Overview
This proposal combines comfortable supply nights with simple campgrounds and free overnight stays. After two to three self-sufficient nights at the latest, a place with fresh water and disposal is deliberately followed again. Where Boondocking with a large Fifth Wheel does not make sense, the plan remains with an official campground.
Recommended basic rhythm
Camping with service → 1–2 nights Dry Camping or Boondocking → Camping with water and dump station. In case of heat, cold or high consumption supply earlier.
Accommodation plan along the route
Type | Stage / Area | Recommendation & Supply
Camping + service | San Diego | San Diego Metro KOA, Campland on the Bay or Santee Lakes. Full hook-up and big shopping in front of the desert sections.
Boondocking | Anza-Borrego – primitive areas | Primitive/backcountry camping is possible in permitted areas. At least 100 ft distance to water, only existing paths, no ground fire; heavy teams not in sand washes.
State Park Camp | Borrego Palm Canyon | RV sites and dump station in State Park; reserve suitable connection type. Good fill/dump stop after the free desert night.
National Park Camp | Joshua Tree | Black Rock or Cottonwood: Water fill and dump station available. No space connections; check the length limits of each site.
Camping + service | Los Angeles / Malibu | Dockweiler RV Park, Malibu Beach RV Park or Walnut RV Park. No recommended boondocking; leave Fifth Wheel and visit town without a team.
Camping + service | Santa Barbara / Solvang | Ocean Mesa or Flying Flags in Buellton. Full hook-up and supply off Highway 1; reservation coastal sites very early.
Boondocking | Carrizo Plain – optional detour | BLM area with very simple supply. Only dry, allowed roads and existing places; do not enter in wet weather, water before in Santa Maria/Atascadero.
State Park Camp | Morro Bay / San Simeon | Morro Bay State Park or Hearst San Simeon State Park. No free overnight stay at Highway 1; check dump/water per place and season.
Camping | Big Sur | Pfeiffer Big Sur, Kirk Creek or Fernwood. Don't plan boondocking on the coast; check reservation and current Highway 1 jumps.
Camping + service | Monterey / Pinnacles | Marina Dunes RV Park or Pinnacles Campground. Full Hook-up in Marina; select specifically for pinnacles connections, dump and site length.
Camping + service | San Francisco / Point Reyes / Napa | Marin RV Park, Olema Campground and Napa Valley Expo depending on the stage. Don't plan boondocking in the Bay Area or along the coast.
National Park Camp | Yosemite | Upper Pines, Wawona or Hodgdon Meadow. Dump station in Upper Pines all year round, further seasonal; no hook-ups and very early reservation.
Camping + service | Mammoth Lakes / Eastern Sierra | Mammoth Mountain RV Park or an RV park in Bishop. Water and dump off Mono Lake, Bodie and Alabama Hills.
Boondocking | Alabama Hills | Only marked Designated Sites; free camping permit is required. First come, no infrastructure; check Movie Road and turning place beforehand.
Camping + service | Sequoia / Kings Canyon | Place large Fifth Wheel outside narrow parking streets, e.g. at Lemon Cove/Visalia. Visit parks with the pickup truck; strictly observe length restrictions.
National Park Camp | Death Valley | Furnace Creek or Stovepipe Wells. Not useful in summer; current water, dump, temperature and generator times check.
National Park Camp | Leave Volcanic | Manzanita Lake or RV Park near Lake Almanor. Check season opening, vehicle length and dump/water situation in advance.
Camping + service | Mount Shasta | Lake Siskiyou Camp Resort or Railroad Park Resort. Choose Full Hook-up or suitable service site off the remote north coast.
Camping + service | Redwood Coast | RV Park in Crescent City for supply; then Jedediah Smith, Elk Prairie or Mill Creek only with appropriate length. No boondocking in the park.
State Park Camp | Avenue of the Giants | Burlington or Hidden Springs. Forest sites can be narrow; check height, length and branches, dump/water in Eureka/Fortuna before.
Camping + service | Fort Bragg / Mendocino | Pomo RV Park or Caspar Beach RV Park. Full hook-up as a service stop; no free overnight stay on the coast.
Camping + service | Lake Tahoe | Zephyr Cove RV Park or Campground by the Lake. Boondocking around the lake is severely restricted; reserve early and avoid west bank with long team.
Important for a big Fifth Wheel
Always check Boondocking access roads first without trailer. Only use public, legally accessible and already used areas. Before each journey current blockings, fire regulations, motor vehicle use maps, ground conditions, maximum vehicle length and turning area on the official pages of BLM, US Forest Service, National Park Service, State Parks and Recreation.gov control. Taps only for filling tanks if this is expressly allowed.
Search status: August 2026. Opening hours, fees, reservations, water and dump stations can change seasonal or short term.