Full time in the 2020 JAYCO EAGLE??

Thanks for all the feedback, very helpful!

I have heard that about national parks. We won’t be at those much because we are traveling professionals. So, we are usually going to be looking at 3 months, at a campground, at a time. Any advice on staying for that long? I’ve tried to do some research on what campgrounds usually include in their monthly rate and how much it would coat but I’ve had trouble finding a lot of info. It’s hard to make a budget for a 5th wheel when I’m not sure what insurance and camp ground fees will be. I know insurance opens up a whole new topic.

We traveled for 3 years and 200 nights in a 42' bunkhouse fifth wheel.

We then fulltimed in it for 2.5 more years.

We then moved UP to a 43.5' fifth wheel toy hauler and have been fulltime in it for over 1.5 years now.

There has never been a destination that we had to bypass entirely. There have been some (many?) campgrounds that we had to skip. If you're happy with RV parks, the length isn't an issue. If you have visions of camping right next to streams and idyllic little campgrounds, the length might not be what you're after. Though boondocking isn't entirely out of the question- we have a good many friends & acquaintances who are in 40' rigs and boondock regularly.

Then, ford truck guy, you’ve never stayed inside Olympic NP, CA’s Big Basin Redwood SP, King’s Canyon NP, Yosemite NP, Sequoia NP etc. Need I go further? Your tooling is toooooo limited for me.

dragging a 42' fiver behind you is no different than 36' in traffic... YES, you will have some issues in some National Parks. Possibly some issue in OLDER parks.??

I have been tooling around in a 42' fiver since 2015, and a 38' from 2007 and NEVER have I had to change my plans due to length.

keh3491 wrote:
My husband and I are looking to start full timing. We have been researching the 2020 JAYCO EAGLE 355MBQS. We love the layout but it’s 42’ which seems daunting. Does anyone have experience with this model and any advice on length?

Driving a 40' trailer requires a higher level of ambiguity in traffic!!!!

Forty-two feet will limit your camping severely. Too long for most National Parks, many National Forests and state parks. Even many spots in older private parks. Secondary roads and small towns will challenge you too.

No comment on the Jayco, I have a Montana High Country 375FL (Front Living 5th wheel). I can make a comment about the length.

We went from a 10 foot box pop-up trailer to 21 foot (real length) travel trailer, to a 31 foot travel trailer, to a 35.5 foot travel trailer, to a 41.5 foot fifth wheel. Each step-up in length was a bit daunting for the first 10 minutes of towing. It seems after that, the initial overwhelming feeling vanished, and I thought to myself, "This is really OK."

I think the hardest adjustment was going from a lifetime of travel trailers to our first 5er, and being 41.5 feet long created a double learning curve.

Initially, driving straight down the highway is absolutely no different than the 21 foot travel trailer. (Our tow vehicles and trailers were always matched well).

It's just, with the longer trailer, you just got to remember... well..??? it's longer! Watching mirrors, watching shadows behind the camper when in tow, watching for adequate clearance to shift lane changes just demands a little more space. Turning a corner in a 5er is a bit different than in a TT.

The big difference, but I don't think it was the length, was attempting to back-up into the drive way or a campsite. It took a LOT of practice, trail and error, and lots of heart palpitations before I felt confident. The length may have attributed to some of my uneasiness, but it was learning where that pivot point is between truck and trailer.

After a year, it's now old hat. I've actually backed the behemoth into some pretty tight spots and back out again without breaking anything. The secret is to just go slow, make small adjustments, and go slow. Pull forward and start all over again if you have to. In time, I finally figured it out.

Each tow vehicle and each trailer will respond different. There is a learning curve. But there is no need to be overwhelmed. Just take your time, don't get into a rush, and be patient WITH YOURSELF and in a short while you'll wonder, why was I so concerned back then. This isn't challenging at all!