Stealth camping in a RAV4: where to sleep and how to blend in

Quick picks

The idea: look like any parked car

Clear front windows, dark rear windows, nothing on the roof. From Lost in Wonder's video.

Lost in Wonder, a YouTuber with 30,000 subscribers, sleeps in her white RAV4 on road trips, and her stealth camping video has about 936,000 views. She doesn't name a sponsor. Her rule is that stealth camping is about blending in, not breaking rules: nothing about the car should say someone is sleeping inside. A plain RAV4 helps, because there are so many of them. One night she parked between two other RAV4's of the same color.

She skips roof boxes, bike racks, kayaks and stickers when she wants to blend in. If you have a rack or roof box, a quiet night is easier in places where travelers are expected, like the spots in the next section.

1. Where you're allowed to sleep

This decides whether you get a full night's sleep or a knock on the window at 2 a.m. Rules change from place to place, so check each spot.

• BLM and National Forest land. Free camping away from campgrounds, called dispersed camping, is generally allowed on Bureau of Land Management land for up to 14 days in any 28, though each local office can set its own rules. National Forests set their own limits too. Their free Motor Vehicle Use Maps show which roads you can drive and park along, as Campendium explains. Out here you don't need to hide at all.
• Harvest Hosts. A Harvest Hosts membership, $99 a year for the basic plan, lets you stay overnight for free at wineries, farms and similar places. You're asked to buy something from your host as a thank-you. It's a sure way to avoid the knock.
• Walmart and other stores. Walmart has no company-wide rule. Each store manager decides, and local laws can override them, as SlashGear reports. Call the store and ask, and look for "no overnight parking" signs in the lot.
• Rest areas. Every state is different, and the sign at the rest area has the final say. California allows 8 hours in any 24 and Texas 24 hours, while Florida allows 3 and Pennsylvania 2, and Colorado's rest areas are signed no overnight parking, according to The Wayward Home's state-by-state list. Sleeping in your car is usually treated differently from camping, so don't set up chairs or a tent.
• City streets. Some cities ban sleeping in a vehicle on certain streets. Los Angeles, for example, has banned living in a vehicle on residential streets overnight and near schools and parks, as NPR reported. Check the city's rules before you plan a night on the street.
• Private lots, like apartment buildings, gyms and hotels, need permission. In one story, Lost in Wonder parked overnight in an apartment building's tenant lot. Ask first, or pick somewhere else.

2. Set up the RAV4 before you arrive

Do all of this somewhere else, like a parking lot earlier in the evening. Setting up a bed at your sleeping spot is the thing most likely to get noticed.

Clear the front seats

Before: a towel, a bag and a water bottle up front say someone's living here. From Lost in Wonder's video.

Towels, bags, window covers and water bottles on the front seats tell anyone walking by that someone is traveling, or sleeping inside. She moves everything into the back and leaves only what a commuter would leave, like a coffee cup. Wet things go in a zip-top bag.

Leave the front windows clear and cover the back, black side out

Left, the black side that faces out at night. Right, the cover fitted in the rear door. From Lost in Wonder's video.

• No covers on the windshield or front side windows. If people can see an empty front seat, the car looks normal. A car with every window covered makes people curious.
• Rear windows black side out. Her covers are black on one side and reflective on the other. During the day she turns the shiny side out to keep the car cool. At night she turns the black side out, so the back windows look like dark tint. Hers are WeatherTech's RAV4 kit, about $220, and she has also made her own. Our cold weather guide has the details.
• Don't forget the small windows. The RAV4 has small rear quarter windows and the back glass, and they need covers too. Her small covers let a little light through at the edges, so she plans to add black tape. If light gets in, light from inside gets out.
• Driving with the rear covers on: she drives with them in and uses her side mirrors. Keep the windshield and front side windows clear while driving.

Hang a curtain behind the front seats

The curtain closed. A thin line of light shows where the halves meet. From Lost in Wonder's video.

Even with the rear windows covered, someone looking through the windshield can see into the back. A dark curtain across the car behind the front seats hides the bed. Hers hangs on a cord tied to each side, and she climbs from the driver's seat to the bed through the gap without getting out of the car.

Turn off the lock beep

The beep when you lock the doors or close the liftgate draws attention at night. Many Toyotas let you silence it by holding the lock and unlock buttons on the key fob together for about 4 seconds until the hazard lights flash, according to this guide. We haven't confirmed that on a 2019 to 2025 RAV4. If it doesn't work, check your owner's manual or ask a Toyota dealer to turn it off.

Have the bed ready

Her bed stays made up all the time, so when she arrives she just climbs in. If you set up your bed each night, do it before you get to your spot. For bed options, see our car camping guide.

3. Arrive late, stay in, leave early

• Get ready for bed first. Eat, brush your teeth and use the bathroom before you arrive.
• Arrive after dark in places like store lots, and go straight to bed. Don't hang around outside.
• Plan for the bathroom. She doesn't get out once she's locked in for the night. A lidded pee bottle or a small portable toilet means you never have to.
• Keep light and sound low. She uses a dim lantern with a soft glow and watches downloaded shows with headphones. Any light or noise carries in a quiet, dark place.
• Leave early and move on. Don't stay in the same spot night after night. She admits she's not a morning person, but if you want to avoid any chance of a knock, leave early.
• Crack a window for fresh air, and never sleep with the engine running. Our cold weather guide explains why, hybrid included.

4. Have a backup plan

• Keep your keys within reach. She hangs hers near her head, so she can climb into the driver's seat and leave without searching.
• Know your next spot before you go to sleep, so you're not searching at 2 a.m. if you're asked to move or don't feel safe.
• If you get the knock, be polite and leave.
• Trust your gut. If you hear something that worries you, drive away. On the night she filmed, she heard a man nearby talking to the police about a parked car. It turned out to be about someone else, but she switched off every light and fan and stayed silent until he left.
• Tell someone where you're parked for the night.

Questions you might still have

Is stealth camping legal?

It depends on where you park. A store lot is up to the store and the city, a rest area is up to the state, and a private lot needs the owner's OK. Public land and Harvest Hosts are the surest choices.

Does it work in a RAV4, or do you need a van?

A RAV4 is easier to hide than a van, because it's an everyday car. Its downside is space: you'll need the back seats folded and a bed that stays made, or a few minutes to set it up away from your spot.

What does it cost to set up?

Very little if you already have a bed in the car. The WeatherTech window kit is about $220, or you can make covers from reflective insulation and black fabric for much less. A blackout curtain and a cord cost a few dollars more. iOverlander is free.

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