How We Find the Most Epic Campsite Every Time (Our Full System)

After 2 years of living on the road full-time and a lifetime of camping experience in general, finding an unforgettable campsite isn’t luck for us anymore. It’s a mix of knowing where to look, choosing the right tools for the kind of trip we want, and being willing to go just a little farther (sometimes a lot farther) than most people are comfortable with.

While we prefer the experience of free camping as far out as possible, that’s not always the reality. Sometimes we need services (fill up, dump out, showers…), sometimes we’re camping with friends who don’t have rigs as capable as ours, and sometimes we just want to stay super close to a specific landmark or experience.

Over the years, we’ve developed a kind of “camping decision tree” that helps us land everything from remote boondocking gems to easy, family-friendly pull-ins on long travel days. Here’s exactly how we do it.

Making dinner while camping on the beach in Assateague NP

The Quick and Dirty

Here’s what you’ll find in this article:

• Boondocking on public lands (our absolute favorite way to camp)

• Easy + reliable campgrounds for stress-free nights

• Unique stays for something different

• Road trip stops with Harvest Hosts

• How we actually combine all of the above in real life

Favorite Apps + Subscriptions We Actually Use

• onX Offroad — our #1 tool for finding legal dispersed camping, checking road difficulty, and navigating remote public lands

• Google Maps — especially satellite mode for scouting terrain, pull-offs, and road access

• The Dyrt — great for campground searches, reservations, reviews, and campsite photos

• Campendium — another popular campground resource, especially for RV travelers

• Recreation.gov — essential for booking national park and public land campgrounds

• Hipcamp — unique private land camping, hidden gems, and off-grid stays

• Harvest Hosts — overnight RV stays at wineries, breweries, farms, and small businesses

• iOverlander — we used to rely on this heavily for boondocking and travel logistics

• Word of mouth — honestly still one of the best ways to find unforgettable campsites

1. Boondocking on Public Lands (Our Absolute Favorite)

Boondocking in Fruita Colorado

If we had to pick one way to camp forever, it would be this: free, dispersed camping on public lands. It’s what gets us the most remote, most peaceful, and most jaw-dropping views.

We’re not afraid of dirt roads, long washboard stretches, or putting the 4x4 to work. In fact, that’s usually where the magic is hiding.

That said, you don’t always need a 4x4 to access public land camping. Often there are very accessible roads if you know where to look. This style of camping definitely works best in the western U.S., but we’ve still found incredible spots across the country with the right tools and patience.

These sites come with no services. You are fully responsible for packing it in and packing it out. Respect the land, leave it better than you found it, and come prepared with your own water, food, and bathroom system (yes, even if that’s a bucket and a bag situation… IYKYK).

Our go-to tools for boondocking:

• OnX Offroad — This is hands-down our #1 tool. We use it to find legal public land access, check road difficulty, and identify dispersed camping zones. The offline maps and land ownership layers make it unbeatable for remote exploring.

• Google Maps (satellite mode) — Still essential. We use it to scout terrain, spot potential pull-offs, and get a real sense of whether those dirt roads are actually doable.

• Word of mouth — Some of our best campsites have come from locals, gas station attendants, or random conversations in small towns.

We used to rely heavily on iOverlander, but over time it became less reliable for us. These days, OnX has fully replaced it for serious off-grid scouting.

2. “We Need a Sure Thing” Campgrounds (Easy + Reliable Nights)

Camping in The Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado, Pinon Flats Campground

Not every night is about adventure mode. Sometimes we’re:

• driving long distances

• arriving late

• camping with a group

• or just needing zero stress + a hot shower

  
  

That’s when reservable campgrounds make everything easier.

Our go-to platforms:

• The Dyrt — One of the best tools for finding and booking campgrounds across the U.S., with real reviews and photos that actually help you understand a site beforehand.

• Campendium — We’ve also heard great things about Campendium, though we haven’t personally used it much.

• Recreation.gov (especially for public lands + national parks) — This is the most reliable way to secure sites in high-demand areas and national parks.

We also use state park reservation systems regularly when we want something predictable and well-located.

This is our “no surprises” option, if we want guaranteed access, decent amenities, or easy logistics, this is where we go.

3. Unique Stays + Hidden Gems (When We Want Something Different)

Colorado Camping Views

Sometimes we want camping that feels less like “set up camp” and more like an experience.

That’s where unique stays come in.

• Hipcamp — Private land camping, offbeat properties, and one-of-a-kind stays like desert ranches, forest clearings, or creekside setups. It’s usually more expensive, but the tradeoff is privacy and uniqueness.

  
  

We don’t use it all the time, but when we do, it feels like a little upgrade to the trip, something slower, softer, and a bit more special.

4. Road Trip Magic: Harvest Hosts Stops (RV / Van Only)

Movie night while camping!

For long travel days especially, we’ve found one of the most underrated ways to camp:

• Harvest Hosts — Membership-based stays at wineries, breweries, farms, and small businesses where you can park overnight (typically 1–2 nights).

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We use this to:

• break up long driving days

• support small businesses

• and turn travel days into part of the experience instead of just logistics

It’s also surprisingly kid-friendly, our daughter loves farm stops and having space to run around after hours in the car. You need to have an enclosed vehicle with your own bathroom / kitchen. This is not a good option for tent camping.

5. The Real Strategy: Mixing All the Layers

Camping under the stars in Utah

The biggest shift for us wasn’t just finding better tools, it was learning when to use each type of camping.

Here’s how it usually breaks down:

• Epic adventure nights → OnX + public land + dirt roads

• Easy / guaranteed nights → The Dyrt + reservations

• Unique experiences → Hipcamp

• Long travel days → Harvest Hosts

• National park trips → Recreation.gov + state park systems

Most of our trips are a blend of all of the above.

Final Thought

All packed up. Camping in Shenandoah NP

The “perfect campsite” isn’t just about finding the prettiest view, it’s about matching the type of stay to the kind of experience you want that day.

Sometimes that’s a remote ridge with zero cell service. Sometimes it’s a quiet campground with a hot shower after a long drive. And sometimes it’s a winery parking lot with a sunset you didn’t plan for.

The real trick is having the right tools, and staying flexible enough to let the road surprise you.