Size ristrictions at state/federal parks

I pull a 44.5' fifth wheel with a long bed 1 ton pickup. We're a very long rig. When we first started out, our length was pretty daunting and we were very limited. After years with this setup and many nights on the road, my wife and I don't get very nervous anymore. If we hadn't spent so many months on the road together in the past year, we would both still be sweating bullets driving around town and trying to get to camp.

I wouldn't recommend this setup to very many people because size totally matters, but experience and an incredible partner will solve a lot of the tense moments. On the other hand, our experience has also taught us which parts of town to avoid and which camps to cross off our list.

We also found that one of the smartest things you can do is get to camp early (not "early" check in, but early in the afternoon). Parking our rig in a fairly empty park is very different than parking with neighbors on both sides of you.

A couple months ago we got to a little county park on the coast and we got there late (just as the sun was setting). The place was packed already and we didn't have any maneuver room on either side of the road with people's bumpers crossing the lines etc. It took about twenty minutes for my wife and I to finally drop anchor and we couldn't have done it without so much practice. Practically everyone in that camp stopped by during the weekend to shake my hand and shake their heads and laugh. That's not relaxing though and it's really the opposite of why we camp. I hope we don't ever do that again.

As half timers in a 42’ for 14 years and now another 2 in a 45’... 40’ is NOT too big in retirement. Over those 16 years we have gone West 8 summers for several months staying mainly in public CGs without reservations. I would not have gone from 42’ to 45’ if finding sites big enough was a major problem... it’s gotten easier as more information is on the internet today than 16 years ago. In those 8 summers I cannot remember not getting into my first or 2nd choice until this past summer in Moab. Could have dispersed camped running the generator 24/7 (95 degrees in later Sept) so headed to 10,000’ in CO 4 hours away. Had frost the next morning.

The advantage of a big rig is how well you can dry camp for 7 days and 10+ if you conserve water. We put more miles on the car than the MH as it becomes the base camp and the car gets us to places the MH could not. You do not go into a CG hoping to find a site big enough on Friday, but on Sunday or Monday it’s not a problem. One of our favorite USFS CG in the Tetons has 30’ max. Not sure who comes up with the lengths... OH, they are government employees.

Buy more MH than you think you need... One Time because I started with a 36’ because of comments like some of the above that have never done it in a big MH.

We had a 36' trailer for 9 years and only once had a problem in a Kentucky state park. We spent several months at a time with it. We now have a 40' MH. It is a lot more comfortable and so far we have not had an issue finding a spot to park it.Plan ahead. MOST IMPORTANT Pay attention to ivylog's post-he is spot on. Wife's is tickled to death with the washer & dryer in the coach.

Maximum length in Yosemite Nat'l Park is 35 ft., although they will bend just a little if you're nice

a 32' trailer is a pain to park in oregon state campgrounds. parking tow vehicle in a different location. private parks usually have room for slides. most state parks don't have room to extend them.. a 30-35' mh without a toad shouldn't be a problem in the larger parks, but in older campgrounds that will be a challenge...