Toy Hauler or travel trailer?

bobx2 wrote:
If you just have the one ATV, you can still get by fine with a TT. If you get two ATV's, that changes things.

Changes but doesn't prevent it from working...



For ATVing we liked our last setup better than our toyhauler. We could stay at and campground we wanted and just take the truck and ATV's to the closest trailhead. With the toyhauler, we are limited to staying at campgrounds with trailhead access which are usually a little rough...

I know this isn't going to help a bit, but there is NOT the perfect RV! It's just like a ATV, Motorcycle, or wife. You're always going to want something else. No offense to the wives!

I've had a small 5er that I doubled with a ATV trailer (Won't do it again, although many do). I traded to a 36' 5er TH. It was great unless I wanted to get into the mountains (we have a lot in UTAH). It was great for the Dunes and dry camping. We went to a MH and pulled a ATV Trailer. Great until son found a way to break his arm camping and we didn't have a seperate vehicle to get him to the hospital. I put all my knowledge into our current TH, which is a tongue pull WW which measures out to 34' with triple axles. TOO BIG, but it fit our needs.

Now, I wish I had ........... you guessed it, something different depending on my mood or where we are going. However, I've come to the conclusion, that for MY FAMILIES needs, we are good with what we have for now.

My Point, you will second guess yourself to death. Analyze YOUR REALITY and what you have to tow with. (If you have a 1/2 ton and get any trailer, you'll want something bigger, then you buy a bigger truck, leads to bigger trailer, and so on and so on). Then make a decision that is best for your family.

Not much help, but I only know what's right for me, and I'm usually wrong.

Yup, the joys of going bigger, you do limit yourselves compared to the old days when it was just a quad in the back of the pick up with your girl friend along. Height is the main thing I seem to have to watch out for .

My TH was the same as yours. A 26' box + the hitch. Cottonwood Pass was no problem at all. I never really had any problems getting to where I wanted to be because of the length. The biggest factor has always been the height and width of the trailer. Low, overhanging tree branch's are usually the deciding factor. Now with the 5th wheel pulling the ATV trailer, the same will be true, except it's 4" taller. The ATV trailer tracks right in the 5th wheel tracks when turning, so anywhere the 5th wheel can go, so can the ATV's. I haven't been on a regular road yet that I couldn't pull the trailer down. Some of the national forest access roads do present a bit of a challenge sometimes, but again, the trailer length has little to do with that. Some places I just can't get into unless I was pulling something like my old tent trailer years ago.

Appreciate the feedback Bob. It is just the 1 ATV now...that is until my son wears down my wife allowing us to purchase a 2nd :)


Even with a single ATV, or two on those bed racks, I'm still faced with the fact of a F350 CC w/ long box and a 30 foot TT. It is more the 30' TT and some of the places I want to travel to or dry camp at. Besides the ATVing, I am more addicted to MTBing and that seems to be where some of the tighter places are, i.e. dry camping near Buffalo Creek. But, I am headed to Taylor Park and have slight concerns on Cottonwood Pass with my current set-up similar to your pics. I feel Cottonwood wouldn't be too bad but know my combo (w/ no ATV)up to Guanella Pass is a no-go on some of those very tight switchbacks.

Add to that I actually have a truck canopy and that is a pain to remove, very heavy fiberglass Snugtop, if I were to bed load the ATV...which I have done but dread removing that canopy.


So being as you're in CO, have you run into the issue of finding a space for your TT in certain CO areas? I know I would be a bit nervous in the Buffalo Creek area...not so much near Taylor Park. Breck area dry camping too near Georgia Pass...for ATVing w/ the TT.

Again, thanks for your feedback.

RedRocket204 wrote:
Certainly an interesting conversation going on here with different perspectives...which always makes for a good read.

<-- Family of 4 with the two kids ages 11 and 12 1/2. We've had our TT for 4 years now. Has always seemed perfect for us but a couple things have changed:

Moved back to CO
Recently purchased an ATV

Been considering how it would be to sell the TT for a TH. Keep in mind our current TT is a 26' cabin so total length comes in at 30.5'. What keeps me from wanting to move up to a bigger TH is just that, the bigger part. There are many locations for dry camping in CO but the places I want to be, the high country, has its own potential issues...smaller spots, tighter access areas and the potential for mountainous passes where longer towing combined units are not recommended.

At times, I even feel that that my current TT is too long for my desired spots in the high country. But, my current TT feels perfect for trips like last year's vacation to Yellowstone. Now add in the ATV to the equation...

Would be nice to have 2 RVs but that does not makes sense for us as then we would be having to pay to store 2 versus 1.

Soooo, I am now thinking to hold off doing anything. Keep my current TT in top condition (I do spend a good amount of time proactively doing maintenance on the TT), find a covered storage area and wait until the kids move out. Then maybe sell that TT and find a really nice 4 season slide-in truck RV...similar to the offerings from Arctic Cat. This would allow me greater mobility with the ability to additionally tow an ATV trailer or other to the many dry camping spots available in CO.

So even though the original poster asked about TH vs. TT, just thought I would add an additional perspective since I have been thinking along the same lines. But yes, the occupants would potentially be less as slide-ins are really meant for 2 max...at least would be my limits to keep my sanity :)

If you just have the one ATV, you can still get by fine with a TT. If you get two ATV's, that changes things.

I'm in an active off road motorcycle group. The TH was the rage when they first came out. All of the members that have bought them have since sold them. Most of the TH owners went back to cargo trailers. Some went back to TT's. All of them went lighter.
MM49

Certainly an interesting conversation going on here with different perspectives...which always makes for a good read.

<-- Family of 4 with the two kids ages 11 and 12 1/2. We've had our TT for 4 years now. Has always seemed perfect for us but a couple things have changed:

Moved back to CO
Recently purchased an ATV

Been considering how it would be to sell the TT for a TH. Keep in mind our current TT is a 26' cabin so total length comes in at 30.5'. What keeps me from wanting to move up to a bigger TH is just that, the bigger part. There are many locations for dry camping in CO but the places I want to be, the high country, has its own potential issues...smaller spots, tighter access areas and the potential for mountainous passes where longer towing combined units are not recommended.

At times, I even feel that that my current TT is too long for my desired spots in the high country. But, my current TT feels perfect for trips like last year's vacation to Yellowstone. Now add in the ATV to the equation...

Would be nice to have 2 RVs but that does not makes sense for us as then we would be having to pay to store 2 versus 1.

Soooo, I am now thinking to hold off doing anything. Keep my current TT in top condition (I do spend a good amount of time proactively doing maintenance on the TT), find a covered storage area and wait until the kids move out. Then maybe sell that TT and find a really nice 4 season slide-in truck RV...similar to the offerings from Arctic Cat. This would allow me greater mobility with the ability to additionally tow an ATV trailer or other to the many dry camping spots available in CO.

So even though the original poster asked about TH vs. TT, just thought I would add an additional perspective since I have been thinking along the same lines. But yes, the occupants would potentially be less as slide-ins are really meant for 2 max...at least would be my limits to keep my sanity :)

Been in the same dilemma lately and since we have quads and the kids r a little young to go with me on atv trips I am planning on using the th for regular camping. More room in the garage for them now and in another couple years by boys can join me in the mountains with the quads.

I have never regretted my decision to buy a toy hauler. Sometimes I take an off-road gocart, sometimes a motorcycle, sometimes both and sometimes no toys at all.

Toys or not - the built in generator and larger tanks sold me. Two of us can go easily for 3 days straight tailgating in a parking lot knowing we have plenty of water (150 gals), plenty of holding tank (120 gal combined),and 70+ hours of run time on the generator.

Loading for a trip thru the ramp is a breeze.

Also, for hurricane season I wired a recepticle on the side of the trailer so I can run most of my house, plus the trailer in the event of a power outage.