How long is too long?

Check out RvSearch.com for many floorplans and lengths. Don't go specific on your mileage from home just yet, look at units that will work for you. Then try to find one close to home or someplace like Yellowstone, where you can drive out to look at it, then vacation on the way back home.

I agree that a 26 or 28' overall is better and easier to park in a National Park. My 30' motorhome limits me to only a few dozen sites in a 120 site campground. I was in a 40' Country Coach in Sequoia National Park and finding a site to accomidate the RV and Jeep we towed was really difficult, I had to rent a additional site for the Jeep. I pulled into the first site I could on mid day Friday, and then went looking for a better site, did not find anything else that looked like it could handle the 40' RV. So I was really lucky.

Had it been a trailer, there is no way I could have backed it into that site, it was way far away from a cross street, and would take 1/2 mile loop to get out to where it could be turned around again, so getting out on a one way street through the campground loop would be impossible.

At least with a motorhome, you can pick backing in or drive in. I prefer backing in, because normally the rear overhang is so much longer, you can back over the bumper stops at the rear of the campsite, and stop when the tires reach the bump stop. With a travel trailer, pulling in and leaving the truck hooked up is rarely a option on a 40' long site. Parking the trailer than pulling the truck along side is rarely a option on a pull into site, especially when there are specific rules against pulling onto the grass, or as in this site, a cement weighted down cement picknic table right in front of the parking pad. Other sites had rocks - 3' diameter to prevent you from backing over them, and parking a longer than normal RV on the 20 - 25' long paved parking pads.

Once you find a unit, say a Cedar Creek, write back. Ask "How does Cedar Creek compare to other travel trailers" and you will get several responces. Some RV manufactures have gone really cheap. The Cedar Creek that I was in was top notch for a fifth wheel, and they are one of the better built units.

I like my97 Fleetwood Bounder, and toured the factory twice before buying it. Took a tour again after it was a couple years old, and saw many nice things about it. They have a channel near the ceiling on each side, where wiring is run at the factory, easy to get to for repairs, and easy for me to install new wiring to run a 1,500 watt inverter, and install a TV camera, and several other things. You might want to look for this feature on any RV's you are looking at.

Also my RV has both 12 and 120 volt wiring to the rear bedroom, so it is possible to install a second A/C. What I did was replace the noisy bathroom fan and the kitchen and bedroom manual vents with fantastic fans, covering them with Maxx air vents, so that I can leave them open in the rain, nothing will get inside. The vents are also 17 years old, without cracking the plastic covers. The Maxx Air covers seem to hold up to the UV rays very well.

Fred.

I am Yu wrote:
I used to have a 21-foot travel trailer that I lived in full-time. It was liveable, but cramped. Now I'm looking for another trailer, and I want something bigger, but not too big.

A 21' footer isn't roomy enough for most people to live in from what I have read and heard. But if you get one with a slide, you will be really amazed at the difference. You will still fit in almost all camping sites and still have some breathing room.

Most of the time, the trailer will sit in an RV park while I'm stuck going to work every day. But when I have the chance to go somewhere, I like to get off the beaten track, and I don't want a trailer that's too big for the graded dirt roads in the mountains and deserts of the West of the sort that I used to take my old 21-footer on without trouble.

Then look for the shorter TTs with slides. You will have more width with less length.

I'm looking for used trailers, and there's not that much to choose from. One ad, for instance, is for a Fleetwood 28X. I'm thinking that might be too big. Any thoughts?

It sounds too long for what you are looking for. Check Craigslist under RVs for your state and city. Then surrounding cities. I assure you that unless you live in a small town in the boonies, you will find plenty of used TTs in the size you want.

I would agree with others and find a cheep small TT to take in remote areas.

DesertHawk wrote:

One could go for a long trailer to live in while working & get a small TT for going camping. It could be used as storage when not in use. Something on the lines of a Little Joe & Ponderosa TTs. Very small, yet large beds; made in Colorado. Interior height is at 6'.

Also could be used as a coffin when you pass, if not a bit to small. ;)

If I’m reading you right about where you want to go, I agree a 28’ is too big. Especially since sizes seem understated, maybe they’re using box length and you have to add another 3’ or so to get the real length. You have the advantage over me because you know where you went before while I have to speculate. But my feeling after many decades of camping out west, off the beaten path, is that to get well back in somewhere it’s best to stay under 20’. 24’ is about the max I’d go if I wanted more room, but that would limit me to not getting too far off a decent road. But the bulk of my camping is on forest service roads in the national forests and they’re not graded or “improved”.

So it really depends just how far off the beaten path you want to get. My suggestion would be stay below 25’, but that’s not much of an improvement over what you already have. I think you’ll have find something big enough that you’re happy with the space and accept whatever limitation that imposes on you as far as where you can go. I have a 16’ because I can get it about anywhere I want to go and that’s my number 1 priority. But even I’ll admit I wouldn’t want to live in it in an RV park for any extended period of time. Good luck with your decision.

Should had mentioned that Jaycos 26.5' Jay Flight 22FB is pretty nice with a separate dinette and j-steel sofa with a queen bed. It's the same floorplan as mine minus the rear bunks and bathroom /sink but with a large bathroom with closet.

Not sure if your present trailer has slides or not, one can still get more living area in a small trailer if it has slides. Such as: Fun Finder

Keystone Hideout at least a 2012 Hideout 22-foot Travel Trailer by Keystone

One could go for a long trailer to live in while working & get a small TT for going camping. It could be used as storage when not in use. Something on the lines of a Little Joe & Ponderosa TTs. Very small, yet large beds; made in Colorado. Interior height is at 6'.

Unfortunately I can't fit my Jayco Jay Flight 26BH in to many state park campsites like I could my previous Jay Flight 19BH 22.5' travel trailer. It's 29' long and if I could, I wouldn't had gone longer than 26'. BUT you'd be hard pressed to find a bunk house trailer with bunks, sofa, and a queen bed without being at least 28' - 29' minimum.

Also, you can't go by a model number to determine your campers actual length. Some use the number but it's very few. Most use a number near the box length which means you'd need to add another 3.5' for the tongue and bumper. For instance my 22'5" long 19BH. Then you have my 29'1" long 26BH. Also Jayco uses different numbers for the same floorplan. 26BH and 27BH are the same floorplan so the numbers aren't the box number always. Campgrounds use the actual length to determine if your camper is going to fit into their campsites, not a model number that could mean anything.

Good luck.