Why Etiquette Matters on Public Land
Dispersed camping on BLM, National Forest, and other public lands is managed under a use policy, not a right — and areas that develop problems with overuse, waste, illegal fire rings, or damaged vegetation get restricted or closed. Popular boondocking spots in the Southwest have been shut down or had their stay limits reduced as direct results of misuse. When you camp on public land, you're also affecting every other camper who follows.
The Core Leave No Trace Principles
LNT isn't a lecture — it's practical advice for leaving a place so the next camper can't tell you were there.
Pack it in, pack it out: Everything that arrived in your rig leaves with you. This includes gray water disposal — dumping gray water on the ground or into streams is illegal on most public land and is one of the most common violations. Use a collapsible bucket or portable tank if you can't access a dump station before the next site.
Human waste: If you're dispensing with a black tank dump, black waste must go in a proper dump station or RV dump — never in the ground. For day hikes away from the rig, catholes 6–8 inches deep and 200 feet from water sources are the standard for solid waste.
Fire rings: Use existing fire rings rather than creating new ones. Where no fire ring exists, a fire pan elevated off the ground prevents scarring. In fire-restricted areas, no fires at all — propane cooktops only. Check current fire restrictions at the local ranger district before every stay.
Choosing and Setting Up Your Site
Camp on durable surfaces — established clearings, gravel, rock, or previously impacted areas. Avoid setting up on live vegetation, cryptobiotic soil crust (the lumpy dark desert soil that can take decades to recover from a single footstep), or in riparian areas within 200 feet of water sources.
In high-use areas, the most ethical choice is almost always the established site that's already impacted — it contains the damage rather than spreading it. In pristine areas, camping at least 200 feet from water and dispersing impact is preferred.
Generator use: generator hours impact neighbors and wildlife. Common practice is generators during reasonable daytime hours (8am–8pm) only. In areas where you're the only camper for miles, this is relaxed. In areas with multiple camps nearby, observe the same consideration you'd want from neighbors.
Stay Limits and Moving On
Most BLM and National Forest dispersed areas have 14-day stay limits (some are 7 days). The limit is enforced by rangers and is designed to prevent any one camper or group from monopolizing a spot. After your stay limit, you must move to a site that is outside the defined area (typically at least 25 miles).
The spirit of the rule matters as much as the letter. Staying 13 days, driving to a town 26 miles away for one night, and returning to the same spot is technically compliant but undermines the purpose. Long-term or full-time boondockers generally develop a genuine circuit between multiple areas rather than gaming a single spot.
Water Sources and Wildlife
Water sources are critical habitat for wildlife and other campers. The 200-foot rule for camping, waste disposal, and dishwashing near streams and ponds is both a legal requirement on most public lands and a basic ecological courtesy. Soaping up or disposing of gray water near water sources impacts downstream users — human and animal.
Wildlife interaction is an LNT issue that's increasingly serious in popular areas. Don't feed wildlife — ever. Store food in hard-sided vehicles when bears are a concern (the rig itself is generally adequate). Give large animals distance. Viewing is fine; approaching, feeding, or attracting is not.
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