If you are traveling through Arkansas this is a wonderful place to stop and take a few days to relax. Hiking and mountain biking about here and the solitude is wonderful. It is a bit out of the way of any facilities such as grocery stores or gas stations though so come prepared and enjoy! AT A GLANCE Location: 35.855826, -93.493683 Length We Stayed: 3 Nights Solitude: A few other campers in pull outs but none near us Distance to John's Work: N/A Services: Nearest gas station 30 min away - pack in everything you need T-Mobile Coverage: spotty Time of year we stayed: October Location Notes: The Good: We absolutely loved this location. It was very roomy and tucked away. It was also right next to a trail head. It had just rained a ton so the trails were muddy but we would have loved to get out and bike a little. The Bad: It's definitely more of a vacation/camp spot as there are not any resources near by. There are some steep roads. Make sure to come in on Cave Mountain Road to avoid super rutty and steep road. Video:

Nestled between Montezuma National Monument and Sedona is this nice National Forest camping area. It is actually a two-tier parking lot for a trail head but makes for a nice place to stay for a night or several nights. AT A GLANCE Location: 34.679376, -111.718522 Length We Stayed: 2 Nights Solitude: We met some awesome people here. There were a few RVs Distance to John's Work: N/A Services: Just a vaulted toilet - we packed in and out T-Mobile Coverage: Decent Cell Coverage Time of year we stayed: December More Info: https://freecampsites.net/#!142955&query=sitedetails Location Notes: It has since been brought to my attention that this area does not allow camping anymore. BUT you can park your rig here and scout another spot. There are tons of great spots near by. We met some fantastic people here that we call friends. They parked behind us and our kids loved hanging out with them. It's close enough to the highway for easy access to Montezuma or to Sedona but not close enough to hear the bustle. Video:

Calling all rock climbers! This place was soooo much fun. And even if you are not into climbing, the hiking is beautiful. While staying here we also took a side trip over to Winslow AZ and Petrified National Forest. The road is pretty rocky but if you are a little adventurous it's a rewarding site to stay for one or several nights. AT A GLANCE Location: 34.755798, -111.061531 Length We Stayed: 3 Nights Solitude: Lots of room - only one other camper Distance to John's Work: N/A Services: Vaulted Toilet T-Mobile Coverage: not great service Time of year we stayed: December More Info: https://freecampsites.net/#!3391&query=sitedetails Location Notes: We wished we had more time to explore the area more. It truly is a rock climber paradise for Arizona climbing. There were several easy routes for our kids and more challenging ones as well. The downside is that it's pretty far away from anything else. We did go into Winslow and to Petrified Forest National Park but it meant leaving the rig over an hour away from where we were exploring for an entire day. Fortunately we did not have any trouble and we only ran into one other RVer during our stay. It was quite cold in December but the climbing was nice as the sun warmed the rock up. There were a LOT of bees though so beware. We talked about going again but we just ran out of time before we had to leave Arizona. Video:

An unexpected gem in the middle of fields! We really enjoyed staying here an chose to fully utilize our 14 days. It would be a great overnight if you are passing through Missouri on I-70 and don't mind a small detour. AT A GLANCE Location: 38.826735, -92.078536 Length We Stayed: 14 Days (ish...) Solitude: We shared the small space a few nights and even had some late arrivals at 2 am a couple of times. (See notes) Distance to John's Work: 30 min Services: None - Water and trash nearby at Dry Fork T-Mobile Coverage: Decent Time of year we stayed: October Nearest Dump Station: Gander RV More Info: https://freecampsites.net/#!58291&query=sitedetails Location Notes: This was a fantastic site with lots of room and areas for the kids and Cinder to play. We were tucked away in the middle of a field so there were not a lot of visitors. We did meet some neighbors who were friendly and said they come by often to pick up trash that others had left behind and keep the place clean. Another neighbor kindly told us that hunting season was about to start and we may not want to stay there through that as it gets a lot of traffic. A Ranger also came and checked on us once and made sure we knew the 14 day rule. We did actually end up staying a few more days as John was working while Kristin and the kids were in KC so he was unable to move. We had a few nights where people would arrive at 2am to pull in and sleep. Perhaps because it's not too far from I-70? We were never bothered and they would be gone before we woke the next morning. Water and trash was close at Dry Fork Recreation Area and we were able to use the dump at Gander RV for free with our Good Sam membership. Video:

In the fall, this was just a beautiful little spot by the water. There are no services here though so be prepared to pack in and out. There were a fisherman and hunters coming and going but other than that it was pretty quite. We stayed here a week before caving to the cold but would have loved to stay longer. AT A GLANCE Location: 39.192464, -92.206261 Length We Stayed: 1 week Solitude: Only one other camper, one night Distance to John's Work: 30 min Services: None - pack in and out T-Mobile Coverage: Decent Time of year we stayed: November Nearest Free Dump: Gander, RV More Info: https://freecampsites.net/#!133021&query=sitedetails Location Notes: Very beautiful, small community lake. We saw a few fisherman and hunters but no one bothered us. There is a sign that says no swimming which would be a bummer in the summer. The kids wanted to get their raft out but it was a bit cold. There are vaulted toilets here but no water. There are trash cans around but unclear if they are emptied in the winter. We filled up with water before leaving our previous location. You could fill up containers at Walmart but it would be about a 30 minute drive. Video:

This location is perfect for visiting Columbia, MO or Jefferson City. We stayed here for 3 nights and may go back except for the fact that it has zero cell coverage. AT A GLANCE Location: 38.786324, -92.123619 Length We Stayed: 3 Nights Solitude: Day time hikers but no other campers Distance to John's Work: 30 min Services: Water and trash, vaulted toilets T-Mobile Coverage: None (Very sad) Time of year we stayed: October Nearest Dump Station: Gander RV More Info: https://freecampsites.net/#!2750&query=sitedetails Location Notes: This was a great landing place for us when we arrived. There was a trail right next to us to explore and water and trash very close which is super convenient. However, we live off of internet and while we can plan for a few days without it, we cannot sustain that so we decided to move on. There were also a few questionable people who looked to be permanently staying in one of the seven sites in the loop. We did not feel comfortable leaving our rig alone during the day but were later assured by a neighbor that they are all friendly and wouldn't bother us or our property. Still, you never know and we ultimately moved on. For an over night or a few nights where you don't leave anywhere, this was great. It should be noted that we opted to stay around the corner from the official campground so as not to disturb anyone with our late hour generator noise. Video:

If you like wide open spaces, this is for you. We enjoyed staying here and felt pretty safe - even leaving the rig to go explore. We stayed here for two weeks in May and even got to see wild horses come right up to our camp site. The roads are little rough and if it rains can be tricky. John was working in Reno and this is actually in Carson City so he did have a little bit of a commute. The good news though? It was really close to Tahoe! AT A GLANCE Location: 39.223250, -119.639028 Length We Stayed: 2 Weeks Solitude: Lots of room - a few other RVs Distance to Renown Reno: 40 min Services: None T-Mobile Coverage: OK Time of year we stayed: May More Info: https://freecampsites.net/#!35518&query=sitedetails Location Notes: This was a good spot overall but if you aren't comfortable camping in a wide open space and leaving your rig kind of exposed this might make you nervous. There were certainly other rigs around but very spaced out. There are no trees to hide or offer privacy which was a little odd feeling. Also there was a fair amount of trash. Many sites we passed had shot gun shells and random trash that people had clearly dumped. We steered clear of those areas as best we could. The wild horse wandering through our camp site was beautiful and the kids were entranced! There is one reason we probably would be cautious to stay here again. There was an abundance of these annoying plants called fox tails. If you don't have a dog, you probably have nothing to worry about. But our pooch was addicted to them and they tore apart her insides. We ended up having to take her to an emergency vet who pulled 30 barbs out from her throat and mouth! Video:

This overnighter was just a small parking lot next to the BLM office in the town of Tonapah. It was a great spot for passing through although it was SUPER windy the night we were there! AT A GLANCE Location: GPS: 38.04951, -117.217898 Length We Stayed: 1 Night Solitude: Lots of room - No one else there that night Services: None T-Mobile Coverage: Decent Time of year we stayed: February More Info: https://freecampsites.net/#!10273&query=sitedetails Location Notes: The reviews on Free Campsites all say that it is super windy so it must just be like that all the time. The rig did rattle a bit but we were happy to find a spot to rest for the night. It was also really close to a cool solar array and tower that has a small little interactive sign area in front of it that our kids thought was super interesting. Video:

We stayed in the entrance to this area for one night. To be honest, we aren't sure if it was allowed but there were no signs that said we could not. The road was too muddy to proceed so we camped right off the highway in the entrance to the park. We later found out that there IS a State Park near by and requires a $15 fee BUT you CAN park outside the park for free. We wouldn't recommend doing that for more than a night though. We don't have any pictures as we arrived in the dark and left early. AT A GLANCE Location: 39.284783, -119.241982 Length We Stayed: 1 Night Solitude: No other RVs - Not entirely sure we were in the right spot! Services: None T-Mobile Coverage: some Time of year we stayed: February More Info: https://freecampsites.net/#!194151&query=sitedetails

Although this IS on the California side, it is in the Reno, NV metro area. We absolutely LOVED this location. We spent a solid two weeks here and even did some of our remodeling while we were there. Getting there is an adventure though and if you aren't comfortable taking your RV on some narrow one way roads up a mountain this might not be for you. But if you are willing, it is an amazing and peaceful site. There are some sites at the top of the hill on your way that are easier to access in a wide open parking area that looked decent too. This area is not accessible when it's snowing - basically in the winter. We stayed here in May after the snow had melted though there were still some patches around. AT A GLANCE Location: 39.549378, -120.052930 Length We Stayed: 2 weeks Solitude: Lots of space, no other RVs Distance to Renown Hospital: 30 min Services: No services Propane: Chevron in Verdi Water: We refilled 6 gallon jugs at Walmart in Reno Dump: Boomtown KOA in Verdi T-Mobile Coverage: No service at site but could drive up the road Time of year we stayed: May Videos:

I must preface this post and say that I am not sure if this is actually a legal place to park. We cannot locate the original post that led us there in the first place so please take this with a grain of salt. Our BEST ADVICE for traveling the Oregon Coast and boondocking: It was difficult to find places to stay along the coast for free BUT if you can manage to find places to lot dock and scoot in the morning, there are TONS of cool places you can park your rig in parking lots right next to the water in the State Recreational areas that are open for day use. A lot of them even have free water, dump stations, trash cans, and bathhouses should you need them. So if you can find a place to crash for the night, you can keep moving on the next day and mosey up the coast. Minor Park Rd in Waldport 44.435412, -124.074752 This particular site is just a simple parking lot next to a bridge. There were no "no parking" signs at the time and it was suggested on freecampsites but is now nowhere to be found. It is right outside of a KOA so I'm sure they are not happy about people parking over night for free right outside their campground. Videos:

We were so lucky to find this spot just minutes outside of the park. Tucked in the forest among large lava rocks is this peaceful getaway. There are many spots along the roads leading up to the park so keep your eyes peeled. We stayed three nights and arrived mid-week during crummy weather. We think this helped us snag this spot which would likely otherwise have been taken. AT A GLANCE Location: 41.676094, -121.450725 Length We Stayed: 3 Nights Solitude: Plenty of pull outs and space Services: No services, dry camping T-Mobile Coverage: No service Time of year we stayed: May More Info: https://freecampsites.net/#!225606&query=sitedetails There were several sites all around the forest roads leading up to the park. There are no services so it is purely dry camping but we really enjoyed it. If you have never been to this National Monument you are in for a treat. It was remarkable and we had a blast discovering the various caves. This park has so much to offer and in our opinion so under rated. You can wander through the caves without a guide which the kids thought was amazing. They also did extra Junior Ranger badges here besides just the park one. We would love to visit here again. Video: