We love camping. So much so, that we’ve made a life of it, camping in our van, Stevan**, for over three years.
And we especially love camping in remote, beautiful places, far from crowds.
Nearby trails, opportunities for rockhounding or wildlife viewing? Yes please!
And we’re all-in on cheap. Or better yet, free.
We don’t use electric or water hook-ups, or dump stations. So “no frills” goes without saying.
Amazingly enough, there are many, many great campsites that fit our criteria.
So many that we had a hard time narrowing our list down to 10 “favorites” this year. But, after some discussion, we (almost) managed it.
In this post, we’ll share our ten favorite campsites from our third year on the road. So, without further ado, here’s our list. (They’re in alphabetical order because, it was near impossible to rank these AWESOME places).
** We recently sold our beloved van, Stevan, and are building out a shuttle bus(!) Once we are back on the road, we are planning more of the same: no frills camping on public lands, beautiful remote vistas… just the “bus life” version.
Another quick note: We are building a no frills camping resource, recording each of our campsites on google maps. If you want more details about our camp sites, check them out. Each clickable pin includes comments about the site. Our current map is on the footer below. And links to past years’ maps are on our “About Us” page, on the right side.
Out 10 Favorites Campsites, Year Three
1. Agate Beach, BC
Agate Beach Campground is off the west coast of Canada on the Island of Haida Gwaii. Not the easiest place to get to. But–in our opinion– totally worth it. It’s possible to travel to Haida Gwaii on the cheap, but it takes a little planning.
Public camp sites on the island are all first come first served. So when we arrived in July, we weren’t sure we’d find any awesome here. But let me tell you, Agate Beach is all that.
Right on the beach… with both sunset and sunrise views. In addition, there are several hiking trails nearby, a couple of cool landmarks, biking opportunities, rockhounding, and fishing. The downside is that this is a popular camping area, with 30 sites and not much privacy between them.
Agate Beach is featured in one of our videos, if you want to see more of this spot… and watch me fall off my bike(!)
| Cost Per Night | $18 CD ($12 USD) And it’s half price if you’re over 65 |
| Access | 8 miles of dirt road. Potholes make it a bit rough but very doable in any vehicle. |
| Nearby Activities | Cape Fife Trail, Tow Hill Trail, Tow Hill Blow Hole, fishing, crabbing, and rockhounding for agate on beach |
| Type | BC Provincial Park Campground |
| Amenities | Pit Toilets, Picnic Tables. All sites are on the water No Cell Service but clear sky for satellite |
2. Big Bend Back Country Site “Grand View 2”, Big Bend National Park, TX
Big Bend National Park is all-around amazing! We loved it here and are already looking forward to going back sometime soon. The big wide empty views, interesting ecology, and plentiful wildlife make it one of our favorites. There are three developed campgrounds in Big Bend. (As the name suggests, this place is BIG.) But, even better, there are many remote “back country sites.”
These are on dirt and gravel roads within the park with no close neighbors and few amenities. Back country sites are reservable. But before heading out, check in with the park rangers and ask about the road conditions. They vary… a lot.
While we were in Big Bend, we stayed at two developed campgrounds and two back country sites. “Grand View 2” was our favorite. It’s a bumpy, beautiful/awful drive in. But sooo worth it!
| Cost Per Night | $24 ($12 with our Senior Lifetime Pass) |
| Access | A long washboard road from the south. A much shorter washboard road from the north. Doable, but kind of miserable. |
| Nearby Activities | There are many hiking trails in the park. But from this site, the best option is hiking out into the trail-less desert. It’s easy walking and truly beautiful. Big Bend also has a natural hot springs, historic sites and visitor centers. And Terlingua Ghost Town is not too far from this spot. |
| Type | US National Park backcountry site |
| Amenities | Picnic table, tent pad, bear box No Cell Service but clear sky for satellite |
3. Bear Mountain, Cibola National Forest, NM
This is a full-on boondocking spot down the long dirt Riley Road. And there are no amenities or established trails. But there are so many beautiful wild places to explore here. And a lot of good rockhounding opportunities too. I found quite a bit of agate and jasper in the hills here, and explored some super scenic washes.
There are many informal dispersed sites in the area and very (very) few other people. If you want to see more of this site,here’s our video about it. (I sort of got lost out there in that beautiful desert.)
| Cost Per Night | Free |
| Access | A long gravel and dirt road (Ask about current road conditions at the ranger station in Magdalena, NM) |
| Nearby Activities | Rockhounding, exploring |
| Type | Dispersed Camping on the Cibola National Forest |
| Amenities | None No Cell Service but clear sky for satellite |
4. Florida Campground, San Juan National Forest, Durango, CO
It’s surprisingly hard to find great dispersed camping in Colorado. Especially near popular areas like Durango. Most spots are hard to get to (without four wheel drive) or very crowded. And yeah, this campground is not cheap.
Despite the cost it made our list because the area surrounding it is so beautiful. And the opportunities for hiking here are so awesome. When we camped at Florida Creek last September, the season was winding down: Almost no other campers (Yay!)
We don’t recommend this spot at the height of summer (bet on it being busy!) or if you aren’t into hiking. And there are definitely cheaper boondocking spots around. But we really did enjoy our stay here. So it made our list.
| Cost Per Night | $24 ($13.50 with our Senior Lifetime Pass) |
| Access | Mostly paved road. A good dirt and gravel road last few miles. |
| Nearby Activities | Hiking trails! Lost Lake, Stump Lake, and Burnt Timber Trail (No. 667) within walking distance. |
| Type | San Juan National Forest Campground |
| Amenities | Pit Toilets, Picnic Table, Water No Cell Service but some sites have clear sky for satellite |
5. Fossil Mountain, Utah
We really never should have attempted to reach this spot with our rear wheel drive, extra long van. Sheer foolishness! But the call of Fossil Mountain was strong.
Despite bumbling through several treacherous, rocky washes, we made it to Fossil Mountain deep in the BLM lands of Utah. And we spent a few lovely days here without seeing a single soul.
Better yet, we made it OUT again!
If you have a high clearance, 4WD vehicle, and enjoy solitude (and marine fossils) this spot should be on your list! It is rugged, and beautiful and in autumn, just the right temperature for deep exploration.
| Cost Per Night | Free |
| Access | At least 8 miles of dirt track. Most is easy going, but the several rocky washes to cross make reaching this spot a challenge. |
| Nearby Activities | Rockhounding, fossil hunting (marine fossils mostly), exploring |
| Type | BLM Dispersed Camping |
| Amenities | None No Cell Service but clear sky for satellite |
6. Little Egypt, Hanksville UT
If you are into boondocking and desert vistas, check out Little Egypt BLM area.
This spot has it all. It’s free, and easily accessible. And sooooo scenic!
We tucked in here to avoid some serious wind and ended up staying three days. There are endless rock formations to explore, canyons, giant petrified logs…. I mean, just awesome!
| Cost Per Night | Free |
| Access | A short, easy gravel road when the weather is dry. If it’s been raining a lot, exercise caution. |
| Nearby Activities | Exploring, bouldering, rockhounding |
| Type | BLM Dispersed |
| Amenities | None No Cell Service but clear sky for satellite |
7. Cedar Mesa Campground, Capitol Reef National Park, UT
This awesome little campground has only 5 sites. So arrive early…. and not on the weekend. We did neither of these things in mid autumn and lucked into the last spot. (Whew!)
From Cedar Mesa, you can hike overland in just about any direction, or catch the Red Canyon Trail. Notom Road, has many other hiking opportunities along its length. And, if this spot is full, we hear there are many boondocking sites further along the road.
From Cedar Mesa, you can hike east, out of the park. And there’s petrified wood, agate, jasper AND fossils out there! Definitely worth the drive.
| Cost Per Night | Free (Yep, free, even though this is inside a national park) |
| Access | 23 miles of sand and gravel road. When we were here, the road was in good shape. But definitely check in at the park visitor center to ask about conditions. |
| Nearby Activities | Hiking, exploring, rockhounding for agate, jasper and petrified wood (if you walk east beyond the park boundary) |
| Type | National park campground |
| Amenities | Pit toilets, Picnic tables No Cell Service but some sites have clear sky for satellite |
8. Gray Bay BC Rec Site, Haida Gwaii, BC
Here’s another awesome, scenic campground that’s a bit of a bear to get to. Starting to see a pattern here? This one, requires a short ferry ride and about 12 miles of dirt and mud roads. But it is truly worth it.
The 17 sites at this campground are spread across a long distance. And each has beach access and privacy– a nearby pit toilet too. The surrounding forest is lush and green and wild, the beach, windswept and empty.
This is truly one of the most peaceful places I’ve ever been. We made a video about this beautiful spot too. Check it out HERE.
| Cost Per Night | Free |
| Access | 12+ miles of dirt/mud road, doable in our high clearance van. If it’s really rainy, you’ll probably want four wheel drive |
| Nearby Activities | Hiking to Secret Cove, wandering the beach, kayaking, fishing |
| Type | BC Recreation Site |
| Amenities | Pit Toilets, Picnic Tables No Cell Service but most sites have clear sky for satellite |
9. Teklanika Campground, Denali National Park, AK
We rarely stay in national park campgrounds. They’re too cramped and crowded for our style of camping. Too pricey too. But if you want to see Denali National Park without backpacking, this campground is your best option.
Teklanika Campground itself is a little, um… typical. Sites close together with little privacy. And, for sure, it’s one of the most expensive places we camped all year. But, there are no better options in Denali. And the surrounding area is amazing, wild and full of wildlife. Bears regularly walk through this campground. And the beautiful Teklanika River nearby is a wildlife travel corridor.
Best of all, you can ditch the driving and catch the shuttle bus up and down the Denali park road. We weren’t sure how we’d feel about this requirement. (Driving is not allowed in this park past the first 30 miles of road. And you have to commit to a three night stay here.)
Turns out, the shuttle bus is a great way to see the park. They’ll drop you off wherever you want. And, because the roads are so empty, you can walk (or bike) them. We did a lot of hiking while here, both from the campground and from the shuttle bus. And all of it was spectacular. This campground basically buys you access.
| Cost Per Night | $40 (Yikes, right?) $20 with our Senior Pass (which is still kinda pricey, in our book) |
| Access | Good paved and dirt road into the park. But be aware that you have to commit to 3 nights here without driving. |
| Nearby Activities | Hiking, wildlife viewing |
| Type | National Park Campground |
| Amenities | Pit Toilets, Picnic Tables, food storage building, water, trash collection No Cell Service but some sites have clear sky for satellite |
10. Tsina River Dispersed Camp on the Richardson Highway, AK
There are many great dispersed spots along the highways of Alaska. And we could easily have added several of them here. But his lovely spot at the confluence of Stuart Creek and the Tsina River, was one of the most memorable.
Sooo scenic and lovely. Also, very private and completely free. The road in is quick and easy, completely accessible by any car. And those mountains!
In short, this spot is everything you want in a dispersed site. If you’re heading to or from Valdez, Alaska, give it a look. We featured this spot in one of our videos if you want to see it in more detail. (Also, check out the great little town of Valdez Alaska, and a lot of wild wildlife!)
| Cost Per Night | Free |
| Access | A short, smooth, dirt road, accessible to all vehicles. |
| Nearby Activities | Not far from hiking in Thompson Pass. But, mostly just incredibly scenic here. |
| Type | Dispersed camping in Chugach National Forest |
| Amenities | None Some Verizon Cell service here |
11. Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge, Deadman Lake Campground, AK
This spot was a bit of a sleeper. We stopped in here only because it was convenient. But we loved it so much we stayed a few days.
If you enjoy deep taiga forests and wide, quiet lakes, this one is a must. The 15 sites are spread out for maximum privacy. And there are free canoes, a boat ramp and a short nature trail.
Note: I imagine it gets buggy here during wetter times of the year. But in late August– No bugs! But we enjoyed the other wildlife here. Migrating cranes, eagles and muskrats visited us.
| Cost Per Night | Free |
| Access | A short, easy drive on a good gravel road will get you here, accessible by any car. |
| Nearby Activities | Canoeing, fishing, bird watching, nature trail. Also, nearby hiking within the refuge. |
| Type | National Wildlife Refuge Campground |
| Amenities | Pit Toilets, Picnic Tables, free canoes No Cell Service but some sites have clear sky for satellite |
A Couple Extra
A few familiar spots made our short list again this year. And though they are not featured above, we thought we’d mention them. If you want more details, check out last year’s list. These two AWESOME spots are on it.
Canyon Of the Ancients, Cortez, CO
We started off our 3rd year of van life on the rim of this beautiful canyon. And we are eager to return for more hiking and sunsets and peace and views.
| Cost Per Night | Free |
| Access | A dirt road off another dirt road. There are many spots along the canyon, some much more accessible than others. Stop by the Canyon of the Ancients Visitor Center for a map. And talk to the rangers there about road conditions. |
| Nearby Activities | Hiking, ancient ruins, off road biking |
| Type | BLM dispersed camping |
| Amenities | None No Cell Service but clear sky for satellite |
Riverview Campground, Gila Box Riparian National Conservation Area, AZ
We visited here in our 2nd year, and returned for another long stay in year 3.
Gila Box isn’t showy, but there’s something magical about a big, wide river in the desert. This spot is quiet and beautiful, perched on a bench above such a river.
There’s lots of hiking here, and interesting wildlife. We saw javelinas in Gila Box, a Gila monster too! And we spent a few days trying to track down the resident troop of coatimundis. (No luck there.) But, if you like fire agate, you’ll find that here too!
| Cost Per Night | $5 ($2.50 with Golden Age Pass) |
| Access | A paved road to a good gravel road …with a few very tight turns. Not the best place to bring a large trailer. |
| Nearby Activities | Hiking, rockhounding, wildlife watching, river running, “pioneer” ruins. |
| Type | BLM Campground |
| Amenities | Pit Toilets, Picnic Tables, Trash collection, Water, Sun Shelters No Cell Service but clear sky for satellite |
Too Many Honorable Mentions to Mention(!)
We really hit our camping stride in our third year on the road. By now, we know what we like… and what we don’t. And finding great spots has definitely gotten easier.
Usually, we can find the wild, beautiful, uncrowded spots we still crave.
There really are so many beautiful spots out there!
We’re looking forward to scouting out many more awesome, cheap camping opportunities in the coming year.
What do you look for in a camp site? Send us your favorite spots… as well as your comments, questions and thoughts. We always appreciate hearing from you.
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