Free camping and sights through CA, OR, and WA

I'm going to be traveling from Phoenix, AZ to Seattle, WA. I'm straight out of college from Ohio with a degree in supply chain and an internship under my belt. I've got $4,000 in my account and I'll be trying to find a permanent job along the way. I need to live as cheaply as possible.

A little bit of background: I've spent nearly all my life in Ohio. Hated it. No place to camp, backpack, and see the grandeur that is the West. No one to really relate to and to share the same activities. Every vacation I had I would spend doing solo road trips out west. My life's goal has been to relocate out west. I recently graduated from Miami University of Ohio with a Supply Chain and Operations Management degree. Did an internship with Avnet in Phoenix. Did well, got a job offer for the Phoenix area, but I don't like Phoenix because there's no coast, no alpine, no lifestyle that I'm looking for. I love Flagstaff but it's so far away. I will decline the job offer tomorrow. Avnet has branches in CA, OR, and WA. I plan to hit the road this weekend and while I'm traveling, apply to the different branches in Avnet as well as to other companies.

I need to live as cheaply as possible. This means camping on BLM lands for free, but I'm not too sure where to find them. I'm also driving a little Toyota Echo, so the roads can't be too crazy. Any advice for where to stay?

Route:

Phoenix to Seattle

EDIT:

Any must-see sights along the way? I'm a very avid photographer.

Be careful.

Shipping terminals in Sac, Reno, Fernley. What? Walmart distribution centers in Red Bluff, CA, Fernley, NV. Starbucks plant in Minden, NV one of the most desirable places to live in the US. Worlds largest industrial complex outside of Reno, in Fernley. Or is your schooling more in line with production?

Babybunny,

There are a couple of great books I recommend by Tom Stienstra:

http://www.amazon.com/Moon-Pacific-North...&sr=8-2

Actually I have an old edition that covers CA, OR, and WA, but now it seems to be split between 2 books, one on CA and one for OR/WA. I think they'd be worth the investment - I believe they list all the details about all the campsites in those states.

Personally, I think you are going the wrong way. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

“got a job offer for the Phoenix area”

The 1st thing to do to get a job is--- get a job. Pickiness doesn’t pay off when you first start out. Now if you got 10 job offers, then great!

And Phoenix seems like a good area with a lot of backpacking trails. After you backpack all the trails, you would have a year of work under your belt and then you could put your resume out for other areas.

Good luck job hunting <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
-Barry

I did a similar trip 12 years ago looking for a job. I lived out of my truck for a month. Get a map that shows forest service boundaries. Most FS land allows free "dispersed" camping. Just pull of the main roads to hide a bit and camp. Be sure to carry lots of water and practice "leave no trace" camping just like you are backpacking. You want to get a general FS fire permit (works for one year on all FS lands) because you need this even to use your little camps stove. Just go to any FS office and get this- it is free.

BLM campgrounds are nice and fairly cheap. There is a particuarly nice one on the Umpqua (sp??) River between Grants Pass and Roseburg about 12 miles east of the the freeway. It used to be $12 and includes a nice free shower with unlimited water (no coins needed).

If you want to use FS campgrounds, get the map with FS boundaries and get on the internet and get the latest prices and locations for campgrounds in each forest. All FS websites are set up similarly and have a listing of campgrounds.

As for getting presentable for interviews, I would go to health clubs and pay for a one-day pass and take a shower and get all dressed up and go to the inteview. On non-interview days I would take a dip in a river! Be sure to have a good air-tight, non-wrinkling carrying bag for your interview clothes.

You should also check out the youth hostels. Most of these are about $20 a night.

Good luck. You will have a great adventure!

My schooling covered everything from logistics to production planning to procurement.

Do his books list free campgrounds? I checked out another of his books devoted only to RVs and none of the campgrounds were free.

contact BLM offices for the areas you will be going through. every time i have ever talked to land management employees, they have been more than happy to make recommendations and warn me away from trouble spots. ask what maps you ought to be looking at and take notes on what they tell you - group the notes together by geographic areas.

Park Free Overnight.com

Find Government Recreation sites

Guide To Free and low-cost Campgrounds-West

Yes, they do. ( I imagine there AREN'T any free RV campgrounds.) The review for the Amazon link mentioned free campgrounds.