So I'm purchasing my first Class C rv for a cross country trip in the summer. I was all set on getting one approx 25' long. However, I'm second guess myself and thinking it would be nice to go a little bigger. The big question, does a shorter RV play nicer in the National Parks? Or does that 5' not really matter? Thanks in advance for any info!

I liked the fact that our 28' had an island queen bed. Was SO much easier to make up (plus there was good storage along the sides). Re: Nat'l Parks - unless you visit in the way-OFF season, ANY RV will be a stinker to park in those lovely scenic turnouts. We usually rented a car to do our exploring with - then we could fit in that "last available space" to see the waterfall, etc. Some parks limit vehicle length to 22' (Glacier's Going-To-The-Sun Rd) on the smaller scenic drives.But as far as driving down the road, I doubt a 25' feels any more petite than a 28' or so. And if you'll be spending weeks doing this, having the extra room and seating in the MH would be nice

In the national parks I've been too, my 30' was fine. When I was buying it back in 2004, I was led to believe that 30' was a maximum. But, I'd be more concerned with internal design for a trip that length. You don't say how many of you there are, but a lot of the shorter RV's don't have a separate bedroom - just a curtain at the end of the bed. We love having a sliding door to the bedroom as well as being able to block off the hallway for an expanded bathroom (nice when showering - you can step into the hallway where the closet/dresser drawers are and change there).If you haven't been RV'ing before, rent something now for a weekend and see what you like/don't like about your rental.JMHO! Good luck with your purchase!Bill

There is much to learn about length and the handling of the rigs. E450 Chassis' are very popular, but the available carried weight of your possessions gets less and less as the rigs get longer and more slides.I doubt whether National Parks for the most part would be much more difficult to navigate at almost any Class C length.

I will second a few other posts. How many are making the trip with you. There are advantages to the different sizes. Short rigs have more CCC and it is easier to find parking when playing tourist. The wife and I have a 26.5' rig that is just right for us. I do a lot of longer solo trips (I am retired, she is not). I have not had trouble finding parking in campsites, but at sight seeing stops along the way even this length is sometimes long. Also look at the amount of overhang. As already mentioned there is a ratio of length to wheel base that makes a big difference in handling.

Having had both a 24 and a 31, we prefer the longer if only for the walk-around bed. If you are the one who has to make it, you will prefer it too. As older folks, we also find it convenient not to have to climb over your partner if you need to get up at night. The short one sure was easier to park at the tourist traps, though!

Cross Country Trip - What length Class C??? | Good Sam Community

Udetective
Explorer
Jan 15, 2017
Thank you EVERYONE!! What great info from everyone. I'm still undecided lol might be what I get the best deal on :) happy traveling.
ron_dittmer
Explorer II
Jan 15, 2017
Sully2 wrote:
j-d wrote:
This Vehicle Length Limits Page is titled "Sequoia & Kings Canyon"
Thats why the wife and I always had a Jeep toad with us...unook and go wandering.....
Like you, we always tow our 4x4 so we can go anywhere, and we do freely go anywhere. Once we did not take the Jeep along and regretted it. The only time I would leave the Jeep home now would be if driving to Alaska.
ron_dittmer
Explorer II
Jan 15, 2017
When sightseeing anywhere/everywhere, but especially in the national parks, once you exceed 21 feet, you don't fit in an automobile parking spot. At that point, you will miss out on some pull-offs during peak season. If touring when the kids are in school, the population in the parks dwindle and so the parking problem greatly diminishes.

Exceeding 30 feet can get tricky in some NP camp grounds. Their narrow winding campground roads with trees at the edges of the pavement need to be taken with care or you'll kiss a tree. Then there are some campsites that won't work with a 30 footer. Again during the slow season you can afford to pass them by.

During peak season, good luck to us all. Extra prayers needed for the longer rigs. The popular national parks get swamped at peak season. Parks like Yosemite for example gets inundated with people who live near by in the Los Angeles area.

If you are real good at planning and sticking to it in a motor home, reservations are wise to get. But you need to play the "reservation game" where camp grounds at peak season get booked within the first day the ticket office opens for the year.

We always travel without reservations and stay in the secondary camp grounds or even in a nearby national forest. Rarely will we stay in a private campground near a national park. Once in a while it works better than staying in the park, like outside Acadia NP at Hadley's Point Campground for example.
bigskygrizzlybe
Explorer
Jan 14, 2017
I live in Ohio and have been Yellowstone and Glacier many times. Just my wife and I and pooch. Have a 24 foot with 6 foot slide that turns the sofa into bed. No problems, but the older I get, it would sure be nice not to have to crawl over wife a couple of times a night to go to bathroom. If I had to do it again, I would go with queen bed in rear. 4 or 5 feet not much difference on roads or in parks.
Sully2
Explorer
Jan 14, 2017
j-d wrote:
This Vehicle Length Limits Page is titled "Sequoia & Kings Canyon"

Thats why the wife and I always had a Jeep toad with us...unook and go wandering.....
winnietrey
Explorer
Jan 14, 2017
In my humble opinion, Yes a 24ft does play much nicer. We have had a 24ft for 13 years, and 65K miles, been all over the western US and Alaska and Canada. No toad.

It is not the actual camping that is the problem with a larger rig, it, is the sightseeing part that is a problem.

Lets say you want to stop at a roadside attraction, or a store, or restaurant or even leave your campsite to see something in a National Park. The smaller you are the easier it is to find parking.

Do you Plan to have a toad? That will make a big difference. And what is it you want to do? Are you a road tripper like us, stay a night or three and move on seeing things along the way? Or do you want to go to one place, stay for a week or more and satellite out with a toad?

If the former go smaller, if the latter go larger
j-d
Explorer II
Jan 14, 2017
This Vehicle Length Limits Page is titled "Sequoia & Kings Canyon"
Sully2
Explorer
Jan 14, 2017
27-29 footer...depending on the interior layout
Deb_and_Ed_M
Explorer II
Jan 14, 2017
j-d wrote:
Driving cross country, no differences till you try to park at some tight place, and even then you'll probably find the 30-ft range doesn't cause more trouble than the 25-ft range. This from owning a 24 and a 31.

Using state/national parks as an example, here's my list, easier on top, tougher on bottom:

Driving into the park
Driving to the campground
Parking on campsites
Driving within the park sightseeing
Parking within the park at lookouts/points of interest while sightseeing

Ths length limit on Going to the Sun Highway is pretty short. Like a Class B. Can't be over 21' long, 8' wide, 10' high. That eliminates pretty much all Class C's.

Good list! If I remember correctly, King's Canyon Nat'l Park (and maybe Sequoia?) had 22' limits for many of the sightseeing roads through the parks - and I think it was the east entrance into Yosemite that had Ed and I saying "EEEKS - glad we're not in the motorhome" due to narrow, twisty, mountain-walled roads?
_en_Plain_Air_
Explorer
Jan 14, 2017
Try reversing the thinking. What is the smallest (therefore, most convenient to drive and navigate) vehicle that you can comfortable live in without a daily firedrill to re-configure (ie turning sofas into beds etc), that also has the cargo carrying capacity to take what you would want for a long trip. We chose a 27' Class C unit with a rear twin/king bedroom, and a real dinette. We sleep in the back and store 'stuff' and gear in the over cab bunk. We spent a total of 13 months on long trips over the last 2 years and are confident our choice was good for us. We are nimble, wholly self-contained, and we love our little house. Would not want to be any longer, and we don't need the length. It's a personal decision, but do consider what you 'need' vs the many bells and whistles that really aren't necessary for a simple life on the road.