You can camp a Class B RV in developed campgrounds, on national forest and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land, and at designated sites or areas in national parks. As of September 2026, dispersed stays usually cap at 14 days on BLM land and in national forests.
Last updated: September 26, 2026
Chuck Price has 35+ years of RV camping experience and owns a 2018 Hymer Aktiv Class B.
At a glance
- Trip Killers: National Park Service rules prohibit “Camping outside of designated sites or areas.” The Caribou-Targhee National Forest sends all wastewater tanks, gray included, to a designated dump station.
- Confirm Before You Go: Stay limits vary by forest, state and field office, so contact the nearest district or field office before your trip.
How a Class B’s size affects where you can camp
Most Class B vans run 17 to 24 feet long, per Thor Motor Coach. Thor’s 2020 post puts the same vans at 9 to 11 feet tall and 8 feet wide. A posted limit applies only to the road or site that posts it, so compare your own van’s specs with each posting. On Glacier National Park’s Going-to-the-Sun Road, the National Park Service prohibits vehicles longer than 21 feet (including bumpers) or wider than 8 feet (including mirrors) between Avalanche Creek and Rising Sun. The park adds that vehicles over 10 feet tall may have difficulty driving west from Logan Pass to the Loop because of rock overhangs. A van at the long end of Thor’s 17-to-24-foot range would exceed that 21-foot limit.
Check each site’s listing on Recreation.gov for its length and clearance figures. For example, site C31 at Seawall Campground in Acadia National Park lists “Caravan/Camper Van (Max length: 35 ft.)” with a 37-foot gravel driveway and 11 feet of overhead clearance.
| Model | Length | Height | Fresh water | Gray tank | Black tank or cassette | Spec notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winnebago Revel 44E | 19 ft 7 in | 10 ft | 35 gal | 21 gal | 5 gal cassette | 2026 model year, 7 ft 5 in wide |
| Thor Tellaro 20L | 20 ft 11 in | 9 ft 6 in | 22 gal | 13 gal | 13.5 gal | Model year not stated. Length without ladder, height with A/C, 6 ft 9 in wide without mirrors |
| Airstream Interstate 19GTX | 20 ft 1 in | 9 ft 11 in | 20 gal | 16 gal | 9 gal | 2027 model year, height with A/C |
For the basics, see what a Class B RV is, and compare layouts in our guide to Class B floor plans.
The four places you can camp, and the rules for each
Each type of campsite follows a different land manager’s rules. Stay limits and distance-from-water rules change with the agency and often with the local unit. The BLM states, “Dispersed camping is for short-term recreation, not long-term living.” The figures below are as of September 2026. Land access, permits, road conditions, and site availability change. Verify all information with the relevant land management agency before your trip.
| Campsite type | Who manages it | Facilities | Stay limit | Minimum distance from water | Where to check |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Developed campground | Federal agencies and state parks | From restrooms, water, tables and hookups to “very primitive” (BLM) | Set by each campground or park. California State Parks: 30 nights per calendar year at most parks. New York State Parks: 14 continuous nights | Use the designated site | The campground’s listing on Recreation.gov or the state park site |
| National forest dispersed | USDA Forest Service | No piped water, toilets or trash removal (Pacific Southwest Region) | Usually 14 days. Caribou-Targhee and Rio Grande: 14 days in any 30 | 100 ft (Caribou-Targhee) or 150 ft (Pacific Southwest Region, Rio Grande) | Nearest ranger district office |
| BLM dispersed | Bureau of Land Management | None listed. Pack it in, pack it out | Generally 14 days in any 28, varies by state and field office (BLM) | 200 ft from lakes, rivers and streams | Local BLM field office |
| National park | National Park Service (NPS) | Camping only at designated sites or areas (36 CFR 2.10) | Check the park | 100 ft from a flowing stream, river or body of water, and 25 ft from a water hydrant or main road, except as designated | Park website or the NPS app (NPS) |
Developed campgrounds (federal and state)
Recreation.gov is the reservation system for 14 federal agencies, and nine of them take reservations. Its booking windows vary by facility, set as “the number of days, weeks, or months prior to the first reservable date.” BLM developed campgrounds are typically first-come, first-served, though some take reservations through Recreation.gov.
- California State Parks caps stays at 30 nights per person per calendar year at most parks, and each campground also sets a consecutive-night limit.
- New York State Parks allows 14 continuous nights, followed by 48 hours away. You can reserve up to nine months ahead. A New York site holds “2 tents or 1 unit of hard-wheeled camping equipment and 1 tent (unless otherwise noted).”
National forest dispersed camping
Dispersed camping means camping anywhere in a national forest outside a designated campground, per the USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region. Dispersed sites have no services such as piped water, toilets or trash removal. Most national forests and grasslands are open to dispersed camping unless restricted, according to the Forest Service. It is usually free and needs no permit, but heavily used areas may require a permit and fee.
The Pacific Southwest Region says the stay limit is “usually 14 days, but this can be further limited.” The Caribou-Targhee National Forest allows 14 days, then requires a move of at least 5 road miles. Caribou-Targhee also allows no more than 14 of any 30 days at one area.
The Pacific Southwest Region bars dispersed camping near developed recreation areas. The Caribou-Targhee National Forest allows dispersed camping outside a one-mile perimeter of campgrounds. Contact the nearest district office before your trip for current restrictions, as the Pacific Southwest Region advises.
BLM dispersed camping and LTVAs
Most BLM lands allow dispersed camping unless posted “Closed to Camping,” per the BLM camping page. BLM dispersed camping is “generally limited to 14 days within any 28-day period, though specific stay limits vary by state and field office.” After the limit, the BLM says to move “often at least 25 to 30 miles away.”
- Stay on designated roads and trails, and camp within 150 feet of designated routes.
- Do not camp within 1 mile of campgrounds, trailheads or picnic areas.
- Pack it in, pack it out.
Federal rule 43 CFR 8365.1-2, current on eCFR as of September 24, 2026, bars camping “longer than the period of time permitted by the authorized officer.”
The BLM runs Long-Term Visitor Areas (LTVAs) in California and Arizona, including Hot Spring, Tamarisk, Pilot Knob, Mule Mountain, Midland, La Posa and Imperial Dam. Winter visitors with a permit may camp there up to seven consecutive months, as of September 2026.
National parks: designated sites or areas only
National Park Service rule 36 CFR 2.10 prohibits “Camping outside of designated sites or areas.” The eCFR showed the rule as current as of September 24, 2026. The park superintendent may require permits and designate sites. Many NPS campgrounds require reservations through Recreation.gov, and the NPS names park websites or the NPS app as the best sources of camping information.
Campground or boondocking: how to decide
Choose a developed campground when you need services or a reserved site. Choose dispersed camping when your van can hold its own wastewater and carry out its own trash for the whole stay. In this guide, boondocking means dispersed camping without hookups. Either way, stay limits apply, and 14 days in any 28 is the general dispersed limit on BLM land as of September 2026.
Work through these criteria in order, since the first one rules out the most sites.
- Is camping legal here? Look for “Closed to Camping” postings on BLM land, and use designated sites or areas in national parks.
- Do you need a dump station, water or toilets at the site? If so, dispersed sites are out, since they have none.
- How long do you want to stay? Past the unit’s limit, usually 14 days for dispersed sites, you must move on.
- Do you need a reservation? If so, book a developed campground within its booking window, which varies by facility on Recreation.gov.
Choose a developed campground when you need hookups, water or a reserved site
- Choose it when you need hookups or water at the site, which some BLM developed campgrounds provide.
- Choose it when you want a reserved date, and book within the facility’s window on Recreation.gov or the state park site.
- Choose it inside a national park, where federal rules limit camping to designated sites or areas.
Choose dispersed camping when your van is self-contained and you can stay within 14-day limits
- Choose it when your stay fits the limit, such as 14 days in any 28 on BLM land or 14 in any 30 on the Rio Grande National Forest.
- Choose it when you can take all wastewater to a designated dump station, as the Caribou-Targhee National Forest requires.
New to dispersed camping? Start with boondocking basics and our roundup of apps for finding free campsites.
How to pick the spot once you arrive
Pick a site that is already in use, level and durable, then check its distance from water and roads. The USDA Forest Service puts it this way in a 2026 feature: “A great camp site is found, not made. Look for a spot that is on a level, durable surface with minimal vegetation.”
- Pick a durable surface. Leave No Trace lists established trails, campsites, rock, gravel, dry grasses or snow as durable surfaces.
- Use the site as you find it. National park rules prohibit “Digging or leveling the ground at a campsite” (36 CFR 2.10).
- Stay on existing roads. The Caribou-Targhee National Forest says not to drive on meadows and to keep camp within 150 feet of a roadway. The Rio Grande National Forest keeps vehicles within 300 feet of the center line of a designated road.
- Measure your distance from water by the local rule. The table above lists each agency’s figure.
- Look up before you park. The Forest Service says, “Avoid parking or camping in areas where trees could fall.” It also says to avoid dense patches of dead trees.
- Stay off low ground by streams. The National Weather Service warns, “Never camp on low ground next to streams since a flash flood can catch you while you’re asleep.”
A road that allows camping may still have no usable spot. The Rio Grande National Forest says, “Just because camping is allowed along a road does not mean there will be sites available or suitable for camping.” Conditions in remote areas can be hazardous. Assess your skill level and equipment before heading to a remote site.
Gray water, black water and trash rules
On national forest land, federal rule 36 CFR 261.11(d) treats waste water as garbage you must remove or leave at places provided for it, so gray water goes to a dump station along with black water. The Caribou-Targhee National Forest states, “All wastewater tanks need to be emptied at a designated dump station.” Federal forest regulation 36 CFR 261.11 also bans placing pollutants in or near water (eCFR, current as of September 24, 2026). Other agencies word the gray water rule differently, so read the rule for the land you are on.
Here is how each source words it, as opened September 26, 2026.
- USDA Forest Service, Rio Grande National Forest: “Always dump sewage from trailers and motor homes at designated dump stations.”
- BLM regulation 43 CFR 8365.1-1 (eCFR, opened September 26, 2026): bars draining sewage or petroleum products and dumping “refuse or waste other than wash water from any trailer or other vehicle except in places or receptacles provided for that purpose.”
- New York State Parks: dispose of gray water in designated areas.
Because the wording differs, this guide advises the cautious practice: empty gray and black tanks at a designated dump station wherever you camp. That is our advice, not a rule quoted from any one agency. To plan stops, see our guide to finding a dump station on the road.
For trash, Leave No Trace says, “Pack it in, pack it out.” For human waste and dishwater away from your van’s toilet, Leave No Trace gives this guidance.
- Leave No Trace: dig catholes 6 to 8 inches deep, at least 200 feet from water, camp and trails.
- Leave No Trace: pack out toilet paper or bury it deep.
- Leave No Trace: carry dishwater 200 feet from streams or lakes, and scatter strained dishwater.
Cathole distances from water differ too: 100 feet on the Caribou-Targhee and in the Pacific Southwest Region, 150 feet on the Rio Grande, and 200 feet for Leave No Trace. The BLM says to use a portable toilet or pack out your waste if possible, and to bury it 6 to 8 inches deep, at least 200 feet from water and trails, only in some locations.
Private and membership options
Harvest Hosts is a paid membership whose hosts include farms, wineries, breweries, distilleries and attractions. Harvest Hosts lists 9,600+ locations on its how-it-works page, opened September 26, 2026. Most stays are one night. The page says some hosts allow extra nights for a fee, but it gives the cap two ways, as “up to four total nights” and as “up to four extra nights,” so confirm the limit with each host. The first night carries no camping fee, and Harvest Hosts asks members to buy something from the host as a thank-you.
Harvest Hosts accepts Class B RVs and camper vans. Every RV must be self-contained, with “an interior toilet and built-in holding tanks or bladders for wastewater.” Tents and sleeping in cars are excluded.
Connectivity, weather and planning tools
Federal tools can show which roads allow vehicles, where carriers report coverage and what the forecast holds. The Motor Vehicle Use Map (MVUM) is a free map of roads open to motor vehicles in a ranger district. The Rio Grande National Forest says to get the MVUM “to learn where dispersed camping is allowed.” Map rules apply unit by unit, so get the MVUM for the district you plan to visit. For a walk-through of finding dispersed sites on agency map layers, see how to find free dispersed camping using BLM and USFS map layers.
- The BLM Visit page offers an activity and location search and an interactive map.
- The FCC National Broadband Map shows provider-reported 3G, 4G LTE and 5G-NR mobile coverage based on propagation modeling, outdoors or in a moving vehicle. The FCC cautions that “a user’s actual, on-the-ground experience may vary due to factors such as the end-user device used to connect to the network, cell site capacity, and terrain.”
- The National Weather Service says to check the forecast before you leave. It also says, “NOAA Weather Radio is the only direct means to receive warnings from the National Weather Service.”
Frequently asked questions
Can I camp anywhere on BLM land in a Class B RV?
Not anywhere. Most BLM lands allow dispersed camping unless posted “Closed to Camping,” and you must stay on designated roads and trails, per the BLM. As of September 2026, stays are generally limited to 14 days in any 28-day period, and limits vary by state and field office. Verify current rules with the local field office before departure.
How long can I stay at a dispersed site in a national forest?
Usually 14 days, but a forest can set a shorter limit, per the USDA Forest Service Pacific Southwest Region. As of September 2026, the Caribou-Targhee National Forest allows 14 days in any 30-day period, then requires a move of at least 5 road miles. Verify current limits with the ranger district office before departure.
Can I dump gray water on the ground?
Not on national forest land. The Caribou-Targhee National Forest says all wastewater tanks need to be emptied at a designated dump station, and federal rule 36 CFR 261.11 includes waste water in its disposal rules. The BLM rule, 43 CFR 8365.1-1, words its vehicle dumping ban differently. The cautious practice is a dump station everywhere.
Can I boondock in a national park?
Not outside designated sites or areas. National Park Service rule 36 CFR 2.10 prohibits camping outside of designated sites or areas. Many park campgrounds take reservations through Recreation.gov, and the NPS points to each park’s website or the NPS app for camping details. Check the park’s website before departure, since the superintendent designates sites and may require permits.
How far from water should I camp?
It depends on the land manager, as of September 2026. The Caribou-Targhee National Forest uses 100 feet, and the NPS rule uses 100 feet from a flowing stream, river or body of water. The Pacific Southwest Region and Rio Grande National Forest use 150 feet. The BLM and Leave No Trace use 200 feet. Verify the local rule before departure.
Do Harvest Hosts accept Class B vans?
Yes, if the van is self-contained. Harvest Hosts requires every RV to have “an interior toilet and built-in holding tanks or bladders for wastewater.” A paid membership is required, and most stays are one night. Some hosts allow extra nights for a fee, so confirm the limit with the host. Confirm current details on the Harvest Hosts site before departure.
How do I check cell coverage before I go?
Use the FCC National Broadband Map, which shows provider-reported 3G, 4G LTE and 5G-NR mobile coverage. The FCC says real-world service may vary with your device, cell site capacity and terrain. For weather alerts, the National Weather Service calls NOAA Weather Radio the only direct means to receive its warnings.
