Newbie - What size will most Nat parks allow

ReserveAmerican will tell you low long the sites are.

Thanks guys for all the great replies. You've all been most helpful. Coming from a 2BR/2BA boat with a beam of over 13' will take some adjustment. However I think we can be comfortable in a 32-35 rig. It will be fun to look and I know I'll have more questions as we get closer to making the move.

Tim

tatest wrote:
If you are thinking about what size motorhome will get into those scenic empty meadows beside the lake with mountains in the background, shown in the RV brochures, those places mostly don't exist, not for RVs in our parks. Places like that might exist in the parks for people who will walk to them, but the RV brochure pics are usually set up on private land, if not totally faked in an image editor.

If you enjoy boondocking like we do, those places really do exist. We've parked at the edge of a lake or river or with scenic vistas all by ourselves at times. Yes, we take our 40' motorhome on gravel roads. :)

The largest motorhome most state and national parks will ALLOW is 45 feet, which is the largest motorcoach allowed on the highway in most states, without a special permit.

Down from there, fitting into RV sites, getting into campgrounds and using campsites, finding parking elsewhere, getting across size restricted roads (like Going to the Sun, or city streets), the smaller your vehicle the more places you can go. You can go almost anywhere a street vehicle can go, with an under 20 foot van. You can park that size in almost any primitive campground and either sleep where it is parked or pitch you tent a short walk over in the camping area.

In public parks, you don't really find scenic areas separated from "big rig" areas, but what you do find is RV camping areas with parking places and service connections that fit RVs of any size, and because these areas get filled with RVs they look more like parking lots than campgrounds. Then you find other campgrounds with connections or big parking spaces, and you get people with smaller RVs and a lot of people in tents, and it looks more like a campground.

If you want to go RVing full time, or for an extended time, you choose a size that is comfortable for you living style, you take it where you can take it (which is almost everywhere) and you don't worry about the other places you might have gone, or camped, if your RV had been smaller. Many users of class A, and even smaller motorhomes, will pull a smaller second vehicle to get around in, get to those few scenic places a big rig can't reach.

It is always a compromise of space and comfort vs mobility. A smaller RV will go where a bigger one can't. A Jeep carrying camping gear will go where no RV can go. A four-wheeler, trail bike, or snowmobile will take you and your gear where a Jeep won't go, and abackpacker will walk into places where no vehicle is permitted to go.

If you are thinking about what size motorhome will get into those scenic empty meadows beside the lake with mountains in the background, shown in the RV brochures, those places mostly don't exist, not for RVs in our parks. Places like that might exist in the parks for people who will walk to them, but the RV brochure pics are usually set up on private land, if not totally faked in an image editor.

If you intend to stay in the eastern states, then go up to 30-35'. We're full-timers who mainly stay in the west and we have no problems staying IN the national and state parks with our 40' motorhome. You'll hear folks stating otherwise but this is our experience. We do travel sometimes in the east and we do our research and find places we'll fit which would be most Corps parks and many state parks. Public campgrounds are always our first choice.

Your second question - add Newmar to your list. It's a very stable company and produces great RVs.

wny_pat wrote:

timjet wrote:
2. One poster suggested buying a higher quality used rig over a new rig of lesser quality of the same price. I like that idea but have no idea where I can get a list of the quality rigs.

Tim,
there is no list. You have to dig it out of the various RV forums. But to give you a idea -
Foretravel
Country Coach
Newell
Entegra Coach
Monaco
Tiffin
American Tradition
Am sure I have left someone out, but it is a start.

You will find many former boaters driving Foretravels. You can visit them at the Foretravel Owner's Forum. You will even find folks over there who will "Survey" a used Foretravel! I have a '94 Foretravel and would not hesitate to start out for the west coast in it today.

Such lists run to the bias of what the individual owns. I would add to the above list, the company that sells the most motor homes Winnebago.

quote from Motor home magazine


In the U.S. Class A market segment, Winnebago is also the top-selling market leader with 22.2 percent for 2012. In addition, the company also led the U.S. Class A gas market segment with 24.2 percent market share, grew U.S. Class A diesel market share to 19.4 percent and U.S. Class C market share to 18.5 percent for 2012.

I have never had a problem getting my 32' class C into any NPS/NFS campground. There are some of their sites I won't fit, but they have always had one I did. It may not have been the nice site I wanted, but I could stay.

If I had to apply a number, I would go with the 35' already mentioned. Remember that each CG is different though.

timjet wrote:
2. One poster suggested buying a higher quality used rig over a new rig of lesser quality of the same price. I like that idea but have no idea where I can get a list of the quality rigs.

Tim,
there is no list. You have to dig it out of the various RV forums. But to give you a idea -
Foretravel
Country Coach
Newell
Entegra Coach
Monaco
Tiffin
American Tradition
Am sure I have left someone out, but it is a start.

You will find many former boaters driving Foretravels. You can visit them at the Foretravel Owner's Forum. You will even find folks over there who will "Survey" a used Foretravel! I have a '94 Foretravel and would not hesitate to start out for the west coast in it today.

I find that I can go pretty much anywhere in a 27' - even park in 'car' parking spaces if I can get on the edge of the lot where I can leave the rear hanging out over the grass, etc.

National parks seem to have rather dated camping sites, among other problems caused by an ongong shortage (and currently lack) of budget appropriations.

MOst of the time, the national parks seem to suggest 35 feet as a max limit. Problems with narrow roads and tight turns sometimes with nearby tree trunks can make sites in national parks, and some state parks, difficult.