RV Size

[skp51443]

I spent many hours visiting park websites and adding the info to a spreadsheet, Park, city, state, type of park and maximum RV lengths about 1995, the results were interesting and it let me sort the parks various ways. It was easy to look and see where a 32 footer would go and a 36 wouldn't fit, same for any other length choices. I don't have the data any more and it is long scrolled off these forums.

 

Doing a current set of data would be a good project for someone stuck somewhere cold or rainy and with time on their hands. Maybe just do sections of the country or even just states and post the info so others can view it or contribute.

[Pat & Pete]

Maybe a Wiki page ?

[Barbaraok]

The only thing I regret is that we went with a 37 ft was because we thought we would be staying in state/national parks and believe the "you can't get in" information that we were hearing over and over. We quickly realized that state parks cost as much as private parks when you add in the day charges for a car (which isn't charged to those towing a trailer/5th wheel with their truck) unless you purchase an annual state park pass for every state we went through. Easier to stick with membership parks and COE parks when traveling. Plus we found out that 40 ft would have worked just as well for us.

 

Barb

[Jack Mayer]

Barb, it all just "depends". People find it difficult to believe we travel with a 30' truck pulling a 44.5' 5th wheel. But we have no real issue finding places anywhere we want to. Is it as easy as if we had a 27' motorhome without a toad? Of course not. But we have no issue going anywhere. Do we have to do a little more research ? Yes. But we go where we want. Only "occasionally" are we inconvenienced by not being able to stay in our first choice.

[bruce t]

As dovj says, these threads do get a bit roundy roundy based on our own circumstances. Actual length is only a part of the issue. Many times we have put our 40ft DP on a 35ft site by being able to overhang the rear end. But then what to do with the toad? Many times we have camped only to worry about getting out again!

One of our favorite COE parks has all 50+ sites. But the majority of those sites were/are so out of level that of a 100+ sites we could only use about 20 of them due to the limits of our leveling system. And most of those sites were always full because? Because they were level.

 

To any new comer just be aware that there are so many variables to this lifestyle that being right or wrong is an impossibility. Generalization is often quoted as fact. One persons comfort zone is another's stress limit.

 

Be prepared to be flexible and don't sweat the days when things don't go 100% your way. There will be more good days than bad days.

 

regards

[sandsys]

We had a 24' motorhome not towing a car and occasionally found a space we could not get into. My advice is not to let space length be the determining factor in what you buy. Buy something you can LIVE in. We lived just fine in the 24' for a year and a half but many couples could not do that.

 

Linda Sand

[docj]

when you add in the day charges for a car (which isn't charged to those towing a trailer/5th wheel with their truck)

 

 

Since you spend time in the NW, we worked at a WA State park and the rules there were often misunderstood (even by the park staff). In case you are not aware, there's not supposed to be a charge for a car if it is towed into a park by a MH. If it is driven in under its own power you are charged. Odd, but true.

[JerryC58]

We have been RVers (not campers) since 2008. We have never worried about length or found it to be a problem (55 ft). We would call for a reservation in the morning for tonight and the first questions always were "Do you have wifi and do you have cable TV"? Then it was "Do you have FHU"?

 

JC

[bigjim]

A lot of it depends on where you want to go and where you want to park when you get there. I have hit a few places I couldn't get into the area or spot that I wanted in my p/u and 30ft TT. One was Caddo lake SP in Tx. I did get a spot just not the one I wanted. I volunteered at one or two places where I had to deny a spot to someone too large for a spot. These were usually on extremely busy holidays or holiday weekends. At Cedar Hill SP in TX. on some rare occaisions smaller spots were denied for large rv because they were that busy and they had 355 spots at that time. Of course human nature being what it is a lot of time small rvs , pop-ups and even tenters would claim a site big enough for a large rig since it was first come first served. Also a few times I saw folks that came in for less than 14 days have to move out of the park becuase they came in to extend and the park had rentals and reservations through the holiday weekend. ( you could not reserve a specific site) We couldn't deny any site unless it was closed for health and safety reasons. I forget how the reservations handled other than credit card gauranty which none refundable for a certain amount of days. I don't know it it is still this way. Theser are some of my experiences and I hope they will be of use to you. Oh yeah I related elsewhere about pulling into Fountainblue SP near New Orleans the Fri. before Mardai Gras and was told they were booked up but when I said what about a spot without hook-ups they said I could stay in one of those spots for 2 weeks if I wanted.

[earnnetwealth]

I was a "lurker" on here for a long time. I decided to join a little while back and was mostly hanging out in the HDT section. I backed off the forum for a while mostly because of building our business took much of my free time. I had also spent a LOT of time searching myself as to what plans we (my wife and I) would make.

I noticed that as time passed my ideas have changed as well. Since the first thought of wanting to get into an RV came into my head, my thoughts have changed a whole bunch.

I went from thinking of getting an HDT and a huge 5th wheel, to now not so big. We just purchased a brand new Ram 3500 Dually and most likely within the year will purchase the 5th.

Here is why my ideas have changed for the most part. The home is paid off, so most likely will never go into full time as we have a home to always come back to. I asked myself if I really needed all the BIG stuff. We have been looking at 5ers, and have really decided that 34 or 36 feet is plenty big enough for us. We really like the keystone Alpine, that is not in stone, but it is the one we keep going back to at this time. We plan to use the RV to travel and visit family, but not live full time in it, so the need for BIG really is not there. 36' is plenty of room, and the new Ram has plenty of pull power. The HDT's are nice, but it really is more than I would ever need. As it stands I will NEVER even use the Ram to it's fullest, so an HDT would just be overkill. The Ram has an engine brake as well as tow assist braking, and really is all we will ever need.

The people with the BIG trucks and rigs always find places to stay, and that really should not be a reason to go smaller, the decision (in my opinion) should be based on your needs rather than desires.

[bigjim]

Reading through these a little closer I don't see any consideration for slide outs. I haven't stayed at nearly as many different places as a lot of folks on the forum but I can think of several places where it might be a problem with using slide outs and awnings due to trees, power pedestal, sometimes water hook-ups and other odd obstructions. Just something else to consider depending on where you want to go. Also in some commercial parks if you and your neighbors will instantly be closer neighbors thanks to slide outs. That even holds true in some public campgrounds usually to a lesser extent.

[Jack Mayer]

Here is the bottom line. I can ALWAYS come up with scenarios (real ones) where anything will not fit.No matter how large or how small. we started fulltiming 15 years ago with an F550 and a 36' 5er. We now have an HDT at 30' that carries a car and a 44.5' 5er. I can go anywhere I want with that setup. I may not fit into a SPECIFIC spot, but there is always someplace in the area I WILL fit. At least that has been the case for 15 years.

[Barbaraok]

Jack, I think you misunderstood what I was saying. We didn't go bigger only to find out that we could have gotten in most places and that our style of RVing doesn't really include state parks like we thought it would.

 

Barb

[hdonlybob]

As dovj says, these threads do get a bit roundy roundy based on our own circumstances. Actual length is only a part of the issue. Many times we have put our 40ft DP on a 35ft site by being able to overhang the rear end. But then what to do with the toad? Many times we have camped only to worry about getting out again!

One of our favorite COE parks has all 50+ sites. But the majority of those sites were/are so out of level that of a 100+ sites we could only use about 20 of them due to the limits of our leveling system. And most of those sites were always full because? Because they were level.

 

To any new comer just be aware that there are so many variables to this lifestyle that being right or wrong is an impossibility. Generalization is often quoted as fact. One persons comfort zone is another's stress limit.

 

Be prepared to be flexible and don't sweat the days when things don't go 100% your way. There will be more good days than bad days.

 

regards

 

Bruce T,

Are you a HAMB member ??

Cheers,

Bob

[reed and elaine]

We primarily boondock and size does matter. We have a 34' 5th wheel and there are places we could go with a 28' TT that we can no longer go: size, swing room, branches. Laguna Azul and the Calukmal Archaeological Site in the Yucatan which are two of our favorite spots are not accessible due height of a 5th wheel. May take a saw on the roof next time if permission is granted to cut the branches.

 

Sunny Flat CG in Chiricahuas, AZ does have two or three large spots but they are always taken. As noted above, Glacier NP really has only a few spaces for a large rig, the CGs were designed for car/tent camping. That said, you can always find commercial parks but we have spent a total of about 15 days in commercial parks in last 18 months and then only because we were visiting family in large cities. Have never used a FHU site.

 

Parrot seen above our rig in Yucatan

Reed and Elaine

[bruce t]

Hdonlybob what's/who's a HAMB member?

 

regards

[Kirk W]

Hdonlybob what's/who's a HAMB member?

Maybe it is contagious? .....

 

 

 

Actually, it is an organization called HAMB.org or Hawaii Association of Mortgage Bankers.

More likely though he is actually thinking of the message board for the Jalopy Journal.

[hdonlybob]

Bruce T,

From your avatar pic I assume you are into hot rods.

HAMB is a division of the Jalopy Journal...a really great forum loaded with an abundance of information.

Only 1964 or older cars are allowed to be discussed...

Here is the link.

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/

Check it out, you may find it interesting.

I recently sold my '26 Model T Coupester project due to physical issues. A picture of what I bought, and when I sold it.

I rebuilt this '63 Biscayne a few years ago, and it is my daily driver when the weather is nice... (No winter)

Cheers,

Bob

 

[bruce t]

Ah! No I'm a freelance photographer who does a lot of hot rod and motorbike work.

 

If you scroll down you will see some of my hot rod work. (I've killed off my web page where I had a hundred or two hot rods)

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/126753097@N02/

 

regards