Camping on public land, outside campgrounds

Camping on public land outside a developed campground. You pick your own spot, often a pullout or clearing along a forest road. There's no fee, no reservation and no host, and also no water, toilet or trash pickup. You bring everything in and carry everything out.

Read more: What is dispersed camping

National forests and BLM land are managed for many uses, and recreation is one of them. On most of this land, camping is allowed anywhere that isn't posted or ordered closed. That's the reverse of a park, where you camp only where you're told.

Mainly on the two big federal systems: national forests and grasslands run by the Forest Service, and land run by the Bureau of Land Management. National parks are different; they usually need a backcountry permit and a designated site. State land varies by state, and wildlife refuges generally don't allow it.

Read more: What is BLM land

The Forest Service, part of the Department of Agriculture, manages 193 million acres, mostly forested mountains. The BLM, part of the Interior Department, manages 245 million acres, mostly desert, sagebrush and grassland in the West. Both allow dispersed camping across most of their land, and each forest or field office sets its own rules. On the map, green is Forest Service and orange is BLM.

Read more: National forest vs. BLM land

Most areas allow 14 days at one spot, after which you have to move on. Some are shorter: Eldorado National Forest allows 10 days per ranger district per year, Los Padres allows 7 consecutive days, and the Bishop BLM field office allows 14 days per year. The map shows the limit for each researched area.

Read more: Stay limits and the 14-day rule

Usually neither, for the camping itself. The exceptions: California requires a free campfire permit for any fire or stove outside a campground, designated wilderness often needs an overnight permit, and a few forests need a pass to park at some sites, such as the Adventure Pass in parts of Los Padres.

Read more: Do I need a permit

It depends on the area and the season. From summer into fall, fire orders often restrict fires to developed sites or ban them altogether, and even in a normal season you may need a permit. A gas stove with a shut-off valve is usually still allowed. Check the area's alerts page in the days before you go.

Read more: Fire restrictions and fire orders

Only on roads and trails open to your vehicle. National forests publish a Motor Vehicle Use Map that shows which routes are open, to what, and in which seasons. Many forests let you pull off and park within a short distance of the road, such as one vehicle length in Eldorado. Never drive across meadows or make new tracks.

Read more: What is an MVUM

Use a site that has clearly been used before, with a bare patch or an existing fire ring, rather than making a new one. Stay well back from streams and lakes, 100 feet is a common minimum, and away from meadows, trailheads and private property. Arrive with daylight to spare.

There are none. Pack out all trash, including food scraps. Bury human waste in a hole at least 6 inches deep and 200 feet from water, trails and camps, and pack out the toilet paper, or carry a portable toilet. Many desert areas require one.

Land Congress has designated to stay roadless. Inside it, there are no motor vehicles or bicycles, only foot and stock travel, and overnight stays often need a permit and have group-size limits. Dispersed camping in wilderness means backpacking to it.

Read more: What is a wilderness area

Expect no cell signal. Carry water, an offline map and enough to be self-sufficient for a night longer than you plan. Tell someone where you're going and when you'll be back. Forest roads can be rough, wet or snowed in, so check the weather and road conditions, and turn around before you get stuck.

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No. It shows land ownership, roads and each area's published rules so you can choose your own spot. There are no user-submitted campsite lists or reviews.

Not always. Closures, wilderness rules, fire orders and posted signs can apply to public land. The map helps you narrow things down; the rules on the ground have the final word.

Map layers come from the USDA Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, and place names from the USGS. Detailed boundaries and roads load from the agencies' map services as you zoom in. Area rules come from each forest or field office's own website and orders, and show the date they were checked. Fire orders and closures change often, so check the area's alerts page before you go.