Pop up Camper in Freeway/Interstate rest areas.

[DNLUSK]

Has anyone had any problems sleeping for a few hours with the top poped in freeway/interstate highway rest areas?
Is there rules or laws against it?

 

[dirtlimo]

I really have no insight on rules. But when I had my Ursa Minor Jeep I stayed in 4-5 rest stops over multiple states w/o issues. Longest single stay was about 7hrs. I would like to think people stopping and getting some rest would be preferable to the local constabulary than driving tired.

 

[jadmt]

you see semi trucks with sleepers pulled over all the time. I would say unless it is specifically posted no overnight camping you are fine. heck a few hours does not constitute overnight camping any way.

 

[86scotty]

It's perfectly legal and perfectly safe depending on location of course. I have stayed with my Ursa and a few pop top vans in rest areas with no problems. The biggest problem will be noise in any RTT since they don't block it very well. People will walk by at 3 am admiring/discussing your rig with no respect for your sleeping above. Kind of annoying.

Personally I'd use the apps available to find a place off the grid. Even the back of a Walmart/Lowe's or any closed store is preferable to me.

 

[greg.potter]

I have popped up my RTT at interstate rest stops a number of times while tying to make some miles to get somewhere with no problems. It's certainly not my preferred way of travelling, but when you need a few hours sleep it is pretty efficient. Oddly enough I haven't done this in my home country of Canada - I guess I usually don't have the same distances to drive to get where I want to go.

 

[AbleGuy]

It's perfectly legal and perfectly safe depending on location of course. I have stayed with my Ursa and a few pop top vans in rest areas with no problems. The biggest problem will be noise in any RTT since they don't block it very well. People will walk by at 3 am admiring/discussing your rig with no respect for your sleeping above. Kind of annoying.

Personally I'd use the apps available to find a place off the grid. Even the back of a Walmart/Lowe's or any closed store is preferable to me.

Noise and light are your main problems.

In the distant past, we’ve had to boondock in roadside rests a few times, and yes, scotty’s comment above about the noise is Spot On. Also, many of the big rigs parked there often run their generators all night long too.

Plus the overhead security lights pretty much come right thru your fabric sides and lighten up your interior, and make it harden to sleep.

I think that, unless you’re completely exhausted, you’re unfortunately going to find that you can’t get much of a restorative rest trying to sleep at these places.

 

[Deleted member 9101]

I did it dozens of times when I had my Jumping Jack with no problems.

I've also stretched out on the picnic tables for a nap whilst traveling on two wheels. Other than the time the Border Patrol woke me up to tell me that area wasn't safe, it's been uneventful.

 

[mkish]

People are unfamiliar enough with popup campers that they might not even realize you've popped it up. I wouldn't worry about it for a few hours, and if you felt uncomfortable popping up, most popup TCs have dinettes you can sleep on in a pinch.

RTT though? I'd be too chicken.

 

[gdaut]

I have done it and it was fine, if a bit noisy. We pulled in after dark and pulled out about sun-up. In my experience there are quite a few campers in Rest Areas overnight, along with semi trucks. Not a great place to "camp" but a fine place to get some sleep if you are trying to make miles and do not want to spend time getting off the highway to a better spot.

 

[Pacific Northwest yetti]

Solid advice here, I have done it in a pinch. Most recently last winter in a snow storm going through Stevens Pass in the northern cascades.

X2 on lights and noise,

The only time you'll find trouble is if its posted, or you are living there.

 

[shade]

I've used highway rest areas, Walmarts, Cracker Barrels, and city streets many times with an RTT, and now a pop-up wedge camper (GFC). City parks are often off limits for overnight camping, but there are some that allow it. It works better with the GFC, since I can fully button up the truck bed and camper, and if there's ever a problem, it takes less than a minute to pack up & leave. I've never had that happen, but it's reassuring to know you can be underway before most people realize you're gone.

I use FreeCampsites.net & iOverlander for unscheduled landings. Works well for me.

 

[Pacific Northwest yetti]

X2 on i overlander.

 

[AbleGuy]

I use FreeCampsites.net & iOverlander for unscheduled landings. Works well for me.

Thx Shade (and Yeti), that’s a good, helpful tip (I had not ever heard of iOverlander).

 

[shade]

Long Term Review: iOverlander Travel Resource App - Expedition Portal

In the fall of 2014, I wrote a small review of an upstart web and app-based travel resource called iOverlander. At the time it had equal potential to be a runaway success, or just one of a million great ideas to vanish into the cyber-ether. Three years later, the iOverlander platform is a proven...

expeditionportal.com

"Like most map-based mobile apps, to get the maximum utility out of the system you’ll need either WiFi connectivity or an active cellular signal with data capability."

As with many map related apps, this is the main weakness to work around.

 

[Pacific Northwest yetti]

I used I Ioverlander in South America w/ data. It was actually designed by a couple Sam and Erica, who did the pan am for the pan am.