The Dyrt found that three out of five campers (59.8%) camped for free at least once last year.
These statistics are from the 2026 Camping Report Presented by Toyota Trucks, which is compiled from the results of surveys conducted with thousands of members of The Dyrt Community, a representative sample of U.S. residents and camping property managers across all 50 states.
“There are so many ways to camp for free throughout the country,” said Kevin Long, CEO of The Dyrt. “There’s dispersed camping in national forests and Bureau of Land Management areas, free overnight parking and even free established campgrounds. For me, dispersed backcountry camping is camping in its truest form — no established campsites, no plumbing, no trash cans. It’s the best way to fully get away from the grind, unwind and get back to nature.”
Of the campers who camped for free last year, 79.1% went dispersed camping while 73.6% — mainly RVers and van-lifers — spent a night at a rest stop or parking lot. Almost two-thirds (63.7%) found a spot at a free established campground. Private property, if you know someone, is also a great free camping option — 36.5% camped on property owned by friends or family while 28.9% camped on their own property.
There are over 600 million acres of public land in the U.S. where anyone can camp for free. Since these are not established campgrounds with websites, finding information about where to go can be daunting. The Dyrt has a comprehensive guide to free camping locations with thousands listed in the app, most with photos and reviews from real campers, the company said.
If you’re celebrating National Camping Month this June, remember to pack in and pack out and bring everything you need, The Dyrt said, adhering to the Leave No Trace principles. It’s also important to do some research before dispersed camping — use The Dyrt PRO to check stay limits, distance rules or if a permit is required.
“On my long-time bucket list was Leslie Gulch in the Owyhee area of eastern Oregon,” said The Dyrt camper Judy from Washington. “We finally were able to drive this amazing road through a red rock canyon. The road can be a bit rocky with a few stream crossings, but our truck camper combo was a champ. The best part of all was the free BLM campsite at Slocum Creek set among the red rocks.”
Read The Dyrt’s 2026 Camping Report Presented by Toyota Trucks.
