Best video I ever have seen about this subject! Thanks Happy New Year 2019

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

Wow, just wow! ❤️❤️❤️ Thank you so much, and Happy New Year to you as well!

Thank you for that helpful information

Thanks for the info!! I have the 5the wheel (23' 9"). Now all I need is the truck!! (Pickup 3/4 ton gas 4 door long bed). I can hardly wait!!

@GrandAdventure

4 жыл бұрын

Yeah Vernon!! Congrats, and happy truck shopping.

Very well done! This is so helpful, thank you!

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

You're so welcome, Kristie!

Man this is some great information. Love these videos.

@GrandAdventure

4 жыл бұрын

You're very welcome! It's the process we always use even now a few years later, for that's how we found this spot in Sedona where we're presently located.

Great info. Keep them coming and be safe.

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you and same back at you, Second Thought!

Wow! Very well done. You are very detailed. Thanks

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much, and thanks for watching!

Thanks, for making such a helpful - and inspiring - video!

@GrandAdventure

4 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much, Marcel!

Thanks for taking the time to make this video it was very informative.

@GrandAdventure

3 жыл бұрын

Our pleasure Gerard. Thanks for watching!

Thank you for this great informative video!

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

You're very welcome, Dale! Hope that it helps, and let us know if we can help further.

Finally, a how-to boondocking video that goes beyond Campendium and FreeCampsites! I was about to give up on KZread videos on the subject. Your information was excellent. I can't thank you enough. Liked and subscribed.

Very helpful -- thanks for posting this video!!

@GrandAdventure

6 жыл бұрын

Dan Schechter Thank you!

Solid. Subscribed. Safe travels to you and your family.

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you, we're so happy to have you here! Happy trails and tailwinds to you and yours as well.

You are so knowledgeable. Thank you for sharing with us.

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much for your kind words, Anne!

Awesome video, thank you!

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much, Sarah, both for watching and for your comment!

New subscriber from Southern Utah. Great videos, with a LOT of useful information. Thank you!

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much! We're thrilled to have you here.

This video is a real treasure; all the advice, links, and references are very valuable. THANK YOU, AND HAPPY CAMPING!

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much, Martin! More than happy to help.

Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

And thank you for watching!

love your videos!

@GrandAdventure

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you! FYI there's an updated version of this episode here: kzread.info/dash/bejne/o5Z9ybF6m8mcftI.html

It was nice to watch this video again now that I understand it a little better. Thanks Marc!

@GrandAdventure

4 жыл бұрын

Someday we'll update this to our current visual standards, but the principle's the same.

Well done!! Just found you recently and really enjoy your videos!!

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you Eddie! We're so very happy that you found us.

Thanks for the info!!! You rock!

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching, YOU rock!

Thanks professor Guido, I learned a lot in your class.

@GrandAdventure

4 жыл бұрын

You're most welcome, young Padowan! 😊

Every video just gets better and better. I'm gaining more confidence with each video I watch . So generous of you. OK , on to your next video . Rich blessings upon you always .

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much, Marie, and your confidence is headed in the right direction!

Wonderful info. Thanks for the web sites..Happy Trails !! excellent video host !!

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much Michelle!

Great Information... Thanks for the video!

@GrandAdventure

6 жыл бұрын

Thank you! We hope that the information proves useful to you. And thanks for subscribing!

Thanks to your excellent tips and video on boondocking! Getting ready for a two week adventure to SW Utah and NE Arizona at the first of June and need to figure out campsites along the route.Looking forward to watching more of your videos!

@GrandAdventure

6 жыл бұрын

Thank you Laura! Hope it helps you.

This video was eye popping and info packed. Well done. USA has incredible areas and you helped us to navigate and select from smorgasbord of locations.

@GrandAdventure

4 жыл бұрын

That's wonderful to hear. Glad that we could help @curtzblues.

Superbly communicated. Thanks for the work...

@GrandAdventure

4 жыл бұрын

Thank you David! We hope this is of assistance to you.

Thank you for the great videos. I have subscribed. I love boon-docking in the San Rafael swell and Mirror lake but would love to venture out into other areas. Nothing beats the solitude of boon docking in Utah. Thanks again, maybe i will see you out there !

@GrandAdventure

6 жыл бұрын

Hope so, Kevin! Especially as we apparently frequent some of the same areas. Thanks for the sub!

Great information thanks for posting, recent subscriber love this site.

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

And we love having you here, Roger -- thank you very much!

X-O-LENT video and information!!

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you Michael!

Thanks for your video and a new subscriber !!

@GrandAdventure

6 жыл бұрын

Appreciate it Freddy!

I’ve been enjoying your videos. They hit my interests well. Good content and info.

@GrandAdventure

4 жыл бұрын

Thank you Phil! We truly appreciate your feedback.

Thanks for this info!!!

@GrandAdventure

6 жыл бұрын

William Houle Our pleasure! And thanks for the subscribe!

Thank you SO much - I’m going to find a few camping places near my area using those tools this summer BEFORE I get my RV. very helpful. Other videos talk about these things but when you go to some maps/sites, seems confusing. This was great!!! Also thanks for your info on video equipment - you have superior videos very steady and excellent color and focus, and interesting!

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

First off Elisabeth, allow us to apologize for the delay in our reply. Something is screwy with YT's notification system, for today we're finding comments that we've never seen before. That said, thank you so much for your comments!! We're glad that this primer has helped you, but feel free to let us know if we may help any further.

I’m only 1/2 way thru & I’ve already saved to my “reference library “ folder! I know I’ll use this as a resource for years! Thanx!

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

Well then, it's served its purpose! Thanks for watching!

"HELPFUL!!!" -- Thank You! Planning a solo 30 day tent-camp across country and was stressing about where-and-how. Mo bettah now.

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

Excellent, Bobby! Happy that we could help.

Good old Utah! I was stationed at Hill as a young pup but as a NYC dweller, I was not attracted to its natural beauty but today, 30 years later, I appreciate those those two camping trips into the Wasatch mountains, flying around Logan and out to Wendover, and of course, Park City! Greetings from Orlando!

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

Greetings to you, William! Thanks for sharing such a cool story. As I type this we're out camping in the West desert of Utah with a sergeant from Hill.

Awesome information, Marc!! Thank you very much for sharing it! If these online tools were a snake, they would have bit us!

@GrandAdventure

4 жыл бұрын

It's quite easy, Alan, once you know where to look.

Just found your channel and the video was awesome! My wife and I are 10 months into full time rv'ing and just purchased a generator so we could begin boondocking. Now we know where to start and how to get the information. Thank you very much!

@GrandAdventure

4 жыл бұрын

You're most welcome Timothy! Thrilled that you found us, and here's wishing you wonderful boondocking experiences from now on.

Just found you tonight, 3 Jul 2019. We just found a 2-year old 21' hybrid that when the 2 pop-out queen beds is ~27'. It's new though, having never been used. The dealer picked it up from the factory on a special purchase that he graciously passed to whoever was lucky enough to find it on the lot. We did first, and saved nearly 5k... So what? For those of your subscribers (I now am) who are in Utah, get to American Fork and check out Stewart's RV... Thank you so much for building this channel. I've only watched 3 so far. So far... More to watch!

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

We're grateful that you found us, Karl! Good luck with that new hybrid.

Always been a mystery to us! Thank you!

@GrandAdventure

3 жыл бұрын

You're most welcome, Candie. We've actually been considering redoing this one in the next few weeks. Some tools have changed, and even though this was only Ep. 6 it was very popular at that time. It seems to be a topic that many wonder about.

@duckiegirl58

3 жыл бұрын

@@GrandAdventure we'll keep our eyes open!

Sue and I just purchased our first RV, a Class C. We are going to do some boondocking out west this coming winter so thank you for the tips much appreciated and they will help. >Merton

@GrandAdventure

2 жыл бұрын

Congratulations! Here's wishing you many Grand Adventures to come.

@GrandAdventure

2 жыл бұрын

By the way, we updated this video with new tools and better examples here: kzread.info/dash/bejne/o5Z9ybF6m8mcftI.html

Thank you so very much! We're newbies, WAITING patiently for our house to close January 18, and then it's AWAY WE GO, full-time retirees in our brand new camper van! Looking forward to getting out there (from our East Texas up-to-this-point home) and experiencing some of that great BLM, etc, FREE outdoors! Hope we get to meet up at some point in this RV life!

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

We'd love that as well, Jim! Best wishes for your own upcoming Grand Adventures!

Thanks Mark-Really Informant and Free is Always Good! I Am Educating Myself As I Am Looking At Buying Our First RV! Turning Big 60! I am Disabled Want My Wife To Retire and See Some Of USA! Live in Central Florida And Did Get a Free Card For National Park Discounts! I Am Going To Watch You Next Clip 10 Helpful Hints For New RV’ers! Alway Good To Learn From Others Experiences! Thanks, David & Gisel in Sunny Hot Florida Hit 90’s Still Very Few Cool Spells! Have Really Day!

@GrandAdventure

4 жыл бұрын

Thanks, David, and best wishes for your plans and RV purchase! Sounds like a truly wonderful way to spend your 60s. And the central Florida area itself offers much for the RV traveler, too, with its plethora of clear natural springs. Enjoy!

Excellent video and information!! I am heading out from Calgary in less than a week to full time RV and will overnight in Salt Lake on my way South. I've been looking for KZreadrs that use a trailer so I was very happy to find yours. Helps me big time as I want to Boondock with my 30 foot Tracer Air Trailer and wasn't finding much. You saved the day!!! Now I know it''s possible to also Boondock at some amazing places too. Thanks again.

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

Daniel, I'm so glad that we could help! If you need some specific Utah beta, feel free to hit me up.

@danielramsay4594

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much, I just may be doing just that...really appreciated

All great info! Thank you! Never thought about looking at google maps to see roads, etc! Great ideas:-)

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

Sure hope it helps, Christina! It's the process we use ourselves.

@christinamcmillan6814

5 жыл бұрын

Grand Adventure thank you and I’m sure it will be VERY HELPFUL! Great channel. Excited to watch more and get some ideas as we head North for Spring/Summer.

Great video. We just became RVers with a new fifth wheel in July 17, and currently we are in the "afraid" group you mention. We just haven't been sure where we could legally drop anchor. Our goal next summer is to get away from the full hookup spots and try some boondocking at some beautiful spots like your pictures showed. Very appreciative of your video in helping us to get out there.

@GrandAdventure

6 жыл бұрын

+ytdtheb appreciate your comments! We hope that the tips in the video will prove helpful for spreading your wings!

Good video

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you, William!

A couple more thoughts that might be of use -- Once you have downloaded an MVUM, you can take screenshots of interesting areas. This allows you to put enlarged screenshots up on your screen while looking at Google Maps to check the terrain. Also, I find that Google Earth is also helpful when "scouting" for boondocking sites on the computer. You can pan and zoom, so as to check out the view from your intended site. I also use Garmin Basecamp to examine the terrain -- it allows me to draw routes to see if a certain road is going to be too steep for safe towing. Finally, I would add that for those of us who boondock in trailers, it helps to scout the area in person in your tow vehicle without the trailer, to make sure that the access road and the site are suitable. Folks in truck campers don't need to do that as much as us trailer people do.

@GrandAdventure

6 жыл бұрын

Excellent points all, Dan - thank you!

Yeah there’s nothing worse than going camping and it’s more crowded than home😝good advice nice video we have done this with pickup with camper shell for years you feel more like you went to the woods when ur in the wilderness!!👍

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

We did the same, backpacking -> truck camping -> RV.

Tak'n a Ride Thanks for the sources for Boondocking

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

And thanks for watching!

Good video southern utah state lands are not camper friendly. Google map satellite view is how I locate sites in National forests and BLM land.

Hey!!! Look what I found! Funny I just commented on this in another video.

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

Yup, that's the video we linked to in our reply.

A good informative video. May I add if I might: its probably not a good idea to rely solely on the sometimes rather vague USFS / BLM publications or maps if you've never been the area before. In some national forests, (or BLM land) take the MVUMs (motor vehicle use maps) with a grain of salt. It seems that in some instances, the Forest Service makes an almost arbitrary designation of camping areas, where there really aren't many good sites. In a lot of instances where they show the dots on either side of the roads, it may be necessary to drive for miles before you find a good boondocking site, or even a spot with room enough to park. This is especially true if the roads go through a forest with heavy growth on either side of the road. Also, quite a few of the roads shown on the maps aren't good enough to get an RV of any size through them. And to repeat what you say, always only use well-defined pull-offs where it looks like people have camped there several times before. As you say, Google Earth is very useful, especially if you can actually see an RV parked in a particular spot. But in a lot of cases, nothing beats driving around and scouting the area with your tow vehicle or toad, and then coming back with your RV later.

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

We absolutely, positively agree 100%. Thanks for your input, quartzslab!

Great video and information. I noticed on a few of your videos that there are aerial shots from drones. Just wondering what drone you are using. Again, thanks for the great videos and information.

@GrandAdventure

6 жыл бұрын

2mrdon, thanks for commenting! We're using a DJI Mavic Pro, with PolarPro Cinema Series polarizing and neutral density filters. Links to all are included in each video's description, although you'll have to select "Show More" (web) or the little triangle (mobile) to see the entire description.

Mark, thank you for this really helpful education. We are starting my "Retirement Trip" (10 months on the road in Jan. 2021) and this information is helping us to plan where we can stay in our 26 ft. TT on a budget. One question, where do you check on the state lands? Is there a certain site? Deb

@GrandAdventure

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you Deb! We're so happy to be able to help. To answer your question, we use two sources to identify both state and federal public lands, the first of which listed below was developed only after we produced this video and which we find a bit easier to use: 1. maps.usgs.gov/padus/ and 2. www.arcgis.com/home/webmap/viewer.html?webmap=158981938bbd440fac9600280d5c8076&extent=-118.3742,35.3014,-111.8978,38.05 We hope this help!

Hi Mark, thanks for the videos. This was on par with the others you've done. I do some RVing in our class C and overland adventure travel in my Jeep or on my BMW motorcycle. Your resources and method are similar to my own but I wanted to offer another optima that is very helpful. Gaia GPS is a cloud based app that is free or fee based for expanded options. I don't work for them so just an honest opinion. Take a look, might be a good video topic as it combines all the source data you covered and others into a single platform that you can turn layers on and off easily. We're down in UT often to visit family, maybe we'll see you on the road someday. Keep up the great work, thx again.

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much, Gaia GPS looks interesting! Right now we're using a similar product called Backcountry Navigator (Android only) with CalTopo maps but the paid public lands overlay is BLM only. We're separately using Avenza Maps for MVUMs. This appears to wrap everything up into one package, we'll check it out!

Another great video Mark, very informative! Although my wife and I have had our 2009 View since 2012, and we average 1-2 cross-country trips each year (almost 80,000 miles since 2012) I still found this video helpful. In particular the MVUM maps. I was aware they exist, but I did not realize that they show where boondocking is allowed, down to which side of the road. I've used a MVUM a couple times, but simply to see where we could legally drive. That tip alone will be very valuable. I was also not aware that boondocking is typically allowed in NRA's -- we've always focused on BLM and forest service land. Thank you!

@GrandAdventure

4 жыл бұрын

You're very welcome! Understanding all of this is key to finding great boondocking sites that others haven't figured out yet, or at least haven't yet broadcast to the Internet. We've scored some spectacular locations this way.

@sajohnson33

4 жыл бұрын

I'm sure you have -- I'm anxious to watch more of your videos. I happened to randomly pick one of them using the interactive map on your website a few minutes ago -- it was the one with the animal sanctuary. The drone video is beautiful, and it was nice to see the sanctuary. We've been past there more than once but never visited. Above, you said, " Understanding all of this is key to finding great boondocking sites that others haven't figured out yet, or at least haven't yet broadcast to the Internet." Question -- more and more people (including yourself) are putting spectacular boondocking sites online. While that is very thoughtful, and of course I and others appreciate it, are you concerned that -- with the increase in the popularity of RVing -- many sites will become overused? Or, as The Eagles song "The Last Resort" goes, "Call someplace paradise, kiss it goodbye". I'm not trying to be negative, but it does seem like a concern.

@GrandAdventure

4 жыл бұрын

@@sajohnson33 it is a valid concern, and one that we actually discussed once over dinner with the founders of Campendium. For a while I resisted adding a couple of our honey holes to Campendium for that very reason. But then I thought about it some more and realized that we love finding new spots, and the research and planning is half the fun for us. Plus, the sheer amount of BLM, National Forest, and other Federal land in the West is positively astounding. Take a look at this protected lands map, for instance: maps.usgs.gov/padus/ . There's no way, no matter how popular dispersed camping may become, that all of us can use all of that. There's plenty of room out there for those willing to push their own personal comfort envelope and discover places on their own.

@sajohnson33

4 жыл бұрын

@@GrandAdventure No doubt that the amount of federal out West is mind boggling. From Wiki: "The federal government owns about 640 million acres of land in the United States, about 28% of the total land area of 2.27 billion acres." For reference, the entire state of Texas is 172,000,000 acres. As vast as the BLM and USFS holdings are, the numbers are misleading because (as you know better than I) huge areas are completely inaccessible, even by horseback or ATV. There are no roads. Other areas may have "roads" but they are really rough -- only rock crawling Jeeps need apply. What I'm getting at is, the amount of land that is actually reasonably accessible with a truck towing a 5th wheel or trailer, let alone your typical RV, is a tiny fraction of the total. I have absolutely no idea, but I wouldn't be surprised if it's under 0.1%. I'm still glad we settled on the View. It's a decent rig, but your truck/trailer setup has solid advantages as well -- like the ability to travel over rougher roads. The Sprinter cab-chassis is a medium duty truck. It's pretty tough and has reasonable ground clearance, but it is 2WD. It also has a long wheelbase and a shallow departure angle. In addition, even relatively level FS roads can be a challenge if they are rough and/or washboarded because -- unlike with a trailer -- we get to listen to everything rattling around. Point being that when you take those limitations into consideration, that 640 million acres shrinks dramatically. I'm honestly not trying to be argumentative. I think the selfless thing to do is to post any decent boondocking sites one finds, but I remain concerned that -- just like our national parks -- the best boondocking sites will be overrun with people. Obviously I hope I'm wrong.

@GrandAdventure

4 жыл бұрын

@@sajohnson33 anyone who understands what departure angle is certainly "gets it". You've impressed me with your knowledge and understanding. And I hardly think you're being argumentative in any way, shape or form -- it's a good discussion. Now I'll admit that we'll tow on some ridiculous roads that most folks would consider inaccessible, but we've also got a lot of off-road 4x4'ing experience on trails that I'd never consider taking a trailer on. When we were at Lily Lake in the Uinta Mountains this past summer, a Forest Ranger was incredulous that we towed our trailer up to the lake. Your ground clearance and 2WD are limiting factors (although it's a beautiful rig!), but I still think you've undersold the amount of accessible federal land by a couple of orders of magnitude. For example, our home state of Utah is 67% federal land. Add in state lands and you're at 80%. That's a whole lot of terrain to explore, and while some areas of course are roadless or only accessed from some very rough mining roads, there are plenty of BLM and Forest Service roads that are graded annually, or even more often. But you're right. We've definitely seen some dramatic increases in backcountry camping in popular, well-publicized areas. The Sheep Bridge Road area near Zion National Park immediately comes to mind. But that just means that you have to stay one step ahead of everyone else, and for us that's part of that fun that we mentioned earlier.

Good tips, thanks for sharing. I wish your video labeled the locations along with the month taken. You've been to some really nice areas. I was always thinking, "when and where is that?"

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks Tom! Each individual travel video, though, has the campsite and filming dates listed in the video description.

@TomSpurlock

5 жыл бұрын

@@GrandAdventure Thanks, just subscribed, I'll check them out. By the way, OSMO+ is nice, eh? I have one too, love it. But you need to upgrade to the Mavic2Zoom to replace that MP you have, hah!. Incredible capability with 2X zoom, not to mention the lens glass is way better (less sun flares and spots), the SD write speed is much better (richer color, less artifacts), and the flight range (OcuSync2 rocks) and battery life is much better. Check it out (I'm sure you have).

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

@@TomSpurlock oh, we've definitely checked it out! One day, maybe soon... Thanks for the comment, and we're thrilled to have you as a new Grand Adventurer!

I just found your channel and already learning. When I retire in about six years my wife and I plan to travel all over the country, but mainly out west, and our rig will be a cargo trailer conversion pulled with my Dodge Grand Caravan. My concern is the vans lack of ground clearance, 5.8", and driving on the BLM and other forest roads. I really love the van because I find it the perfect travel vehicle for the wife and I. So what are our chances of being able to boondock out west?

@GrandAdventure

11 ай бұрын

We're thrilled that you've found us, Eric! Just FYI, we did an updated version of this episode a couple of years ago: kzread.info/dash/bejne/o5Z9ybF6m8mcftI.html As for your Grand Caravan, about the only thing I can say is that it will limit you in some places, and not be a hindrance in others. Some USFS and BLM roads are graded, whereas some are not. You'd be fine on the graded ones. Our trailer has nearly 24" of clearance, and while I haven't yet measured the clearance on our F-350 it's substantial -- more than our former Toyota Tundra had. I even went so far as to get the retractable running boards for the F-350 as there were several times that I'd high-center on the Tundra's running boards.

Thank you for the great information. I have a question off topic....when you bought your topper/cap for your pickup, did you specify that you would be mounting a kayak mount on it? If you already did a video on this I apologize in advance and would appreciate the episode number! Thank you for the straight forward information in your videos and maybe I'll see you in the future exploring our great country!

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

No, we didn't. With this truck we ordered the topper with Yakima rack tracks. On our previous truck we mounted the rack feet directly to the topper ourselves.

@markfulkerson6787

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you for the reply

Mark - First, I love your videos and am envious of the spots you have been. I would really like to try that style of camping but so far have been afraid of trying. Currently, I have a 41 ft DP which I think will limit me on areas and sites I can try. What's a good way to determine "big rig" accessibility? Also, concerned I will arrive in an area and it will be full. Is that a legitimate concern? Will arriving mid-week help to solve that potential issue? I would like to travel to some of your spots in non-prime times but still have decent weather. How can you learn best time of year to visit the various areas? Also, some questions on security, I would want to be able to leave my rig and explore the surrounding areas for the day. Have you had any issues leaving your rig unattended for the day? Lastly, I'm considering doing a major downsize / simplification to a 27' travel trailer. Will that substantially increase available camping areas? Thanks for any advice and assurances for a newbie wannabe boondocker.

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

Randy, thanks for the comment! Rest assured you're not alone, for since starting Grand Adventure I've honestly been surprised at how many people fear getting away from hookups, for one reason or another. I'll be happy to give you my input, FWIW: 1. Your 41' DP is most certainly a limiting factor. For all intents and purposes that's basically a bus, and that makes most unmaintained dirt roads inaccessible to you for a host of reasons including wheelbase, ground clearance, etc. However, there ARE spots that will work. Folks posting reviews at sites like Campendium are typically very good about describing access roads and whether or not they're big-rig friendly. We see many large Class A rigs out there, but it's of course only in select locations and usually right near the entrance. A perfect example comes to mind from our last outing in Moab -- while Dalton Wells would've been inaccessible to you, there was a large class A near the entrance to Klondike Bluffs Road just a couple of miles up US-191, and that driver would've had no issue whatsoever getting there. When in doubt, I'd pick up the phone and chat with someone at the local office for the land management agency in question, be it BLM, USFS, etc. to gain first-hand knowledge of the road in question. 2. On a related note, yes -- a 27' TT with sufficient ground clearance would open most doors to you. That's only 13" longer than ours. Furthermore, with a TT you have the ability to drop your trailer while you go exploring for a site in just your pickup. 3. Nine times out of 10 you'll find a spot right off. However, it's important to have a Plan B (and maybe C, D & E!) in mind in case your chosen location doesn't work out for one reason or another. Your odds increase dramatically mid-week, which is why we try to not arrive somewhere on a Friday or Saturday afternoon. We're getting ready to head off to Bears Ears National Monument, and just spent a couple of hours with maps and satellite images in hand scouting the area. I readily found no fewer than 15 potential sites, so I'm absolutely certain that we'll have something when we arrive -- I just don't know yet which site that will be. Nevertheless I prepared a map pinpointing each site, then transferred it to my phone as a KMZ file to use with my preferred offline mapping app. We're now ready to go exploring! 4. You're also not alone in being concerned about boondocking security. In fact, we've seen that question come up so many times by boondocking wannabes that we're contemplating an episode just on that single subject. However, the short answer is that we've never once been concerned about leaving our rig behind. If we were to find ourselves in a location that fostered any degree of concern, then we're camping in the wrong spot! ;) Sure, we're not stupid -- we'll put a small lock on the hitch to discourage opportunistic thieves, and we'll also throw a lock on a couple of key pricey items (portable generator, portable solar, etc.) -- but in all our years of camping we've never had anything walk away. Many of those years we were simply in a tent with all of our stuff laying around. We've heard the occasional story of something disappearing during the day, but that's never, ever happened to us. I hope this helps, Randy! We remain at your disposal should you like any further feedback, and thanks for watching! Happy trails! - Marc

@mricet1005

5 жыл бұрын

@@GrandAdventure Thanks for the quick reply. I'm seriously considering a 25-28' TT for the next phase of my RV life. I tend to travel for 3 months at a time, so a little concerned about the more limited space. However, I love nature, hiking, biking, photography, so I think the change would open a new world of opportunities. With the 41ft DP I've been reluctant to travel without advanced reservations, although I know many do. With the TT I would be more comfortable trying that given the increased boondocking opportunities with occasional RV park stays for dumping, laundry, etc. I really want to explore Idaho, Oregon, and a return trip to Utah. Thanks again!

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

@@mricet1005 if it gives you any reassurance, we traveled in our 25'11" TT for 5-6 months continuously last summer -- two adults and two large dogs -- and never once longed for more space. One thing to remember is that with a bumper pull you have the entire bed of the truck for storage, especially with a shell on the bed as we do. We kept clothes for a different season back there in stackable storage bins, along with my entire workbench of tools, the generator and jerry can, extra patio furniture, a spare water tank, mountain biking and kayaking supplies and equipment, etc. The kayak rode on the roof. We even had room for more.

...looking at that arcgis map. Lots of colors. Where's the map legend for all those colors?

@GrandAdventure

4 жыл бұрын

In the left tab click on "Legend" and then scroll down to "Features". Since we created that map, though, this much easier one to use has been released where you can simply click on a point to get the land manager information: maps.usgs.gov/padus/

Your BLM restrictions comment confused me because I just came out of the BLM lands literally right around Moab a few days ago. I went into the Moab Diner everyday for breakfast AWESOME and AFFORDALE.

@GrandAdventure

4 жыл бұрын

Glad that you enjoyed Moab, Jenny! The BLM does in fact limit or restrict camping in many of the areas surrounding Moab -- here's the map: www.blm.gov/download/file/fid/10937 Popular boondocking sites north of town, like Klondike Bluffs and Dalton Wells, are actually on state trust land.

Really enjoy your videos but I do not know how to find the links. Can you give a rookie a heads up?

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

Sam, the links are in the video description. KZread only shows a short digest of the description unless you expand it to show the whole thing, and how you expand it depends on what type of device you're using to watch the video. If you're on a computer, click "Show more". If you're using a mobile device, use the little downward-pointing triangle to the right of the video title. If you're using a Roku or connected TV to watch the video, however, it's not possible to see the full description.

I’m a woman traveling alone. Do you have any tips for us solo women travelers. I want to try boondocking but am nervous.

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

That's an understandable concern, Elizabeth. However, we know lots of women who are boondocking solo. In our opinion it's a matter of making common sense decisions to look out for your own personal safety, decisions that you'd likely make at home, too. Lock your RV doors at night. Be prepared to defend yourself, and have the tools to do so if necessary. Don't boondock near large urban areas; for example, some of the spots along Lake Mead that are closer to Vegas, like Government Wash, has more of a homeless and tweaker issue than places more distant from the city like Stevens Point. That said, in many boondocking locations a passerby isn't going to even know that you're there, and a predator isn't going to go wandering around the wilds hoping to stumble across an RV parked somewhere. In 30 years of backcountry camping both in an RV and a tent, we have yet to encounter any kind of situation that gave us concern for our personal safety. Hope this helps to give you some reassurance!

Anyone know where that extended BLM California area is specifically please? My first time heading out. Could use as much good guidance as I can get. I have two teens and we are all total newbies. 💝

@GrandAdventure

3 жыл бұрын

The BLM Long Term Visitor Areas (LTVAs) in California are all down near the Colorado River border with Arizona. www.blm.gov/documents/arizona/public-room/map/long-term-visitor-area-map

@ConsciousEmaNation

3 жыл бұрын

@@GrandAdventure Tysm…Your videos are so helpful already!

@GrandAdventure

3 жыл бұрын

@@ConsciousEmaNation any time, and thank you. FYI in case you were unaware we re-did an updated version of this video: kzread.info/dash/bejne/o5Z9ybF6m8mcftI.html

@ConsciousEmaNation

3 жыл бұрын

@@GrandAdventure Ty, this was my first video I caught. Subscribed as well. Look forward to watching your other ones. Blessings! ♾🤍♾

@GrandAdventure

3 жыл бұрын

@@ConsciousEmaNation thanks for the sub, and same to you. We look forward to having you along.

Thanks for the video! My question is related to the feasibility of getting a large (45 foot) motorhome into these various dispersed camping locations. I will have a tow vehicle that I can use to scout out locations, but from you experience does it seem feasible to get into the majority of these locations or should I really set my expectations on having much less access to these beautiful locations in such a beast. The wife and I going to move into an RV fulltime and I want to spend some time out west and boondock. Many of the types of rigs we're considering (Entegra) only stay in campgrounds.

@GrandAdventure

6 жыл бұрын

Thanks for writing, Steve! It's absolutely possible -- it all depends on both the particular site and the quality of the access road. For example, our site on Sheep Bridge Road in the latest video (Ep. 11: Zion NP kzread.info/dash/bejne/gZN3x6aDpLnZYNY.html) would be very easy -- there was even a large Class A parked across the road from us that you can see in the drone footage. The road was wide and well graded, and sites like what we had were big enough to park several semis on. Ditto for Lone Rock Beach on Lake Powell, the subject of our upcoming Ep. 13 where you can camp right on the beach at the water's edge, although while not a true "campground" that's admittedly a specific camping area designated by the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. Turning to this specific video, you could've gotten that Entegra into the site in Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest that we used as our example here. In fact, upon leaving that site we passed a large Class A heading in. There were some spots where you would have had to proceed slowly because of some washboard sections of the dirt road, but so did we. The dirt roads there are graded and layered with gravel, and it's in fact paved for all but the last 2-3 miles. Easy peasy! But that's where advance knowledge comes in, for had it been deeply rutted or had unusually tight turns it would have been a different story. You are therefore correct about using your toad to scout ahead. You can also use Google Satellite to get a good idea in advance, or call the land manager (BLM Field Office or National Forest Ranger Station, depending on the site) for advance beta, both as mentioned in the video. Reviews on websites like Campendium.com and FreeCampsites.net often address issues of access and site size for those with large rigs. All of that helps to avoid some surprises when you arrive and the scrambling to find an alternative site thereafter. Let's be honest in answering your question to properly set expectations -- yes, you will have a narrower selection of sites than we do, but we also are experiencing a narrower selection of sites ourselves than when we just went car camping before our RV, or even more so than when we were backpackers. That doesn't mean, however, that there aren't oodles of sites that you can get your new motorhome into. There are! You just have to do your research a bit more carefully. Don't fear it -- I've encountered many large Class A motorhomes out in the wild. In our opinion, there's no comparison between being wedged in an RV park and having the space, freedom and solitude of dry camping on our nation's spectacular public lands. Sometimes I drive past an RV park near our camp and just shake my head, incredulous that folks are paying good money to camp like that while we're just down the road in a far better setting for free. Just using our home state of Utah as an example, a full two-thirds of our state is made up of federal land. Other neighboring states have similar percentages, and if I recall correctly Nevada is something like 80%! That leaves a whole lot of free camping to choose from, even for full-timers in giant rigs. You just have to do your homework and be a bit more selective. I suspect that after your first few sites you'll start hunting down boondocking sites and eschewing RV parks altogether. Wishing you much success in your motorhome selection and purchase!

@steveupp5539

6 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the quick response and the great info! Just found your channel and I will have to catch up!

@GrandAdventure

6 жыл бұрын

Steve Upp Glad to have you aboard! There's not a whole lot of catching up to do yet as we just launched Grand Adventure in late September. We have huge plans for the channel, both through the off-season and even more so once spring arrives, so if you haven't yet subscribed we'd love to count you amongst our Grand Adventurers!

You say you have free rain on BLM land. That's really nice, but how much do they charge you for it everywhere else? Sounds like a bad storm could get kinda pricey.

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

We're not sure we're following you about how much they charge everywhere else. As for storms, we've gotten stuck precisely once in 3 decades kzread.info/dash/bejne/f2WjwdmqhLbAeco.html and with the help of friends and a little patience, it didn't cost anything except a few more grey hairs.

I just stumbled across your channel and this video. One of the best out there! Thank you. As a pre-newbie (g), I am trying to learn as much as I can. This was incredibly helpful. Oh .... and I noticed your Golden. If you decide to head out East this next year, consider coming to Goldstockcamp (www.goldstockcamp.com) which is held every Labor Day in the Poconos in PA.

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

Very cool! Are rescued Golden hybrids like ours welcome? 😄 So glad you found us!

@coffenut

5 жыл бұрын

@@GrandAdventure Absolutely! Anybody (dog) with a "Golden" heart .... basically .... lots of swimming, fur, mud, sand, and happiness. The whole purpose of the three days is to raise money for Golden Retriever rescues and to have fun with your dog. ..... now back to watching more of your episodes.

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

@@coffenut good to hear! Now, we're working on our "RV Camping with Dogs" episode even as I type this so if you have any tips or tricks to share, we're all ears.

Hey Mark, We travel similarly (with the same truck and similarly sized trailer), with the addition that we often leave our truck and trailer for several days to weeks and go off on multi-day backcountry trips. Another camping website you may wish to check out is: www.ultimatecampgrounds.com/ Hope your next adventure is grand ....... our's sure will be (think Escalante river). Steve

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you Steve! We'll check out the website. Escalate River should be an excellent trip, enjoy! We're in the lottery for the San Juan, fingers are crossed.

Shh! LS

@GrandAdventure

6 жыл бұрын

MaxEPR LOL! There are lots of acres out there. ;)

My issue is I just don’t feel comfortable doing it alone as a single woman.

@GrandAdventure

4 жыл бұрын

That's understandable. Lots of single women do so, though.

I like your stuff but in this one, I think you contradict yourself. In the "dos and don'ts, you heavily emphasize not being crowded by other campers and seeking solitude, etc. Yet at the end of your video, you point out that you frequently send your info to sites like Campendium. By doing that you are encouraging many more people to crowd into these quiet areas that still exist. I just don't get why KZreadrs like yourself feel the need to have to share everything online for the world to see. Unless it helps you make money of course. Again, thanks for the 99% good stuff, but on this point I think you should revisit your advise. Happy Trails.

@GrandAdventure

5 жыл бұрын

We appreciate your candor, Greg! Posting reviews on Campendium gains us nothing. Yet, we don't agree that it's a contradiction. I'll admit that I felt the way you describe at first; why share my own honey hole? In fact, I was once very contradicted about sharing the very spot used as an example in this video on Campendium. However, upon reflection I realized that this area, for example, is 100,000 acres! If I can't find a spot in a 100,000-acre area despite being listed on a site like Campendium, something else is truly amiss. In these areas, there's simply plenty of room for everyone to spread out, find their own little spot and settle in for a few days.