What Is Dry Camping In An RV?
By Kelly Beasley
The definition of dry camping is as follows: camping in an RV without your camper connected to any public utilities.
It's camping 'off the grid.' One can dry camp in campsites, parking lots, national forests, Walmart parking lots, or on BLM (Bureau Of Land Management land).
You can dry camp anywhere.
So what does dry camping mean? It means providing your own:
It's harder than camping somewhere with dump stations, fire ring, and all the niceties because you're forced to be way more diligent about your consumption and output.
What's The Difference Between Boondocking And Dry Camping?
These two terms are often misused.
Let's get them straight.
• Dry camping = camping in campsites or other without connection to any public utilities.
• Boondocking = camping remotely, usually on public land.
Both boondocking and its 'cousin; share that both mean camping without hookups.
Kelly parked in a campground with no utilities. So, this is NOT boondocking.
Boondocking is a remote camp situation, always without connections.
In both cases, you provide your water and power. You'll also need wastewater and trash containment.
What Your RV Needs
If you want to dry camp, you must be able to do these things:
You are not permitted just to dump your sewage onto the ground. In most places, you are also prohibited from dumping your grey tank on the ground.
Is Dry Camping Safe?
Anywhere in the world, the possibility of bodily harm or someone stealing your things exists. Some places are riskier than others.
Therefore, no matter where you go on your camping trip, use your head and intuition when you arrive. If it doesn't feel safe, don't stay.
It's that easy.
What we CAN tell you is this. Having been dry campers out west, we understand that the odds of being UNsafe are much lower than when parking in towns and cities.
Criminals want easy, low-lying fruit. They shy away from having to drive long distances to get what they want.
So you're more 'at risk' in cities and towns.
That's a fact.
Is RV Dry Camping Legal?
Yes, this style of recreating in an RV in itself is legal.
As long as you stay where camping is permitted and don't overstay the limit, there's nothing illegal about it. (Can you camp on public lands?)
Just make sure you aren't parked on, say, private property when it's not permitted.
Water Conservation Tips
When learning how to dry camp, one of the biggest challenges is water conservation. Here are a few tips:
Water everywhere but none to use!
Propane Management
If you're in a travel trailer or motorhome, you usually need LP for certain appliances.
Most RVs have a built-in propane system. But without being diligent about your usage, you might run out.
Try practicing at a campground to see how long you last before you run out.
Then adjust accordingly, OR bring a second tank while RV camping without hookups.
Black Tanks
Your black water tank holds everything that goes down the toilet, including toilet paper (don't put your TP down the toilet).
You know, the stuff RVers love to talk about so much!
When out with a travel trailer or motorhome, your RV must hold and contain the contents until you get somewhere that you can deposit the contents into a proper sewage tank.
Always dump your tanks at an appropriate location.
Naturally, the RV septic tank is only so large (RV tank size), so you must know how many days you can go before it fills up.
This is another thing to test before you start dry RV camping.
Grey Tank Concerns
Your grey tank holds the wastewater from your kitchen sink and bathroom drains. Once again, your RV must hold this water in the gray water tank because you have no sewer connection.
Typically, keeping the grey tank from filling up is easier than keeping the black tank from filling.
You can catch used water in a small tub in the sink and throw it outside as long as you use all-natural soaps (and it's legal to dispose of gray water on the ground where you are camping).
Same when you bathe, you can catch the water coming out while waiting for the water to get hot to use for dishes and use it for something else.
Just be aware of how much goes down your drain so you don't fill up before your trip ends.
How To Keep Your RV Batteries Charged
Your recreational vehicle can only use so much of your house batteries' power (amp-hours) before it's time to recharge. Recharging happens in one of two ways:
Unless you have the lithium type (come with higher-end brands of campers), they MUST stay charged above 50%.
You cannot simply run them until they die and have no amp-hours left.
Well, you can, but that kills your batteries. So, test your power capacity before your adventure so you don't end up powerless.
Trashy Thoughts
Ha ha- seriously, the garbage you produce is something else you must manage. Where will you put full bags while you're out? Here are some options:
Just have a method set up where you don't have to sit and smell garbage when you're in the camper or are driving home!
Advantages and Disadvantages Of Dry Camping
Being off-grid has many advantages. First, let's look at the good.
Then we'll share the sticky side of RV camping without a water hookup or any other connection.
Advantages:
Disadvantages:
Do A Practice Run First
It's HIGHLY advisable to dry camp in a campground with full hookups before you try it for real. Just don't connect to sewer, water, or power.
Start with your gray tank empty, fill your fresh water tank and LP before you arrive (or right after you get there) and test how long you can make everything last.
Try dry camping in a campground before attempting it in a place like this.
If you need something, you can dump, fill, or use it at your camping spot. This is especially important when learning your power usage so you don't kill your battery bank.
This test teaches you a lot.
Dry Camping Tips
There's a lot to learn about this style of recreation. Here are some quick tips:
Conclusion
This is something every camper can do as long as their RV is self-contained. Learning how to live in an RV without hookups is the perfect way to get away from it all and learn about how your RV systems work.
If you want to get 'out there' and camp away from the city and into nature, sometimes camping without utilities is a requirement. It's pretty easy to learn and do. Just be stingy with what you consume, and you'll reap the benefits of a quieter camping experience, often out in nature. Enjoy!
Author: Kelly Beasley
I dedicated myself to living the full-time RV life for over 6.5 years, immersing myself in the unique quirks and joys of the boondocking lifestyle and gaining a wealth of knowledge and experience along the way. In December 2020, my business partner and I made the transition to part-time RVing, but in January 2023, we hit the road once again, this time in our trusty vans. My mission is to help others embrace the RVing lifestyle with confidence and excitement, armed with the knowledge and resources needed to make the most of their adventures. I believe that the more you know, the more you can truly appreciate and enjoy the freedom and flexibility of the open road.
For many of the reasons you mentioned, we dry camp as much as possible. We also dry camp to reduce our carbon footprint in an effort to leave the planet viable for our grandchildren. When we need to use our generator we only burn LP (we have a dual fuel generator) because it burns cleaner (I think) than gasoline. And, I’m “different,” this I know, but I find it fun to manage our Airstream’s resources (water, batteries, etc.); it’s kind of like a hobby for me.
LOL, I find myself doing the same kind of thing. “How long can I make this water last?” It is sort of a game!
Thanks for your input!
Jeepers, why not go all the way ? Try backpacking where you carry everything in your backpack and walk/hike to your destinations. You do not bathe till you return, you pack out your shit, men & women piss on rocks, not plants. You follow “leave no trace” rules, and do not forget water !
Good information, thank you.
Hi Mike,
You are very welcome! Thank you for the kind comment!
thank you so very much .. I am 76 and am about to do some camping in my 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan and to be on my own .. I am camperising my van .. my major concerns are “toilets” and “heat” .. I think I can manage all else .. I shall be doing this one night or two nights or three nights, so I can handle grocery needs and some recharging needs .. if you can provide more specific info, I would greatly appreciate it at my email address. said info would be about the toilet in which all solid waste falls into a plastic bag which can then be disposed in available trash facilities????? (smell concerns with such a toilet????) and providing heat as needed without using car battery or solar panels or propane heaters, if possible .. I would like a battery-operated heater (name of such????) in which the battery would provide DC power and could be recharged but not be driving the vehicle as it will be stationary for my camping duration as I cannot drive anymore and rely on drivers who will only be available to drive me there and then home again .. I don’t expect an answer but would really appreciate one .. lol .. thank you for your very indepth informative article and thank you for listening to my concerns here .. ‘bye
Hi Margo,
Great questions! We will be answering them here though, as part of our service is to help as many people as possible. Us posting the answer here helps future readers as well.
Heat: You are not going to find any battery operated heater that your battery bank can support enough to make it worth it. Heat is a BIG power suck. If you want to stay warm, we’d recommend using the little buddy heater in such a small space.
Toilet: As for the bucket toilet method, simply use something like cat litter, coco coir, sawdust or peat moss to cover your solids. You can also wrap up the bag after use. Smell should not be an issue.
You can throw it away despite what most people will tell you. But better yet, if you can, find a composting pile to dump it into (Sans the bag). THIS article by Live Small Ride Free is the most researched about the debate that I have yet seen.
They extensively researched the subject and found that occasional bags of human waste are not hazardous.
Enjoy your trips and thank you for reading! Glad to hear you enjoyed the article.
thank you, Kelly, for your prompt and informative reply .. I was hoping to avoid a propane heater as I have mentioned, I am 76, so do have limitations .. lol .. and I have three sleep disorders, so would be afraid of falling asleep while the “Little Buddy” heater (I am somewhat familiar with such) is going .. I can cope, though, and shall do so .. too bad, though, that in this day and age no one has come with a practical battery operated heater that is economically feasible as such would be the safest option, I think .. the toilet option is the one I have been considering, so I think I shall go with that .. thanks, again .. take care and all the very best to you and yours ..
You are most welcome! Yeah, the only other heater I can think of- there is a diesel-fed heater (Webasto) people use in their vans. Requires some modifications for sure. Is there a gas version of that? Not sure.
I slept with my Big Buddy on quite often. Long as you have vented your vehicle properly, you’ll be fine. But maybe the propane smell gets to you?
Good luck with it all! You’ll figure out the best option for your situation, I’m sure.
Let us know if we can be of other help and have fun!
thanks again, Kelly .. I shall use the bag method toilet and dispose of the bag after each use .. I just want ease due to my health issues which affect mobility and stomach issues .. as for the heater, I shall check the Webasto heater .. the smell of propane is not a problem but, rather, the effects if one breathes in too much .. I shall get a carbon monoxide detector and do all else I need to do for safety .. I am 76 but I love living .. lol ..
Yes, done right, propane heater will be perfectly safe for you! Vent, vent, vent!!! And a carbon monoxide detector is an ABSOLUTE MUST when using a propane heater indoors!
We hope you figure out the best solution for your setup!
Keep on living hard, Chica!!!!!!
thanks ..
Yes Kelly, there are gasoline versions of those heaters as well as propane versions. I use a diesel heater in my rv , I think it’s the most economical. Check out RV with Tito on Youtube, he put a gasoline version in his motorhome
Kelly (and Margo),
I’m pretty sure that the ‘Webasto diesel heater’ you are referring to used by van converters is the one in fashion in vehicles as a ‘parking heater’ and relies on a good bit of 12VDC electricity to operate (I have one and it is great). The basic one needs to be permanently installed in a vehicle and connected to the vehicle battery. They do make portable versions that put the heater, fuel tank, and controls etc. into a steel cabinet but they still need to be connected to a vehicle battery. It might be possible to run it off a ‘solar generator (a very poor term) but it still would be very involved. As such, it would not be appropriate HOWEVER, there is an alternative that does not requre electicity.
The was a trend 30 years ago to use portable kerosene heaters to just heat a room in a house rather than run the central furnace. They are simple and relatively foolproof. Some styles are circular and others rectangular. They also provide a decent amount of light which is usually helpful. They have not been popular for some time but are still available. Search for ‘kerosene heater’ on amazon and it turns up several.
The price of kerosene or proprietary heater fuels is EXTREMELY expensive for no practical reason (probably 5x what it should cost, just because they package and label it for heaters specifically). They can be run on diesel fuel with a bit more smell. I think a little reasearch could turn up a source locally but for the quantites involved it may not be worth the time. The best fuel to use would be ‘jet fuel’ (also called ‘Jet A’) which is almost pure kerosene. IMHO, These are much better heaters than propane heaters but are larger. Many folks don’t like dealing with liquid fuels as spills are messy. These heaters are also totally silent.
Combustion of any fuel in an enclosed space produces both water and CO2. The amount of water can create problems as it gets everything wet so their use needs to consider a source of ventilation. Also, any combustion heater CAN produce carbon monoxide or consume a lot of oxygen in a confined space which can result in deadly side effects.
Wow, you gave me so much to think about! I am 55 yrs old and need to find other living arrangements. I was considering a travel trailer so I would always have a home. New vs used, training on how to live in it, figuring it all out and still not missing a day of work… while trying to extricate myself from a precarious situation. These are the things that concern me. Thank you for your article!
Hi Wendy,
There is definitely a lot to consider when starting out RVing. I’m glad we could provide a bit of information for you!
We are always adding new content to Camp Addict in order to help out RVing newbies, so stay tuned for more goodness.
Best of luck with your current situation.