We recently had a lovely couple from Paris rent one of the rigs for a 9 day trip across California and they didn't pay for a single campsite. Cool, right? Dispersed camping for the win!
California is one of the busiest travel destinations in the world and for that reason most campgrounds in popular places like Big Sur and Yosemite National Park are booked up up to a year in advance. The advantage of travelling in a fully-equipped 4x4 overland vehicle is that it can take you anywhere - quite literally. Free dispersed/wild camping in National Forests across USA is the best kept secret - once you are in the boundary of a NF, you are free to set up camp anywhere you like. So here are the 3 reasons why overland vehicles are perfect for free camping:
1. Get anywhere - the beauty of the overland vehicle rental is it's 4x4 capability. Gravel and dirt roads are only fun if you can navigate them safely and without the constant fear of getting stuck. That's why our fleet consists of the most reliable and fun off-road vehicles on the market, like Jeep Rubicon, Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro and Toyota FJ Cruiser.
2. Be one with nature - few things in life are better than laying in the rooftop tent, watching the Milky Way and listening to the sounds of nature. Overland travel offers something that #vanlife and RV travel can't compete with - no walls. Once you try it, you'll never look back!
3. Plan your itinerary without limitations of campground booking - plan your trip around epic sights you want to see, not campground's availability along the route. Almost every National Park in the US is surrounded by a National Forest where you can camp for free (except for Zion National Park). #winning
That being said, sometimes planning a trip on your own can be a long and tiring process because there is so much to see and experience. Where to start? We take great pride in offering help to plan detailed trip itineraries for our customers - we share our knowledge of the region plus the GPS coordinates for our favourite camp spots.
The trip planning process looks something like this:
1. Pick the date for your getaway and the duration. Some destinations are better visited in the summer time like Eastern Sierras and some are better to explore in winter time like Death Valley.
2. Once you have the date, now the fun part begins! Pick your destination. Depending on the duration of your trip, we will recommend a sample itinerary that will maximize your trip.
3. Choose campgrounds/dispersed camping spots. Once the rough route is planned, pick campgrounds or camp sites along the way. Some places like Redwoods National Park don't allow dispersed camping to preserve unique ecosystems so booking a campground in advance is necessary.
4. And finally, choose activities. Plan gear accordingly, whether it's epic hikes, mountain biking, swimming or photography.
Planning an awesome overlanding trip doesn't have to be difficult - we are there for you every step of the way. Head to our customers page to learn more about trip planning: