Forum Discussion

TheFifeBand's avatar
TheFifeBand
Explorer
Sep 01, 2020

Max length definition

I am looking to buy my first travel trailer. One thing I have noticed on a lot of campgrounds I have looked at online is an advertised maximum length. It seems like a lot of state and national parks require the trailer be under 20’, 25’ or 30’’’. What I am wondering is what that length refers to. Trailers often say they are for instance a 28x, and the trailer itself is 28 feet. However, if you include the tongue of the trailer it measures closer to 31’. So in that example, would that trailer be allowed in a campground that advertises a 30’ maximum length? Are we talking body of trailer or all the way to the tongue?

14 Replies

  • Kt is correct, parks are all over the board on this. Best to call and check. Or ask others that went there. If possable get the bigger site.
  • my experience is that the method to specify max length varies all over the place. some places it is pad length some places it's by someone (with or without trailer experience) saying what THEY think will fit. And lots in between.

    I've found many places that say 30 ft max trailer and I can park the trailer hooked to my truck (65 ft overall) and fit on the pad. rear wheels hit the back of the pad and the rest of the trailer hangs over.

    Other places say 45ft or more max and I have to unhook and put the truck sideways. One favorite campground site has a warning that trailers over 20ft will NOT fit in site x. My 35 ft trailer fits will room to spare and with easy access. Pad length alone is almost 70 ft. Some other sites at the same campground say 30, 35, 40 ft and it is a very tight fit to get a trailer that size into the site given how narrow the access road is in that spot and how tight the pad access is.

    I take the info with a grain of salt. many sites let you see the pad and access on the web and along with a phone call I can determine if I'll fit.
  • Some places don't like the tongue sticking out in the road. If it says the site is only 25' long I think it means a TT over 25' would not fit.