Mile Marker 24 and a Bucket

I met a fellow traveler last week, Patrick. It turns out we where heading in the same direction. He has been kind enough to let me camp at his sites for free. It's a treat to camp inside the parks.

I went to Zion a day ahead of Patrick and being a cheap bastard I wanted to find free camping. I asked a park ranger where the closest BLM land was. It was dark at this point. She said "It's close but really hard to find." I told her that was o.k with me. She said "Take the highway 10 miles and look for mile marker 24 and then look for a bucket on a pole."

I went down the dark highway searching for my landmarks. I found it but she was right it was a little tricky. It was raining and I drove down a sandy dirt road into the BLM area. I love finding these places. It's an adventure and the people camping in these hidden areas are usually locals. Talking with locals is awesome. They always know the best places to eat, hike, and camp.