Is a longer camp site needed for back ramp

[nole_trainer]

Went out looking today at some THs and my wife asks a question that I've not thought of yet. So I understand that if we purchase a 35'ish TH a longer camp site would be needed than our current 24' hybrid typically took, but do you really need 10' more to lower the ramp to get your toys out? So would I need to look for 40' + sites?

[azdryheat]

Even if we didn't have toys we'd be hard pressed to go back to a regular 5th wheel due to the openness of the TH.

[viper48]

Most of the time we get pull through sites which are great for loading and unloading the golf cart. When I cant get a pull through I will unload and then back in to the site. If we don't take the toy it really does not matter but that is very seldom that we do not take it.

[ksss]

Out here there is a lot of older BLM and FS campgrounds, and State Parks. Most of these especially the BLM and FS campgrounds are smaller at least here. They also like to park large boulders at the end of the gravel or asphalt parking pad. Like others we plan accordingly, but these camp sites certainly were not built with a toyhauler in mind and certainly not 40' toyhaulers.

[nole_trainer]

This is all great advise, I'm still leaning towards the TH. We are just so used to all the Florida State Parks with smaller spots. Just need to expand our camping choices......

[trail-explorer]

Oaklevel wrote:
We generally unload & do not open the ramp again until we reload but a lot of campgrounds have pull through sites that work well 🙂

I usually got a pull through site, so the ramp thing only was in issues a few times when I didn't have a pull through.

In many cases when it was a back in site, the park staff disapprove of moving a wheeled vehicle anywhere outside of the barriers surrounding the "parking area" for the RV, which meant if I backed in to a site, and the ramp was able to be opened beyond the curbing or logs that surrounded the park area, they park staff would get bent out of shape if they saw me wheel my bike out and through the camp site.

[Y-Guy]

It depends... In some State sites they forbid you from unloading onto or parking on anything but pavement. Other dispersed sites it doesn't matter. As other said we often unloaded before we backed in, but if you're blocking the road you won't make to many friends. Most sites will have some sort of unloading area if that is the case.

[mrkoje]

I guess it depends on the site. I've been at quite a few sites where there was more than enough clearance but because of the shape of the terrain (hills) I couldn't drop the ramp because of the angle.

It's not something I really worry about at all. If I get a spot and I can back in and then unload great. If I have to stop halfways in the site and open the ramp then no problem. It only takes 5-10min to unstrap the gear and roll it out.

[azdryheat]

Our trailer is 41' long and the ramp adds 8' to the length. We have only used the patio for a party deck, so far, but haven't had any issues with the length of the sites. I would also recommend you lay down a tape and get the actual measured length of the proposed trailer as the brochure length dimension is never correct.

[Oaklevel]

We generally unload & do not open the ramp again until we reload but a lot of campgrounds have pull through sites that work well 🙂

[jbee]

If it is a tight spot, we usually unload on the road before backing the rig in. Same goes for loading it back up, just do it once we pull out of the spot.

[huron52]

I usaually unload the toys (bikes) before backing in.... When I leave I pull out and then load them back up. When I'm at the campsite I park them under the front.

[Dieselgem]

Not really, I think only once that I can remember.

[Bedlam]

If you don't need your tow vehicle, pull into the site nose first and run the utilities under the TH. This allows you to open the ramp up for entertainment or store your toys in the evening.

[DutchmenSport]

Last Summer we were camping at an Indiana State Park, and someone had a Raptor Toy Hauler that REALLY caught my attention. They were kind enough to let me look inside, ask all kinds of questions, and they proudly showed their unit off to me.

I then REALLY noticed the back ramp was NOT open, and they were actually backed into the campsite. I simply asked why didn't have their ramp open and they said, if they opened it, it would hit the tree behind the campsite. I think that was the first time I ever thought of the distance BEHIND a toy hauler needed at a camp site.

I asked them, how often does this happen, that they get a campsite where they cannot open the ramp and use it for a porch, a ramp, or just for the open view. They said, "too much!"

I simply never thought of that!