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Overnight Parking at Rest Stops

Like many RVers, truckers, and car-travelers, we occasionally park at roadside rest stops overnight.

In which states is it legal to park overnight?

Each state has different official rules about this. Here's a list of the states that officially allow overnight (one night only) camping at roadside rest areas in self contained vehicles (no tents).

Arizona

Arkansas

Connecticut

-– only on Illinois Toll Road

Indiana - only on Indiana Toll Road

Kansas

Nevada

New Mexico

New York - emergencies only

Ohio - only on Ohio Turnpike

Oklahoma

Oregon - 14-hour limit

Texas

Virginia

Wyoming - with some limitations

We've spent the night at roadside rest areas in other states as well and have never been rousted from sleep by the officials.

Roadside rest stops - much more than just a place to spend a free night.

Many stops offer regional travel information, picnic facilities and, sometimes, free wi-fi RV, sanitary dumps, a scenic view, and a free morning coffee. Scan to the bottom of this page for links to official web sites and a guide to every Interstate rest area and the amenities available at each.

Is it safe to sleep at a roadside rest stop?

Rest stops are meant to be safe places where travelers restore their energy and driving alertness. Most have good lighting and security features as well as the comfort of a continual flow of people.

Of all the problem incidents I've read about, most occurred during day light hours. The question then should perhaps be, "Are they a safe place to stop at all? " The answer: "In some cases, perhaps, not."

There have been legitimate reports of robberies, and solicitations by sex-trade workers and others in some areas but these problems and locations are very few and far between. The most common trick seems to be a knock on the door from someone who says they need help. You should be suspicious of any stranger knocking on your RV door - at a rest area or in any parking lot - don't open that door if you have any doubts of the person's intentions. These incidents could happen almost anywhere.

I believe it's no less safe to stop at most rest areas than to stop and park in broad daylight at any business, mall, restaurant, town park, or beach. Where ever you stop, you COULD encounter a problem and YOU are the only one who can decide whether it feels safe enough. After all, if you don't feel safe, you won't really get a good sleep so you may as well move on.

Our rule of thumb is to avoid rest areas that are within easy reach of really big cities. Our theory is that most crime is centered in the cities, criminals are lazy, and they'll target easy-to-reach locations. While we've never been a victim of any criminal activity, the two occasions when we were warned about potential danger, were both when we were within a half hour drive from Houston, Texas.

What is the fate of roadside rest stops?

In some states, publicly owned roadside rest areas are becoming the victim of budget cuts, as explained in this Wall Street Journal article and this ABC News Travel report.

A number of news stories have been dedicated to the issue and concerned with the closings and sites like this one, Save Texas Roadside Parks, are dedicated to preserving the rest areas in that particular state.

Texas is one state that is adding rest stops rather than closing them.

Up-to-date information

For the time being, it would seem that, just because a roadside rest stop in marked on our road map, we cannot count on it being there or being open. Here are links to official state web pages offereing varying levels of information. Many are updated regularly to reflect current closures. Some also provide valuable information about amenities at each rest area such as wi-fi, RV dump stations, and security cameras.

Alabama - see below

Alaska - see below

Arizona

Arkansas - see below

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware -see below

Florida

Georgia - see below

Hawaii - see below

Idaho

Illinois - see below

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas - see below

Kentucky - see below

Louisiana

Maine - see below

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi - see below

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska - see below

Nevada

New Hampshire - see below

New Jersey - see below

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota - see below

Ohio - see below

Oklahoma -see below

Oregon

Pennsylvania -see below

Rhode Island - see below

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont - see below

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia -see below

Wisconsin

Wyoming



At the moment, the following states as well as all the Canadian provinces don't provide rest stops information on their official web sites:

Akransas, Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Delaware, Gerogia, Hawaii, Illinois, Idaho, Kentucky, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia.