How to Maximize Safety While Boondocking
Even though boondocking is still safer than RV parks and campgrounds, here's how to improve your chances of having a positive camping experience...
In our years of boondocking, we’ve felt far safer being all alone in the middle of the desert or forest than in a campground or RV park. But protecting yourself should be a 24-hours a day, 7-days a week habit, regardless of where you’re camped.
Here are practices that most veteran boondockers use to protect themselves from unwanted visitors, whether human or non-human…
Get a Gun and Know How to Use It - The most popular form of protection among boondockers should be at the top. Even a small .22 caliber handgun in a holster at your waist, and visible to others, is very effective at making would-be assailants think twice. But know the laws of your state before open- or concealed-carrying. US Concealed Carry has an excellent resource on each state.
Keep a Set of Binoculars - Curious about that other camper you see in the distance? Use a pair of binoculars to gather intel on who’s out there.
Get to Know the Area - Take a walk through the landscape surrounding your camp. Check cellular signal strength at various places to see where you can go in a hurry to make an emergency call. Take note of landmarks in case you go hiking and lose your direction. Use Google Maps to locate your GPS coordinates or take note of the forest road number or BLM road number you’re on.
Notify a Friend or Family Member of Your Location - After setting up camp, call or text someone with your location, just in case you happen to go missing.
Know Where All Your Stuff is Located - It’s always when you need something that you can’t find it. Maybe it’s your ammo boxes, your knife, a shovel, a weather radio, batteries, a first aid kit… Open your storage compartments, your trunk, and storage boxes, and take note of where things are that you may need in an emergency.
Get a Ring Stick Up Cam - Ring makes these “Stick up Cams” that are battery powered and can be strapped to a tree, tongue jack, or just about anywhere, and you can watch it through your cellphone. They have night vision and motion-sensors. Great for when you hear a strange noise outside at night, and you want to see what’s out there. You have to buy your own strap or bungee cord. Amazon sells them.
A High Lumens Flashlight - These are cheap to buy and run on regular batteries, yet they can throw a lot of light at a great distance. Just something that can produce 2,000 lumens or more is plenty. Don’t buy a rechargeable because when you need the light right away, and the batteries are dead, you’ll have to wait an hour or more just to use it. Look for “high lumens flashlight” on Amazon.
Keep a Fire Extinguisher - Most RVs come equipped with at least one, but if you’re camping in a van, SUV, or other vehicle, you probably don’t have one. Every Walmart sells fire extinguishers.
Keep a First Aid Kit and Know Where it’s At - Don’t just settle for a ready-made first aid kit, also add to it with a suture kit, a pair of forceps, tweezers, scissors, 70% rubbing alcohol, hydrocortisone cream, burn cream, and tourniquet.
Be Active and Be Visible- If someone is passing by your camp numerous times over numerous days, it’s possible they might be looking for a theft opportunity.
Don’t Leave Expensive Items Outside or Unsecured - Keep your bicycle inside your RV. Keep your generator chained and locked. Make sure your outdoor storage compartments are locked. Don’t leave your solar generator unattended.
Bear Spray - You’re only going to need this when camping in Grizzly country, and there are only a few places in the Lower 48 where Grizzly still exist. If your plan is to go camping in Canada or Alaska, then keep at least one can with you for hiking, and a second can at your campsite. Most brands of bear spray will sell a “practice can” filled with water to make sure you know how to use it. Read more about using Bear Spray.
Get a Drone - A great way to scope out your immediate area is to fly a drone and see who else is out there.
Weather Radio - There are radios that are designed to pick up NOAA weather reports, which are great when you’re boondocking in an area without cellular signal. Always know what the weather forecast is; you don’t want to get caught unprepared. Midland makes the highest-quality weather radios. Amazon sells these too.
Walkie-Talkies - Also known as “two way radios”, these are great when one person goes out exploring and the other stays at camp. These radios can communicate with each other up to 30 miles away, which are great when boondocking somewhere without cellular signal. Don’t buy the cheap Chinese stuff, stick with the top two USA brands, Midland and Cobra. Again, Amazon.
Leaving Your Vehicle Unattended While Boondocking
Protect your motorhome, trailer, van, or SUV while you’re away on a hike or running errands in town…
Wheel Locks - these are similar to a “boot” that police attach to a car tire to prevent someone from driving it. These make it practically impossible to steal a vehicle or trailer. Look up, “wheel lock” or “trailer wheel lock” on Amazon.
Hitch Lock - If you have a trailer, this is a way to prevent someone from hitching up to it and stealing it. Fort Knox Locks makes the toughest hitch locks, but any brand of hitch lock is better than nothing. Look up “hitch lock” on Amazon.
Park Your Vehicle in Front of the Trailer Hitch - After unhitching from your trailer, park your tow vehicle in front of the hitch to block another vehicle from hitching up to it.
Get a Ring Stick Up Cam - As mentioned above, this is a video camera you can attach to your rig, or to a tree, and it will record video whenever it detects movement. It can save video to an SD card.
Boondocking Sites of the Week
[See our Boondocking Map for more sites]
Joshua Tree North BLM, Joshua Tree, CA (GPS: 34.1730, -116.2276) - If you happen to love large expanses of flat land, and the ability to drive anywhere you want, you’ll love this place. Located about 15-20 minutes from Joshua Tree NP’s primary entrance, there’s tons of space here for hundreds of RVs. It gets very windy here though. Learn more about this site.
Cedar Creek Campground, Lake Whitney, TX (GPS: 31.9901, -97.3733) - A free campground run by the Army Corps of Engineers, about 45 minutes south of Dallas-Fort Worth. During the winter months, there are three RV sites and three smaller sites for cars and vans. During the summer months, they open up another section with dozens more campsites. Learn more about this site.
Apple Canyon Yellow Post Sites, Idyllwild, CA (GPS: 33.6767, -116.6675) - These are a grouping of three campsites, each marked by a yellow post, available for free camping. Located about 20 minutes from the mountain town of Idyllwild, and about 60 minutes from the Temecula wine country. These are popular sites, so get here between Monday and Thursday. Learn more about these sites.
Do I Have to Keep My Dog Leashed While Boondocking?
Generally speaking, no. Both the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the US Forest Service (USFS) do not require dogs be kept leashed while dispersed camping. They only require your dog to be kept under control. This means as long as your dog will respond to your verbal command, it’s allowed to walk off-leash.
The BLM and USFS only require leashing when camping in a developed campground, or other developed area.
Refer to actual texts of BLM and USFS regulations in another article, “Must Dogs Be Kept Leashed When Boondocking?”
The Bureau of Reclamation (USBR), which operates several dams and reservoirs in western states, also does not require dogs be kept leashed at its campgrounds. However, they reserve the right to impound your dog if left unattended.
Other federal land management agencies like the Army Corps of Engineers, US Fish & Wildlife Service, and the National Park Service, all require dogs be kept leashed when outside, at all times.
Cats are treated the same as dogs in all cases above.
None of the above agencies have health requirements for dogs and cats while boondocking, such as being up to date on vaccines. None of the agencies have breed restrictions when boondocking, all dogs are welcome. However, it’s possible for some developed campgrounds to have these restrictions.
EXCELLENT ARTICLE!
This article is right-on the point, reality and truth. Where the tire meets the pavement, all you got, is all you got. Armed help may be hours away, and most likely is. To those who feel "squishy" and "icky" about guns, good training can get you over that. If you are politically, morally and otherwise apposed to guns, there's not much to say or do for you except urge you to get armed with alternative(s). I carry a heavy-duty blaster of strong pepper spray in one of my coffee cup holders. There are significant chances of meeting up with gangs, groups, mobs, protesters, etc while on America's roads.
I reference back to Reginald Denny of the Rodney King riots. The poor truck driver had no chance, no alternatives...no options. PLEASE don't ever be in that situation!
Have almost every thing on the list except the Ring camera. Also we want to add a Garmin mini soon. Thanks for an informative post.
Merry Christmas🎄 from our winter spot at one of Quartzsite's LTVA's.
Cheers~