10 apps for overlanding and camping.
For better or worse, the age of smartphones and fast-moving technology has become the primary way many of us discover new places to camp while overlanding. Here’s my curated list of apps and memberships I lean on when I’m out on an open road trip. Most are free to start (with optional upgrades for extra features), while a few are paid subscriptions that still deliver strong value even if you only use them a handful of times.
Google Earth — most of us have this preinstalled on our smartphones, and it’s free. It’s an excellent tool for getting a quick overview of an area you want to explore, showing roads, destination points and satellite views of the terrain. I use it as my starting point when planning journeys. Drawbacks: Google Earth can sometimes point you toward private property or roads that aren’t passable, and it lacks real-time interaction or user-contributed advice about local conditions.
OnX — a great app for digging deep into places to camp, fish, hike, overland or hunt. Many times, after doing my initial research on an area, I’ll dive further to uncover the exact property I’m interested in camping, fishing or hunting, since the app often provides land ownership details and sometimes contact information. OnX is also invaluable when bushwhacking or exploring off-trail and you need to track your path; with a reliable offline mode, it can be the difference between returning safely and becoming a statistic.
TheDyrt — this app comes in both a free and a paid version. If you just want to browse for ideas on where to camp, the free version is a great place to start. It gives a solid overview of tent sites, RV parks and glamping options. In my opinion the paid version, at about $60 a year, is worth it if you’re an avid nomad or go camping four or more times annually. The paid tier adds useful features like offline maps, waived booking fees at some campgrounds, detailed BLM and other government-land maps with specific camping spots, and better chances of snagging reservations at campgrounds that are otherwise sold out.
Campdeum- originally an app but makes you go to a website now. THis was the first app began using when i started boondocking nearly 15 years ago. It has a great community driven platform with users very hinest about their experiences with locations. Unlike other apps the website runs on “donations”
Harvethost- A new player to the Glamping and travel/work camping experience.
Giaa- one of the originators of overlanding and mapping for offline use.
Hiphost-a great app for finding odd places to stay overnight without being hasseled by authorities
Ioverlander- for international overlanding and camping
Freeroam-good
Campspot-camper friendly easy to use
