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RVcrazy's avatar
RVcrazy
Explorer
Nov 14, 2013

WA campground site length?

When reserving in WA state parks, you must choose under 32' trailer or over 32' trailer. Are they talking bumper pull so that you can add 2-3 feet if you have a 5th? We are looking at a 35' fifth & it looks like many of the spate parks have a length posted of 50'. What has been your experience? Especially interested in Fort Flagler, Kanasket-Palmer, Seabeck & Cape Disappointment with a longer rig. Thanks!
  • RVcrazy wrote:
    When reserving in WA state parks, you must choose under 32' trailer or over 32' trailer. Are they talking bumper pull so that you can add 2-3 feet if you have a 5th? We are looking at a 35' fifth & it looks like many of the spate parks have a length posted of 50'. What has been your experience? Especially interested in Fort Flagler, Kanasket-Palmer, Seabeck & Cape Disappointment with a longer rig. Thanks!


    We have been in several different WA state parks with a 38' 5th wheel and have always reserved the "over 32' trailer" spots and have always had room for the truck and the 5th wheel hooked up in the designated spot. I suspect they add at least 12' to the length of the trailer to design the site. If the spot is slightly short also keep in mind there is several feet of overhang behind the rear axle.
  • I find that Washington State Parks are pretty generous space wise. Over 32' are usually huge sites. The problem you will encounter is the roads in some of the campgrounds. Deception Pass SP is very nice but the roads in the park are tight with a lot of large trees right next to the road with sharp turns. A large 5th wheel can navigate tight roads better than a bumper pull in my opinion. Washington does list a few parks where large RVs are not permitted. If you stick to and 5th wheel under 32' you will be able to get into almost any State Park: I've been able to get into any park I want so far.
  • Why would a 32 foot 5th wheel be any shorter than a 32 foot conventional trailer? 32 feet is 32 feet regardless what is being measured.

    For what it's worth, I have only been asked to leave a perfectly good site into which I fit EASILY due to a length rule and that was at Mount Rainier national park (federal campground). Their reasoning in that case was that it would be impossible to maneuver through their campground (to where I was set up) with a trailer longer than 28 feet. It was just as easy getting out as it was getting in.
  • skipnchar wrote:
    Why would a 32 foot 5th wheel be any shorter than a 32 foot conventional trailer? 32 feet is 32 feet regardless what is being measured.

    For what it's worth, I have only been asked to leave a perfectly good site into which I fit EASILY due to a length rule and that was at Mount Rainier national park (federal campground). Their reasoning in that case was that it would be impossible to maneuver through their campground (to where I was set up) with a trailer longer than 28 feet. It was just as easy getting out as it was getting in.


    I think it is a very legitimate question in that there is no industry standard on how to measure a trailer or 5th wheel.
  • Choose the over 32" and you will have no problems. They do not check the length of your rig.
  • MrVan wrote:
    skipnchar wrote:
    Why would a 32 foot 5th wheel be any shorter than a 32 foot conventional trailer? 32 feet is 32 feet regardless what is being measured.

    For what it's worth, I have only been asked to leave a perfectly good site into which I fit EASILY due to a length rule and that was at Mount Rainier national park (federal campground). Their reasoning in that case was that it would be impossible to maneuver through their campground (to where I was set up) with a trailer longer than 28 feet. It was just as easy getting out as it was getting in.


    I think it is a very legitimate question in that there is no industry standard on how to measure a trailer or 5th wheel.
    My 5th is listed as 32' and it is 32' long all included. When hooked up to truck I am 49' long. My truck is 17' from center of rear axle to front bumper. If I had a 32' tt I would more than likely be at least 5' longer overall making it 55' long vs 49' That is the difference.
  • Camped at Cape Disappointment last weekend in a 39' 5th wheel and had room for the rig and the truck at the site. Reserved an over 32' site.