If you've got a rear bed slide - Jayco X213/X254 or others

[SilverEscape]

Around here they list sites based on trailer length, so our parks will list sites for a trailer up to 24', up to 27', up to 32', some smaller and larger sizes as well. Last summer was our first summer with our trailer and I had to book one site before we picked it out without knowing how far the slide stuck out. So being a 24' towing length, I booked a 27' site. When we got the trailer I discovered it sticks out 5', so 29' total length. But we fit into site for a 27' trailer just fine. Especially since our slide sits high so can easily extend over top of things as long as trees allow us room to extend out.

Got me wondering if maybe some of the trailer max lengths are partially determined by the easy of getting a trailer of a certain size into the spot? or is it solely based on what trailer will fit once in the spot?

Some places give dimensions such as total site size, and pad size (although we don't have paved pads or anything, this is just the flatter area for the trailer, usually gravel), but our national parks only give a "trailer up to this size" dropdown box and no site measurements in the description.

So now I'm curious what size of site you book with your extending rear bed slide trailer? The towing trailer length, the full extended length, somewhere in between?

[SilverEscape]

BubbaChris wrote:


Since you said the CG is well treed, I'm guessing Google and Bing Maps overhead views don't help?

Unfortunately not. We did check the aerial views of maps out but can't see anything useful (see lots of green and can't even see all the roads throughout the campground). It's a coniferous forest with trees 40'-100' tall. I was hoping that Google had driven through and done a street view like they had at another Canadian national park we booked at, but no such luck at this one.

[SoundGuy]

BubbaChris wrote:
We have a local State Park that creates their max size based on making the turn into the spot. They have some 75-foot long spots rated for 24-foot TT's because it is a 90-degree turn off the access road and they consider the non-paved area to be "sensitive desert habitat"

Don't ya just love those campgrounds with one way roads, then get to your site and find the angle at which you have to turn the trailer to back it into the site is way more than 90 degrees?!!! I'm a bad boy ... when I know that's going to happen I'll ignore the one way sign and go in the opposite way so I can then back into the site at less than 90 degrees. I have to wonder sometimes if any of these park designers ever think of this stuff!

[SoundGuy]

mtofell1 wrote:
I've found the limiting factor more often to be getting into the site rather than the TT actually fitting in the site once your in. Around here there always seems to be a tree in just the wrong place that disrupts the TV as it's backing in.

Based on my experiences, I'd agree ... it's not so much the size of the site itself but just getting into the darned thing. :S For me the "magic number" has always been ~ 25' ... much longer and you gotta think not just about campsite size but also how you're going to swing it around that "inappropriately placed" tree or rock or even a campsite post! Under 25' and it's just doesn't seem to be much of an issue.

[BubbaChris]

SilverEscape wrote:


Got me wondering if maybe some of the trailer max lengths are partially determined by the easy of getting a trailer of a certain size into the spot? or is it solely based on what trailer will fit once in the spot?

We have a local State Park that creates their max size based on making the turn into the spot. They have some 75-foot long spots rated for 24-foot TT's because it is a 90-degree turn off the access road and they consider the non-paved area to be "sensitive desert habitat"

Since you said the CG is well treed, I'm guessing Google and Bing Maps overhead views don't help?

[SilverEscape]

mtofell1 wrote:
I've found the limiting factor more often to be getting into the site rather than the TT actually fitting in the site once your in. Around here there always seems to be a tree in just the wrong place that disrupts the TV as it's backing in.

That's what I was wondering if it was the case. Both sites I have the option of appear, from the pics, to be decent to get into with our trailer size.

[SilverEscape]

Experiences like yours SoundGuy is exactly why I'm asking! We had a tent trailer prior to this so could fit most anywhere and are just gaining experience with a travel trailer. Also, the sites having lengths to book by has only arrived in my province in the last couple years. Not sure how long it's been at the national park level as last summer was our first summer back at a national park.

The sites at the park we are going to are fully surrounded by trees. So that is exactly my worry; that the bed won't extend into the trees and my tongue will be forced out into the road which wouldn't be allowed. It's hard to get perspective from 2D pics. And since my trailer is 29' hitch to slide end, I thought it may be a concern.

And I'm am completely happy if I find out I'm worrying about nothing. 🙂 We've only had one trip to a campground in our new trailer so I don't have the experience as to how accurate those site sizing guides are.

Also, it was for curiosities sake. Wondered what other people did. Conversation topic. 🙂

[mtofell1]

I've found the limiting factor more often to be getting into the site rather than the TT actually fitting in the site once your in. Around here there always seems to be a tree in just the wrong place that disrupts the TV as it's backing in.

[SoundGuy]

Sorry, but I just don't see the issue here ... regardless of whether we're talking about a trailer with a rear glide or not any of these site dimensions that I've seen are intended only as a general guide and are intended to give you an approximate idea as to how much room is available to park a trailer, whatever it may be. In the many years we've been camping here in Canada and in many parts of the US about the only limitation we've run into has been the rare circumstance when there's been a large tree or boulder located right at the rear of the pad where the trailer would be parked and would therefore predetermine where the tongue would sit, but that's been a rare occurrence. Even with our previous KZ Spree which measured 26' 9" coupler to bumper I never had any difficulties locating on sites described as for "small trailers". Our current trailer measures 22' 6" coupler to bumper and when selecting a site always look at the largest numbers of sites available by selecting "trailers 18' or less", knowing that about the only site I can't get on is a terraced tent site, for obvious reasons. JMO but this is much ado about nothing until you're in the 30'+ range when you probably should then give some thought to trailer length vs site size, otherwise in my experience it's a concern over nothing.

[SilverEscape]

Called the main number and they got me through to the actual park. It was sort of helpful. They say that site size ratings are based on maneuverability into the site and site size. But sometimes smaller sites are the only ones left so they'll let people with larger trailers try and report back how it went. They save this data in a spreadsheet. The notes say that the 27' site that came up today, say that a 30' trailer has fit in that spot. The site we currently have booked didn't have any notes about other trailer sizes but it also didn't have notes about "tree stump in way" or "odd bend makes it hard for larger trailer to get into", etc. and they typically try and add that info as well.

I'd rather not risk swapping sites since I have to swap two and one could disappear on me while I'm booking and cancelling others.

[SilverEscape]

My problem this time round is the place we are going, the sites went up for reservation one morning while I was at work and couldn't reserve. 6 hours later when I got to it, all sites that fit trailers 27' or higher were gone. There were a couple 24' trailer spots so I took one. They had pics, but it's hard to tell the length of a site from a pic.

I've been to the park many times but in a tent. We went last year in a spot for a 27' trailer and fit fine. They are well treed, fairly private spots and the campground is decently large so not easy to check out all the spots to know what will and won't fit.

A spot came up today for a 27' trailer and I am considering paying the fee to switch to it (2 fees as I then need to switch my parents tent spot as well), but from the pics I'm not sure how much different it looks in size anyway.

I will call the park today and ask about what their sizing means though. As in, do they mean box size length or towing length, etc.

[RVcircus]

I use the extended length to be safe, but if there aren't any available sites I've gone slightly shorter. I'd rather not squeeze into sites though.

[dadmomh]

With our ROO HTT, it had a box 20'+ without the beds deployed. When the rear bunkend was out, add about 4'. The total B - B length was around 24 with the rear not deployed. I always said 30'. Our 2604 had a box truly 26'4" and B - B was right at 30. I still said 30 and sometimes 32' depending on the knowledge I might have about the campground. If you have a deep side slide, be sure to ask about trees on that side. With the HTT, we found some sites that were a decent fit until you tried to drop the rear bunkend and found a tree in the way. Most times I reserved online and could sometimes see a pix of the site. When in doubt, I called the CG to ask about those specifics.

[YamaDooed]

I find most sites fit just the box size fine with the bed extended over the grass similar to what most popups do. We've had a few sites where we extend out over a hill which makes for a nice view as our Kodiak has a rear window to look out. Decision of squeezing in is mostly due to the availability of more desirable smaller scenic campsites vs larger more open to maneuver larger trailers into sites.

[Dog_Folks]

Our trailer is 29 feet closed, 34 feet open. We always use the "closed" length when making reservations.

Only once did we have a tight site, but we got it in. The rear slide was hanging over a small cliff!