Your Favorite Camp Finder App

[MarkEva]

Do you like sleeping in Walmart parking lots while on a long trip (I do)? Do you like dispersed camping? Of course you do. Do you like Forest Service campgrounds with steel fire rings you can use during Stage 1 Fire Bans? Do you like RV parks near the interstate while on long trips? How do you find them? What is your favorite camp app?

Long ago I used to use Allstays until the price shot up. Now I use Campendium's free version which doesn't work real well, nor does it have Walmarts. Outside just recommended Dyrt, but they'll recommend anything for a fee.

What are you using? Do you like it? What does it cost? Can you find stuff on desktop and save it so it shows up on your phone?

 

[Mag71k5]

I use ioverlander, the web version, not mobile version. It has a good mix of dispersed, side of the road, then list things like KOA's etc.

I like it the most because people can leave reviews, so you have a better idea of what you're getting into.

 

[DaveInDenver]

The first rule of #overland campsites is you don't talk about #overland campsites on a public forum.

 

[Mag71k5]

The first rule of #overland campsites is you don't talk about #overland campsites on a public forum.

Cats out of the bag for a lot of them, I don't think were encouraging people to give up their honey holes, I have a few myself.

 

[CardinalFJ60]

Anyone checked out Campspotter? It’s a data nerd’s nirvana. Cool stuff like shade throughout the day, Starlink obstructions, and soooooo much more.

 

[nakman]

Shawn, you're my favorite campfinder app.

 

[DaveInDenver]

Cats out of the bag for a lot of them, I don't think were encouraging people to give up their honey holes, I have a few myself.

Sure. Think it out.

Camp sites posted on these aggregators are going to be friggin overrun with every lazy #OLAF user. Spending the night near some Jeepers with lights and music going all night, yeah, might as well be Walmart.

The flip side face-2-face and trust are earned and you'd have to really know someone to show them the goods. Using these apps doesn't tip the trust scales in favor of trust. If someone shows you a place how do they know it's not gonna end up as a GPX and POI?

Study maps, get out, make mistakes, get experience, use state highways. Rely on the squishy goo holding up your hat. You'll get a feel for how to figure out how to avoid settling on KOAs near Interstates. Believe in YOUR skills.

 

[nakman]

The other side of that coin though Dave is when the perception gets presented that an area isn't being used, or isn't valuable to OHV users, that it can become an argument for closing the area. Many, many examples have been presented by BRC on this exact issue, I could find you one in seconds if you need it. So yeah it's cool to save your best spots for your best friends, sure, OTOH if other people are using it when you're not there, and treating it well, it's probably better at this point than having that place stay vacant. Sometimes the group of nearby Jeepers are actually ok people, and I like their music.

and paid members of this club already know there's a secret area where we actually do post up campsites. But as stated it's a bit of a catch-22, balancing between keeping something sorta secret yet used enough so that it doesn't get closed.

 

[Mag71k5]

Sure. Think it out.

Camp sites posted on these aggregators are going to be friggin overrun with every lazy #OLAF user. Spending the night near some Jeepers with lights and music going all night, yeah, might as well be Walmart.

I've literally never had this experience using ioverlander. Sure if you go on a holiday weekend, in areas that are close to metro areas, and are well known I'm sure that'll be your experience.

I only disperse camp unless there's no other options, I'd say about 20% of the time I have to make a reservation like in Bryce Canyon recently, or Sequoia/Kings Canyon, but that's not what were talking about.

Comparing a "known about POI" on ioverlander in the middle of the Mojave to a Walmart parking lot is pretty disingenuous.

but for the main topic of this thread, ioverlander has been great, just make sure you use the squishy goo behind your eyes and don't pick a POI in the middle of rocky mountain national park on Labor Day and expect it to be empty.

 

[DaveInDenver]

@Mag71k5, agree to disagree. I'm not near a metro area and the hordes descending have made a noticeable impact. Rabbit Valley for example had to be made reservation camping from the rise in its popularity.