Traveling on public land dirt roads can be scary your first time out. Heck, even seasoned 'pros' take precautions to safely navigate dirt roads.
It is especially scary if you have lived most of your life in the east. There is hardly any public land in the east, so things like BLM and National Forest land may be foreign to easterners. Was for me, anyway. (Can you camp in National Forests?)
For many easterners (is that a word?), the idea of driving an RV down a dirt road seems pretty shady.
And yep, there's time when it is. It may be too narrow, too uneven, too wet, or there may be zero campsites on the road.
But If you take certain precautions, you can protect yourself from most misadventures before trying to tackle driving down the road.
Here are our top tips on how to navigate dirt roads when boondocking on public lands.
1. Scout!
Before venturing down a road you are unfamiliar with, it's best to 'scout' it if you can. This means taking your tow car or motorcycle, etc, and exploring it without the RV.
That way you avoid a road where you cannot turn your RV around, or one that is washed out, or is too soft to navigate, no available spots left, etc.
If you don't have a scout vehicle (well, you COULD walk, depending on how far in you want to go, and you can disconnect if you're pulling a trailer), there are a few more ways to check out a road before driving it.
2. Satellite Maps
Once you have a road picked out to camp on, look at it on Google satellite view. Here's an example below of a road in satellite view.
You can see camping spots along the way.
You can identify a few very valuable things from this:
- Any camping spots there? (Look for RVs parked there and/or circular dirt areas as in the above example.)
- Is there space to turn around anywhere?
- Length of the road- more than just one camping spot?
- Gates- Look closely for what could be a gate (See below. Same road as above). You may not be able to go as far as the road goes.
- Solar- if you are using solar, are there lots of trees? Or are there open spots with plenty of sun?
That black line is a gate. Whether camping is truly allowed beyond it in this photo is unknown, even though there's an RV there.
3. Camping Apps
Different websites and apps may have user reviews for different areas. Campendium and The Dyrt are two examples.
Users often share how the road in was or if RV length is a limitation. These are valuable resources for knowing if a road is well maintained, unpassable, or is full of potholes, etc.
4. Friend Referrals
If you have camping friends, use them. Find out if they have stayed where you want to go. If not, you can try asking in forums or in relevant Facebook groups.
People love to share their stories. So do them a favor and ask how it was to drive down X road in Las Cienegas, AZ. You may even score a 'secret spot'!
5. Watch The Weather
Watch out for rain! Recent rain can cause some (not all) dirt roads to be slick and/or impassable. It may be a good idea to wait a few days after a rain in areas with very sticky mud. (I know of a couple of notorious spots for that- Moab, Utah and Sedona, Arizona.)
That mud (in certain areas) will collect on your tires and become 1-2" thick, rendering you helpless and with zero traction. So, again, use apps, friends, and scouting to keep yourself safe!
Look for ruts in the road. If there are deep ruts, this usually means it will get messy when wet.
Keep in mind that if you can't get in, you probably can't get out, either. Plan your trips around the good weather. (Who wants to camp in rain, anyway?)
6. Ask A Ranger
Rangers at Ranger Stations can be a valuable resource. Personally, I have never used one for this. I prefer technology and friends to lead me to good spots.
Still, a good Ranger can be a great resource for knowing where you should and shouldn't go in your RV.
Conclusion
We don't recommend randomly driving down any public dirt road without doing your best due diligence first.
Technology is a wonderful thing. Use the tools we talked about above to make sure you don't get stuck or slide off of a cliff when you go camping! (Not to scare you or anything, lol!)
Even if you get stuck, people will likely help you out. Some find it fun! So don't fret. Just use your head, ask around, watch the weather, and use your technology.
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.
i’m also suggesting a drone if u have one..i’m not on the road regularly but would buy and use a drone to see what’s ahead
7. Wife
As wife’s brain is more developed then that of husband’s, do what wife tells husband to do. Previous events give evidence to the truth of the advanced brain.
LOL! Sounds like you have had a lot of experience here. 😂 Regardless, we hope you are doing well!!
Good information here Kelly. We sure don’t want to be this guy! :O https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/rv-is-free-after-spending-a-week-stuck-on-lime-creek-road/
We’re in SW Idaho and every boonie trip in the family grocery getter these days is with an eye toward what type of RV will be best for our upcoming retirement years. Thanks for the inspiration!
Hi Joyce,
You sure don’t want to be that guy!!! I had seen that story- it went around in a few RVing FB groups. Yikes.
Good luck with your upcoming retirement years. I’m sure they are well deserved! Thank you for taking the time to tell us you your input and kudos. We sure appreciate it!