A boondock is a slight rise in elevation found in vegetated sandy landscapes such as Colorado's San Luis Valley. Wind action on sand causes erosion on unvegetated terrain and deposition on the vegetated terrain which gradually rise in elevation becoming low mounds perhaps 5 feet above the surrounding country. Boondocks are favored by burrowing animals such as coyotes for their holes.

The boondocks is a remote, usually brushy rural area, the sticks . The expression developed among American military serving in the Philippines during the early years of the 20th century. It is derived from the Tagalog word for mountain, bundok. In demographics the boondocks is a hardscrabble rural district characterized by backwardness.

A diminutive form, '"the boonies" exists. Equipment suitable for traveling in the boondocks has been referred to as "boondockers".

Boondock is considered by some to be an inherently funny word.