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NCMODELA's avatar
NCMODELA
Explorer
Jun 25, 2018

Site length vs unit length

Hey guys. I booked a site at Davidson river campground and the site says max length 38’ and driveway 44’. My camper is 35’ long and with my 12 passenger van it’s like 58’ long. This is my second time with the new 35’ camper. I had a 30’ before.

My question is do these numbers factor in the tow vehicle and camper? I typically jus parked perpendicular to the camper after unhooking. So I don’t need the full site length. But now I’m scared I won’t have enough room to back the trailer in. What’s yours guys experience when choosing campsites.
  • troubledwaters wrote:
    My TT is just over 30" tip to tip. I always book sites that are at least 35-feet long, that way I am sure I will have a cushion to play with.


    Wow, with a TT just 30 inches long and a site that's 35 feet long, yeah I'd say you'd "have a cushion to play with. :W
  • Ours is 32ft all in. We book 40 or more feet length sites since long bed truck. Never an issue. Last trip a guy pulled his fiver into what I thought a small spot. Overhang in back made it work with his truck parked sideways.
  • My TT is just over 30" tip to tip. I always book sites that are at least 35-feet long, that way I am sure I will have a cushion to play with. Never know when you might have to move forward or back a bit to get the awning out, or to miss a tree with the slideout, whatever.
  • So much depend on the campground it is hard to say. This weekend we stayed at a State Park where our tow vehicle and another car could park side by side in front of the TT. I have been in other parks where you could barely squeeze the TV in at a diagonal.

    I have also seen this between sites in the same park.

    In general if they tell you the spot is 60 ft. deep, it is 60 ft. deep. If they say it will hold a 40 footer it is difficult to guess the total depth.

    Good Luck
  • With a 35' trailer you've got 9' in that driveway, your van won't be 9' wide so place it across the front perpendicular to the trailer.
  • You'll probably have no problems at all. Go enjoy! When you back into the site, it's possible the tow vehicle will be in the middle of the road blocking traffic. Don't let that bother you. Folks WILL wait. It's just part of the experience we all deal with. Someday, you also will be waiting while someone is unhitching and their vehicle is in the middle of the road. What goes around DOES come around.

    Just back in, unhitch, even if the vehicle is in the road. After unhitching, park like you normally do (perpendicular to the trailer). If campground management doesn't like you parking your tow vehicle that way, and there's no other option, there is most likely an over flow parking for visitors. Just park the tow vehicle there and walk back to the camper. No biggie.

    FYI, my entire rig is 59.5 feet in length. I've never had a problem as long as the campsite posted had a pad side longer than 35 feet.
  • One dimension that's overlooked is the overhang from the wheels to the back of the trailer. If bushes and trees aren't blocking that, it gives you more room.