If we’ve heard it once, we’ve heard it a hundred times – “There is no boondocking on the East Coast“. I’m here to say “yes there is!”.
Boondocking on the East Coast
Yes, it is different. It is more limited. But it can still be done. There are some amazing, beautiful places to boondock on the east coast. What we’ve noticed is you need to be more flexible. If there is a certain destination you need or want to be in, you may not find the availability like you can out West. But if you’re flexible, and can explore more, you’ll find a lot of places, and some amazing things you may not have even known about.
Boondocking in South Carolina
When we first wanted to explore just north of Charleston, SC. we found a nice little spot to stay for free. But when we arrived it had been closed off due to a government shut down. As we were looking for our Plan B, a ranger came up and told us about Santee Coastal Reserve. Explaining we can only stay for 4 days but that it was free, beautiful, available and just down the road.
Santee Coastal Reserve
This was one of our favorite boondocking areas on record. Even though we could stay only 4 days, we made the best of it. We visited many historic plantations in the McClellanville area. And hiked some trails right there in the Santee Coastal Reserve. No driving required!
GPS For Our Camping Spot
There are 8 very large camping areas amongst the old oak trees covered in beautiful Spanish moss. When we arrived there wasn’t anyone staying in any of the spots. You could easily fit two big rigs in each spot if you were traveling with friends. AT&T and Verizon service were good enough for me (Stacy) to work. GPS: 33.154569, -79.367734. Check out our video below for more information on Santee Coastal Reserve and the area surrounding it.
If you’re looking for free camping on the East Coast, you might have to look a little harder than in other areas of the US but it can be done.
For more epic boondocking, check out our travel map! We listed every stop we made in 2018 and 2019.
Also check out some of our boondocking blogs
- 10 Myths About Boondocking
- Boondocking 101 – How We Spent $48 in Camping Fees
- Our Top 7 Boondocking Areas
Where have you done some free camping on the East Coast? We’d love to hear from you!
