How to Find the Best RV Campgrounds Using Campendium and Google Maps

One of the questions we’ve been asked over the years is, “How do you find such great places to camp?”

When you’re traveling in an RV, especially if you’re moving around frequently, finding a campground isn’t always as simple as searching for the nearest RV park. We’ve stayed everywhere from traditional campgrounds with full hookups to free dispersed camping areas on public land.

Before we pull the RV into an unfamiliar camping area, we like to know as much as possible about what we’re getting into.

One of the tools we’ve used to research campsites is Campendium, along with Google Maps. Together, they can give you a surprisingly good idea of what to expect before you ever arrive.

Note: Campendium’s website and features have changed over the years, so the screens and menus you see today may not look exactly like those shown in our original video. However, the basic research process we use is still a useful way to evaluate potential campsites.

Why We Use Campendium

Campendium can be useful for much more than finding a traditional RV campground.

Depending on the area, you may find listings for:

RV parks
National and state park campgrounds
Forest Service and other public land
Dispersed camping
Overnight parking
Dump stations

That makes it particularly useful when we’re trying to find inexpensive or free places to camp.

Instead of searching individual campground websites one at a time, we can start with a general area and see many of the camping possibilities on a map.

Searching for RV Parks and Free Camping

You can begin with the area where you want to camp. In our video, we used Montana and the area around Glacier National Park as an example.

Once you zoom into the area you’re interested in, the map makes it easier to see what camping options are nearby.

That can be especially useful when you want to stay near a national park or attraction without necessarily staying inside it.

Sometimes an RV park is the best choice. Other times we’ve found a public-land campsite nearby that worked perfectly for us — and cost us nothing.

Understanding What You’re Looking At

One of the things we like about researching campsites on a map is being able to compare different kinds of camping in the same general area.

You might discover a private RV park with hookups, a public campground, dispersed camping and overnight parking all within a relatively small radius.

It also makes it easier to have a backup plan.

When you’re traveling with an RV, having a Plan B — and sometimes a Plan C — is never a bad idea.

Read the Campground Reviews

This is probably the most important part of our research.

We read the reviews.

A campground listing can tell you the basic facts, but reviews from people who have actually stayed there can tell you the things you really want to know.

We look for comments about:

Road conditions
How difficult the campsite is to access
Whether sites are reasonably level
Neighborhood or safety concerns
Wildlife in the area
Space for larger RVs
Cell service
Noise
Conditions that might make the campsite unsuitable for our rig

Reviews are especially important when we’re looking at dispersed camping.

Someone may mention that the first section of a road is fine but that it gets rough farther back. Another camper may explain exactly where a larger rig can turn around.

Those little details can make a tremendous difference when you’re towing a trailer.

Check Cell Service Before You Go

For full-time RVers — and anyone who needs to stay connected while traveling — cell service can be important.

Campground reviews can give you an idea of what previous visitors experienced with different carriers.

Of course, cell service can change and someone else’s experience doesn’t guarantee yours will be identical. But it gives us another piece of information to consider before choosing a campsite.

Look at the Size of the RVs That Have Stayed There

Another detail we pay attention to is the size of RVs previous campers have reported using at a particular location.

If someone successfully camped there with a 40-foot or larger rig, that gives us considerably more confidence than a campsite where every review comes from someone traveling in a van.

It doesn’t guarantee that we’ll fit, but it’s useful information.

Don’t Assume Every Public-Land Campsite Has a 14-Day Limit

This is an important one.

It can be tempting to assume that camping on BLM or Forest Service land automatically means you can stay for 14 days.

That’s not necessarily true.

We’ve encountered public lands with different stay limits, including considerably shorter ones.

Always check the rules for the specific location where you’re planning to camp. If you’re unsure, contact the appropriate land-management office and verify the current regulations.

Finding Dump Stations and Potable Water

Campendium has also been useful when we need services rather than a place to camp.

We’ve used campground and dump-station listings to look for:

RV dump stations
Potable water
Other RV services

One important lesson we’ve learned is not to assume that an RV park with full hookups necessarily offers a public dump station or potable-water fill for travelers who aren’t staying there.

Call ahead if the information isn’t clear.

We’ve done exactly that when we needed water. A quick phone call can save you from driving somewhere only to discover that the service you need isn’t available.

And when filling your fresh-water tank, use your own drinking-water-safe hose rather than a hose that’s been left at a dump station.

You really don’t know where that hose has been!

Take the GPS Coordinates to Google Maps

Campendium is only the first part of our research.

Once we’ve found a promising campsite, we take the GPS coordinates and look at the location in Google Maps.

Then we switch to satellite view.

This is especially useful with dispersed camping because there may not be a clearly marked campground entrance or paved road.

Satellite imagery can help us see:

The access road
Approximate size of the camping area
Possible places to park
Turnaround areas
Nearby roads
Rivers and other geographic features
How much room may be available

It isn’t perfect, and satellite images aren’t necessarily current, but it gives us another look at where we’re planning to take the RV.

Will There Be Room to Turn Around?

This is one of my biggest concerns when looking at an unfamiliar boondocking location.

It’s one thing to drive a car down a questionable road.

It’s something else entirely when you’re towing an RV.

I don’t want to discover after we’ve driven into an area that every campsite is occupied and there’s nowhere to turn the trailer around.

That’s one reason I like looking at the satellite view beforehand. If the camping area appears to accommodate quite a few vehicles and has plenty of open space, I’m much more comfortable trying it.

We still can’t know exactly what we’ll find when we arrive, but I’d rather gather as much information as possible beforehand.

Use Google Maps Terrain View, Too

Satellite view isn’t the only Google Maps feature we use.

If I’m concerned about hills or elevation changes, I also look at the terrain view.

Contour lines can help show whether the camping area is relatively flat or whether the road climbs or drops significantly.

That’s particularly useful when a review says something like, “The sites near the entrance were full, so we drove farther back.”

Before following that advice with an RV, I’d like to know what “farther back” involves!

Use Filters to Narrow Down Your Choices

Campground-search tools may also allow you to narrow the results according to the things that matter to you.

Depending on the current features available, that might include things such as:

Price
Public land
RV parks
Hookups
Electrical service
RV length
Elevation
Pet policies
Amenities
Discounts
Boat ramps

Filters can be useful, but we don’t depend entirely on them. Information submitted by campers can be incomplete or outdated, and websites change over time.

We still do our own research before making a final decision.

Our Campground Research Process

So, when we’re looking for a new place to stay, our basic process looks something like this:

Search the general area for camping possibilities.
Compare RV parks, public campgrounds and dispersed camping.
Read recent reviews carefully.
Look for comments about road conditions and accessibility.
Check reports about cell service.
Check RV size and campsite information.
Verify the current stay limit for public lands.
Locate dump stations and potable water when we’ll need them.
Take the GPS coordinates to Google Maps.
Examine the campsite and access roads using satellite view.
Check terrain when hills or elevation might be an issue.
Have another camping option in mind in case our first choice doesn’t work out.

It takes a little more time than simply picking a campground and driving there, but it has helped us find some wonderful places to stay.

And more importantly, it has helped us avoid driving blindly into places that might not work for our RV.

Finding Free RV Camping Takes a Little Research

Some of our favorite campsites haven’t been expensive RV resorts.

They’ve been the places where we’ve been able to settle in, enjoy beautiful scenery and experience an area without spending a fortune on campground fees.

Finding those places does require a little research.

Campendium and Google Maps have been two of the tools we’ve used to do that research while traveling around the country. Even as websites and apps change over time, the basic idea remains the same:

Learn as much as you can before you pull the RV down that road.

A few minutes of research at home — or from your previous campsite — can save you a whole lot of aggravation when you arrive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Campendium help you find free RV camping?

Campendium has been one of the resources we’ve used to locate dispersed camping and other free camping opportunities as well as traditional RV parks. Always verify current regulations, fees and stay limits before camping.

How do you know whether a dispersed campsite is accessible with an RV?

We start by reading reviews from previous campers, particularly reviews mentioning RV size and road conditions. We then look at the location and access roads using Google Maps satellite view. If elevation is a concern, we also check the terrain.

How can you tell if there is cell service at a campground?

Camper reviews can provide reports from people who have used different cell carriers at the location. Conditions and coverage can change, so treat those reports as helpful information rather than a guarantee.

How do you find RV dump stations while traveling?

Campground research sites can be useful for locating dump stations and reading reports from previous visitors. We recommend verifying hours, prices and availability before making a special trip.

Is dispersed camping always free?

No. Rules, fees and camping restrictions vary according to the land and managing agency. Always check the current regulations for the particular location.

Can you stay 14 days on all BLM and Forest Service land?

No. Stay limits can vary considerably by location. Don’t assume a 14-day rule applies everywhere. Check the regulations for the particular camping area and contact the appropriate land-management office if you’re uncertain.

Why use Google Maps if you’ve already found the campground?

For us, Google Maps provides another layer of information. Satellite view can help us evaluate access roads, available space and possible turnaround areas, while terrain view can help us understand elevation changes before towing our RV into an unfamiliar area.

Watch the Video

Want to see exactly how we used Campendium and Google Maps to research our campsites?

Watch our video, How We Find the Best FREE RV Campgrounds | Campendium Tutorial, where we walk through the process and show an actual dispersed camping area we stayed at near Glacier National Park.

Whether you’re planning a weekend camping trip or traveling full-time, doing a little research before you arrive can help you find better campsites — and hopefully avoid a few unpleasant surprises along the way.

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