According to The Dyrt's 2026 report, 59.8% of campers stayed for free at least once in 2025. The data is based on a survey of thousands of users and campground managers across all 50 US states.
Of those who camped for free, 79.1% practiced dispersed camping in national forests, 73.6% (mostly RV and camper owners) stayed in parking lots or rest areas, and 63.7% found spots at free developed campgrounds. The US has more than 600 million acres of public land available for free camping.