There are a lot more state parks, national forests and national parks than many people realize. Even in the East, if you carefully plan your route, you should be able to find public lands to camp on much of the time. You would be amazed at how many people do not even realize all of the parks near them and have never visited them. Also, many of the people who visit parks never leave their cars or the major attractions. Great Smoky Mountains NP is the most visited national park in the USA, yet you see hardly any people at all if you hike a little ways down any of the trails there. Kind of pitiful, if you think about it.