The Dyrt, the No. 1 app for camping information and booking, has launched a new feature that maps the largest collection of free camping locations in the U.S., all accessible by car. Campers can use this feature to navigate more than 5,000 free camping locations including dispersed campsites, free established campgrounds, and free camping on public lands — and find out if permits are required and how to get them.
“Experienced campers tend to be the only ones who take advantage of free camping because they know where to find it and what permits are needed. With more than 7 million people camping for the first time last year, our free camping collection breaks down that knowledge gap and unlocks this amazing resource for the growing camping community.”
– The Dyrt CEO Kevin Long
According to the 2023 Camping Report, it was five times harder to find an available campsite to book in 2022 than it was in 2019. Vehicle campers — who camp in an RV, trailer, van, or car — reported 20 percent more difficulty finding available camping than other types of campers, such as tent or hammock campers. As a result, The Dyrt’s curated free camping collection focuses on vehicle-accessible camping locations rather than hike-in campsites.
“I love back-country camping, and I’ve done a lot of it over the years. Like so many people who made camping-vehicle purchases during the pandemic — we bought a camper van in 2021 — I’ve found it more difficult to find places to camp. Being able to reserve free sites or find free camping as a backup has come in handy many times!”
– The Dyrt founder Sarah Smith
Members of The Dyrt PRO ($36/year) can access the collection of 5,000 free camping locations in addition to discounts on more than 1,000 private camping locations and other benefits. The collection includes downloadable boundary map overlays of public lands where free camping is permitted so campers can explore and camp confidently in areas without cell service.
“Among the many tools and apps we use, our go-to resource is The Dyrt PRO. The app is incredibly useful for finding new places to camp for free.”
– Shari Galiardi, who lives with her husband Hutch in a vintage camper trailer from which they run Freedom in a Can
