I love geography, especially if I can "live" it. That is why I praise camping near South Pass WY, where all the wagon trains, Pony Express, etc., went through. But it was too touristy and motorheadish there, so I left the area.
Obviously I don't use Rand McNally or AAA maps or free camping websites to find my locations. (It is probably comical to see my face when a newbie gets out his Rand McNally atlas when talking to a snob like me.)
So how do I find locations? I was looking for a non-tourist-trap. Such places can and usually do have interesting scenery nearby, although it might not be quite picturesque enough to titillate the standard scenery tourist on vacation.
There are other negative filters: national parks, lakes, towns that sound "cool" and are full of retirement McMansions or wealthy Lefties. The positive filters are BLM/National Forest boundaries, high altitudes, ridge-lines, and dead-end roads. Avoid any road system that would make for a popular loop tour for motor-crazed yahoos.
One of the best positive filters is usefulness in the land -- normally that means agriculture, ranching, or oil/gas wells. A cell-tower that services Verizon is always a major plus.
Whatever you do, don't try to "look it up" on the damn internet. No matter what it is, it will only be exciting if you "discover" it, after a few wrong turns. You need to suffer a little first! With effort, you can eventually melt into the landscape.
And yes, I managed to find one of my little paradises again. Somehow.
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