If you enjoy outdoor activities like hiking, hunting, ATV-riding in the fall, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling or ice fishing in the winter and early spring fishing, chances are you will find yourself dry camping--also known as boondocking--at some point. This involves RVing at locations with no water, electricity or sewer connections.

There are a number of other reasons you may opt to dry camp, including a one-night layover to get a fast start the next day; arriving at a fully-booked RV resort or campground with no available sites and being assigned to an overflow area, and the lure of the spectacular vistas and outdoor activities available in National Parks or Bureau of Land Management (BLM) locales, state parks and other remote or wilderness areas.

Preparation is Key
Although dry camping isn’t much different in terms of daily living than parking in a campground with full amenities, some essential preparation is necessary when you know you will have to provide your own power, water and other essentials. Keep in mind that you will need to conserve your resources (water, battery power, holding tank capacity) to maximize your ability to live self-contained.

Make sure your coach batteries are in good condition and fully charged. Your generator, inverter/charger and solar panel charging systems should be working properly before hitting the road. You should arrive at your dry camp location with a full tank of gas or diesel for generator use and enough fuel to reach a refueling location; a full propane cylinder (or extra portable or disposable cylinders) for cooking and heating; a full fresh water tank; empty or almost-empty black and grey water holding tanks; fully-charged cell phones and hand-held GPS devices and chargers plus adequate food supplies for your planned stay.

What To Take
Dry campers should consider additional equipment needs to make up for the lack of facilities and conveniences, including battery- or 12-volt-powered appliances and entertainment systems, alternative sources of electrical power and access to telecommunications and the Internet.
 
RVers looking to make dry camping as comfortable and enjoyable as possible should consider having these items among their gear:

•    Hunting and fishing licenses;
•    An Interstate highway guide and truck stop guide that list refueling and service locations;
•    12-volt air compressor to inflate air mattresses and water toys;
•    CB radio and two-way radios to keep campers in touch while exploring;
•    12-volt-powered appliances, including coffee makers, slow cookers, microwave ovens, fry and sauce  pans, blenders, radios, fans, CD/DVD players, TVs, curling irons and hairdryers;
•    DirecTV or DISH digital satellite system with 12-volt receiver;
•    Electrical inverters to provide 120-volt power from 12-volt batteries so you can enjoy electric accessories without starting the generator;
•    An external fresh water tank, pump and hoses to transfer water to the RV fresh water tank;
•    Outdoor solar water shower kit to use less hot water, propane and holding tank capacity;
•    12-volt warmer/cooler to transport or store food requiring heating or cooling;
•    Compact 1.8-watt to 15-watt plug-in solar panels to maintain battery charge;
•    Solar panel systems from 80 watts to 246 watts to power accessories and maintain charge on coach batteries;
•    Solar-rechargeable or hand-crank-rechargeable flashlights;
•    Propane-powered grill, stove, slow cooker and/or skillet to minimize use of the microwave oven for cooking;
•    Firewood, kindling and matches or butane lighter for a campfire that can be used for cooking.

Most of the above products are available at CampingWorld.com. Professional installation of a complete solar charging system is also available at Camping World SuperCenters.

Enjoying Remote Areas Safely
It’s smart to know where the nearest amenities and services are, even while you are enjoying getting away from it all. Locate the nearest dump station, drinking water, refueling station, groceries, rest rooms and showers for your dry camping itinerary. You will need to venture out periodically for supplies and to empty your RV’s waste holding tanks (allowing waste to drain onto the ground is unsanitary and ecologically unsound, so don’t even think about it). A portable waste holding tank can help extend the time between trips to a dump station.

Consider using GPS navigation and mapping products to navigate paved highways and unpaved dirt roads and trails that may not be on standard maps. Verify that roads you will be using on federal or state lands are adequate for your RV. Pay close attention to road width, grades, general condition and tight turns.

Carry a complete first aid kit (human and pet) and required medications for all family members. Have plenty of flashlights and spare batteries along. A NOAA emergency weather radio will keep you advised of changing weather and environmental conditions.
Use walkie-talkies or two-way hand-held radios to stay in touch when exploring away from your RV site. Use a digital compass, preferably one that provides outside temperature readings, when you venture afield.

Travel with a tool box, lubricants, hydraulic fluid, spare tire and jack for your RV and/or tow vehicle. Notify a friend or relative about your planned destinations in remote areas, including arrival and departure dates. Check in with a ranger when using state or federal areas. Advise them of your planned stops and ask about situations or conditions you should be aware of and any other information that may be helpful to you during your stay.

Finding Your Way
When venturing into remote areas, GPS-based navigation systems are extremely useful, helping you find your way there and, perhaps more importantly, helping you find your way back. Garmin makes several such devices, from the basic Etrex handheld device that’s ideal for hiking, hunting or off-road biking to the full-featured nüvi systems that work as hand-held portables or dashtop navigators.

Hand-held GPS features to consider include tracking, storing and displaying multiple routes, waypoints, altimeters and the ability to download updates, among others. If you dry-camp with more than one GPS device, look for software that works on more than one type of hardware (hand-held GPS, notebook or desktop computers, RV/auto GPS navigation unit).

Wireless Communication
Your connection to the outside world can be dramatically improved in remote areas by using a cellular signal booster-amplifier, external antenna and connectors. The same equipment can also be used to give you Internet access using the data services of wireless mobile telephone service providers.

Getting off the beaten path can be an excellent way to get your family back in touch with Nature and to shrug off the stresses of daily living, as well as a chance to see some of the most spectacular natural areas in North America. Like all RV adventures, dry camping simply involves thinking ahead and making the proper preparations.

Alan Lidstone is a freelance author and writer living in southwest Florida.

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