Boondocking means camping the more traditional way of being in nature, deep in the woods, or the desert, or up in the mountains, away from town and without public utilities to hook up to.
What Does Boondocking Mean?
By contrast, the majority of RVers prefer to stay in RV Parks or developed campgrounds where they have utilities to hook their rigs up to. They feel safer knowing there are among other RVers and that police and paramedics are always close by. They also like being close to a grocery store or hardware store.
On the other hand, boondocking means being more self-reliant, self-contained, in that you rely on your own skills to survive and protect yourself. See our full length article, “What is Boondocking in an RV?”
Origin of the Word
The word “boondocking” stems from the word, “boondocks”, which originates from the Tagalog word, “bundók” which means “mountain”. The word was brought to the United States by American soldiers fighting the Philippine-American War (1899-1902). The Filipino people used the word as a colloquial for rural inland areas, which on the Philippine islands is generally mountainous, difficult to reach areas.
The phrase, “out in the boonies” stems from “boondocks”.
Among RVers, the word “boondocking” means driving your motorhome or towing a trailer into more remote areas where camping is generally free, and where there are no utilities to hook up to.