This guide provides 3 curated van life location stops for every contiguous US state, adhering to an 80/20 rule: predominantly free or cheap public lands (BLM, National Forests, Wildlife Management Areas) balanced with occasional premium options (RV resorts, National Park campgrounds, and high-end State Parks).
(Note: In regions like the Northeast where free public dispersed camping is scarce, "Free/Cheap" locations highlight low-cost state forests, WMAs, or basic unserviced sites).
- Washington
- Free: Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest (Dispersed)
- Free: Olympic National Forest (Dispersed)
- Premium: Kalaloch Campground, Olympic National Park
- Oregon
- Free: Mt. Hood National Forest
- Free: Deschutes National Forest (Phil's Trailhead Area)
- Premium: Beverly Beach State Park
- California
- Free: Alabama Hills Recreation Area (BLM)
- Free: Joshua Tree South BLM
- Premium: Malibu RV Park
- Nevada
- Free: Valley of Fire Highway Dispersed (BLM)
- Free: Spencer Hot Springs (BLM)
- Premium: Oasis Las Vegas RV Resort
- Arizona
- Free: Coconino National Forest (Sedona Area)
- Free: Quartzsite BLM (La Posa)
- Premium: Trailer Village RV Park, Grand Canyon
- Utah
- Free: Hurricane Cliffs Recreation Area (BLM)
- Free: Willow Springs Road, Moab (BLM)
- Premium: Zion Canyon Campground and RV Resort
- Idaho
- Free: Sawtooth National Forest
- Free: Craters of the Moon BLM
- Premium: Ponderosa State Park
- Montana
- Free: Flathead National Forest
- Free: Custer Gallatin National Forest
- Premium: Glacier Campground, West Glacier
- Wyoming
- Free: Shadow Mountain (Bridger-Teton National Forest)
- Free: Bighorn National Forest
- Premium: Colter Bay RV Park, Grand Teton
- Colorado
- Free: San Juan National Forest
- Free: Pike National Forest
- Premium: Tiger Run Resort, Breckenridge
- New Mexico
- Free: Carson National Forest
- Free: Cosmic Campground (Gila National Forest)
- Premium: Angel Fire RV Resort
- North Dakota
- Free: Little Missouri National Grassland
- Free: Painted Canyon Rest Area (Overnight)
- Premium: Cottonwood Campground, Theodore Roosevelt NP
- South Dakota
- Free: Nomad View (Buffalo Gap National Grassland)
- Free: Black Hills National Forest Dispersed
- Premium: Custer State Park (Blue Bell Campground)
- Nebraska
- Free: Oglala National Grassland
- Free/Cheap: Oliver Reservoir State Recreation Area
- Premium: Eugene T. Mahoney State Park
- Kansas
- Free: Cimarron National Grassland
- Free/Cheap: Scott State Park (Basic Sites)
- Premium: Deer Creek Valley RV Park, Topeka
- Missouri
- Free: Mark Twain National Forest
- Free/Cheap: Rudolf Bennitt Conservation Area
- Premium: Table Rock State Park
- Iowa
- Free/Cheap: Hickory Grove Park
- Free/Cheap: Yellow River State Forest
- Premium: Cherry Glen Campground, Saylorville Lake
- Minnesota
- Free: Superior National Forest
- Free: Chippewa National Forest
- Premium: Gooseberry Falls State Park
- Wisconsin
- Free: Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest
- Free/Cheap: Governor Dodge State Park (Basic Sites)
- Premium: Peninsula State Park, Door County
- Michigan
- Free: Hiawatha National Forest
- Free: Huron-Manistee National Forests
- Premium: Tahquamenon Falls State Park
- Illinois
- Free: Shawnee National Forest (Garden of the Gods wilderness)
- Free/Cheap: Mississippi Palisades State Park
- Premium: Starved Rock State Park
- Indiana
- Free: Hoosier National Forest (Charles C. Deam Wilderness)
- Free/Cheap: Morgan-Monroe State Forest
- Premium: Brown County State Park
- Ohio
- Free: Wayne National Forest
- Free: AEP ReCreation Land
- Premium: Hocking Hills State Park
- Texas
- Free: Padre Island National Seashore (South Beach)
- Free: Big Bend Ranch State Park (Remote primitive)
- Premium: Maverick Ranch RV Park, Lajitas
- Oklahoma
- Free: Ouachita National Forest
- Free: Black Kettle National Grassland
- Premium: Beavers Bend State Park
- Arkansas
- Free: Ozark National Forest
- Free: Buffalo National River (Tyler Bend basic)
- Premium: Gulpha Gorge, Hot Springs National Park
- Louisiana
- Free: Kisatchie National Forest
- Free: Rutherford Beach
- Premium: Fontainebleau State Park
- Mississippi
- Free: De Soto National Forest
- Free: Bienville National Forest
- Premium: Buccaneer State Park
- Alabama
- Free: Talladega National Forest
- Free: Conecuh National Forest
- Premium: Gulf State Park
- Georgia
- Free: Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest
- Free/Cheap: Dawson Forest WMA
- Premium: Skidaway Island State Park
- Florida
- Free: Ocala National Forest
- Free: Osceola National Forest
- Premium: Fort De Soto Park, Tierra Verde
- South Carolina
- Free: Sumter National Forest
- Free: Francis Marion National Forest
- Premium: Huntington Beach State Park
- North Carolina
- Free: Pisgah National Forest
- Free: Nantahala National Forest
- Premium: Camp Hatteras RV Resort and Campground
- Virginia
- Free: George Washington & Jefferson National Forests
- Free/Cheap: Amelia WMA
- Premium: First Landing State Park
- West Virginia
- Free: Monongahela National Forest
- Free: New River Gorge (Glade Creek)
- Premium: Pipestem Resort State Park
- Kentucky
- Free: Daniel Boone National Forest
- Free/Cheap: Land Between the Lakes NRA
- Premium: Kentucky Horse Park
- Tennessee
- Free: Cherokee National Forest
- Free: Prentice Cooper State Forest
- Premium: Anchor Down RV Resort
- Maryland
- Free/Cheap: Green Ridge State Forest
- Free/Cheap: Savage River State Forest
- Premium: Assateague State Park
- Delaware
- Free/Cheap: C&D Canal Wildlife Area
- Free/Cheap: Redden State Forest
- Premium: Cape Henlopen State Park
- Pennsylvania
- Free: Allegheny National Forest
- Free/Cheap: Michaux State Forest
- Premium: Cherry Springs State Park
- New Jersey
- Free/Cheap: Wharton State Forest
- Free/Cheap: Brendan T. Byrne State Forest
- Premium: Liberty Harbor RV Park
- New York
- Free: Adirondack Park (Moose River Plains)
- Free: Finger Lakes National Forest
- Premium: Letchworth State Park
- Connecticut
- Free/Cheap: Pachaug State Forest
- Free/Cheap: Natchaug State Forest
- Premium: Hammonasset Beach State Park
- Rhode Island
- Free/Cheap: George Washington State Campground
- Free/Cheap: Burlingame State Park
- Premium: Fishermen's Memorial State Park
- Massachusetts
- Free/Cheap: Savoy Mountain State Forest
- Free/Cheap: October Mountain State Forest
- Premium: Salisbury Beach State Reservation
- Vermont
- Free: Green Mountain National Forest (Somerset Reservoir)
- Free/Cheap: Coolidge State Forest
- Premium: Smugglers' Notch State Park
- New Hampshire
- Free: White Mountain National Forest (Gale River)
- Free: Tripoli Road Dispersed
- Premium: Lafayette Place Campground
- Maine
- Free/Cheap: North Maine Woods
- Free/Cheap: Richardson Public Reserved Land
- Premium: Schoodic Woods Campground, Acadia National Park