Free camping remained a common choice among outdoor travelers in the United States, with three out of five campers using free camping options during the past year, according to findings from The Dyrt’s 2026 Camping Report Presented by Toyota Trucks.
The report is based on 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.
Among campers who camped for free, dispersed camping was the most frequently used option.
The report found that 79.1% of free campers stayed at dispersed sites, while 73.6% spent at least one night at a rest stop or parking lot, a practice reported primarily by RVers and vanlifers.
Free established campgrounds also remained a significant option, with 63.7% of respondents who camped for free reporting stays at those locations.
Other no-cost camping arrangements included private property owned by friends or family, used by 36.5% of respondents, and campers staying on their own property, reported by 28.9%.
According to a press release, Kevin Long, CEO of The Dyrt, said campers have access to multiple free camping opportunities across the country.
“There are so many ways to camp for free throughout the country,” Long said. “There’s dispersed camping in national forests and Bureau of Land Management areas, free overnight parking, and even free established campgrounds.”
Long said dispersed backcountry camping offers a unique experience for campers seeking a more remote setting.
“For me, dispersed backcountry camping is camping in its truest form — no established campsites, no plumbing, no trash cans,” Long said. “It’s the best way to fully get away from the grind, unwind and get back to nature.”
According to the report, more than 600 million acres of public land in the United States are available for free camping. Because many of these areas are not established campgrounds with dedicated websites, locating suitable sites can be challenging for campers.
The report also highlighted individual experiences with free camping. Judy, a camper from Washington, described a visit to Leslie Gulch in the Owyhee area of eastern Oregon, where she stayed at a Bureau of Land Management campsite.
“On my long-time bucket list was Leslie Gulch in the Owyhee area of eastern Oregon,” Judy said. “The best part of all was the free BLM campsite at Slocum Creek set amongst the red rocks.”
The findings were released as part of The Dyrt’s annual camping report, which examines camping trends and behaviors across the United States.