Looking back on a decade of full-time, vehicle-based travel, my most beloved nights camping in the United States have taken place beneath a forest canopy. With limited exceptions, public forest land is open for overland exploration. National forests contain maintained trail networks, established campgrounds, and vast dispersed camping opportunities. Access to Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land tends to be even more flexible. Though no amenities are provided in much of BLM territory, there is the freedom to choose your own adventure across remote, wild spaces.
Prehistory hides early forest secrets, but here is what we know. In 1630, when European settlement began in earnest, forests covered 46 percent of what is now the United States. Trees were felled over the next 300 years to make way for agriculture, industry, and…
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Overland Journal (Digital) - 1 Issue, Fall 2024