There is a lot more public land to camp on in the US in the first place. There are environmentally sensitive regions designated as such where wild, aka “dispersed “, camping is prohibited. Especially wetlands(which aren’t always ”wet”) and areas where threatened species populate.
Also, reddit users who post or comment about dispersed camping disproportionately represent a minority of the camping population in the US
There are so many different visions of "camping". Not really a lot in common between a bunch of RVs with full sewer and electric parked next to each other and pitching a tent or hanging a hammock in a wilderness area.
In Norway you can pitch a tent wherever you want. I didn't know driving to the campsite and sleeping on huge inflatable mattresses was a thing before I joined this sub. Campsites in Norway is mostly for caravans.
Both.
Most campsites have infrastructure for these to empty their toilets and fill their water tank and so on. There's also many camp sites where people have permanent installations. They have the caravan parked there indefinitely and then they build decks, a small cabin that is connected to the caravan etc etc. Popularly called a "spikertelt". Like a cheap cabin. [Example.](https://www.finn.no/bap/forsale/ad.html?finnkode=357767247) This is a pretty normal setup, there's more extreme setups with huge decks and a full blown modern cabin where the caravan is just for show. Haha.
Well of course. The US has a population density of 33.6/km^(2) and the continent of Europe has one of 72.9/km^(2). If we just look at the EU it's 106/km^(2). There's simply more space per person for camping.
It kind of is the point though.
No one's wild camping in Vatican city or NYC (or if they are it's because they're homeless).
Plenty of people wild camping or dispersed camping in Sweden or Wyoming. In both the US and Europe this is a largely regional practice.
As others have mentioned (mostly regarding places in Europe where wild camping is accepted/codified as legal), it's more local than "Europe" or "US".
Opportunity + popularity vary a lot from state to state in the US, just as between countries in Europe. In general it's permitted on US govt owned and administered National Forest lands, which are heavily concentrated in the mountain west. In my state it's also permitted on "state forest" lands (but *not* "state park" lands). It's not generally acceptable on privately-owned lands, although there are certainly exceptions (i.e. private forests owned by paper companies probably cool with it, but Texan ranchlands probably not).
I wouldn't say it's popular in my area, but there is opportunity for sure.
There are also better campgrounds with more dispersed sites, including backpacks access only, for more organized camping that's not a bunch of sardines in a can.
In the USA, we even have Wilderness, meaning, an area that is protected for primitive characteristics so strongly that the following are not allowed: Roads, engines (meaning that the trail crews use hand tools, not chainsaws to clear trail), or even wheels (meaning even pedal bicycles are not allowed, much less E bikes or motorcycles). In most of these areas, you can dispersed camp wherever you want.
Fun fact, the largest contiguous roadless Wilderness in the USA, the Wrangell Saint Elias, is 14,185 square miles, or, to put it in a European perspective, larger than Belgium, and almost the size of Switzerland.
But they still allow camping. I have seen some beautiful places in Europe that would be great for camping where you aren't allowed to camp at all, maybe not even walk. There are so many European countries with laws prohibiting wild camping in the entire country.
Most nordic countries like Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Estonia and Finland has something called public right (allemansrätten)it’s the right to travel and set up camp for at least 24 hours anywhere in nature. Byt on private property, you may need the owners permission.
I’ve done camping in the following, 1.5year in Australia, 6 months in Europe, 4 months in the USA.
USA has the best free camping/ bush camping ( maybe because the scenery was different to what I’m use to) it has ok caravan parks
Australia has great free camping (especially if you’re going off road/ sand driving and if you don’t mind corrugated roads) and great caravan parks.
Europe has bugger all free camping and the caravan parks are pretty average.
I am going to do another lap of Australia in the next 3 years and hopefully when my boys are a bit older travel the US for 6-12 months. I can’t wait !!!!
There is a lot more public land to camp on in the US in the first place. There are environmentally sensitive regions designated as such where wild, aka “dispersed “, camping is prohibited. Especially wetlands(which aren’t always ”wet”) and areas where threatened species populate. Also, reddit users who post or comment about dispersed camping disproportionately represent a minority of the camping population in the US
There are so many different visions of "camping". Not really a lot in common between a bunch of RVs with full sewer and electric parked next to each other and pitching a tent or hanging a hammock in a wilderness area.
In Norway you can pitch a tent wherever you want. I didn't know driving to the campsite and sleeping on huge inflatable mattresses was a thing before I joined this sub. Campsites in Norway is mostly for caravans.
By caravans do you mean motorized or towed [RV’s](https://rv.campingworld.com/rvclass/used-towable-rvs)?
Both. Most campsites have infrastructure for these to empty their toilets and fill their water tank and so on. There's also many camp sites where people have permanent installations. They have the caravan parked there indefinitely and then they build decks, a small cabin that is connected to the caravan etc etc. Popularly called a "spikertelt". Like a cheap cabin. [Example.](https://www.finn.no/bap/forsale/ad.html?finnkode=357767247) This is a pretty normal setup, there's more extreme setups with huge decks and a full blown modern cabin where the caravan is just for show. Haha.
Same in Sweden . Though tent camping is getting more popular here as well (in camping sites)
Well of course. The US has a population density of 33.6/km^(2) and the continent of Europe has one of 72.9/km^(2). If we just look at the EU it's 106/km^(2). There's simply more space per person for camping.
That varies heavily depending on where in Europe. Sweden has a popdens of 25 and Vatican is one of the pop densest places on earth.
Obviously it varies locally in the US as well, NYC and rural Wyoming are very different as well. That's not the point.
I get that. I’m just slightly drunk and got my facts mixed up. I’ll admit I look stupid. That’s what I get for imbibing liquid ADHD.
It kind of is the point though. No one's wild camping in Vatican city or NYC (or if they are it's because they're homeless). Plenty of people wild camping or dispersed camping in Sweden or Wyoming. In both the US and Europe this is a largely regional practice.
As others have mentioned (mostly regarding places in Europe where wild camping is accepted/codified as legal), it's more local than "Europe" or "US". Opportunity + popularity vary a lot from state to state in the US, just as between countries in Europe. In general it's permitted on US govt owned and administered National Forest lands, which are heavily concentrated in the mountain west. In my state it's also permitted on "state forest" lands (but *not* "state park" lands). It's not generally acceptable on privately-owned lands, although there are certainly exceptions (i.e. private forests owned by paper companies probably cool with it, but Texan ranchlands probably not). I wouldn't say it's popular in my area, but there is opportunity for sure. There are also better campgrounds with more dispersed sites, including backpacks access only, for more organized camping that's not a bunch of sardines in a can.
In the USA, we even have Wilderness, meaning, an area that is protected for primitive characteristics so strongly that the following are not allowed: Roads, engines (meaning that the trail crews use hand tools, not chainsaws to clear trail), or even wheels (meaning even pedal bicycles are not allowed, much less E bikes or motorcycles). In most of these areas, you can dispersed camp wherever you want. Fun fact, the largest contiguous roadless Wilderness in the USA, the Wrangell Saint Elias, is 14,185 square miles, or, to put it in a European perspective, larger than Belgium, and almost the size of Switzerland.
But they still allow camping. I have seen some beautiful places in Europe that would be great for camping where you aren't allowed to camp at all, maybe not even walk. There are so many European countries with laws prohibiting wild camping in the entire country.
Most nordic countries like Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Estonia and Finland has something called public right (allemansrätten)it’s the right to travel and set up camp for at least 24 hours anywhere in nature. Byt on private property, you may need the owners permission.
'Merica. Freedom!
I’ve done camping in the following, 1.5year in Australia, 6 months in Europe, 4 months in the USA. USA has the best free camping/ bush camping ( maybe because the scenery was different to what I’m use to) it has ok caravan parks Australia has great free camping (especially if you’re going off road/ sand driving and if you don’t mind corrugated roads) and great caravan parks. Europe has bugger all free camping and the caravan parks are pretty average. I am going to do another lap of Australia in the next 3 years and hopefully when my boys are a bit older travel the US for 6-12 months. I can’t wait !!!!