Car Camping 101: The Basics
Are you thinking about trying out car camping? Car camping can be classified as a few different things so I want to make sure that you know that in this post, I’m mostly talking about sleeping inside your vehicle. People also refer to car camping as sleeping in a tent near your vehicle where everything in your car is still accessible to you.
A lot of these tips can be helpful for both parties either sleeping in or near their vehicles, but I’m mostly referring to those people who want to sleep inside their cars.
Sleeping in your car can have lots of benefits! You have your bed right there so you can sleep whenever you need to. Zack and I have actually slept in some strange places in the middle of the day when we stayed up really late or got up extra early for sunrise. You can also ditch those hotel costs and save tons of money. This can give you an opportunity to extend your trip! The biggest benefit is being able to stealthily park your car in all kinds of places, sleep inside, and not worry about being bothered. Keep in mind, you can only stealth camp successfully if it looks like no one is inside the vehicle. We’ll give out our tips for that too!
After spending three entire months in my Subaru Forester over the summer, I can confidently say that I think of my car as my home on wheels. I found it surprisingly comfy, especially with our recent upgrades!
I’ll admit the first year or so of car camping was a lot scarier than I thought it would be. Without taking privacy precautions, it made me feel really vulnerable and hyper-aware of any activity outside the car. Small noises would wake us up in the middle of the night, and sometimes we’d barely sleep.
We’ve gone through a lot of trial and error to figure out what works best for us and our car situation. I’ll tell you some stories and give you some tips and useful knowledge so that hopefully you can skip a lot of that!
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You may want to think about upgrading.
Your first thought about sleeping in your car might be the first thought I had. Should I have a bigger vehicle to make this work? You can convert just about any car into a semi-comfortable sleeping space. I say semi-comfortable because everyone’s idea of comfort is going to be different.
I actually had a hard time adjusting to sleeping in a confined space. I’ll admit I’m a little claustrophobic. The amount of room will also depend on how many people you’re trying to fit in there and how tall you are. It’s always been the two of us, so our requirement was to at least fit two people in there.
I’ve seen people transform all kinds of vehicles into camping vehicles including sedans so it is absolutely possible! From what I’ve seen with sedans is that they may remove their backseat so that they can utilize the backseat area and their trunk area. The videos I’ve seen all look like great ideas! Check online to see what might work for you can figure out how much space you have.
Although for a stealthy camping car, I highly recommend a hatchback. Zack and I have converted three hatchbacks into functional sleeping spaces now. My favorite by far is our current car, the Subaru Forester! There’s plenty of room for the two of us, it’s AWD, and has good clearance for those forest roads full of potholes.
You can also upgrade to a van, but that may be out of your price range, or maybe it’s just a huge commitment you’re not prepared to make. No one is forcing you to go full-on van life, so figure out what will work for you and your budget!
Find a comfortable sleeping arrangement
My first car camping experience was pretty miserable. Car camping was not even on the radar for most people so there wasn’t a lot of talk about it online. We didn’t even try to figure out how we were going to sleep comfortably, we just brought pillows and blankets and called it good. I have to say, that was probably one of the worst nights of sleep in my life.
Be smart, set up your make-shift bed in the back, and try it out for yourself before you leave. That way when you settle down to sleep on your trip, you already know how you’re going to adjust your seats and where you’re going to be the most comfortable.
If you’re a taller person, this is a great tip you may not have thought of yet. If you push the front seats all the way forward, you can extend the area where you’re sleeping and possibly even make the back of the car the length of your bed. The length will vary depending on what type of car you have. In the Forester, we were able to extend our sleeping space to at least 74 inches (187cm) by pushing the front seats all the way forward.
You don’t need a VW Westfalia or a Sprinter Van to have a comfy sleeping arrangement. Zack and I have made a comfortable bed for two in a Toyota Prius and a tiny Subaru Impreza. We also like to utilize foam pads, fluffy blankets, sleeping bags, an air mattress, and (if you can fit it) a bed platform.
In both the Prius and the Subaru Impreza we got along just fine without the platform over the course of multiple years. We only upgraded to a platform to make our bed a little wider in the Forester when we decided to take a three-month-long road trip.
Think about external storage solutions
Storage is arguably the most important thing to figure out when it comes to your car camping setup and everyone’s solution for storage will be different.
You need to be able to find things and you need them to be accessible. Having a crowded backseat also makes it uncomfortable (or just incredibly annoying) when you have to sleep later if you have to move everything or worse, sleep next to it. Zack and I once took a trip where I had to sleep next to two pairs of skis every night and it was awful. I ran into them and woke up constantly for two straight weeks.
Your storage setup will determine how long it takes you to set up for bed and ultimately could determine your overall comfort during your trip, and if you’re uncomfortable you could end up being miserable. That being said, for a good storage option think about getting a roof box, a truck canopy, or a box for the back of your car!
A vehicle storage box is where you can store all the bulky stuff, hopefully making it so all the stuff you frequently need can be found more easily. There are plenty of external storage solutions for cars and trucks, you just might need to do some research and see what’s available for your specific vehicle.
On the Forester, we have a roof box and a box attached to our trailer hitch for our trips. We can remove either box if we don’t need it, but we pretty much only remove the trailer hitch box. We also have additional storage underneath our foldable bed platform. Get creative and figure out storage solutions that will work for you!
Make sure your essentials are accessible
Find a good spot for items you need often. Like water, food, cookware, toiletries, etc. Organization is key. Think about finding a good storage solution for things, like having some stackable containers or a small set of drawers behind your front seats or any other space-saving solutions. Sometimes you have to get pretty creative, and you might even need to build your own custom solution.
For a plethora of ideas, just search around online for some solutions other people have come up with. You can even try looking up your exact car type and see what pops up. I’ve seen lots of conversions on Subarus of all kinds, Jeep Wranglers, Toyota 4Runners, Nissan Pathfinders, Toyota Tacomas, and more!
Bring lots of extra water
Make sure you bring a lot of water and have plenty of extra because you’ll need a lot more than you think. You will need water for cooking, possible extra consumption due to hot weather, washing hands, brushing teeth, etc. I usually estimate about 3 gallons per night on the road if you’re planning on being somewhat off the grid. If you want to be fully off the grid, I like to estimate about 2 gallons per person per day.
However, it’s also important to think about this if you’re not planning on being off the grid. You never know if you’ll run into an issue where all the stores are closed and you really need water. Better to be safe than sorry.
Let’s quickly hit a topic you may not have even thought of. I know I didn’t! Where the heck do you get water when you’re on the road? By the way, you most likely won’t need to buy water pretty much ever while on the road. Look for potable water signs while on the road. Potable water simply means water that’s safe to drink. If you’re extra worried about the water quality, you can buy an RV water filtration system that connects to a hose.
Here’s where we normally get water:
Gas Stations: Did you know there’s a water tap you can use? Most of the time it’s near the air pumps. When in doubt, ask the gas attendant where the potable water is.
Rest Stops or Truck Stops: This is another good place to look for potable water spigots. (use TruckMap or AllStays apps to find truck stops)
Campgrounds: Most campgrounds have water spigots, just make sure you’re following their rules for filling up. Some places don’t like when you park right next to the water since you may be in the way of traffic.
Parks: Drinking fountains sometimes have a tap attached to them! I never realized this until I started needing water on the road.
Bear-safe containers
Let’s talk about bear country. Bears are very smart and their sense of smell is up to seven times better than a bloodhound. And yes, bears are capable of breaking into your car for the right motivation. If one bear learns they can get food from a certain source (like inside cars), they will teach their young that it’s a source of food.
Avoid this issue by storing food (and anything that has a scent like trash and toiletries) in closed containers to further minimize the scent. Then make sure that no food items, trash, or coolers are visible from the outside of your car. Many bears break into coolers since they associate them with food, so make sure yours isn’t stored on the outside of your vehicle or in a truck bed in bear country.
Zack and I use scent-proof bags to reduce the smell of our food and toiletry items. Then we seal these bags in storage containers hidden in the car where they’re not visible to the outside. We also use one of these bags as a trash liner so when we leave the car, we seal the bag and hide it in our not so obvious car trash can.
Note: Scent-proof bags are not bear-safe containers. Even if a bear might not be able to smell what’s inside, they can easily slice it open with their claws.
Do not feed bears no matter what. Feeding a bear will not deter an attack, and feeding a bear could get them killed. Be safe and keep our bears safe by not allowing them to have your food. If a bear starts eating human food and associating humans with food, the bears are killed for human safety.
Check the state regulations for car camping
You would be surprised how different the laws are in each state when it comes to sleeping in your car. Some states don’t allow you to sleep at rest stops or parking lots, some don’t allow it in specific areas of a city, and it can be tricky. Most of the time the hardest part about car camping is finding a good place to stop and sleep.
You can usually find an easy spot on forest roads or off the highway depending on where you are, but near a town can be a lot more difficult. We usually switch between hotel parking lots, 24-hour businesses, and residential areas that aren’t particularly obvious. Just be aware if the town has rules against overnight parking.
There are lots of places where you can camp for free, or sleep in your car for free. There will be a post coming very soon about finding a place to park at night while on the road and how to plan ahead for this. I’ll also be sharing a pretty ridiculous story about when Zack and I actually got caught and almost got in trouble for car camping. Look out for that post coming soon!
Safety, Privacy, and Security
This is something that worried me a lot when I first started car camping. What if someone breaks in and we’re in the car? You have a few options. Usually, people breaking into cars are opportunists looking for a quick score, and you can use a lot of common sense to avoid break-ins.
If they can’t see anything that they want to grab, they’ll most likely move on to another target where they know they’ll get something. The answer: window coverings! There are all kinds of options for this, including dark blankets or sheets, window shades, travel black-out blinds, DIY curtains, or custom press-fit sun shades for your vehicle. You can even make DIY insulated shades using Reflectix foil insulation from amazon. In the Forester, we use custom press-fit sun shades that are silver on one side and black on the other. They cover every single window in the car, and it’s impossible to tell if someone is inside the car. It can be really scary to have someone knock on your car window in the middle of the night even if it’s just a cop asking you to move your car.
A few other ideas to prevent break-ins while on the road include:
Put up your window coverings when you leave your vehicle. Chances are if you’re car camping, you probably have some valuable things that are almost impossible to hide. Cover the windows and it’ll prevent smash and grabs since a thief wouldn’t be able to tell if there’s anything in the car. For instance, with sun shades a thief wouldn’t know if you’re hiding something or just trying to keep your car cool.
Park your car in busy areas or areas with lots of light.
Check the ground for safety glass. This is a tip I love to use at trailheads. Before Zack and I park, we check all over for glass from car windows. If you see glass, you know that people might prowl the trailhead parking lot.
Look around for people possibly watching cars to see what’s inside, and try to avoid opening your car when there are lots of people nearby. While on the road, I try to avoid other people seeing into the car as much as possible. I don’t want anybody knowing that there’s anything in the car to hide.
Tint your car windows, but make sure it’s a legal amount in your area.
Look into whether or not your car may have desirable parts to thieves. One of our biggest worries with owning and traveling with the Prius was that it had a valuable part that people would often steal. Thieves are apparently more likely to prowl on older cars for this reason according to most statistics.
Insure your vehicle and the stuff inside. You can often use renters insurance to cover the costs of things stolen from the inside of your vehicle. Just make sure you take pictures of everything and log all items so you can prove to your insurance company that you owned them.
Unknown (to the thief) nighttime blinking LED lights. Add some blinking lights to further deter thieves. Blinking lights are usually an indicator of dash cams or anti-theft devices so most thieves would rather move on. You can also just buy a battery-powered dash-cam for added security.
Unfortunately, I have a lot less advice for parking at trailheads. It’s becoming more and more of an issue so try to stay observant.
Battery-powered lights, bungee cords, binder clips, and carabiners are your friends
These extra little things can be life-savers while on the road. If you need to hang something or adjust anything, these items can prove to be valuable tools. Plus, you don’t want to run your car battery all night and wake up with a dead battery in the morning from using the internal lights for too long, so battery-powered lights would get rid of that problem.
These little things can also bring a lot of comfort and character to your little home-on-wheels. I really like to hang fairy lights to make nighttime in the car feel a little more homey.
Most importantly, leave no trace
This one should be obvious, but so many people leave trash behind wherever they go. Pack it in and pack it out. Make sure you leave things better than when you found them and make it a good place for others to enjoy too. Every little bit helps, and the more we maintain our earth the longer we can enjoy it.
I believe that everyone should have the opportunity to experience nature responsibly. I hope that by sharing my experiences, I can encourage other people to create a connection with nature. With this connection, people are more likely to care for and stand up to protect our remaining green spaces. We all can easily reduce our impact on the environment and still fully enjoy what nature has to offer. Anyone can help by following the seven 'Leave No Trace' principles to the best of their ability and educating their family and friends about it. Always follow the leave no trace principles on your adventures and use your best judgment for your safety. Your safety is your responsibility.
“WORK MIRACLES BY SETTING A GOOD EXAMPLE. OTHERS WILL CATCH YOUR SPIRIT! THE POWER OF A GOOD EXAMPLE IS THE GREATEST MIRACLE-WORKING POWER OF ALL.” – WILFRED PETERSON
Click here to learn more about the 7 ‘Leave No Trace’ Principles
HERE’S HOW YOU CAN HELP!
Keep educating yourself on environmental impact
Be mindful of possible harmful content you post on social media. Look at your photos and captions and ask yourself if it promotes behavior that is damaging to the environment. Even if it only appears that you’re damaging the environment, this can be a negative impact on the positive ‘LNT’ message
Post on social media about your best example of what you’re doing to practice ‘LNT’ principles. For example, if you pick up trash, post it to #trashtag to spread awareness and encourage others to pick up trash when they see it
Speaking of: bring a trash bag when you go on your adventures to pick up whatever trash you find along the way
Don’t feed wild animals or leave food scraps even if it’s biodegradable. Learn more about this here.
Donate to your local state or national parks
Hold your friends and family accountable for their treatment of our little blue planet, by responsibly educating
PLAN AHEAD AND PREPARE
Research the area and have an idea of what to expect on your trip
Always check the weather before you go
Prepare for extreme conditions and emergencies. In the mountains, conditions can change quickly
Cancel your trip if you’re questioning the weather conditions
Visit backcountry areas in small groups, never alone. Leave an itinerary with a friend or family member
If you do travel alone, bring a safety device with you. Like a Garmin InReach or Spot Personal Beacon
Make sure you have a map of the area. You can download a topographical map or have a physical one with a compass. Just make sure you know how to use it
TRAVEL AND CAMP ON DURABLE SURFACES
When possible, choose a campsite that’s already been used and always pick one on a durable surface - snow, rock, dirt, and not on fragile vegetation
Camp out of sight of heavy-used trails
Camp at least 200ft away from lakes and streams
DISPOSE OF WASTE PROPERLY
Pack it in, pack it out. Never bury litter in the snow or in the ground
Pick up all food scraps, and litter even if it’s not yours
Inspect your campsite for trash or evidence of your stay. Dismantle all structures and naturalize the area before you leave.
Bury solid human waste in a cathole 6-8 inches deep in the dirt only. Do not bury waste in the snow.
Pack out solid human waste from alpine areas and areas where it requires
Pack out all toilet paper or wipes. Bring a bag just for this purpose to be sanitary.
Only bury feces where you’re allowed to. It’s often different between human and dog waste. If you are allowed to bury it, bury it in a cathole 6-8 inches down in the dirt
LEAVE WHAT YOU FIND
Leave all plants, animals, rocks, and cultural or historical artifacts where you found them. Take pictures and nothing else.
Avoid damaging plants and other vegetation. Carving into the trees, wood, and rocks is unacceptable.
Keep loud voices and noises at a minimum, many animals rely on sound for their survival
MINIMIZE FIRE IMPACTS
The best thing you can do is not have a fire. Fire is very damaging for the backcountry
Only use prebuilt fire rings
Only use dead downed wood and put out fires completely
Do not cut wood from live, dead, or downed trees
Never leave your fire unattended
RESPECT WILDLIFE
Observe wildlife from a distance, never approach or follow
Never feed wildlife or leave food behind to be eaten
Store your food and trash securely to protect wildlife, your food, and your gear
BE CONSIDERATE OF OTHER VISITORS
Be respectful of other visitors and share the trail
Yield to downhill and faster traffic
Move off the trail when stopped
Separate ski, snowshoe, and hiking tracks whenever possible; avoid hiking on ski and snowshoe tracks
Follow rules and regulations regarding pets on the trail. Pack out all feces.
Only bury feces where you’re allowed to. It’s often different between human and dog waste. If you are allowed to bury it, bury it in a cathole 6-8 inches down in the dirt, not in the snow.
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Stay safe and explore responsibly,
Happy Adventuring!
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Hello I’m Caryn!
I’m a Pacific Northwest based adventurer and storyteller. I take a lot of photos, Zack takes a lot of videos, and together we try to bring our fun adventures to life to inspire you to go outside and have meaningful, unique outdoor adventures for yourself!