boondocking
pp. Parking a recreational vehicle in a remote or secluded area to avoid paying campground or RV park charges.
Other Forms
boondocker n.boondock v.
Examples
2015
Boondocking.org is devoted to the art of “boondocking,” which is all about finding free, off-the-beaten-path places for camping. The site is compiled by an active boondocker who maintains a database of free camping spots nationwide.
—Trent Hamm, “4 Ways to Find Free and Cheap Camping Sites,” U.S. News & World Report, July 21, 2015
2014
This…allows me to do urban boondocking should I choose. Right now, I've been parking at night on the street in a safe area of San Francisco. The cheapest RV parks in the area offer few amenities, and cost a minimum of $65 a night. They are not a good value. But I'm not paying a cent 4-5 days a week.
—Vanessa Donley, “What Does it Feel Like to Live Year Round in an RV?,” The Huffington Post, October 22, 2014
2013
Campgrounds with full hookups can cost $30 to $40 a night, and the McIntyres have learned to do more "boondocking'' — camping free at sites without hookups, including Wal-Mart parking lots.
—Doug Smith, “Minneapolis couple finds the good life: Retirement in an RV,” Star Tribune (Minneapolis), February 06, 2013
1997 (earliest)
And if this sounds too tranquil, there's always the adventure of boondocking — camping free in "primitive" sites at rest areas, beaches, parking lots, deserts, or fairgrounds.
—Kim Baker & Sunny Baker, The RVer's Bible, Simon and Schuster, April 16, 1997
Posted: September 10, 2015