Hiking Regions
Pick a hiking destination to see free, no-permit campsites nearby.
Shenandoah / Appalachian Trail, Virginia
Shenandoah National Park & Appalachian Trail (VA section)
Dispersed camping is allowed forest-wide outside developed recreation areas, with no permit required. 14-day stay limit, 100 ft from water.
4 free campsites listedWhite Mountains, New Hampshire
White Mountains (Franconia Ridge, Presidential Traverse, AT)
Dispersed camping allowed along many forest roads, no permit needed except a small self-pay parking fee on Tripoli Rd. Seasonal road closures (roughly late May–autumn).
3 free campsites listedRocky Mountain National Park area, Colorado
Rocky Mountain National Park (Longs Peak, Bear Lake, Wild Basin)
No dispersed camping inside the park itself, but the surrounding National Forest allows free no-permit dispersed camping on both the east and west sides.
4 free campsites listedMoab / Arches & Canyonlands, Utah
Arches NP, Canyonlands NP, Moab-area trails
No dispersed camping inside Arches or Canyonlands, and camping is restricted within ~20 miles of Moab. Free BLM dispersed camping is available further out along several well-known roads.
5 free campsites listedYosemite / Eastern Sierra, California
Yosemite National Park, John Muir Trail access points
No dispersed camping inside Yosemite outside wilderness permits. Free dispersed camping is available on the eastern side in Inyo NF and BLM land near Mono Lake; a free CA campfire permit is required for any open flame or stove.
3 free campsites listedMount Rainier / North Cascades, Washington
Mount Rainier NP, North Cascades NP
Not allowed inside the national parks, but surrounding National Forest land allows free no-permit dispersed camping. No pass needed for the campsite itself (only for parking at some fee trailheads).
3 free campsites listedZion National Park area, Utah
Zion National Park (Angels Landing, The Narrows, Kolob)
Free, no-permit BLM camping near the SR-9 corridor and Kolob Terrace Road, though BLM has been moving some heavily used areas toward designated-site-only management — check current status before relying on open dispersed camping here.
2 free campsites listedGreat Smoky Mountains / Pisgah & Nantahala, North Carolina
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, AT (NC/TN section)
Not allowed inside the national park (permit required there), but the bordering National Forests allow free dispersed camping with no permit, 14-day limit.
4 free campsites listedAdirondacks, New York
Adirondack High Peaks
Free dispersed camping on state Forest Preserve land with no permit needed for small groups/short stays (permit only required for groups over 10 or stays over 3 nights).
1 free campsites listed