| "Do you know about Wal-Mart camping?" We | | | | to a stay of two weeks in one place, though this |
| didn't know, but the old man at the campground | | | | rule is not always enforced, and the next |
| in Florida insisted WalMart not only allowed RVs | | | | two-week place might have to be only a hundred |
| and vans to park overnight, but encouraged it. | | | | yards away. State forest lands are usually open |
| "Free camping," he told us, and we didn't wait long | | | | to free camping without permits, but policies vary |
| to take advantage of this new knowledge. | | | | by state (The two-week rule seems to be |
| Somewhere in northern Georgia we pulled into a | | | | common). |
| Wal-Mart, and sure enough, we saw some RVs | | | | We camped in our van for ten days at Williams |
| off to one side of the parking lot, looking like they | | | | Landing, east of Tallahassee, Florida, on Lake |
| were there for the night. We were heading back | | | | Talquin. It's a beautiful place, with hot showers. |
| to Michigan in our conversion van, and free | | | | Our cost? Zero, and you can stay up to two |
| camping sounded good to us. We parked, plugged | | | | weeks. There are free campgrounds scattered |
| in our 5-inch T.V., and settled in for the night. | | | | around the country. Ask an RVer about this, or |
| Nobody bothered us. In the morning we used the | | | | buy a Woodall's directory from any large RV |
| bathrooms inside, and bought some orange juice. | | | | dealer. |
| The next night we camped for free again, this | | | | Note: Wal-mart seems to encourage the campers, |
| time at a "Flying J" truckstop. There were RVs | | | | except in coastal areas where too many RVer's |
| camping there as well. You'll find Flying J | | | | want to live in a parking lot. Don't roll out the |
| Truckstops all over, and they actively court the | | | | carpet and put out lawn furniture like one traveler |
| RV crowd, counting on gas and other sales. We | | | | we heard about, or you may ruin it for all. Some |
| filled our tank there in the morning, and bought | | | | stay for a week at a time, going out all day to |
| some food as well. As long as campers stay out | | | | see the sights (and so they don't wear out their |
| of the way of the truckers, free camping is likely | | | | welcome). Wal-mart gets business from the |
| to continue. | | | | campers, but they'll only continue their policy if |
| Other Free Camping Places | | | | they don't have problems, so keep it low-key. |
| Generally, you can camp free on any BLM | | | | To find a Wal-Mart in the area you're traveling to, |
| (Bureau of Land Management) land, unless it's | | | | visit Scroll down to the "store finder" link to |
| specifically forbidden in an area. This is also true of | | | | search. Thank you for camping at Wal-Mart! |
| National Forest lands. In both cases you're limited | | | | |