Well THAT was a whirlwind! Our summer started on the Cote Nord of Quebec, Canada and ended in British Columbia, Canada In between, we visited one more Canadian province and eight US states. Whew!
Here’s a rundown of our 10 favorite van camping spots of the summer.
Favorite Boondocks
What’s better than free, right? We prefer “wild” camping whenever we can find it. In some states, there’s a bounty of forest roads and tucked in, beautiful spots. In some, not so much (I’m looking at you, east coast). Anyway, we didn’t do as much wild camping as we’d hoped this year. But here are four lovely, free spots, all reachable by a two wheel drive vehicle with a bit of clearance.
For easy access, we’ve linked these sites to directions and reviews on iOverlander. If you’re interested in learning more about cheap or free camping in general, or want to check out a map with all our camping spots, we’ve got you covered. Just follow the links.
Along the Saint Lawrence, Franquelin, Quebec
This spot was a sleeper, literally, as Dan had COVID while we were here and slept almost three days(!) It’s not easy to find this wild little spot or to reach it. You have to drive past a wide parking area, down a narrow dirt road to the banks of the Saint Lawrence Seaway. We parked and walked the length of this road, trying to decide if it was doable for Stevan. So glad we tried it!
This boondock it is RIGHT on the water, and so peaceful. It was early in the season here (May) and all three sites along the water were empty. The more easily accessed parking area at the top is nice as well, providing a wide-open view of the Saint Lawrence. We met a few locals, watched a few sunrises, and even saw a whale here! It was a lovely place to ride out an illness…. a lovely place in general. If you’re traveling the Cote Norde, this one is well worth a visit.
Bighorn Mountain National Forest, WY
Have we mentioned that we love the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming? Well we do. They are in the North Central part of the state and generally less crowded, less touristy, less grizzly bear-y. but still beautiful and lush. We camped for almost a week way back in the Bighorn National Forest northeast of Burgess Junction.
If you visit here, make sure to stop by a ranger station for a detailed forest map before you set off. There are tons of roads back here. Even with the map, we accidentally ended up on an ATV trail while searching for a spot. Funny story, that one…. NOT.
Though it rained for most of the time we were camped in the Bighorns, we STILL loved this boondock. Whenever the rains ceased, we ran out to explore the foggy, flower-filled landscape. We were here over the 4th of July holiday and, while many of the dispersed sites along the FS Roads were taken, including those at the marvelous Freezeout point, we found TONS of peace and quiet here, also visiting mule deer and marine fossils.
Fourmile Road, outside Buena Vista, Colorado
No joke, it was hard to find beautiful wild camping spots near Buena Vista, Colorado. Most of the forest service roads were too “four wheel drive-ish” for Stevan and all the other spots were sooo crowded. After a few bumpy, futile treks down rough roads, we asked the guys at the outdoor store in town and ended up here.
The Fourmile area is mainly for off road vehicles and mountain bikes. But while we were here, we saw none of these… just beautiful views into the valley, and a stunning sunset. Be warned: the wind up here is a serious thing. And, this road was a bit challenging. Not a good choice without some clearance. The views, though: spectacular!
We only stayed one night here– we were meeting family the next day. But we’d definitely go back.
Sun River Canyon, Montana
Sun River Canyon is in a lesser known area of Montana, about three hours southeast of Glacier National Park. We were a bit road weary, looking for a spot to set down for a few days and work, but we had no idea we’d find such a beautiful, interesting place.
There are a few campgrounds in the canyon, and a hunting lodge, so it is not empty (After 20 miles of gravel road it FEELS pretty remote, though). It is possible to bypass the campgrounds and boondock along the river or up the side roads that cross it.
Though we arrived just ahead of an August weekend, we found a spot beside the water with no one else camped within sight. From the canyon, there are trails that lead alongside the river and into the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Also, there is a lake for boating further up the road. We were able to use our Starlink system here, though the canyon was narrow. This spot is a keeper!
Favorite Campgrounds
While we prefer dispersed camping in the National Forests or BLM lands, we do end up in quite a few campgrounds. These are Forest Service campgrounds, for the most part with few services. Pit toilets and a drinking water spigot are what you get. But they do have picnic tables and fire grates, which make them pretty comfy as far as we are concerned. Also, the sites tend to be well separated and there are often trails or rivers or lakes nearby. We are lucky to have the National Parks Senior Pass, so these spots are half price for us. Aside from wisdom, this is one of the few perks of “older age”.
Spirit Lake Campground, Utah
We found Spirit Lake in desperation. The Flaming Gorge area, where we’d planned to boondock, was a gazillion degrees in July. We had to find a cooler spot, and in a hurry! We took the (beautiful) Sheep Creek Geological Loop up into the Ashley National Forest. Though we saw many fine dispersed spots along about 20 miles of dirt and gravel roads, we thought we’d check out Spirit Lake Campground before setting down. (It was recommended by a very friendly woman in a visitor center, and we have a policy to take recommendations whenever possible. USUALLY, it works out pretty well.) In this case, the views of the snow covered Uninta Mountains and the peaceful mountain lake made up for the busyness of the summer campground scene.
The best thing about this spot is easy access to hiking trails. We hear the fishing is great too. There’s a lodge within an easy walk of the campground, so you can stop in for ice cream, beer or breakfast if you want. If the summer heat is getting you down, Spirit Lake campground will restore your cool.
Bucks Campground, White River National Forest, Colorado
Oh. My. God. This area is beautiful! We (again) took a recommendation from someone we met along the way and found ourselves in a beautiful, though busy, spot. Trapper Lake has a lodge, and four (that’s right– four) campgrounds beside it. But we didn’t mind. We hiked every day: into the valley, beside the lake, up to the tree line and beyond. We even hiked to the lodge for a beer! There are so many trails here, and wildlife everywhere!
Our campsite, in Bucks Campground, had a tremendous view, and we enjoyed just staring out at the lake and the Flat Top mountains. Be forewarned: There are beetle-killed trees here, many of them. Some guidebooks call it a “ghost forest”. And, though our campground was empty on the Wednesday we arrived, it filled up completely on the weekend. Even so– it was a lovely spot. We stayed four days!
May Queen Campground, Turquoise Lake, CO
This campground is one of several around Turquoise lake, West of Leadville, Colorado. After a disappointing boondocking experience in the national forest nearby, we took a drive around the lake scouting out better options. While there was limited boondocking on the water, this– the most remote of the campgrounds– was a lovely option. The lake, as you might expect given its name, is a lovely blue, and there are many trails nearby, skirting the lake and passing old mine shafts. The sites themselves are not that awesome or private, but in this busy neck of the woods, you can’t be too picky about that.
Granite Creek Campground, Bridger Teton National National Forest Wyoming
To get to this campground, you have to brave about 8 miles of very bumpy dirt road. It is doable for any vehicle (when dry) but it is NOT FUN. The reward, though, is a lovely, spacious spot beside a rushing, rocky creek, gorgeous mountain views, many hiking trails, and not one, but TWO hot springs.
Truth be told, we had planned to disperse camp along Granite Creek Road. But all the spots we found were crowded. There was more privacy at the campground than wild camping bumper to bumper with other boondockers. And the $10 per night (thank you, Golden age Pass) made it more affordable, too.
Though many of the sites in this campground are wooded, we chose one that had enough sunlight to charge our Jackery and run our new Starlink system. It had valley views and showcased the intriguing mountain named “The Open Door”. Bonus: nobody else camped in this area, so it was quiet and calm. We hiked the half mile up to the natural hot springs at dusk and enjoyed a quiet soak. Did I mention there are waterfalls there, too? We also visited the developed hot spring pool a little farther up the road. It was lovely as well.
There are several trailheads accessable from Granite Creek Road. We didn’t end up hiking them, but next time we will. And there will definitely be a next time!
Deerlodge Park Campground, Dinosaur National Monument, CO
This one shouldn’t be a surprise. We raved about this place in our last “Favorite campsites” post. And, of course, we returned to sample a different season beside the Yampa River.
This year, we shared our time here with brother-in-law, Mike, and nephew, Dylan. We hiked “The Steps” trail together, hung out on the beach and just plain relaxed. They toured Dinosaur National Monument. We hiked outside the park boundaries to rockhound.
We weren’t prepared for the busyness of this spot on a late summer weekend. Families from local towns came to swim and picnic here. But they all left at dark, and we had a bit more of the solitude we seem to crave. In August, there were no elk bugling here. But we did see many deer, eagles, a beaver and a coyote. It is a wild, mysterious place in any season.
Island Lake Campground, Shoshone National Forest, WY
We hadn’t planned to stay at this high-altitude campground along the Beartooth Highway, but we stopped here for breakfast and just didn’t want to leave! The sites are very private, and beautifully wooded. The lake is lovely. And there are bears! (We realize that this may be either a plus or minus depending on your disposition, but for us: it was a bonus.) While here, we watched a young grizzly hunt ground squirrels for over an hour across the road from this campground. It was like Yellowstone– without the crowds!
In August, this spot was already pretty chilly, and a drizzly rain kept us company the whole time we were here. And we had yet to purchase bear spray. So our hikes were short. But note: there are several trailheads nearby, with easy access to alpine lakes. We’re hoping to return in the future and try a few of them out.
A Wild, Wide-Ranging Summer!
Well there you have it, 10 awesome places to camp for a spell. As you can tell, we covered a lot of ground this summer– too much, really. We easily could have stayed the 14 day camping limit in any of the above spots. But, we are still learning how to relax a little, and we can’t seem to stay in one place all that long. (Working on it though…)
We hope this post helps you find a beautiful spot to set down during your own adventures. If you are looking for more camping and boondocking options, check out our Year 1 Adventure Map. It details all the spots we’ve overnighted since we started this crazy/brave adventure. There are little notes on each site there, as well.
Happy Travels!
Intrepid! Gorgeous spots, ya’ll.
Thanks, Jay! Hoping you all will join us camping out here sometime!