4500km road trip home, Canadian looking for advice for truck camping

Hey gang, I'm in the Canadian Forces as a MP and training close to Toronto (CFB Borden).
I'll be driving home to Vancouver Island in BC come early June once I'm done and know nothing about the route.

I've always gone through Canada but this time I want to go through the US which is much shorter, gas is cheaper and there's more rest stops.
Plus, what better reason to explore?!

I'm looking for advice about where to stay for the night in the bed of my Taco, potentially offroad and away from people. Just sleep and leave.
I'll probably skip sleeping in cities unless I want a hotel.
I have no idea if I can just pull off and find something similar to what we have (Crown Land owned by the government where anyone can stay), or what kind of safety I'd have at a rest stop or RV type campsite.

I think you get the idea.

I've attached a pic, it's literally the shortest route home and I'm open to neat things to see along the way and taking alternate routes.

Thanks all!

 

There’s tons of places to go on that route. You can camp for free in the National forests and there’s a bunch of national parks along that route with paid campgrounds.

Most notable along that route I’d say are glacier national park and teddy roosevelt national park.

I’d avoid Chicago unless there’s something there you want to see (parking will cost a fortune). Traffic is awful, a couple hour detour around will likely still save you time unless you run through there during the night.

IOverlander is a great app to find sites

 

Install the iOverlander app, there's a pretty good community of people posting up free campsites and places to shower/eat/get water, etc.

Look for National Forests. There's usually lots of places to camp there, especially off the beaten path. Generally pretty safe and very cheap.

I can't stand camping in RV parks. They're barely cheaper than a hotel and way noisier. You'd be better off at a truck stop if you're not looking for amenities.

As far as specific places, the Spearfish City Park in Spearfish, SD used to be free, but now its $25/night. I think there are some national forests around there though.

If you swing more northern through W Montana, you can catch Glacier NP and possibly go over the Going to the Sun Road (check to make sure its open. I was there in late June last year and it was just opening up)


There might be more, my brain is slow.

 

Yep, I've got more:

- A lot of the National Forest camps have sites that are developed and require a fee. Some of them also allow "dispersed camping," which is worth reading up on a little - it comes in VERY handy when you get in late and all of the sites are taken up.
- If you swing through Richland, WA, its worth taking an afternoon to see the Hanford B Reactor. World history right there.
- You'll see eleventy billion signs for Wall Drug in Wall, SD. Its not my really thing, but they have good ice cream and neat stickers.
- But, also in western South Dakota is Ellsworth AFB which has a pretty neat museum. There is also the Delta 09 Minuteman Historic Site at Cactus Flats on I-90. If its a pretty day, you might also check out the Badlands.

- If you're going through lots of national parks, the National Parks Pass is worth it.

 

It looks like your route will take you by Yellowstone which would be worth checking out. F.Y.I. Though I don’t think they let you stay in campgrounds in the Park in soft sided RVs (I noticed you have a softopper) or hike with dogs, ( I noticed there is a dog in your picture) due to bears, though you can outside the park boundaries. Glacier may have the same policies.

 

For sure I'll be avoiding Chicago... maybe passing through for an hour or so to see famous attractions but honestly to me, a city is a city and I've seen many famous cities all over the world.

I won't have my dog with me either.

I'm reading up on Teddy Rosevelt Park for starters, i'll draw up a plan as i research it.
Also I'm thinking of getting a local carriers SIM card so i'll have data on my phone to find places and nav, any recommendations?

This is great info guys, keep it coming.

 

I have at&t prepaid and its pretty solid.

 

Depending on where you end up, I definitely wouldn’t count on always having cell coverage or data, especially across SD, MT, ID, WA. Everything east of there should be fine with pretty much any carrier.

I got an atlas a while back I usually have with me. It’s worked pretty well for finding things on the go and is only a couple bucks. I use it a lot for planning out general routes and finding side trips.

Michelin North America Road Atlas 2018

Michelin North America Road Atlas 2018

https://www.amazon.com/dp/2067217550/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_hd8XCbP9FVV8V