite with utilities can be found in National Parks, National Forest, or Bureau of Land Management sites. You will get views that rival the best ones in the US. Volunteering can be done at many non profits that will provide you with a place to park your RV. Pick your favorite type of charity and don't forget habitat for humanity. Amazon and UPS hire Rvers to work the holiday rush for gifts and packages. They provide you a place to park and a good pay rate. Don't forget hosting at those private campgrounds. Trading days, flea markets, and other shows will hire temporary workers or you can sell your own creations there. There is work to be done and as long as you are willing, the compensation is sufficient to live as a vagabond.

Inexpensive places to stay
Overnight stays from 1 to 3 days can be found at Wal Mart, truck stops, rest stops, and city parks. Some city parks even have utilities. Many more places can be found where you can boondock or dry camp with only the utilities you bring with you. The National Forests allow boondocking that is called dispersed camping. The Bureau of Land Management( BLM) maintains long term visitor areas that are low cost with some utilities provided for your RV. BLM sites are also available for a 14 day stay with no cost but you have to be totally self contained because they don't have anything but a place to park. Some of the best views in this country are available to those who know where they can park for free.

Equipment
Whether you are boondocking or in a full service campground, additional equipment can make your experience more sustainable, frugal, or just easier. Thermal cookers help in many ways while power for boondocking can come from green sources like wind turbines and solar panels. Solar hot water heaters save on propane and solar ice makers can provide refrigeration on just ice for those cool drinks. Solar ovens minimize heating up your RV while reducing your fossil fuel use.

Hints
Experienced full time RVers have many hints to pass on like how to save money on hot water, managing your electric systems, and how much propane do you use. Learn how to barter, brew beer on the road, use a pressure cooker to save cooking time, or just the different types of lifestyles people live on the road. Don't forget the cooking equipment that makes your favorite meals like a good Dutch oven. Safety equipment from weather radios to personal transponders can make you feel more comfortable enjoying the quiet of that remote campsite.

Everyone can hitch a trailer to the vehicle from a small light weight teardrop to a 5th wheel on a full ton pickup. Figure out your budget, pick your home, and enjoy the life of a vagabond where enjoying life trumps making money.