What is Boondocking, and What it Looks Like for Us
So there’s a full-time travel term called boondocking and here’s what it means…
Boondocking is when you camp disconnected from water, sewage, electric, wifi, etc. on public land not specifically intended for camping purposes.
You’re not at a campground, RV park, or driveway, and the only thing connecting your Airstream or RV to the earth is your wheels.
If you park your RV in a Walmart parking lot, you’re not hooked up to water, sewage, and electric, but are you boondocking? No!
That is called “dry camping” and is a real thing, but boondocking pairs public, unstructured land with the disconnected element.
It’s really the most idyllic form of Airstream life. You’re in the wild, you have limited resources, and you really feel a sense of quiet and simplicity that’s not there if you’re staying in a KOA with hookups and amenities.
But there are also some downsides to boondocking that are worth addressing before you take the plunge.
Boondoocking isn’t really free.
Okay, so one main tenant of boondocking is that you’re staying on free public land. And while that’s true, that doesn’t mean your overnight won’t cost you.
First, if it’s cold like it was when we boondocked in Arizona, you’ll have to use propane heat, which costs money. You may also have to purchase a permit to use the public land, so although you’re not paying the same rate as a KOA, you still have to go through the right channels.
And finally, the land is typically remote and difficult to get to. We’ve had to travel over bumpy roads and paths that get a little dicy. If you do any damage to your trailer while you’re traveling, you’ll have to fix it, and that can be expensive!
It’s a great option, but it’s not without risks
The larger the family, the more limitations you have.
When boondocking, you only have what you can carry with you. Fuel, water, battery, whatever. And that can be fine for two people and a few nights, but with three young kids and five total people who need to brush their teeth, those resources go really quickly!
We’re used to staying at places where we’re totally hooked up. I have wifi for work, we have continuously running water for showers and dishes and clean-ups, and if something happens, we’re minutes away from any help we could possibly need.
That’s part of the draw of boondocking— it’s remote. But it can also be a limitation, especially with a bigger family.
It’s best in small doses.
We love the adventure and solitude boondocking gives us, but we tend to do it sparingly, and never for more than one night at a time.
Think of it like this…
is it fun to let your kids all have one big sleepover? Yes. Is it something you want to do every night? No!
Well… unless you’re living in an Airstream like us and you have to.
We tend to save our boondocking adventures for locations where we want to experience the landscape more intimately, and when we have the energy and wherewithal to go a night without some of our creature comforts.
Overall, we are huge fans of boondocking!
If you think you might want to test it out in a safe, low-risk way, you can park your RV or Airstream in your driveway and see how long you can last!
It might not be as beautiful as our Arizona overnight, but it’ll give you the experience you need to feel more comfortable getting off the grid.
