One of the hard parts of off-roading is getting somewhere spectacular and being forced to turn back before dark as camping isn't allowed in that location. You've done all the hard driving and rock crawling and have to do it all over again, or if you're like me, hunted hard, lost the animal after dark, and are forced to go home before you find it.
It's a drag on the day, as there are some locales that let you camp where you end up, some that don't, and some that police it like you were breaking into Fort Knox. And figuring out which camping spot is which, along with which needs a reservation well ahead of time, can be a drag.
Luckily for you, onX mapping, the folks behind onX Off-Road and onX Hunt, have a new Dispersed Camping Layer that'll tell you all the information on your potential camp spot even while out in the woods.
FWIW, I could've camped where I arrowed my deer. Note to self.
According to the company, "onX Offroad’s new Dispersed Camping Layer lets you locate dispersed camp sites on public land where primitive camping is permitted. Activate the map layer to highlight motorized trails with legal free camping in National Forests, and find your own space away from the crowds, the noise, and the reservations."
Basically, the new layer works like every other onX layer in that you can select it through the onX menu. There, the company states you can "Tap 'Activity' on the bottom left of your map, scroll to map layers, and toggle on 'Dispersed Camping' to activate. Explore a National Forest and look for trails highlighted in yellow—this indicates that dispersed camping is allowed there. Tap any yellow trail to find location-specific details regarding where and how far off the trail camping is permitted, as well as any other guidelines for the area. Scope a spot in 3D to find a view, drop a Waypoint, and share an incredible remote campsite with your group (or keep it all to yourself, that’s up to you)."
And that's it. Easy-peasy lemon-I've-found-base-camp-for-tonight.
But in being good stewards, as onX has been since its inception, the brand goes further and reminds folks that for most areas, you can only stay 14 consecutive days over a month period, the tenets of Leave No Trace should be abided by—I tell my kids to Leave It Better—and you still should know the local regulations for the backcountry area you're in. Likewise, remember to save your area in Offline Maps, as cell service isn't a guarantee.
Lastly, the new layer is live and good for anyone with a membership, which starts at a pretty reasonable $34.99 per year for the Premium plan, and $99.99 for Elite Membership. Trust me when I say, I've used my onX more than most other apps in the backcountry and it's not only saved my bacon, it also helped me track and recover my deer. And I'll be using it a lot this year, too.
