The concept of pulling into a National Forest (or other BLM land) and setting up a tent anywhere is jarring for someone that isn't familiar with it already. The absolute freedom (and accompanying rules that aren't available on site, but that you're expected to abide by) is daunting when you've been conditioned that in order to stay somewhere you must pay and that there will be an obvious place to park your vehicle.

The first time I did it, I felt like I was doing something wrong and that a ranger could show up at any time to ticket me for camping too close to the road or doing something else wrong. Forums are full of warnings to use apps to make sure you're not on someone's private property adjacent to or embedded within the public land, lest they show up with a shotgun.

A lot of people have never been introduced to the concept of public land in a way that makes it seem like a viable/legit option.