Wife and I just got our first TT (ECON 16RB). We've never camped in RV parks before but have done some tent camping and dry camping with a small pop-up camper on our old pick-up truck. I've been looking through the TT pic sticky and have seen a lot of great trailers and camp sites. Many of the full hook up RV sites seem to have very small/tight spaces however. Since my wife and I like a little elbow room between us and our fellow campers, we could use some guidance regarding camp site selection. Are camp sites that cater to the full hook up RV folks generally more cramped than the dry camp sites? Initially we would like something like boondocking (sp?) and a roomy dry site with maybe a dump station and some running water somewhere in the campground. Since we're new to trailer camping and not familiar with the nomenclature of camp site types, maybe you folks could lend a hand or point us to a place on the forums that might be better able to help with these kinds of questions.Thanks,Kim

It's called "economy of scale": running utilities is expensive, so most places will place sites as close together as practical so as to make maximum use of every inch of water/power/sewer line. A fact of life, especially in smaller, private RV Parks. Other more "upscale" parks may have bigger sites, but be prepared to pay for them! State Parks can in some cases be a little roomier, but even many of those are beginning to charge upfees for such "premium" sites.

Kim, Large roomy sites can be found in all Venues of camping....Of coarse Boondocking on Public land will almost guarantee elbow room, state parks and private campgrounds if chosen carefully will afford you some good sized sites with full hookups....as well....Check Out Campground reviews .com. Also private Bloggs often keep detailed Campground reviews.....check out Hitchitch.....and RV Dreams....

We are at Mountain Views RV Park in Creede, CO which all sites are full hookups. The sites are about 30 feet wide by at least 50 feet long. Lots of room between RVs and room to park your vehicle/truck. Very nice and clean and a beautiful park. http://www.mountainviewsrv.com/

We have found that most older, private parks are tighter than the newer ones. Also, generally we have found State parks to be more roomy in most cases. Some of the best parks we have found have been County, Military, some City, and most Corps of Engineer parks.Barney

I don't know why anyone would settle for high density parking. Keep looking.

Larger Campsites? | Good Sam Community

Francesca_Knowl
Explorer
Aug 03, 2014
Terms used are usually " FHU' or "full hookup", which does mean all three; "PH" or "partial hookups" usually means water/power. Sites with water or electric only will be so designated, though water only is rare.

Sites with no utilities at all are usually either unlabeled or designated as "drycamping".

Amenities like cable/wifi etc., if available, are usually listed too.
ragged_claws
Explorer
Aug 03, 2014
A lot of great info so far. Thanks for all of the replies. Is there a name for campsites with sewer/AC/water, and another name for campsites without sewer but with AC/water? And maybe another name for dry sites without anything but a dump station. I'm not trying to be overly obtuse here, but I'm a real newbie when it comes to TT camping. I'm assuming that a camp ground that advertises full hook-ups is saying that the sites have sewer/AC/water. I don't know what the other type of camp grounds would be called. I only have a 10 gal. black water tank so am not sure how long I can go without a dump station. Thanks for your patience.

Kim

P.S. My references to AC is meant to indicate electricity (alternating current) and not air conditioning.
Redterpos3
Explorer
Aug 03, 2014
Sometimes I've found larger sites when I don't need sewer hookup. When installing sewer they stack them side by side, easier for the flow.;)
Golden_HVAC
Explorer
Aug 03, 2014
I talked to a guy who had a small Toyota based motorhome in one of the larger sites. He says he reserves a site for his "30' motorhome" then shows up with his 20' RV, and has a slightly larger site. Sometimes they put him into a tent site, because his little RV will fit.

Fred.
coolbreeze01
Explorer
Aug 03, 2014
I don't know why anyone would settle for high density parking. Keep looking.
BarneyS
Explorer III
Aug 03, 2014
We have found that most older, private parks are tighter than the newer ones. Also, generally we have found State parks to be more roomy in most cases. Some of the best parks we have found have been County, Military, some City, and most Corps of Engineer parks.
Barney
doxiluvr
Explorer II
Aug 03, 2014
We are at Mountain Views RV Park in Creede, CO which all sites are full hookups. The sites are about 30 feet wide by at least 50 feet long. Lots of room between RVs and room to park your vehicle/truck. Very nice and clean and a beautiful park.
http://www.mountainviewsrv.com/
GENECOP
Explorer II
Aug 03, 2014
Kim, Large roomy sites can be found in all Venues of camping....Of coarse Boondocking on Public land will almost guarantee elbow room, state parks and private campgrounds if chosen carefully will afford you some good sized sites with full hookups....as well....Check Out Campground reviews .com. Also private Bloggs often keep detailed Campground reviews.....check out Hitchitch.....and RV Dreams....
Francesca_Knowl
Explorer
Aug 03, 2014
It's called "economy of scale": running utilities is expensive, so most places will place sites as close together as practical so as to make maximum use of every inch of water/power/sewer line. A fact of life, especially in smaller, private RV Parks. Other more "upscale" parks may have bigger sites, but be prepared to pay for them!

State Parks can in some cases be a little roomier, but even many of those are beginning to charge upfees for such "premium" sites.

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