Camping on a Budget - 7 Reasons to Try Camping on National Forest Lands

Afton Lake - Bridger-Teton National Forest

Looking for a way to travel across the United States without breaking the budget? Read the TOP SEVEN REASONS that the Modern Nomad Family chooses to camp in National Forest Campgrounds whenever possible.  

#1 -  Cost! Cost! Cost!
Many people who travel infrequently never really get a handle on the difference between National Park Lands and National Forest Lands.  There is a big difference though.
The National Parks are more developed, with more amenities, lodges, cabins, developed campsites, etc.  National Parks plan for thousands of visitors each year.  Regulations are usually more more strict, camping is typically only allowed on developed campsites.  Prices can range from about $25-$35 for a no frills tent site/ $45-$95 for an RV site with hook-ups all the way up to $250+ for deluxe cabins. Backcountry permits are limited at National Parks, if permitted at all.
National Forest Campsites on the other hand, range from only $7-$14 for single sites with a tent pad and campfire pit and vault toilets.  You can even back-country camp on most National Forest Lands for FREE! (In general, as long as you camp the specified number of feet away from the road, you can just pick a place in the forest and set up camp). This is one of the ways that we manage to stretch our travel budget so far. I have stayed 7 nights at a National Forest Site for less than $50! Read that last sentence again. We are not millionaires, but we LOVE travel. National Forest Sites help to make travel a reality for us. The secret to traveling on a budget is not to make more money. It is simply to find ways not to NEED as much money, and National Forest Sites are a great way to slash your lodging costs significantly.

#2 - No Reservation Required
This is a big factor for us when we travel. We enjoy the ability to remain flexible and spend as much time as we like in one place. Most national forest sites work on a first-come-first-served honor system. You show up, pick an empty spot and occupy it, and then go back out to the front entrance where you register and drop the money into a locked dropbox. We love not needing reservations. We have found that on the weekends during peak travel season, it is beneficial to get in early and pick a site, as the best campgrounds do tend to fill up on Friday and Saturday nights...

#3 - Ranger Stations
National Forest Lands will frequently have a ranger station associated with them where you can get maps to the best hiking trails and talk to the rangers. Many of them also have Junior Ranger kits, just like the National Parks. The best junior ranger kit I have seen so far was a piece of watercolor paper, brushes, paint and a jar to collect rinse water from the river...the kids were encouraged to find a quiet place in nature where they would be comfortable and paint what they saw. If they brought the painting back and showed it to the ranger (along with their completed packet), they got a badge for their hats. This is still one of my favorite travel memories.

#4 - No Gift Shops
National forests offer a chance to get away from the commercialism of the gift shops, ice cream vendors and resturaunts associated with traditional campgrounds and even some of our National Park Campgrounds. When you are at a National Forest Site, the kids are not asking for ice cream, because there is NO WHERE to buy ice cream. The kids are free to spend the day searching for kindling and firewood around the campsite so that after dark they can relax and unwind with the most coveted of all camping treats...S'MORES! They really are tastier when you scavenge your own wood and learn how to make a fire yourself.

#5 - You Can Pick the Berries and Eat them...Legally!
National Parks have very strict rules and regulations about preservation that prohibit visitors from picking berries, flowers, etc. National Forest Lands are much more flexible about these things. National Forest Lands are there to be used, and so within reason, it is fine for your kids to play in the stream, pick a bouquet for mommy or harvest huckleberries for their morning pancakes. These are all things that can get you into trouble at a National Park, where high volumes of visitors necessitate stricter regulations about these types of activities.​

#6 - Pristine and Peaceful Locations
There is no way to describe the intangible peace that you get when you pull into a quiet National Forest Campground.  Sure, there is no pool and no laundry room, but this can have an upside.  After all--- the kids are happy making a "mud bowl" down by that glacial stream, and if you have no way to do laundry, there is nothing for you to do but take a nap in your hammock!  :)  --OK...so occasionally we wash some critical items out by hand and hang them up to dry...my daughters needed to learn how to hand wash clothes anyway...time for a life lesson!

#7 - Avoid the Crowds
National Forest sites have fewer amenities, so there are less high maintenance campers around.  It is typical to have vault toilets instead of flush toilets, and only one water tap for use by several sites, but these facilities are typically spotless!  Most National Forest Service campground hosts love their jobs, and work really hard to keep the sites and facilities clean and the campers happy.  The national forest sites tend to attract experienced campers seeking quiet commune with nature.

So get out there and enjoy the National Forest Lands! For less than the cost of a dinner out, you can enjoy a weekend of peace and quiet in the woods with your family. Stay tuned for our next post about the best kid friendly meals to cook over an open fire while camping! Don't forget to  like and follow us on Facebook so you don't miss out on our posts!


--The Modern Nomad Family

Our kids spent most of the evening playing on this natural balance beam they found by the river.

$7/night for peace like this...it just doesn't get any better! -Cabin City Campground, Lolo National Forest

Someone else built this little rock tower. We did end up disassembling it before we left as we taught our kids about "Leave No Trace" camping... While it is OK to use the natural resources of the National Forest Lands while you are visiting, you should still respect the land and leave it as you found it.

A perfect breakfast before heading out to paddleboard on Afton Lake - Bridger-Teton National Forest.

Blackberry Pancakes made from fresh blackberries we found near Marble Creek Campground.