Do you need a permit for dispersed camping?

In California, you need a campfire permit to use an open fire, a charcoal barbecue or a portable gas stove outside a developed campground, on federal land as well as private. The permit is free, valid until the end of the calendar year, and available online or from any Forest Service, CAL FIRE or BLM office in California. It does not override a fire order. When campfires are banned, the permit covers only what the order still allows.

Many popular wilderness areas need an overnight permit, sometimes with a quota in summer. Desolation Wilderness in Eldorado National Forest needs one year-round, with a small per-person fee; the Central Cascades wildernesses near Deschutes National Forest use a permit system in summer. Day trips often need only a free self-issued permit at the trailhead.

A few forests charge for parking at certain sites. In Los Padres National Forest, some sites need an Adventure Pass or an America the Beautiful pass, though no pass is needed anywhere on the Monterey Ranger District. Developed campgrounds charge their own fees.

Most BLM land needs no permit to camp. Some places issue their own, such as the free camping permit for the Alabama Hills in the Bishop Field Office. For winter stays of up to seven months, the BLM’s long-term visitor areas in Arizona and California need a permit.