Is Boondocking Dangerous? 9 Frightening and Odd Boondocking Experiences In 5 Years Full-time RV Life

Join us as we tell 9 scary and weird stories from our 5 years of boondocking experiences. From strange neighbors to bombs in the night we have seen some weird stuff while off-grid. Have you experienced anything strange while boondocking?

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We are Tom & Caitlin Morton and we are the Mortons on the Move. We are co-hosts of 'The RVers' TV Show on the Discovery Channel, PBS, and Fun Roads TV. We are the Creators of the Go North series available on Amazon Prime and YouTube. We've lived full-time in an RV since 2015.


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[mrepto]

When I used to camp in my rv, I setup cameras on every side making sure I had the entry door covered. It not only served to see whos outside the door but we would be able to see the wildlife come up to the trailer without them getting spooked. We had a 360 degree view. The kids loved it.

[dennymedeiros]

In the early 70's we found a place to boondock. In the dark
Tent up and went to sleep with Two year old and baby
In the early morning hours we heard voices right outside the
tent. We I got up to investigate I realized we tented on a
golf course fairway.

[Starfish]

You couldn’t pay me to Boondock alone without a weapon or other campers in a group. Too many freaky people out there

[keepcalmprepon]

I traveled six weeks with my kids in an RV and only one night was creepy - we parked in a Walmart parking lot and got settled in and I could not shake the feeling something was wrong, so we packed up and left, finding a place that felt more secure for the night.

[luannkelly]

Please trust your gut, don't question it. Don't worry about offending anyone.

[YsabetJustYsabet]

Have to say, you can have the Surprise Local Critters Experience in a campground too. Years ago, I and my then-husband came in after dark to a campground in Louisiana in a National Park (I think?) somewhere nearly to Texas. They had room and we were directed to a spot which we found eventually (we thought) and we set up our tent. It was a wide grassy area with plenty of trees back from us a good ways and while it had an odd smell hanging over it it seemed perfectly fine-- chilly, but it was February, so we just bundled up and went to bed. Just as dawn started to lighten the sky, though, I woke up to the *weirdest* noise-- kind of like if you had a crowd of people around you, a large one, and they were all muttering and kind of whistling. I got a little freaked out because I couldn't identify it, it was actually kind of loud, and when I peeked out a tent window there was thick, thick fog everywhere. So I woke my husband up and crawled to the tentflap and nervously unzipped it to take a good look, ready for everything from zillions of raccoons to howler monkeys. What I got, though, was *turkeys, * first just a few and then dozens, possibly as much as a hundred or more; they were crowded around our campsite less than 15 feet from our tent, staring at us and muttering to each other in agitation. It WAS a crowd, just not of humans, and a few minutes later a park ranger drove up and the turkeys got *much* louder when he started unloading buckets of grain. As he explained, we had set up our tent actually in the wrong place, roughly a dozen yards from our campsite and smack in the middle of where he fed the local wild turkey population every morning. So we were in the middle of their breakfasting area; I guess we should've been grateful the turkeys hadn't started trying to eat us. The odd smell, btw, turned out to be the copious amount of turkey-poop which we'd set our tent up in and had been tromping around in all that evening. >_<

[cametientaucoeur]

In the 70’s we were tent camping in the mountains in AZ. We went walking down an old fire road in forest. An ancient, no paint on it, truck pulled up with 2 creepy guys? They said “you’re out here all alone”. I froze. My husband taller & ex army could see them reach for guns. He had his pack with 357 magnum, cocked off his back, in an instant. My husband said move along. They said “we know we’re you are camped. Sleep tight”. We moved to a campground & never camped away from people again. Stay safe. Always have protection. Jeanne

[RetiredLover]

Hi Denny, it reminds me of the time I took my two children out camping. It was getting dark and I finally found a nice place to camp, started a small fire and enjoyed marshmallows. Morning, I discovered we had set up on somebody’s front lawn. Very quietly and quickly we packed up, cleaned our area and crept away.

[garyp]

Awesome video and loved to hear your stories! My wife and I are both retired prison guards. Believe me, we have seen the worst of the worst in society. When we are camping in our RV, we stay alert to our surroundings. If someone thinks they are going to come into our campsite or RV unwelcomed and screw with us, it's not going to be nothing nice for them. We are not bad a$$es by no means and will avoid confrontation. It's amazing after working in a prison how you can almost instantly tell if a person is good or bad. 99.9% of people are good. However, that minor percent can ruin your day. Be safe out there, guys!

[bettyhouk]

My husband an I lived in a RV for meany years ! We enjoyed boon docking or as it was called coyote camping back in the 60s, 70s and 80s we were migrant workers picking fruit from California to Washington State, Montana to Florida in winter and picked oranges 🍊 through the winter months ! Yes this type camping can be scary so you must “pick”your spots and be ready to move if need be ! With younger people who can do their jobs from a computer you have the freedom to expand your travels ! So I wish you more luck then you will need 🍀(from a song of Jimmy Buffett’s) Love ❤️ 😇 Blessing to you both ! 👍👵🏻😺🐶🖖👽✊🏾

[mycyl]

Finally getting caught up with your videos since Alaska. It so great to see how well you two work together as a team and how packed your videos are with valuable information. Keep up the good work!

[wanderingfree]

68 mph winds when I was in Utah, and I too was freaked out. Great video! Safe travels! ❤

[jodymooney]

Our gut is so powerful and a lot of the time we put that feeling aside! Great video guys! Thank you!

[thomfisher]

Boondocking is probably no more unsafe than normal backpacking in remote country; probably less so. Not that some strange people occasionally show up, "mostly harmless"...but annoying. I camped at in a remote canyon a few years back after passing up my usual spot because another group was in it. Shortly thereafter, they moved their rig up close to mine (after I had deliberately avoided them) because they were afraid of the bears in the area. I packed up and moved further up the canyon where their rig couldn't follow, in order to lose them. It's about solitude....I boondock to avoid having neighbors next to me....not to find them following me. Sometimes Forest Service campgrounds are far more dangerous...I've certainly found my share of nutcases wandering about in those. BTW, motion sensor spots on the RV can be of great use if you worry about someone walking up on you. Not an expensive investment, easily installed.

[butterbean]

never go any where without a fire arm. if you cant afford a firearm or are a tree huger get mase or tasers and theirs other ways to protect yourself with out a big boom. you can also run a trip wire around your camper with cans with rocks in them to give you warnings. tons of way to protect yourself and give you a heads up. also we have night vision and that gives you a big advantage over bad guys and critters..

[MagicSpud]

I was actually creeped out when you got to the 'Stolen Bikes' story and then mentioned my city. I even guessed the parking location correctly in my head once Tom started describing it!!! That was Bastendorff Beach, which is technically in Charleston rather than Coos Bay, but close enough.

Doesn't surprise me sadly as our property crime rate is one of the highest in the state, and we have a very handsy homeless population. I don't know what year you guys passed by but camping out at that location has been forbidden for a few years now and sadly you got to see part of the reason why. There are many remarkable places to be seen in the county but I don't blame you one bit for having your impression of our area permanently soured.

Stay safe out there!

[EarthZeal]

What an episode with melodrama, scary vibes, background sounds... scray enjoyment...all the best with boondocking.

[sandy]

Get wasp spray too, in case you need to spray in the eyes of an intruder *(human). It can spray further than mace

[annecaulder]

This is why I would never boondock in a trailer. Van is the way to go, so I can drive away. 🚐🐶❤️

[andrewrivera]

My wife and I have been living on the road for 5 months Boondocking and we have had no bad weird episodes.