What Length Are They Really Referring To?

[sonuvabug]

When I go on-line and look at individual campsites at either RV campgrounds or at State Parks etc., many will state something like ... "suitable for rigs, set-ups or RV's up to xx feet in length."

Are they referring to just the RV/trailer itself or are they including the tow vehicle? i.e. we tow a cargo trailer behind our truck/TC set-up so are we 43' long (trailer plus truck) or just 23' long (trailer hitch plus cargo trailer without the truck).

How do you interpret what they write?

[sonuvabug]

stevenal wrote:

Terryallan wrote:
It is in fact the trailer. IF you can get the trailer on site. you can always park the TV somewhere else. The CG we have used on the Blue ridge Parkway. Have TV parking areas

A bit inconvenient if your tow vehicle is where you sleep, cook, etc. This is the truck camper forum, and the OP's trailer is for cargo.

Actually it can be a lot inconvenient as I'm specifically referring to our truck/TC set-up towing our cargo trailer carrying our camping gear (cookstove/grill, lawnchairs, water/beach toys & pull cart, firewood etc. plus ... our 2 maxi-scooters).

We could park the cargo trailer elsewhere if needed (have done this once) but that approach was a PITA and denied us access to just about all of the outdoor equipment we schlep along with us.

And before someone suggests cut back on what we bring, that is not an option. We love to camp, ride our scoots, grill and relax around the fire. It took us a decade to tune what we bring and everything has its place in making our trips comfortable, pleasant and memorable for us.

It seems that after reading all of the posts, there really isn't a set guideline as to what constitutes "maximum RV/unit length" from campground to campground.

Thanks all for sharing your opinions.

[slickrock_steve]

I too noticed that. It seems we have a lot of folks with trailers, and tow rigs, not campers. Not picking a fight, just an observation.

[stevenal]

Terryallan wrote:
It is in fact the trailer. IF you can get the trailer on site. you can always park the TV somewhere else. The CG we have used on the Blue ridge Parkway. Have TV parking areas

A bit inconvenient if your tow vehicle is where you sleep, cook, etc. This is the truck camper forum, and the OP's trailer is for cargo.

[2oldman]

thedavidzoo wrote:
For years I used to sweat this, reserving every night of 1-2 month long trips, months in advance, to popular national parks.

Yikes.

[Jaxom]

My rig is 53 1/2 feet long. I have been unable to find a campsite in Moab that I didn't have to break it down. Jeep goes inside trailer 😉

[thedavidzoo]

For years I used to sweat this, reserving every night of 1-2 month long trips, months in advance, to popular national parks.

In the past, when we reserved a 25' space for a 26' TT online (NP, SP, public), there has always been plenty of additional length for the tow vehicle, even unhitched. Sometimes the pavement is double wide so you park next to the RV. Lots of public campgrounds don't seem to distinguish between travel trailer length + TV or single motorhome (RV), even if you can click between the 2 on the reservation site. They seem to assume that there will be one extra vehicle per camping unit. I've noticed site measurements are usually conservative unless it specifically states a short pavement length or other restriction. Approach angles, boulders, and tree "tunnels" can be the limiting factor. Then again I have seen folks do some interesting things to get into their site with their 5+ axle combos....:R
Only once ever did we have trouble with a site. That was in Lassen Volcanic National Park, and only because the site was extremely narrow and crescent shaped between dense trees, not length. Now with just the TC, I don't worry much.:C

[trail-explorer]

My experience has been that it's the entire length of the parking space that is available for parking the entire rig in, whether it's a class A DP, a truck and travel trailer, or truck camper with something towed behind it.

[Jayco-noslide]

I really don't know but we have a 30 ft. MH and tow a subcompact and it the site advertises at 30 ft. or more we seem to be OK. Sometimes have to park the car at an angle to fit.

[Photomike]

I have not found anything that was the same from campground to campground. Years ago I was given a camping spot listed for 32', I had a truck with a camper on it and a small trailer, total size was 25' and that is being generous and we had to disconnect the trailer and push it in by hand as there was no unit above a small car that could make the turn without taking out rocks and bushes. Another time we registered in a "small " site that was rated as car with tent or van and that was it. I backed straight in the site for 150' before getting to the camping pad, I could have put a semi in there with space left over.

[toedtoes]

Most of the campgrounds I stay at use boulders to define the end of the pad (and as tire blocks). Some of those boulders are sharp and can hit your underneath. I dented my gas tank from one (and split my intake hose). Now, I try not to overhang unless it's a cement or wood block of uniform height. Too much stuff to hit behind my back tires.

[2oldman]

toedtoes wrote:
When in doubt, call and ask the campground.

Sometimes that's about all you can do - other than making a scouting visit yourself.

My 5er has a good 12' overhang from the tires to the rear, so for sites with concrete tire blocks, if they measure from the block to the road, I can add 12' - provided there isn't a bunch of vegetation back there.

And I agree about the access roads. CGs can make their sites bigger but not do anything about the roads or the overgrown trees alongside them. The Navajo Nat'l Monument in AZ is a nice campground, and free, with big sites, but the narrow road in was a nightmare. Put a lot of nasty scrapes on the side, and once you're in, there's no turning around.

[toedtoes]

When in doubt, call and ask the campground. As others stated, it varies between the following:
1. The length of the camper only
2. The combination length of all attached vehicles/trailers/extensions

It can be identified due to:
1. The length of the campsite pad;
2. The length and width of the campsite pad (no parking the toad next to the RV if it's a single 26ft pad);
3. The access roads getting into the campground;
4. The road/trees/rocks/etc., inside the campground;
5. An arbitrary limitation based on who knows what.

It's a lot of the reason I went small with no toad - if it fits 22ft, I can do it.

[Terryallan]

It is in fact the trailer. IF you can get the trailer on site. you can always park the TV somewhere else. The CG we have used on the Blue ridge Parkway. Have TV parking areas

[2BLAZERS]

This article is almost misleading too.... It could also mean that if your toyhauler is 34 feet long your going to scrap trees on the inside corners of the access road with your trailer.....ask me how I know.

Basically everyone does it differently..... Oregon state parks are pretty good about it....they measure each spots blacktop length and have pictures on the reservation system of each spot so its easy to know what your getting into.

BLM and Forest Service ones are usually the great unknown....the sites might be 75 feet long pull throughs but the access road might be very tight with tight turns from the 40s.....

For our truck camper only camping I always just look for 30 foot spots gives some nice room for the stairs to land on pavement as some sites the parking area end in a tree or shrubs.

Bottom line is there is no consistent standard around the country.