The Guide to This:

Nate’s Name:
My Name For the Spot
Area:
General Area… city/park/etc.
Coordinates:
XYZ
Safety/Legit:
★★★★★: 100% legit & safe
★★★★: Probably Legit, mostly safe
★★★: Maybe legal, Be smart with safety.
★★: Maybe cops knock on your window, sketchy area
★ Don’t stay here
Amenities:
Toilets, fire pits, bear boxes, power, etc.
Description:
What’s the beta?

Arizona:

Nate’s Name: South Grand Canyon
Area: Kaibab National Forest
Coordinates: 35.9264687, -112.1304503
Safety/Legit: ★★★★★
Amenities: None, fire rings?
Description: Forest road with camping pull offs about 20 minutes outside of the southern entrance to the Grand Canyon. Tusayan is 10 minutes down the road, with various hotels, gas, grocery etc.

Nate’s Name: Sedona Better Spot
Area: West Sedona area
Coordinates: 33.4513291, -111.4998153
Safety/Legit: ★★★★★
Amenities: None
Description: This is about 15 minutes from town, forest service road 525. When you pull in you’ll see a few large clearings FULL of campers & vans. I’d continue down a bit until you find the more tucked away camp spots. I prefer this spot over the other Sedona spot.

Nate’s Name: Sedona Sideroads
Area: West Sedona area
Coordinates: 34.82994, 111.88522
Safety/Legit: ★★★★
Amenities: None, fire rings
Description: About 10 minutes from town, forest service road. Lots of campers & vans here. A little rutted out once you get further down the road, but don’t be scared! You can choose a good line for your vehicle. Great spot to spend the night. Sunrise I saw 3 hot air balloons a short distance away, really pretty.

Nate’s Name: Superstitious Phoenix
Area: 40 min from Scottsdale
Coordinates: 33.4513291, -111.4998153
Safety/Legit: ★★★★
Amenities: Fire pits
Description: 30 min or so from Phoenix. This is a dirt road, not maintained but definitely good for vans/SUVs to drive on. There’s a bunch of people who look like they live there full time at the front, but continue down the path for a bit to get to more secluded spots.

California:

Nate’s Name: Yosemite Car Sickness
Area: Goat Meadow Snow & Play
Coordinates: 37.490492, -119.625770
Safety/Legit: ★★★★
Amenities: None
Description: 5 minutes from the Yosemite entrance, 60 minutes from Yosemite Valley. Very dry when I was here, extremely dusty. But safe, free. Everyone was pretty spaced out, a few other campers in the area, no fires. Tree coverage, I believe this is a logging road or logging area.
The real beta: Find the giant pinecones.

Nate’s Name: Creepy Road Yosemitease
Area: 40 minutes north of Yosemite Valley
Coordinates: 37.817962, -119.884635
Safety/Legit: ★★
Amenities: None
Description: This is an option for camping outside of Yosemite NP if you want to be kinda creeped out. Maybe it was just that I pulled in late at night, but not a lot of good pull offs, random tents in the road, people who don’t wave back. Not ideal, but did spend 2 nights here.

Nate’s Name: Rush Woods Wonderland
Area: 40 minutes north of Yosemite Valley
Coordinates: 37.808619, -119.888181
Safety/Legit: ★★★★★
Amenities: None (Rush Lodge is 2 min away)
Description: Best campsite I’ve stayed at outside of Yosemite NP. 40 minutes drive into the valley, clean & legit camp sites/pull offs. Beautiful wooded area.

Nate’s Name: Crescent City Is a Dump.
Area: Crescent City, CA (north next to OR)
Coordinates: 41.751994, -124.214397
Safety/Legit: ★★
Amenities: None
Description: This is a parking area I slept in one night. There were 4-5 vans also parked here. It’s RIGHT next to the water, which is absolutely beautiful. Could hear the ocean while sleeping. I did not like Crescent City, and the area around is a bit sketch, but good for a one night (stealth) stay.

Nate’s Name: Buttermilk Bunkhouse
Area: Bishop CA, Buttermilk Bouldering area
Coordinates: 37.327983, -118.582636
Safety/Legit: ★★★★★
Amenities: None
Description: Along this road there are a few areas you can camp. Pull offs & lots out in an amazing landscape. Buttermilk Boulders are right down the road, lovely spot 20 minutes out from Bishop.

Nate’s Name: Bishop BLM
Area: Bishop CA, 10 min outside town
Coordinates: N 37°25'23.76", W 118°25'1.08"
Safety/Legit: ★★★★★
Amenities: Fire pits?
Description: 8 minutes outside of Bishop, on top of a little hill, this is legit BLM, so legal for 14 days. Great spot! I got a bit of Verizon service as well, 2 bars or so.

Nate’s Name: Horton Lake Hangout
Area: 45 Minutes outside of Bishop, in mountains near Horton Lake trailhead. Recommended hike!
Coordinates: 37.321744, -118.633907 (?)
Safety/Legit: ★★★★★
Amenities: Fire pit
Description: Horton Lake is an awesome hike, this campsite is on the way there tucked away inside a group of aspen trees. The coordinates are close but maybe not perfect. Super isolated, I think having a decent amount of road clearance would be nice.

Nate’s Name: Glorious Owen’s River Gorge
Area: Bishop CA
Coordinates: 37.478777, -118.565848
Safety/Legit: ★★★
Amenities: None
Description: Along this road there are pull off camping spots. It’s close to the climbing at Owen’s River Gorge, not amazing, but definitely not bad.

Nate’s Name: La Jolla back girl
Area: San Diego, La Jolla
Coordinates: 32.855414, -117.257630
Safety/Legit: ★★★
Amenities: Bathrooms, showers, beach access, trash
Description: Stayed in this spot for 3 days while in San Diego. Amazing beach access, a few vans parked in the area too. Beach bathrooms cleaned at 7am every day. It’s 15min parking until 6PM, so roll in around 6. Usually a few spots open, weirdly.
The Real Beta: There’s a day lot across the park, you can park there during the day.

Nate’s Name: Street Sleeps
Area: San Diego, Carlsbadd
Coordinates: 33.156711, -117.343283
Safety/Legit: ★★★
Amenities: Bathrooms until they close?
Description: Stealthy street parking kind of spot next to a park. About a 5 minute walk to the beach & restaurants. Be discrete!

Nate’s Name: Josha Tree North
Area: 15 min from town of J Tree
Coordinates: 34°10'50.5"N 116°13'25.6"W
Safety/Legit: ★★★★★
Amenities: None
Description: Don’t park here if it looks like it’s going to rain.. this is a giant dried up lake bed on the northern side of Joshua Tree. A lot of people camp here, but it’s a very large space where you can spread out.

Nate’s Name: Josha Tree South
Area: 2 min from southern Entrance
Coordinates: 33°40'30.5"N 115°48'22.5"W
Safety/Legit: ★★★★★
Amenities: None
Description: 2 minutes from the southern entrance of J Tree. Large space with tons of pullouts, the further down the road you get the more space you’ll get. Easy dirt road.

Colorado:

Nate’s Name: Cows say Moo
Area: Northern CO, Pawnee National Grasslands
Coordinates: 40.8121, -104.0054
Safety/Legit: ★★★★★
Amenities: (Maybe pit toilets?)
Description: This is a forest service road in Pawnee National Grasslands. I spent one night here, sleeping in a large field near the buttes. A lot of cows wandering the area, very comfortable camp. Only word of caution is wind.

Nate’s Name: Boulder Bumming
Area: 30 Min west of Boulder, Sugarloaf
Coordinates: 40.000015, -105.467684
Safety/Legit: ★★★★★
Amenities: None
Description: Camping up in the Sugarloaf mountains outside of Boulder. This is a forest road with a few nice pull offs to park & camp.

Nate’s Name: Estes Park Escape
Area: 30 min south of Estes Park
Coordinates: 40.232, -105.482
Safety/Legit: ★★★★
Amenities: Fire rings
Description: Dirt road that leads here. Travel up the hill for a while until you reach the campground. Probably 15 or so sites, free, nice campsites. I would say your average Subaru would do fine getting there, but it might be tough for a Civic.... Some rowdy people here when I stayed, but mostly harmless.

Nate’s Name: Pole Hill Pullouts
Area: 35 min to Estes Park
Coordinates: 40.366519, -105.419759
Safety/Legit: ★★★★★
Amenities: Fire rings
Description: Traveled through Pole Hill in summer of 2019. Hardest section of the trail is the first 1/4 mile or so. Definitely high clearance 4x4 required. I was in a stock Jeep JKU on 32” Duratracs. Definitely some tough lines, but a great dispersed space to camp away from the crowds. Campsites included fire rings, no bathrooms or hookups, etc.

Nate’s Name: Telluride on a budget
Area: 35 minutes outside of Telluride
Coordinates: 37.885913, -107.853542
Safety/Legit: ★★★★★
Amenities: Vault toilets, fire rings
Description: I stayed here in 2017 for a few days while traveling around Telluride. Dirt road that leads up to a large campground, free. I believe they had vault toilets, situated around a lake. Definitely plan on returning! Quiet families mostly, kinda buggy (near the lakes).

Nate’s Name: Medano Pass 4x4 Camping
Area: Great Sand Dunes National Park
Coordinates: 37.806383, -105.488741
Safety/Legit: ★★★★★
Amenities: Bear Boxes
Description: 4x4 trail up Medano pass leads you to a whole slew of campsites with bear boxes. This is 100% 4x4 required, with high clearance. There is also a lot of very soft sand, I aired down to 15 psi & pulled out a stuck 4Runner who didn’t air down. Beautiful spots, fun trail, inside the National Park.

Idaho:

Nate’s Name: Twin Falls “ 10/10 bomber so good” Dream spot
Area: Twin Falls Idaho
Coordinates: 42°36'02.6"N 114°26'13.8"W
Safety/Legit: ★★★★★
Amenities: None, but SUPER close to town.
Description: Dream spot… near the river, huge canyon, cool bridge that people basejump off of. It’s seriously so pretty… Lots of pull offs, it’s a dirt road, kind of rutted out but I felt very comfy getting the van down the road.

Montana:

Nate’s Name: Missoula Needs Dispersed Camping
Area: Missoula MT
Coordinates: 46.877777, -114.001347
Safety/Legit: ★★★
Amenities: None, but near a park
Description: This is some street parking next to a quiet park. Seemed safe & didn’t have any “no overnight parking” signs. Stealth for sure. Walk to Hunter Bay for a coffee in the morning.

Nate’s Name: Bozeman North Spot
Area: Bozeman MT
Coordinates: 45.846760, -110.892217
Safety/Legit: ★★★★★
Amenities: None
Description: Forest road located 15-20 minutes north of Bozeman in the Bridgers. Quiet, chill, basically no one goes up here, there is a nice trailhead a little further up the road too.

Nate’s Name: Gardiner Gardens
Area: Gardiner MT, north Yellowstone
Coordinates: 45.065784, -110.681248
Safety/Legit: ★★★★★
Amenities: Dispersed camping, fire rings
Description: This is a forest road in a National Forest, dispersed camping along the side of the road. Felt very safe & was able to pop the top & slept well. Windy up here. Easy dirt road.

Nate’s Name: Whitefish Wonderland
Area: 15 min north of downtown Whitefish
Coordinates: 48.4968704, -114.4286984
Safety/Legit: ★★★★
Amenities: Fire pit
Description: This is a national forest type road with active logging on it. Go up the road, there’s a gate on the left side, my fave camp spot is just after that gate, on the right. it’s a small 2 track that leads about 35 yards into the woods. 4x4 not required, but if it rained I’d want it.

Nate’s Name: Blankenship Bridge Riverside
Area: 30 min from Whitefish, closer to West Glacier
Coordinates: N 48°27.801', W 114°4.368'
Safety/Legit: ★★★★★
Amenities: Vault Toilets & fire rings
Description: Turn just before/after the bridge down a small dirt path. Go left immediately and stick to the bridge. There’s a river bed of rocks, you can camp there or go into the woods a little ways. This probably fills up pretty quick during busy season, so I’d get there early! 4x4 not necessary, but if it were to rain it might be tough on a heavy van.

Nevada:

Nate’s Name: Vegas Solar Farm
Area: This is actually in CA 😂 at border
Coordinates: 35.515502, -115.491114
Safety/Legit: ★★★ (maybe legal?)
Amenities: None
Description: Take the exit at the highway, go right, and then take the dirt road into the desert. I believe this is BLM land, spent one night here. Views of the solar farm, which is pretty sweet! Definitely not a “camping area” but felt isolated enough to be safe.

Oregon:

Nate’s Name: : Phils Social Circle
Area: Bend, OR
Coordinates: 44.040390, -121.384515
Safety/Legit: ★★★★★
Amenities: Fire rings, vault toilets at trailhead
Description: 2022 ultra classic. Spent 3 months staying in this area. Everyone ever camps here, it’s a social spot. Drive a tad down the dirt road & you can find more secluded spots for tents or less of a “van circle” vibe. Great spot! Van accessible, 8 minutes from town.

Nate’s Name: Bend’s Backyard
Area: Deschutes National Forest
Coordinates: 44.011386, -121.394016
Safety/Legit: ★★★★★
Amenities: None (Bend is 7 min away)
Description: Amazing camping in the National Forest just outside of Bend. Tons of vans, trailers, and people car/tent camping. Didn’t have an issue staying here for 3+ weeks.

Nate’s Name: Downtown Bend - Stealthy
Area: Downtown Bend
Coordinates: 44.060551, -121.309521
Safety/Legit: ★★★★
Amenities: None
Description: This is a stealthy street spot you can spend the night at and not get disturbed. There’s a train that goes by every now and then, but it isn’t bad! Walk to Lone Pine in the morning & get an Ocean Roll + coffee… so good.

Nate’s Name: Smith Rock- Good Enough
Area: 20 minutes from Smith Rock
Coordinates: 44.429741, -121.034138
Safety/Legit: ★★★
Amenities: None
Description: Camped here one night, the coordinates are not exactly right, but this area is mostly forest service roads. There were a few large clearings to pull off on. Remote enough to feel safe, didn’t see anyone for the 12 hours we cooked & slept there. This is KIND OF close to Skull Hallow campground.

Nate’s Name: Upper Tumalo Reservoir
Area: 20 minutes from Bend
Coordinates: 44.141685, -121.419059
Safety/Legit: ★★★★★
Amenities: Fire pits (I think)
Description: Super legit national forest land. Lots of private pull offs and camp spots. Also a lot of big spots for parties and group camping. I love this spot, sunset is unreal. Great view of the 3 Sisters. Check fire restrictions before starting any fires.

Nate’s Name: Pacific City Stealth
Area: Pacific City, on the beach
Coordinates: 45.214935, -123.970569
Safety/Legit: ★★
Amenities: Surf Showers behind Pelican Pub
Description: I spent the night here during the off season. There is a sign that says no camping or overnight sleeping in vehicles… I was OK, but I think during the busy season you may get a knock and be asked to move. I’ve heard that The Pelican owner is really against people parking here, but it’s a public street. Amazingly RIGHT on the beach, beautiful spot, just be aware.

Nate’s Name: Yachats Rainforest Trailhead
Area: Yachats OR
Coordinates: 44.267434, -124.102335
Safety/Legit: ★★★★
Amenities: None
Description: Have spent a few nights here. Small trailhead off the 101. Never saw anyone else in there at night. I also recommend camping on the 101 at the pull offs. Some traffic noise, but waking up and falling asleep next to the ocean is always special.

Utah:

Nate’s Name: Gemini Bridges Backcountry
Area: 20 min from Moab
Coordinates: 38.620020, -109.669896
Safety/Legit: ★★★★
Amenities: None
Description: 4x4 required. From what I understand (and found while researching) sites 1-5 are free to use. They are on BLM land. This is a high clearance Jeep trail. Definitely no way an RV or large van would make it up. Sites are small pull offs, mostly level with fire pits. No toilets, pack out your own trash. I believe you are also responsible for having a portable toilet, if the rangers come by and check.

Nate’s Name: Willow Springbreak Party
Area: 10 min north of Moab
Coordinates: 38.695357, -109.686440
Safety/Legit: ★★★★ (lots of people)
Amenities: Pit Toilets
Description: Spent 4 weeks camping in this area. There are A TON of spots, and it is often full. The further into the road you drive, the more space you’ll find to distance yourself from the bigger groups. Tons of people camp here, but it’s free and close to town.

Nate’s Name: Moab Canyonlands Overlook
Area: Dead Horse
Coordinates: (38.5410147, -109.7080119)
Safety/Legit: ★★★★★
Amenities: None
Description: Drive up to this spot early, there are limited options up here. But DAMN it’s insanely pretty. You’ll be camping literally on the edge of a massive massive canyon. Beautiful sunsets.

Nate’s Name: La Sal Mountain Escape
Area: La Sal Mountains National Forest, 30 min from Moab
Coordinates: 38.467300, -109.364090
Safety/Legit: ★★★★★
Amenities: Occasional vault toilets along the road
Description: There are tons of pull offs on this road that lead to great little campsites tucked off the road. this is a busy area, if you want a good spot get there a tad earlier. Otherwise, there will usually be a few level gravel spots to use. Great way to escape the heat.

Nate’s Name: Epic La Sal Castle Valley Overlook
Area: La Sal Mountains outside Moab, 45 min from Moab
Coordinates: 38.543601, -109.317388
Safety/Legit: ★★★★★
Amenities: Fire ring, pit toilet nearby
Description: Large clearing down a casual dirt road leads to epic views. Best sunset probably ever, looks over Castle Valley in the distance. Single spot here, although there are tons of others nearby if this one is taken. Vault toilets 2 min up the road at the lookout point.

Nate’s Name: Looking Glass Love
Area: Looking Glass Rock, Moab area
Coordinates: 38.275579, -109.402600
Safety/Legit: ★★★★
Amenities: None
Description: There is so much free camping all around here, this spot is RIGHT next to Looking Glass Rock. Clearing for 4-5 cars, didn’t see anyone all night. There are a few other spots nearby, where you may see other campers.

Nate’s Name: Site that Fights Back
Area: Indian Creekish Area
Coordinates: 38.0007303, -109.4854821
Safety/Legit: ★★★★★
Amenities: None
Description: Awesome spot that is near Indian Creek. Adam’s car got shanked by a tree here. Awesome overlook, decent amount of people here too. Careful driving, but we got a VW Jetta up there so how bad can it be.

Nate’s Name: The Hill of Amazingness
Area: Indian Creekish Area
Coordinates: 38.014739, -109.488691
Safety/Legit: ★★★★★
Amenities: Fire ring
Description: This is one of the best campsites I have ever stayed at. Perch up on top of a hill (Jetta not approved, Ford Edge made it) and overlook the desert. Seriously amazing views, sunset is incredible. There is a perfectly placed tree… it’s beautiful.

Washington:

Nate’s Name: Not Your (Index) Climbers Campground
Area: Index WA
Coordinates: 47.833324, -121.603792
Safety/Legit: ★★★
Amenities: None
Description: This is literally a pull off on the side of a (paved) road. Very few cars drove by, we had 3 cars parked here overnight for 2 nights. There is a nice stream across the road that makes pretty sounds as you sleep. Just be careful not to get hit by the odd car that drives by…

Nate’s Name: Index Secluded Forest Road
Area: 8-10 minutes from Index
Coordinates: 47.816082, -121.618446
Safety/Legit: ★★★★★
Amenities: Fire pits (check fire for fire ban)
Description: Forest Road 6200, this is just down the road from Index. Dirt road, but gravel and very van friendly. There aren’t any pull offs for the first 5 minutes on this road or so, but then there are a few. A few cars drove by, but very very quiet spot. Parked 2 vans here and had room for 1-2 more.

Nate’s Name: FlyBoys Camping Lot
Area: Goat Camp Sno-Park (North Cascades)
Coordinates: 48.622325, -120.454698 (?)
Safety/Legit: ★★★★★
Amenities: Vault Toilets
Description: Parked here overnight before climbing Flyboys (18 pitch moderate sport). It’s a forest road, there’s a few pull offs and a large dirt parking lot. The lot filled up as the night went on, but plenty of space on a Friday night.

Nate’s Name: Leavenworth InTown
Area: Literally in the town, legit
Coordinates: 47.591447, -120.670787
Safety/Legit: ★★★★★
Amenities: None, but gas station near by
Description: So this is a public RV parking area in the town of Leavenworth. Super close to everything, this is basically a parking lot. Lots of rigs & lots of RVs in here, kinda noisy, but definitely a place to crash if you want to be close to town.

Nate’s Name: Leavenworth Lookout
Area: 20 minutes outside of Leavenworth
Coordinates: 47.674343, -120.749646
Safety/Legit: ★★★★★
Amenities: Stone fire pit
Description: 4x4 is nice, clearance is nice, though Adam’s Ford Edge made it... Beautiful spot, very secluded, stone fire pit. No Verizon/AT&T coverage. Wouldn’t take my van.

Nate’s Name: Icicle Creek Group Camp
Area: 15 min from Leavenworth
Coordinates: 47.58879394536574, -120.81123639118672
Safety/Legit: ★★★★★
Amenities: None, porta-potty down the road a bit?
Description: This is a little dirt circle near the river. Marked RV parking, I’ve seen tents down in the forest area & the cars parked up here. Pretty legit, porta-potty can be found along the road sometimes. Not exactly AMAZING, but definitely a fine spot.

Nate’s Name: Seattle Stealthy Street Sitch
Area: Seattle
Coordinates: N 47°36.792', W 122°16.878'
Safety/Legit: ★★★
Amenities: None
Description: This is a pull off stealth spot in Seattle! Super close to everything, there’s usually a few vans here as well. I’ve slept here… 5 times? It’s near the water, the houses across the street are up on a hill and are distant from the area. Honestly one of the best stealthy spots in a city that I’ve stayed in.
Real Beta: Get some window shades or curtains… there is a running path close by and people will be running by in the morning.

Nate’s Name: Genesee Park Park Hangout & sleep spot
Area: Seattle
Coordinates: 47.568054, -122.279529
Safety/Legit: ★★★
Amenities: None
Description: This is next to a large park. Very quiet area, I really liked sleeping here. Sliding door opened to the big grassy park area and my dog Neko loved it too. Not many people or dogs in the park, and the park is HUGE.

Nate’s Name: Bellingham Bliss
Area: Bellingham WA
Coordinates: 48.719339, -122.512551
Safety/Legit: ★★★★
Amenities: None
Description: This is a great spot about 10 minutes from downtown Bellingham. It’s near a park with bathrooms and great water access. I’ve slept here many times, there’s usually a few other vans/cars/campers. There’s a train that runs nearby, but it isn’t so bad. If you need to stay nearish to town, this is a great option. Kinda in an industrial area, but no one will bother you.

Wyoming:

Nate’s Name: Jackson Legit
Area: 25 min north of Jackson
Coordinates: 43.705689, -110.620876
Safety/Legit: ★★★★★
Amenities: Fire pits
Description: Legit dispersed camping near Jackson Wyoming, across from the Moose entrance of GTNP. Get here early, it fills up quick! During the summer months you can also go up the mountain, but that was closed while I was here (May 2021)

Nate’s Name: Questionable Jackson #1
Area: 15 min south of Jackson
Coordinates: 43.370670, -110.734417
Safety/Legit: ★★
Amenities: None
Description: Drive to this intersection, then go into a small gravel parking lot. Drive down the 2 track hill about 25 yards. Park down there, keep the lights off, and hope no one sees you!

Nate’s Name: Questionable Jackson #2
Area: 18 min south of Jackson
Coordinates: 43.351565, -110.714519
Safety/Legit: ★★★
Amenities: None
Description: Slightly further down the road from #1, but this is a bit more hidden than the first one. Go up and over a small hill using the 2 track path. (high clearance probably necessary) Small clearing for one car just over the hill. Keep the lights off & be discrete.

Nate’s Name: Coolest camp spot in Jackson
Area: Curtis Canyon (20 min from downtown)
Coordinates: (43.5087745, -110.6549084)
Safety/Legit: ★★★★★
Amenities: None
Description: Drive through the National Elk Refuge, turn right to drive up to Curtis Canyon. Pass the paid campground ($15/night, if you want to pay) and go up the road. Take the road slow, it’s very rocky (any car will be fine) and bumpy. About now start PRAYING that this spot is open. If it’s open, obviously take it. If not, go further up the road for other camping options.