July 10-20, 2021
A new experience!
The year 2021 was my fifth year of camping with a travel trailer. So far, I had always paid for a campsite at a state park or a private RV park or some such place like that. But on this trip, I didn’t pay at all, for 11 days! It’s called “boondocking” and it’s a great option.
Boondocking started out being camping for free out in the boonies or the boondocks, out in the country, in the wild, away from civilization. But as time has gone by, the term boondocking now includes camping pretty much anywhere for free. There are other terms commonly used too, such as “lot docking” (at casinos or truck stops or places like Cabela’s or Denny’s restaurants and the like), and “mooch docking” (in people’s driveways, with permission of course). But it seems like all of these words and practices are also called boondocking.
There are many ways to find boondocking spots (sometimes called “dispersed camping” on open public land). One excellent resource is a website called “Boondockers Welcome”. I’ll tell you more about it in the next blog post or two. Let me just say here that I used that resource for two different, subsequent camping places during this 11-day trip and loved each of them. I will use this resource again.
But first, for my first two days of this 11 day outing, I didn’t use “Boondockers Welcome”, I simply drove to a relative’s home and parked in their driveway. And they fed me! How cool is that? 🙂
Ok, just so you don’t get the wrong idea about me … yes, my relatives fed me some really good food, but I managed (by insisting) that I pay for the delicious pizza dinner at the restaurant that we went to one evening.
Oh, and what might look like a gas can sitting on the pavement behind my truck in the photo above is actually the wood pieces and plastic pieces that I place under the trailer’s tongue … no danger of blowing up!
So, here’s where I went to visit my relatives … Darrington, WA. The State of Washington fills the image below. The drive between my HOME and the small town of Darrington to the north takes about 3.5 hours with trailer in tow depending on traffic volume up the I-5 freeway.
Here’s a closer look below at where Darrington is. The big I-5 freeway runs north/south and it’s on the very left hand side of the image below. You can see how close Darrington is to the Cascade Mountains. In the winter months, the roads east of Darrington are closed because of snow and ice.
But the rest of year, the roads are open. Even so, there are mountain peaks around Darrington that have snow on them year-round. It’s so very gorgeous there. Even the drive from I-5 over to Darrington is stunningly beautiful.
The photo below was the view out my trailer window on my first morning there. It’s spectacular. Click on photos to enlarge them.
Here are more photos of my “camping” spot here in Darrington. I slept so peacefully in the trailer every night and woke to find that the front door of the house was always open, with a warm welcome waiting for me inside.
My relatives’/family’s house was directly across the street from the school. I was here over a weekend, so the street was completely empty and perfectly quiet but for an occasional slow moving vehicle.
I believe the mountain peak in the photo above is Whitehorse Mountain, about 6,900 feet high. I was here in July and it was hot here then, and yet there’s still snow and ice on this mountain. One day, I’d love to come up here in the winter (as long as the roads are clear) and enjoy the beauty of snow-clad peaks all around me.
More photos coming in the next blog post. But right now, after a wonderful early morning walk on the quiet streets of Darrington, I’m headed into that warm welcoming home for a warm hug and a hot cup of coffee! 🙂
What a pretty place to “camp”! The house and yard are gorgeous. And the surrounding mountains are stupendous.
I surely did love it there. And yes it was hardly “camping”. 🙂
The mountains are glorious … and I’d bet when you see them all around you they’re even more glorious. What a great camping spot. 🙂
I wish I could share the feeling of having such gorgeous mountains encircling me. Glorious indeed.
Lovely. Someday I hope to be able to boondock.
I’m sure planning on doing more boondocking. One just needs to get their rig set up, or the equipment ready, whatever. The problem with boondocking in Washington State is that there are so many trees! So finding an open spot for solar driven electricity is difficult. Take a look at “Boondockers Welcome”, Dawn. I’d bet there are people around you who would be more than happy to welcome you to their land and help you figure out how to camp there.
Hi Ann, I spent 2 weeks in January boondocking in Quartzsite AZ this year. Nothing but the sun to power everything. I loved it!
I know other folks who have camped at Quartzsite, Arizona, too. There’s tons of land in Arizona and surrounding states with tons of sun for solar power. I’m so tired of winter this year … I gotta go south one winter soon! Ok, it’s on the list. Thanks CJ. 🙂
I’ve done some hiking up around Darrington, years ago. Did Whitehorse several years ago, it’s a seriously steep long hike up hill with a subsequent relatively level walk across a “shoulder” that’s usually covered with ice and can be very scary to people who fear heights (keep your ice ax handy to stop a slide if you do slip). The view from the peak is absolutely stunning.
Wow, you were up there?! That’s so cool. A friend of mine says that even the “shoulder” isn’t a cakewalk and he said indeed to have the ice ax out so you are holding it up so it’s ready to stop a slide if you slide. Gosh, what a view that must have been … 🙂 Thanks Steve.
I’ve used Boondockers Welcome too, Ann. I love it. I’ve not had a bad experience in about four years of using it. Sure there are some interesting people, but that’s for me part of the fun. All of the property owners have been perfectly trustworthy and helpful. I’ll look forward to reading your experience, sounds like its good. I hope so. Great photos, love your photos.
Ah the “interesting” people. I love them too, and it’s part of the fun for me too, just like you say it is for you. I’m looking forward to more. Thanks for the compliment about photos, Susan. 🙂
Ann! A glorious report of you trip to Darrington!!! Hope to join you someday soon on a walk up those beautiful mountains! Love your blog & photo details!
Ha! Ok, if it is a “walk” up the beautiful mountains, I’m all for it. There must be some easy walks up some of the smaller, lower mountains around Darrington, yes? But from what I can see from the bottom of the valley, they are all intimidating! Thanks Melly, I’ll be back soon. 🙂
My sis & I stopped for a couple of good cheezeburgers ( the next block?)..before taking the back way to Monte Cristo and back to Ballard..
Yes, I remember the burger place. And I remember driving by and thinking “wow, that smells really good”. But I was heading out of town with trailer in tow and it was mid morning so I didn’t stop.
I know nothing about Monte Cristo, but your comment made me look it up online. There are some bits and pieces of a ghost town there. And it’s just a bit south of Darrington and indeed on a back road as you say. Ok, next trip up here, I’m grabbing a burger and I’m heading to Monte Cristo! Thanks David.