Journal
Building a campfire is a timeless outdoor skill. Despite modern gear, campfires remain vital for drying clothes, cooking, warmth, and protection. In this article, we'll cover essentials, styles, and steps for building a campfire, plus safety tips and techniques for adverse conditions.
Free campsites are a dime a dozen in the United States. It’s finding them that’s the trick. Let’s learn how!
Camping is all about freedom and experiencing the wilderness… So why all the various camping fees and permits? It’s rough out there. Sometimes securing a campsite at a popular campground can feel as hard as winning the lottery. (This isn’t just a figure of speech. Crowded campgrounds often use lottery systems in high season, which means securing a campsite comes down to a coin toss.)
If you’re fed up with all of that and wondering, “How do I find free camping near me?” don’t worry. You’re not alone. Thanks to organizations like the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Forest Service (USFS), and of course, the National Park Service (NPS), there’s plenty of free camping across the United States. With a few tips and tricks, it’s possible to find free campsites just about anywhere, and you’ll steer clear of all the crowds in the process. Let’s learn more.
The Golden State is home to hundreds of free campsites and some of the most beautiful natural splendor in the U.S. Let’s learn more.
The United States is littered with stellar free camping, and pretty much all 50 states have enough options to keep any industrious camper satisfied for a lifetime. But if there’s one state deserving of the crown jewel for camping and outdoor adventure, it’s California. The Golden State is home to perhaps the most diverse array of wilderness destinations, from the deserts of the Mojave to the mountains of the Sierra Nevada to the world-famous California coastline.
As a professional outdoor journalist, I’ve spent many nights camping up and down California. There are too many stellar campsites to name, from Forest Service camping to BLM camping, but we’ll list a few here. We’ll also cover some good resources to use to find free camping in California.
