longer trailer?

[mayorb]

Well we just got back from another great trip to a Texas state park. Now the family wants to start going with us. (this a great thing for me) But we are thinking about upgrading to a larger trailer possibly 35-37 ft. So the questions to you guys is do you have trouble towing thru cities? Seems like every direction go I've got to go thru one. So you'll know we have a 2500hd gasser and propride. We have a 30 ft trailer now. It just seems like I'm competing with the 18 wheels for space on the road.LOL Also I hope to go on longer trips this summer Fla. or Colorado.

Thanks for your comments
mayor

[Rumtan]

You can always pack a tent and air mattress for guests.

[Community Alumni]

I'm at almost 36' and I don't have trouble getting through cities most times. While lost in NY once, we were able to get around Yonkers and The Bronx. I can tell you that those areas were definitely not designed with large vehicles in mind, but we were able to navigate though just fine. Just took some patients, but that's true with a lot of areas in the northeast. I've never had a problem around any other areas of the country though. Long trailers feel like they're as big as big rigs at first, but the more you get use to them you realize that there's not much difference between towing it and ones that are 10' less.

[fanrgs]

You will have very little problem towing a 35-37 foot trailer on major highways in Colorado. My brother-in-law does it all the time with his 36-foot Outback TT. Only if you try to tow it places like over the Million Dollar Highway from Ouray to Silverton, Trail Ridge Road in RMNP, or Rimrock Drive in Colorado National Monument might you have a problem.

However, you will not fit into most Forest Service campgrounds in Colorado, which generally have few, if any, long campsites or pull-thrus. National park and monument campgrounds in Colorado may have some long campsites, but they will require advance reservations during the peak summer season. Most Colorado state parks have long pull-thru and back-in sites, but, again, they are limited in number at some parks. We have a short 5th wheel, which we special-ordered so that we would be able to fit in all those tight campgrounds in the Rockies.

[mayorb]

thanks everybody for your comments. Dick_b you are right about minds changing. It would be cheaper to put them up in a cabin the few times they go. These would be mainly the adults. there is a reason I went with this size trailer (30 ft), and sometimes i have to get reminded. If i knew that it would be just DW and me I'd go smaller. I'm looking forward to taking longer trips from home this summer.

mayor

[rbpru]

We have a 25 ft TT because it is the size we like. We have never had an issue with campsite space or winding through towns to find a quilt or gun shop. It also matches our F-150 well.

Floor plan trumps all else however, so if the DW wants a certain size; that is the right size. 🙂

[Bob_Shaw]

Many state parks have a size limit. Many are 35'. I have a 40' 5th wheel and I can't negotiate the roads in many of the Georgia State Parks. And on one occasion at Fort Desoto State Park near St Petersburg Fla, the surrounding trees prevented me from maneuvering into the assigned site. Rear swing, as mentioned is an issue with any towed vehicle, and can get interesting in city traffic.

[73guna]

The longer the trailer the more you have to be aware of the tail swing.

[Terryallan]

corvettekent wrote:

Terryallan wrote:
Truth is. the only time you will notice a longer trailer, Is when you are doing a sharp turn, backing in, or finding a campsite. On the road. You won't see much if any difference.

You will notice it in the mountains or at least you should.

You will notice the weight, (long doesn't mean heavier) as you would with any TT. but on a main road, you won't.

Now I do agree you will notice it on a back skinny mountain road. some Cg we go to, I have to use both sides, and then some to get thru the 180 curves. You can almost look over and see the TT wheels.

[corvettekent]

Terryallan wrote:
Truth is. the only time you will notice a longer trailer, Is when you are doing a sharp turn, backing in, or finding a campsite. On the road. You won't see much if any difference.

You will notice it in the mountains or at least you should.

[Dick_B]

I don't know what Family means but if kids are included they change their minds like you change socks. I'd hate to plunk out $50K or more and then find out they don't want to go anymore.
How about tents for the Family? Or choose a campground with cabins and put the Family in the cabin for sleeping but in the RV for everything else.

[bobndot]

On the road it won't matter how long you are, your space is your space.
Width is the same and that's where an over-the-road problem would matter.

It will be a lot easier to use pull thru sites. Most of those CG access roads are wide enough to accommodate large rigs to access a pull thru. At times, trying to get to get to some back-in sites, the access road to them was the problem...too narrow and tight to turn.

On any trip , I always plan ahead and do a visual of my intended route on Google maps . I use the satellite function to actually see the landscape.
Makes it easy to pick n choose large easy in/out fuel stops as well possible tight turn options.

Often a website (youtube has many) will show a video of each site at various CG's. Having a visual of a site prior to occupying it can sometimes be helpful.

Tight turns in towns will require you to use more of the other lane to to turn right. At times, I sometimes needed (it was easier) to go around the block to turn at an intersection with no other traffic allowing me to use ALL the lanes, or drive past my intended right turn, then make a u-turn in a large parking lot then come back and make a left. A lot easier to make lefts towing long trailers. 🙂

[downtheroad]

mayorb wrote:
We have a 30 ft trailer now. It just seems like I'm competing with the 18 wheels for space on the road.LOL

Thanks for your comments
mayor

Everytime we compete with an 18 wheeler, we LOOSE (big time).

Seriously, towing won't be a big change from what you have now. Tighter turn and some campsites can be an issue.
Good luck with your choice.

[DutchmenSport]

We went from 30.5 feet to 35.5. With the bumper carrier on the trailer attached, it's closer to 38 feet. Navigating on the road? I never noticed any difference, except we'd had the 30 foot for 8 years when we sold it (so I wasn't so overly cautions any more), and the new one was ... well ... new! So I was originally overly cautious. But really, no noticeable difference. Now, here is its almost 4 years later with the 35 footer and its now just "old hat" comfortable now.

[kohai]

Terryallan wrote:
Truth is. the only time you will notice a longer trailer, Is when you are doing a sharp turn, backing in, or finding a campsite. On the road. You won't see much if any difference.

+1