Wild Camping Rules by Country
Wild camping — pitching outside a designated campsite — is governed by a patchwork of national laws, regional regulations, and cultural conventions that vary enormously. What is a fundamental right in Sweden is a criminal offense in parts of France. Getting this wrong means fines, forced moves at 2 a.m., and occasionally a visit from a ranger or landowner who is not having a good day.
Sweden: Allemansrätten
The Swedish right of public access (allemansrätten) is enshrined in the Swedish constitution and permits anyone — regardless of nationality — to pitch a tent on uncultivated land for one to two nights, as long as they are not disturbing the landowner and are well clear of private houses, gardens, and cultivated fields. There is no permit required. The rule is "do not disturb, do not destroy": leave no trace, no fires in dry conditions or on bare rock, and move on after two nights.
In practice, the right is very broadly interpreted. The entire Kungsleden trail corridor operates under allemansrätten for tent pitching beside the path. The rule does not extend to motorhomes parked on verges adjacent to private land, which is a separate and more contested issue.
Norway: Allemannsretten
Norway's equivalent — allemannsretten — is codified in the Outdoor Recreation Act (friluftsloven) of 1957. You may camp on uncultivated land for up to two nights, at least 150 metres from the nearest inhabited house or cabin. Beyond two nights you must move on or seek the landowner's permission. Open fires are prohibited between 15 April and 15 September across Norway; this restriction is strictly enforced and applies on beaches and mountains equally.
The right is extremely broad. The entire Norwegian coast above the tideline is technically open for camping; mountain plateaus, forests, and island headlands are all accessible. Local custom requires common sense about proximity to houses and farms.
Finland: Jokamiehikeikeus
Finland's every-person's rights (jokamiehikeikeus) closely parallel the Swedish model: camping on uncultivated land for one to two nights without permission, leaving no trace, no campfires except in designated areas or where clearly safe. Finland adds a prohibition on camping in national parks except at designated sites — a significant limitation given that national parks cover the most attractive areas.
Scotland: Land Reform Act 2003
Scotland has the most formal statutory wild camping right in the UK, enacted through the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003. The right to responsible access applies to all non-motorised recreation including camping on most land in Scotland, including farmland and hillsides, subject to the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. The code specifies: do not camp in large groups, do not stay more than three nights in one place, leave no trace, and do not camp in enclosed fields of crops or farm animals.
The right applies to land but not freshwater (separate provisions apply) and does not extend to curtilage of buildings. In practice, wild camping across the Highlands, islands, and uplands is fully legal and well-established.
England and Wales: No General Right
There is no general right to wild camp in England or Wales. Wild camping on land without the landowner's explicit permission is trespass, which is a civil (not criminal) matter in most cases but still means you can be asked to leave and in some cases fined.
The Dartmoor National Park was, until 2023, the only place in England where a statutory right to wild camp existed. In 2023, the Dartmoor National Park Authority was successfully sued by a landowner (Alexander Darwall) who argued that the Dartmoor Commons Act 1985 did not confer a camping right. The initial court ruling removed the wild camping right from Dartmoor. This was subsequently overturned on appeal in July 2023, restoring the right — but the case demonstrated how fragile the legal basis is in England compared to Scotland.
Elsewhere in England and Wales, the practical approach is to ask for permission from the landowner, camp high and late and leave early on open mountain ground, and leave absolutely no trace.
Germany: Prohibited with Limited Exceptions
Wild camping in Germany is broadly prohibited under the Federal Forest Act (Bundeswaldgesetz) and equivalent Länder regulations. Camping in forests without a permit is illegal across most of the country. Bavaria has limited exceptions for designated alpine emergency bivouac areas — small marked spots on mountain routes where one-night emergency camping is tolerated — but this is not a general right and requires genuine overnight necessity.
In practice, a discreet tent pitched high in the Alps for a single night is rarely prosecuted, but this is tolerance rather than legality.
France: Camping Sauvage
Wild camping (camping sauvage) in France occupies a grey zone. The French Environmental Code prohibits camping within protected natural areas, coastal strips within 200 metres of the sea, and within 200 metres of any classified historic monument. These restrictions effectively close most of the most attractive French landscapes to wild camping.
Outside these restrictions, camping on private land requires the landowner's permission. In practice, camping in remote areas — the Pyrenees, the Massif Central, the Alps above the treeline — is widely tolerated by rangers and landowners, especially for a single night with no trace left. Do not assume tolerance; act accordingly and have an exit plan.
USA: BLM and USFS Dispersed Camping
The United States has no general wild camping right, but the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the US Forest Service (USFS) permit dispersed camping — camping outside designated sites — on most BLM and National Forest land without a permit, subject to local rules. These lands cover enormous areas of the American West, making this effectively a broad freedom to camp for anyone who knows the rules.
Restrictions apply: no dispersed camping within national parks (Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon — all require designated sites or wilderness permits); campfire restrictions apply by district and season; most BLM areas limit stays to 14 days in any one location before moving on. Check the specific land unit's regulations at recreation.gov before assuming dispersed camping is permitted.
Australia: State by State
Australia has no federal wild camping framework. Rules are set by state and territory land management agencies:
New South Wales: Dispersed camping is permitted in some state forests with a camping permit; prohibited in national parks except at designated sites.
Victoria: Similar model; parks require designated sites; state forests allow dispersed camping with a permit in most areas.
Queensland: Dispersed camping in state forests requires a permit; national parks require designated sites. Remote areas of outback Queensland allow camping on road reserves and stock routes under historical access conventions.
Western Australia: National parks require designated sites; DBCA-managed conservation parks vary; extensive pastoral lease country in the Pilbara and Kimberley is technically private and requires permission.
South Australia: Similar to NSW; outback public access rules are more permissive but vary by land tenure.
Northern Territory: Some latitude in remote areas but formal rules apply in all parks and reserves.
Find legitimate campsites on the map
Where wild camping is restricted or prohibited, the network of designated campsites is the practical and legal alternative. The map shows campsite locations worldwide — use it to find the nearest legitimate site to wherever you want to spend the night.