Toyin Ajayi was 37 when she packed up her trailer and left her apartment in Sandy Springs, Ga., permanently. He visited 24 states in the past three years and had no plans to return to a more stable life.

“There is a sense of mental freedom. For me, it means being able to spend more time in nature. I pay more attention to stars, animals and things like that. There are definitely different kinds of freedoms that I have found in my personal journey–– emotional freedom, spiritual freedom, all of it,” says Ajayi.

Even as a solo RV camper, Ajayi knows he’s not alone in the movement to want to spend more time on the open road. She sees more Black women and youth joining her as full-time RVers.

Ajayi started a Facebook group for Black women interested in the outdoors. It grew so fast; turned it into a website. We currently have over 8,000 members black women outdoors Connect online to recommend campsites, get together on trips, and share RV tips.

The rise of the Black RV life movement

Data from the RV Industry Association It shows that the RV owner demographic is becoming younger and more diverse. While the average age of caravan owners is 53, the average age of first-time caravan buyers dropped to 41 in 2020, then dropped again to 32 two years later.

According to Kampgrounds of America (KOA), the number of Black campers has doubled in less than 10 years and now makes up 11 percent of the U.S. camping community.

“I think the van life movement has changed the course of the caravan life movement. At this point they are intertwined because everyone knows about caravan life, but they all fall under the umbrella of nomadic living,” says Ajayi.

Her list of Black-owned campgrounds is one of the biggest resources she shares with Outdoorsy Black Women members. Other Black camper community groups are crowdsourcing similar directories that highlight the need for safe spaces outdoors. Although these crowdsourced lists are openly shared with community members, they are heavily guarded against outside interference to preserve the peace and safety of both campground owners and their Black patrons.

Ajayi calls these lists the Green Book of Black campers and says they’re especially essential during intense political cycles like 2024. presidential race.

(Related: How black travelers are taking back Portugal.)

A safe space outdoors

One of the Black-owned campgrounds listed in many such guides Warthen Caravan ParkA rural park with full hookups for 49 spaces, located halfway between Macon and Augusta, GA.

Josh Gordy purchased the land in his hometown in 2011. This was his first venture into entrepreneurship and he was continuing his family legacy. The former NFL player is related to Motown legend Berry Gordy on his father’s side.

However, this land was very important to his maternal grandfather’s legacy. Gordy’s grandfather worked the land as a sharecropper when he was young. He wanted to buy the land but was never allowed to realize his dream.

“He knows a lot of the obstacles he had to overcome,” Gordy says. “I think when he originally wanted to buy the land, they gave him a comeback, but God still has a way of working things out.”

It wasn’t until he took advantage of the existing Black Caravan and camping communities that Gordy knew he would achieve long-term success on the land his grandfather held dear. The majority of Warthen RV Park’s short-term campers are Black, and it is starting to see more Black families, its main customer base, move into full-time camping.

“It was like I found this secret door that I didn’t know existed, but when I joined the group I saw exactly how many people… how many of us were doing this. “It’s like there’s a big enough market for us to really capture this,” he explains.

Groups like Black People Camping/Caravanning We have over 45,000 members on Facebook. But there are many others who specialize in getting started, buying and renting RVs, and connecting with others at RV meetups.

Warthen RV Park has hosted several Black RV events by having groups camp close together. This also gives campers space to cook, play cards, and listen to music; He also takes advantage of the park’s nature trails and dark skies to watch the stars.

(Related: 13 destinations for African-American history And culture.)

Black RV campers looking for community and advice

In September, ShaRon Jones’ inheritance allowed her to purchase the Class C motorhome she always wanted. Before Jones leaves Jacksonville, Fla., for his first out-of-state trip, he gathers information from more experienced campers in the same Black Caravan and camping groups.

“I’ve actually been living in my trailer since I bought it three weeks ago. I returned home. “I go home, do the laundry, buy new clothes, leave the dirty laundry and leave,” she says. “My house is nice and quiet, but there’s a different kind of peace in that trailer and trailer park.”

He is amazed by the size of the Black Caravan community and looks forward to enjoying as many Caravan meetups as he can manage.

“My to-do list? I want to meet all the people I meet in these groups. They meet at certain points. “They have been meeting for years and I am learning about it now,” he said. “I see a lot of women traveling on their own, driving their own vehicles, and I’m talking about these sisters getting it, they’ve been doing this for years, they’re full-time RVers.”

Jones’ first major meet will take place in February at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Melanli Kampout activity.

From there, he plans to spend his weekends traveling to as many states as possible, either alone or with a trusted friend. The Florida resident has never been farther than Valdosta, Ga., but with the help of his Black Caravan friends, he plans to spend the rest of his life seeing as much of the country as possible.

(Related: What I learned as a black traveler.)

Black-owned campgrounds across the US

For Black RV campers looking for a safe space and community, here are a few Black-owned campgrounds to consider when planning your next camping trip.

Seven Springs Farm and Vineyard (Norlina, NC): About an hour north of Raleigh, this family-owned farm offers wine tastings from its on-site vineyard. They offer caravan and tent camping on their farm year-round.

Camp Rosario & Caravan (Anacortes, Wash.): Surrounded by the spectacular forest and lake views of Deception Pass State Park, this 16-acre property puts you in the middle of many outdoor activities, including hiking, fishing and canoeing.

Warthen Caravan Park (Warthen, Ga.): A large pavilion with plenty of space for trailers to tie up at this South Georgia campground provides social gatherings for groups.

TripL Caravan Park (Brazoria, Texas.): Just outside Houston, on-site trailers are just one type of housing available for those looking to get outdoors. Tiny houses, container homes and cabins round out the offerings.

g & $ Campground (Houston, Del.): The campground’s on-site outdoor pool, hammock park, and lawn games provide casual fun between hiking and nightly campfires. Visitors can choose from RV camping, cabins, glamping and primitive tent camping.