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# BLM Dispersed Camping: Rules, Finding Sites, and Doing It Right
- URL: https://www.whiskey7backroads.com/blm-dispersed-camping-guide-a/
- Published: 2026-10-04T17:29:03.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-04T18:10:46.000Z
- Description: Free camping on BLM land comes with a short list of rules. Here is how the 14-day limit works, where you can and can't camp, what California's fire permit covers, and how to find a legal site.
- Author: Brent Conklin
- Tags: BLM Dispersed Camping, dispersed camping, Boondocking, public lands, Camping Tips

On land managed by the [Bureau of Land Management](https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/camping), you can generally pull off a designated route, set up camp on a spot someone has used before, and stay up to 14 days. BLM dispersed camping is usually free, and there is usually nothing to reserve, though a few popular areas need a free permit. There are also no restrooms, no trash cans, no water spigots and no camp host to ask. You get the quiet and the open country, and in return you take on the job of knowing the rules and cleaning up after yourself.

The rules are not complicated, but they are not the same everywhere. BLM sets a national baseline, then states and individual field offices add their own stay limits, closures and fire orders. California requires a campfire permit that even covers your camp stove. New Mexico keeps you 900 feet from developed water sources. One popular spot near Lone Pine, California, cuts the usual stay limit in half. When what you read online doesn't match what you find on the ground, BLM's own advice is to call the local field office, and that is the best tiebreaker you have.

This guide covers where you can camp, how the 14-day limit is counted, how far to stay from water and roads, fire rules, waste, and how to find a legal site using free official maps. BLM's one-page [Camping Guidelines](https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/BLM%20Camping%20Guidelines.pdf) sheet is worth saving to your phone before you lose cell coverage.

## Where BLM dispersed camping is allowed

Outside developed recreation sites, BLM land is generally open to dispersed camping unless a sign or closure order says otherwise. That still leaves rules about how and where you set up. BLM's [Camping Guidelines](https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/BLM%20Camping%20Guidelines.pdf) ask you to use existing fire rings or a stove, and the agency's [camping page](https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/camping) asks you to camp within 150 feet (about 46 m) of a designated route instead of driving out to make a fresh spot. Both point to the same habit. Find a site that has already been used, and use it again.

![An established dispersed campsite with a picnic table and fire ring at Indian Hollow, North Kaibab Ranger District](https://www.whiskey7backroads.com/content/images/2026/10/established-fire-ring-picnic-table-campsite.webp)

An existing fire ring and picnic table at a previously used site — reuse spots like this instead of building a new one. (North Kaibab Ranger District.) Photo: [Kaibab National Forest](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Indian%5FHollow%5FCampground%5F2018%5F%2843723063940%29.jpg), [CC BY-SA 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)

Reusing a site matters more than it sounds. Every new tire track and every new fire ring tells the next person that spot is fair game too, and the scarring spreads. [BLM New Mexico](https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/recreation-activities/new-mexico) spells it out: when you drive in, park near existing roads or existing undeveloped campsites. A flat patch of bare dirt with an old fire ring, right off a two-track, is exactly what you are looking for. An untouched flat with no sign of use is not, no matter how good the view is.

There are also limits on what your camp can do, even on open land. The New Mexico rules say dispersed camping must not conflict with other authorized uses of the land, and it must not harm wildlife, livestock, or natural and cultural resources. In plain terms, don't park across a gate, don't block a road someone else needs, and don't set up on top of anything that looks old or historic. Public land is shared ground, and your campsite is only one of the things happening on it.

Wilderness areas are a special case. In New Mexico, BLM allows dispersed camping inside Wilderness units, but vehicles and mechanized equipment are strictly prohibited there. [BLM California](https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/recreation-activities/california) says the same about vehicles: they are prohibited in all wilderness areas and restricted to designated routes everywhere else. If you want to camp in wilderness, you park outside the boundary and walk in.

![A tent at sunrise near designated routes at Devil's Playground on BLM land in Utah](https://www.whiskey7backroads.com/content/images/2026/10/tent-at-sunrise-devils-playground-blm-utah.webp)

A tent at sunrise near Devil's Playground, BLM Utah. Photo: [BLMUtah](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tent%5Fat%5Fsunrise%5F%2853248652963%29.jpg), Public domain

You don't need a big rig for any of this. A tent pitched on a used site a short walk from the road follows every rule above. So does a car, a van or a truck camper parked on bare ground at the edge of a two-track. The rules care about where you put your camp and what you leave behind.

## Where you can't camp

The first rule is simple: don't camp anywhere posted "closed to camping." BLM New Mexico lists that as one of the basic conditions of dispersed camping, and the same idea holds everywhere. A posted closure beats anything you read on a forum or an app. Kiosks at area entrances are a good place to read the posted rules before you go looking for a site.

![A BLM information kiosk at a trailhead entrance on public land in Utah](https://www.whiskey7backroads.com/content/images/2026/10/blm-public-lands-information-kiosk-trailhead.webp)

A BLM information kiosk — check the posted rules and current conditions before you set up camp. (BLM Utah.) Photo: [BLMUtah](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Information%5FBoard%5F%2853786155727%29.jpg), Public domain

BLM also asks you to keep your distance from developed sites. Its national [camping page](https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/camping) says to avoid camping within 1 mile (about 1.6 km) of campgrounds, trailheads or picnic areas. That page lists it as a best practice rather than quoting a regulation, but treat it as the rule unless the local office tells you otherwise. Developed sites run under a different set of rules anyway. Under [43 CFR Part 8360](https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-43/subtitle-B/chapter-II/subchapter-H/part-8360), developed areas limit unattended property to 24 hours in day-use areas and 72 hours elsewhere, and fires are allowed only in the rings provided.

Out on dispersed land, BLM's guidance is not to leave personal property unattended for more than 10 days. Idaho and Alaska have their own numbers, so check with the local office there. If you leave, take your gear with you.

Free and permit-free is the norm on BLM land, but there are named exceptions. In California, the [Clear Creek Management Area](https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/recreation-activities/california) and the [King Range Wilderness](https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/permits-and-passes/lotteries-and-permit-systems/california/kingrange) along the Lost Coast both require permits for overnight camping. The King Range overnight wilderness permit costs $6 per person, by reservation. The [Alabama Hills](https://www.recreation.gov/camping/gateways/607) now require a free permit for their designated camping areas. All of these run through [Recreation.gov](https://www.recreation.gov/), the official site for these permits and for reservations at some developed BLM and Forest Service campgrounds.

None of these exceptions are hidden. They are posted on the official BLM and Recreation.gov pages for each area. If a spot is well known, assume it has a sub-rule and go look for it before you load up.

## The 14-day rule

The BLM 14-day camping limit is the rule everyone has heard of, but the details are where people get it wrong. BLM's national [camping page](https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/camping) says dispersed camping is generally limited to 14 days within any 28-day period. Once you hit 14 days, you have to move to a new location, which BLM describes as "often at least 25 to 30 miles away." The [Camping Guidelines](https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/BLM%20Camping%20Guidelines.pdf) sheet puts it this way: move at least 25 miles (about 40 km) from your original spot, and don't return to that area for 28 consecutive days. Moving down the road a mile does not reset anything.

California spells out how the clock runs. According to [BLM California](https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/recreation-activities/california), the 28-day period starts the day you first occupy a specific location. After day 14, you have to be outside a 25-mile radius of that spot until day 29\. [BLM New Mexico](https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/recreation-activities/new-mexico) adds an important detail: you can reach the 14 days in one continuous stay or by adding up several separate visits. Leaving for a weekend in town and coming back does not start you over at day one.

![An RV and trailer camping at Little Sahara Recreation Area on BLM land in Utah](https://www.whiskey7backroads.com/content/images/2026/10/rv-trailer-camping-little-sahara-blm-utah.webp)

RV and trailer camping at Little Sahara Recreation Area, BLM Utah. Photo: [BLMUtah](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:RV,%5FTrailer%5Fcamping%5F%2853631617746%29.jpg), Public domain

[BLM Nevada](https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/recreation-activities/nevada) uses the same 14-in-28 rule and the same 25-mile move. It also tells you how to get an exception. If you need more time at one site, you need written permission from an authorized officer. Ask before day 14, not after, and don't assume the answer is yes.

Some places are stricter than the national rule. The [Bishop Field Office](https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/recreation-activities/california) in California limits dispersed camping to 14 days per year within its boundaries, not 14 days per 28\. The Alabama Hills, in that same field office area, cap camping at 7 days in a 28-day period and no more than 14 days per calendar year, according to the [Recreation.gov Alabama Hills page](https://www.recreation.gov/camping/gateways/607). If you only read the national number, you would overstay in both places without knowing it.

There is one named exception that runs the other way. BLM manages Long-Term Visitor Areas in California and Arizona where winter visitors can camp for up to seven consecutive months with a permit. The [BLM camping page](https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/camping) lists Hot Spring, Tamarisk, Pilot Knob, Mule Mountain, Midland, La Posa and Imperial Dam among them. If your plan is to park in the desert for the whole winter, an LTVA is the legal way to do it, not a string of 14-day stays in the same valley.

## Setbacks and staying on the road

Water comes first. BLM's [camping page](https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/camping) and its [Camping Guidelines](https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/BLM%20Camping%20Guidelines.pdf) both say to camp at least 200 feet (about 61 m) from lakes, rivers and streams. You will find at least one popular dispersed camping guide online that says 25 feet. BLM's own pages say 200, and BLM is the one writing the rules. Pace it off if you have to, especially when the nicest flat spot is right next to a creek.

New Mexico goes further for one kind of water. [BLM New Mexico](https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/recreation-activities/new-mexico) prohibits camping within 900 feet (about 274 m) of any developed water source, such as a guzzler or a stock trough. Those are there so wildlife and livestock can get to water, and BLM wants them left clear. If you see a tank or a trough out in the middle of nowhere, it is not a campsite amenity. Move on and give it room.

Roads are the other half of the setback rule. BLM says vehicles must stay on designated roads and trails unless an area is specifically designated for off-road vehicle use. The best practice on the national page is to camp within 150 feet of a designated route and never create a new track to reach a site. That keeps your camp close to the road and keeps the ground beyond it untouched. A fresh set of tire tracks across open desert stays there long after you leave.

![A BLM sign along a desert access road describing the land as part of a National Monument, on the road to Kilbourne Hole, New Mexico](https://www.whiskey7backroads.com/content/images/2026/10/blm-sign-road-to-kilbourne-hole.webp)

A BLM access road with a sign marking the land as part of a National Monument — stick to roads like this one. Photo: [Lafayetteclyde](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:BLM%5FSign%5Fon%5Fthe%5FRoad%5Fto%5FKilbourne%5FHole.jpg), [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)

Which roads count as designated can change. The [San Rafael Swell Recreation Area](https://www.blm.gov/visit/san-rafael-swell-recreation-area) in Utah finished a travel-management plan in December 2024 that updated the network of routes open to motorized use. BLM posts the current route decisions and maps through its ePlanning project page, linked from the San Rafael Swell page. A road that shows on an old map, or an old app download, may not be open today. When the map and the sign disagree, go with the sign and the current BLM map.

## Campfires and fire restrictions

California is the state where fire rules need the most attention before you go. Under a statewide fire order that [BLM California](https://www.blm.gov/programs/fire/regional-info/california/fire-restrictions) lists as in effect through 2030, you need a [California Campfire Permit](https://www.readyforwildfire.org/permits/campfire-permit/) for every campfire, charcoal fire and wood stove outside a developed campground. The permit also covers pressurized gas stoves and lanterns. That means your propane camp stove needs a permit too, year-round, even in the middle of winter. The permit is free online or at any BLM, Forest Service or CAL FIRE office.

The permit comes with conditions. You have to clear a circle 5 feet (1.5 m) across down to bare soil around the fire, and you have to have a working round-point shovel at least 35 inches (about 89 cm) long on hand. You also need the valid permit itself. The [Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region](https://www.fs.usda.gov/r05/recreation/dispersed-camping) uses the same permit for National Forest land in California, so one permit covers you on both.

On top of the permit, California uses fire restriction stages that change with conditions. Higher stages limit or ban open fires, and the current order spells out whether stoves are still allowed. Don't rely on an old order or a stage you read about last season. Check BLM California's fire restrictions page and the local field office right before you leave, and follow what the current order says about stoves as well as campfires.. Under BLM's California Desert District order, Stage I allows campfires, barbecues and stoves with a valid permit. Stage II prohibits open fires except in the rings and grills at developed sites, though stoves are still allowed with a permit. Stage III prohibits all open fire, and stoves are still allowed with a permit. The stage changes with conditions, so check the current one on BLM California's fire restrictions page right before you leave, not a week ahead.

![An informational BLM sign on Copperbelt Drive listing regulations, contact information, and fire restrictions](https://www.whiskey7backroads.com/content/images/2026/10/blm-sign-fire-restrictions-copperbelt-drive.webp)

An informational sign posting current fire restrictions and regulations at a BLM access road. (BLM Nevada.) Photo: [BLM Nevada](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sign%5Fon%5FCopperbelt%5FDrive%5F%2854140666953%29.jpg), Public domain

Outside California, BLM's pages for Nevada and New Mexico don't describe a statewide permit like California's. [BLM Nevada](https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/recreation-activities/nevada) points campers to its current fire information instead, so check local restrictions before every trip. [BLM New Mexico](https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/recreation-activities/new-mexico) requires that campfires be attended at all times. Some places skip the question entirely. [Valley of the Gods](https://www.blm.gov/visit/valley-gods) in Utah allows no campfires anywhere in the valley.

Where fires are allowed, the basics are the same everywhere. Use an existing fire ring or a fire pan instead of building a new ring, and collect only dead and down wood. Never leave a fire unattended. Before you go to bed or pull out in the morning, drown it and stir it. The [Forest Service guidance](https://www.fs.usda.gov/r05/recreation/dispersed-camping) for dispersed campers says the same thing, and it is the habit that keeps a campfire from turning into a wildfire.

## Human waste, trash and gray water

There are no dumpsters on dispersed land, so everything you bring in goes back out with you. BLM's [camping page](https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/camping) says to pack out your trash and, if you can, use a portable toilet or pack out human waste too. Where catholes are allowed, dig them 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) deep and at least 200 feet from water and trails. The [Camping Guidelines](https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/BLM%20Camping%20Guidelines.pdf) sheet says the same thing in fewer words: away from water, in a hole 6 inches or deeper.

![A campfire and campsite on BLM land in Utah, captioned as a reminder to Leave No Trace and recreate responsibly](https://www.whiskey7backroads.com/content/images/2026/10/leave-no-trace-campfire-campsite-blm-utah.webp)

Leave No Trace, recreate responsibly — the two-word version of every rule in this guide. (BLM Utah.) Photo: [BLMUtah](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Campfire%5Fand%5Fcampsite%5F%2853610822471%29.jpg), Public domain

Toilet paper goes out with the trash. The [Forest Service Intermountain Region](https://www.fs.usda.gov/r04/recreation/dispersed-camping) tells dispersed campers to pack it out. The National Park Service summary of the [Leave No Trace Seven Principles](https://www.nps.gov/articles/leave-no-trace-seven-principles.htm) says the same about toilet paper and hygiene products, and it says to cover and disguise the cathole when you are done. The same NPS page says to wash dishes and yourself 200 feet from water, using small amounts of biodegradable soap.

Gray water counts too. [BLM California](https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/recreation-activities/california) says campers must not dispose of refuse, hazardous materials, sewage or gray water in any way that pollutes the surrounding area. If you have an RV or a trailer with tanks, that means you hold it and dump it at a proper station, not on the ground at camp. Dish water from a tent camp is a smaller amount, but the same rule applies.

Some busy areas now provide toilets and ask you to use them. The [Alabama Hills](https://www.recreation.gov/camping/gateways/607) have six porta-potties, at the Mobius Arch trailhead and across from the Shark Fin parking area. Campers there are asked to use those or pack out solid waste with a portable system: an RV toilet, a WAG bag or a portable toilet. Carrying one of those options means you are ready for the stricter areas as well as the easy ones. The [Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics](https://lnt.org/) has more on the principles behind all of this.

![](https://www.whiskey7backroads.com/content/images/2024/04/DCE3EBDDC3444BE58991C72BF74A14FE9006A09317AA96DB8119A41F4AB010198A8.jpg.webp) 

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## How to find a legal site

Start with the free official maps before you pay for anything. BLM's [maps page](https://www.blm.gov/maps) links to two tools worth bookmarking. The [National Data map viewer](https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/9a89ee80c604431e8f8d939a186fbdbb) shows land ownership and status nationwide, so you can see where BLM land starts and stops. The [BLM Recreation Opportunities Interactive Map](https://webmaps.blm.gov/program%5Fapps/BLM%5FNatl%5FRecreation%5FOpportunities/) is the second one to bookmark. The same maps page also links state-specific "Frequently Requested Maps" pages and downloadable georeferenced PDF maps you can save for offline use.

![A BLM kiosk displaying a map of the Thunderbird Gardens area in Utah](https://www.whiskey7backroads.com/content/images/2026/10/blm-kiosk-map-thunderbird-gardens.webp)

A BLM kiosk map — a good first stop for orienting yourself before you go looking for a site. (BLM Utah.) Photo: [BLMUtah](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Information%5FBoard%5F%2853789420400%29.jpg), Public domain

A land-status map tells you whose land it is, not whether a particular spot is open tonight. For that, call or stop by the local BLM field office. The [BLM camping page](https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/camping) sends visitors to the field office again and again for stay limits, closures and current conditions. A short phone call before you leave is a lot cheaper than a long drive to a locked gate.

If your trip crosses into a National Forest, the map changes. The Forest Service uses a Motor Vehicle Use Map, or MVUM, for each forest. According to the [Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region](https://www.fs.usda.gov/r05/recreation/dispersed-camping), the MVUM shows which roads are legally open to motor vehicles and where dispersed camping access is allowed. It is free as a PDF for each forest and through the Forest Service Interactive Visitor Map. If a road isn't on the MVUM, it is closed to vehicles, no matter how clear the tire tracks look.

Paid apps can save time once you know what you are looking at. [onX Offroad](https://www.onxmaps.com/offroad/app/features/dispersed-camping-maps) sells a Dispersed Camping Maps layer that the company says is built from BLM and Forest Service data. It marks BLM land as dispersed camping allowed, designated-only or restricted, and highlights MVUM-legal routes and camping corridors in National Forests. The app also supports offline maps and has a cell-coverage layer. Crowdsourced campsite apps are another option for finding spots other people have used. Treat any pin in any app as a lead, then check it against the official BLM map and the field office before you count on it.

So which one wins when they disagree? Posted signs and closures on the ground come first, then the field office, then the official BLM or Forest Service maps, and any app comes last. Apps and downloaded maps can go out of date, while the sign at the turnoff reflects what the land manager wants right now.

## BLM vs Forest Service vs state land

Dispersed camping on National Forest land works a lot like it does on BLM land. It is free, first-come, and you bring everything with you. The numbers are where they split, and they split forest by forest. In the [Intermountain Region](https://www.fs.usda.gov/r04/recreation/dispersed-camping), which covers Utah, Nevada, Idaho and Wyoming, the stay limit is a number of days set by each forest. Campers there are told to stay 200 feet from any stream or water source and to dig catholes 6 to 8 inches deep, 200 feet from water, camp and trails.

California's National Forests in the [Pacific Southwest Region](https://www.fs.usda.gov/r05/recreation/dispersed-camping) usually allow 14 days, and an individual forest can limit that further. The water setback in those forests is 150 feet (about 46 m), not 200\. The California Campfire Permit applies year-round outside developed sites, and the MVUM decides which roads you can drive to reach a camp. Like BLM, the Forest Service generally doesn't allow dispersed camping near developed recreation areas such as campgrounds, picnic areas and trailheads, but the distance varies by forest.

Go east and the numbers change again. On the [George Washington and Jefferson National Forests](https://www.fs.usda.gov/r08/gwj/recreation/camping-cabins) in Virginia and West Virginia, the limit is 14 days in any 30-day period, not 28\. You camp at least 100 feet from water, but your cathole has to be 200 feet away. Those are two different rules with two different numbers, and it is easy to mix them up. Groups of more than 75 people need a special-use permit, and campers stay within 150 feet of a roadway.

State trust land is a different system altogether. Montana is a good example. On [Montana DNRC trust land](https://dnrc.mt.gov/TrustLand/public-use/Camping), dispersed camping requires a Conservation License. The limit is 16 days within a 30-day period on unleased land, but only 2 days on leased or licensed land. Tents have to stay within 200 feet of a customary access point or navigable water, and trailers and RVs within 50 feet (about 15 m). Campfires are not allowed on leased trust land, and fireworks are banned.

Other states handle trust land in their own ways. Some sell a recreation permit that allows camping, and some don't allow camping on trust land at all. Before you set up, check the land-status layer on the BLM map and make sure the ground under your camp is BLM or Forest Service. If it is state land, look up that state's rules before you unload.

## Staying safe with no services

[BLM Nevada](https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/recreation-activities/nevada) sums up the backcountry in one line: "There are often no restrooms, campgrounds, cell service or even gas stations." That fits most dispersed BLM camping, not just Nevada. Its advice is to drive only on existing or designated routes, carry a map and a GPS device, and plan for self-rescue. It also says to know the weather and prepare for extremes, and to carry extra fuel, tires, water and food. None of that is exciting, but it is the list that gets you home when something goes wrong far from pavement.

Plan to bring all the water you need, plus extra, because you may not find any. If you do find water, don't drink it untreated. Both the [Intermountain Region](https://www.fs.usda.gov/r04/recreation/dispersed-camping) and the [Pacific Southwest Region](https://www.fs.usda.gov/r05/recreation/dispersed-camping) of the Forest Service say there is no longer any safe untreated water source, because of giardia and other contamination from wildlife and improper waste disposal. Their answer is to bring it to a rolling boil, use purification tablets, or run it through a filter.

![A dark night sky over Little Sahara Recreation Area on BLM land in Utah](https://www.whiskey7backroads.com/content/images/2026/10/night-sky-little-sahara-blm-utah.webp)

Night skies at Little Sahara Recreation Area, BLM Utah — one of the real rewards of camping away from developed sites. Photo: [BLMUtah](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Night%5FSkies%5Fat%5FLittle%5FSahara%5F%2849991333898%29.jpg), Public domain

The same dark skies that make dispersed camping worth it also mean help is a long way off. With no cell service, BLM Nevada suggests considering a GPS communication device. A satellite messenger such as a [Garmin inReach](https://www.garmin.com/en-US/blog/outdoor/you-asked-we-answered-your-inreach-device-questions/) can send messages, share tracking and trigger an SOS where your phone can't, but Garmin notes these features need an active satellite subscription. According to Garmin, you can trigger an SOS even when the device is powered off by holding the SOS button for about 5 seconds.

Where you carry the device matters too. Garmin recommends clipping it to the outside or upper part of your pack with the antenna facing the sky, so don't bury it in a bag. Garmin also says it is up to you to know and follow local laws on satellite communicators, since some countries restrict or ban them. Keep that in mind if your trip crosses a border.

Before you lose signal, tell someone where you are going and when you plan to be back. Download your maps for offline use, check the forecast one more time, and fill every water jug you have. Once the last bar of service disappears, you are working with whatever you brought.

## Three BLM places to start

The [Alabama Hills](https://www.recreation.gov/camping/gateways/607) near Lone Pine, California, sit in the Bishop Field Office area, and they show how a popular spot picks up its own rules. Camping in the designated camping areas now requires a permit. It is free, it doesn't guarantee you a site, and you can get it online, at the Eastern Sierra Visitor Center in Lone Pine, or from a BLM ranger. The stay limit is 7 days in a 28-day period, with no more than 14 days per calendar year. You need a California Campfire Permit for any fire or stove, and you should plan on using the porta-potties or your own portable toilet.

![The rounded, oddly shaped rock formations of the Alabama Hills Recreation Area near Lone Pine, California](https://www.whiskey7backroads.com/content/images/2026/10/alabama-hills-rock-formations-california.webp)

The Alabama Hills Recreation Area near Lone Pine, California — nearly 30,000 acres of BLM public land dedicated in 1969\. Photo: [blmcalifornia](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alabama%5FHills%5F%2852835219321%29.jpg), Public domain

If you are new to this, the [Alabama Hills page](https://www.recreation.gov/camping/gateways/607) recommends the nearby developed campgrounds first. Those include BLM's Tuttle Creek, the Inyo National Forest's Lone Pine campground and Inyo County's Portuguese Joe. The designated dispersed sites are there, but the page says they take extra time and preparation. That is honest advice for a first trip, and a developed campground is a fine base for learning the area before you try the dispersed sites.

[Valley of the Gods](https://www.blm.gov/visit/valley-gods) in Utah is managed by BLM's Monticello Field Office. A 17-mile (27 km) graded gravel and clay loop, San Juan County Road 242, runs through the valley, and there are several car camps along the route. There is no fee. There are also no campfires allowed anywhere in the valley, so bring a stove and plan your evenings around a lantern instead of a fire.

![A family emerges from a large orange tent in the desert landscape of Valley of the Gods, Utah](https://www.whiskey7backroads.com/content/images/2026/10/valley-of-the-gods-tent-campers-utah.webp)

Tent camping in Valley of the Gods, Utah — a 17-mile BLM loop road with no campfires allowed. (BLM Photo / Alex Ennes.) Photo: [BLMUtah](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Valley%5Fof%5Fthe%5FGods%5FEclipse%5FTent%5FCampers%5F%2853263249766%29.jpg), Public domain

The [San Rafael Swell Recreation Area](https://www.blm.gov/visit/san-rafael-swell-recreation-area) in Utah is the big one, at about 217,000 acres (roughly 87,800 hectares), managed by the Price Field Office in BLM's Green River District. BLM says it has many dispersed campsites. It is also the place where the route rules recently changed, with the travel-management plan completed in December 2024, so pull the current route maps before you go. BLM asks visitors to practice Leave No Trace, and it is illegal to alter or collect historic or cultural artifacts there. Take pictures and leave everything where you found it.

## Before you go

Most of BLM dispersed camping comes down to a short routine. Check the BLM page for the state you are headed to, then call the field office for that area. Look up the current fire stage, and get a California Campfire Permit if you are camping in California, even if all you plan to light is a stove. Download the land-status map and any MVUM you need for offline use. Bring more water than you think you need, a way to deal with human waste, and bags for every bit of trash.

Once you are there, pick a site that has been used before, where camping and vehicle access are allowed. Follow the local setbacks from roads and water, count your days from the first night, and when you hit the stay limit, move as far as the local rules require, often at least 25 miles. When you leave, walk the site one last time and pick up anything that isn't dirt or rock. The next camper should find it the same way you did, or a little better.

If you want to see what this looks like in a real place, the [Alstrom Point, Utah](https://www.whiskey7backroads.com/alstrom-point-utah/) post is a good place to start. There is also a post on [overlanding and boondocking at the Grand Canyon North Rim](https://www.whiskey7backroads.com/overlanding-boondocking-camping-at-grand-canyon-north-rim/) and a [guide to Grand Mesa](https://www.whiskey7backroads.com/grand-mesa-a-guide-to-the-largest-flat-top-mountain-in-the-world/). Pack it in, pack it out, and enjoy the quiet.

![Brent Conklin](https://www.whiskey7backroads.com/content/images/2022/06/free-image-resizer-cropper--2-.webp)

### About the Author

Brent Conklin

Owner of Whiskey7backroads and avid explorer. I am a Ham Radio extra class operator and frequent the Old Miss Net. I have been married for 37 years to Cheryl and we have 2 boys and 2 dogs.

[View all posts by Brent Conklin →](https://www.whiskey7backroads.com/author/brent/)[Website →](https://www.whiskey7backroads.com/)