Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(US) rough country, jungle, an isolated or wild region; plus fig. use as an isolated unappealing place; thus boondocker, one who comes from such a place.

1914		letter 8 Feb. in Allegany Co. News (NY) 2 Apr. 2/2: The other companies [...] had it strenuous enough for there was out post [sic] duty a plenty and maneuvers in the boondocks.
1941		C.R. Bond 18 Dec. in A Flying Tiger’s Diary (1984) 58: His engine cut out [...] and he went off into the boondocks and tore off his landing gear.
1957		(con. 1943) A. Myrer Big War 123: That’s the trouble with being stuck down in the boondocks. [Ibid.] 183: Well, old boondocker [...] I guess you know that’s the end of the carnival.
1966		P. Pinney Restless Men 124: He stared along the [...] bank of black dust and dried mud and sunwarmed buffalo turds. ‘Godforsaken boondocks — what else’d bother to live here?’.
1975		E. Torres Carlito’s Way 21: His uncle kept him in the boondocks.
1985		N. Pileggi Wiseguy (2001) 115: He lived in the boondocks of Jersey.
1993		S. King Dolores Claiborne 53: Out here in the boondocks about the most int’restin thing a person can do is die sudden.
2000		S. Maloney Big Ask 68: If this woman was mine, I’d be superglued to her, not chasing turnstile attendants in the boondocks.
2024		J. Meades Empty Wigs (t/s) 416: [S]ome fellow who distills potatoes in the Subcarpathian boondocks.