Camping without a permit?

[Cass]

Is it even possible in the US today? I remember years ago that permits weren't required to camp in the national parks, but now it looks like a camper must obtain a Wilderness Permit or a Backcountry Permit, depending on the park. Where can a person camp without a permit?

 

[Noctis]

I believe camping in national forests is free. Some national parks may offer free camping depending on time and season. One example that I know is Riley Creek. If we want to camp during summer, the price depends on whether we choose a tent or an RV. It's free all year long otherwise.

 

[Eric]

I think permits only exist for camping/hiking in areas where demand is super high, like Yosemite. The government has to limit access to such areas, otherwise there'd be real environmental impacts/safety issues. I took our family to Yosemite a while back and we had to get reservations ~5 months in advance and there was a mad scramble to book sites as soon as online booking opened.

I'd say this is more of a California thing but my brother talks about camping reservations filling up quickly in Michigan too. It seems like wherever there's camping near a population center or popular destination like Yosemite, you're going to have a permitting/reservation system in place to control access.

 

[Cass]

. I took our family to Yosemite a while back and we had to get reservations ~5 months in advance and there was a mad scramble to book sites as soon as online booking opened.

I think that's the part that bugs me the most. It leaves little room for spontaneity. Sometimes you just want to gather the kids and go for a weekend of fun, without having to schedule everything in, months in advance. I'm grateful to live within driving distance to so many amazing wildlife and camping areas, so I really shouldn't complain. I guess I'll have to get with it and put it on my calendar to reserve a spot for next year.

 

[Calico]

I hear we can camp on the land under the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) without any license for up to two weeks. I'm not sure if the environment is as good as camping at the national parks, though.

Cass, I once tried camping with my siblings in our own garden. As silly as it sounds, it works for some days when you feel spontaneous but have no time to go somewhere far. Above all, it's free and open all year long!