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Dispersed camping on national forests and grasslands 

Savannah Halleaux

Office of Communication

July 10, 2026

Dispersed camping – camping outside of a designated, prepared campsite – isn’t for everyone. But it might be for you.

Campers Tyler Cross and Jeremy Halleaux enjoy a break around the campfire at their dispersed camping site within the Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area on the Manistee National Forest, Michigan, on June 8, 2026. Dispersed camping is allowed on the vast majority of national forests and grasslands. (Forest Service photo by Savannah Halleaux)

With 154 national forests and 20 national grasslands spreading across landscapes from El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico to the Chugach National Forest in Alaska – and so much in between – there are a lot of opportunities for camping. There are also a few things you need to consider before pitching a tent.

When dispersed camping – and anytime you visit – we recommend that you: plan ahead and prepare, dispose of waste properly, travel and camp on durable surfaces, minimize campfire impacts, respect wildlife, and be considerate of others.

Plan ahead and prepare

The vast majority of national forests and grasslands are open to dispersed camping unless there are specific restrictions in place for that area. These restrictions are typically for:

Administrative areas, such as offices and common use areas
Safety reasons, such as heavy equipment or prescribed fire planned in the area
Site conservation, such as areas that have been damaged by overuse or natural disaster

Rebecca Hartman, a Forest Service support services specialist at the Cadillac-Manistee Ranger Station, answers Halleaux and Cross’s questions about dispersed camping in the Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area (left). Cross takes notes to make sure they remember Hartman’s guidance and advice about things like collecting firewood, campsite distance from Lake Michigan, and staying safe from bears recently sighted in the area (right). (Forest Service photos by Savannah Halleaux)

Know the regulations and special concerns for the area you’re visiting. Much of the information can be found on the Forest Service website or the National Forests and Grasslands App. It is also helpful to stop by the local ranger station to get the most current information and recommendations from those who know the area the best – the Forest Service staff who manage it. Just be aware that these offices may be closed on the day you plan to visit. It’s always best to call ahead.

Cross and Halleaux fill out the day use fee paperwork and submit payment so they can park and leave their vehicle overnight at the Nurnberg Trailhead, which provides trail access to their planned dispersed camping site near Lake Michigan (left). Cross places the fee payment receipt stub on the vehicle dashboard (right. (Forest Service photos by Savannah Halleaux)

Although dispersed camping is usually permit-free and fee-free, heavily-used areas – such as popular trailheads or even remote wilderness areas – may require a permit and fee. For these sites, it is especially important to plan ahead. Be sure to read and follow the instructions – and get a permit from the ranger station or Recreation.gov, if needed.

Dispose of waste properly

Proper waste disposal starts before you even start out to the site. The less waste you take to the site, the less you have to keep track of and bring back.

At the trailhead, Cross and Halleaux remove the excess packaging from the food and supplies they are taking to their dispersed campsite. Their dog, Elvis, waits patiently on his leash. It is much easier to properly dispose of these items at the waste receptacles at the trailhead, rather than packing it all to the site and back. (Forest Service photo by Savannah Halleaux)

This is especially true if you are hiking to your camp site. Break down and remove the unnecessary packaging materials for the food and other items you are taking. There are often trash receptacles at trailheads for items like this.

If you are camping in your vehicle, do a quick clean-out of loose wrappers, bags, cups and bottles before you drive out to the forest. This way these bits of garbage are less likely to fall or blow out when you open the door.

Travel and camp on durable surfaces

Dispersed camping might mean setting up camp just off a forest road with your vehicle or camper or hiking miles into a wilderness area to put up a tent or hang a hammock in isolation.

Either way, stick to the designated roads and trails to get as close as you can to your campsite before moving in to pitch your tent, especially in popular, high-use areas. Not only do trails help you get from your start point to destination without getting lost, but trails also help protect plants and small underbrush creatures from being trampled to death by visitors. Sticking to trails is a win-win – both for crunchy critters and you!

Cross, Halleaux, and Elvis make their way along established trails to their planned dispersed camp site (left). Cross verifies their location and checks their progress using the map he downloaded in the National Forests and Grasslands App. Sticking to maintained trails not only helps them know where they are, it also helps preserve the habitat around them for wildlife and future visitors (right). (Forest Service photos by Savannah Halleaux)

Roads and trails are designed to be durable surfaces, which are already cleared of plant life and compacted. Using durable surfaces to travel and camp on reduces erosion and allows other areas to remain uncompacted for plants to grow and animals to live.

Once at your planned camping location, remember that a great camp site is found, not made. Look for a spot that is on a level, durable surface with minimal vegetation.

Halleaux and Cross assess this location as a possible dispersed campsite. Although the ground is relatively flat and sturdy, they noticed hazard trees with dead or dying branches that could suddenly fall on their site. They ultimately chose a different site nearby. (Forest Service photo by Savannah Halleaux)

Look up. If there are any trees overhead, make sure they look healthy and sturdy. It’s no fun to wake up trapped under a fallen branch or tree trunk.

Minimize campfire impacts

A heat source is useful for personal warmth and preparing food. Before building a campfire, make sure you consider a few things:

Are campfires allowed where you are?
What is the fire warning level? Is it wise to build a campfire?
Is appropriate campfire fuel available?

Halleaux prepares a can of soup on the camp stove he brought (left). He also prepared s’mores over the campfire he and Cross built (right). (Forest Service photo by Savannah Halleaux)

A safer and more reliable heat source is a camp stove. These little contraptions are ideal for leave-no-trace, because they don’t leave ash residue and don’t require disturbing the surrounding area to find fuel – it’s already in the can.

Be respectful of wildlife and considerate of others

When camping on national forests and grasslands, you are setting up a temporary home where native plants and animals already live. From chipmunks and chickadees to bison and bear, it is important to be aware and respectful of the animals in your midst. This is to protect both them and you.

Animals are attracted to fragrant things – like food, toothpaste and deodorant – and they may tear apart your hiking pack, tent, or car to get to it. That’s why it is important to store food in bear-safe containers on the ground or hung from a tree at least 100 feet from the camp site.

When not in use, the campers stored their food and other items that might attract bears and other wildlife in bear-proof containers at least 100 feet from the campsite (left). Their dog, Elvis, always stayed on a leash, except when he was sleeping in the zipped-up tent with his owners (right). (Forst Service photos by Savannah Halleaux)

If you bring your pets, make sure they are safe. Keeping them on a leash is the safest bet for most dogs – and may be required in some areas. As much as your pets may want to, do not let them bark at, chase, or jump on people or wildlife. If your pup can’t stay cool and calm, it may be best for them to stay home.

Leave no trace

If the recommendations you see here seem familiar, it may be because you’ve heard them before in the Leave No Trace principles. For more advice on visiting national forests and grasslands safely and responsibly, check out the articles, videos, and training with our partners at Leave No Trace.