maximum vehicle length

[Sarvi]

This is probably a total noob question... I've been looking at a lot of FS campgrounds lately, and most of them have a maximum vehicle length posted on their sites. Does that mean just trailer, or truck AND trailer? My trailer is 33ft long, can I go to a campground that has a 35 ft maximum vehicle length restriction? One specific site I was looking at in one of the campgrounds says max vehicle length is 35 feet (same as the overall campground restriction) but the driveway length of the site is 56. I would think that would fit my truck and trailer both.

[66joej]

Don't know about USA campgrounds but in Canada max length means the overall length of your RV without the TV. Best to contact the campground directly.

[Pull Toy]

Like "66" said, it's a good idea to ask each CG. When you call a CG to make reservations, you will, most likely, be asked your length. I would give them both my combined length, and my trailer length.

Here on the U.S, east coast, all of the "newer" pull thru sites that I've been on handle a combined 55' +/- combined length with no problem, and there's usually enough room to park a chase vehicle too. Even most "newer" back in sites are adequate for a dis-connected 40 footer.

As the rigs get longer, more and more CG's are changing to accommodate them. But always plan ahead, and ask. There's nothing more frustrating than driving all day, getting there at sundown, and then finding out you CAN'T FIT!


GOOD LUCK,

[JRTJH]

Most campgrounds list the "maximum length" to mean the trailer length. I say that because the "maximum length" of a truck/35' fifth wheel" would be significantly shorter than the same truck with a 35' trailer when hitched to the truck "on the bumper".

Having said that, there are a number of campgrounds that advertise their pull through sites by "maximum rig length' rather than by "trailer length".

If I had any question about which way the campground does its reservations, I'd call and get the specifics.

[Javi]

I'm sure there must be at least some campgrounds that know what they're doing when it comes to site length but I have yet to actually see one up close... :D

In Texas it seems that the Corp of Engineers campgrounds come the closest of getting it right and the State Parks are completely off in left field...

Even though the State reservation system makes a HUGE deal of how long your rig is... they hand out sites on a first come first serve basis... We have driven several hours only to have to turn around because the only sites available are much too small for our trailer.... even though we'd made the reservation several months in advance...

I know that pop-ups need sites too... but when I drive 5 or 6 hours, only to find the large sites holding pop-ups or tents and being told to fit my 37 foot trailer into a 20 foot site or lose my fees by leaving... I get a little upset...

We've pretty much decided to stay away from Texas State Parks whenever possible... Their reservation system is useless at best...

[Ken / Claudia]

Measure your truck and trailer length combo and when asking about site length tell them the combo is XX ft long and ask can I fit.

[Sarvi]

Measure your truck and trailer length combo and when asking about site length tell them the combo is XX ft long and ask can I fit.

I actually do need to do that. I have been towing with a Ford Excursion, and combined with my trailer, I was 53 feet long. I just sold that and bought a F250, which I haven't measured yet.

Part of the reason I ask is because I did have an issue in one of my first camping trips a few years ago at a State Park in Oregon. I reserved a 40 ft space, thinking that since my trailer is 33 feet, it would be fine. Well, that didn't leave any room for my truck to fit in the space too, and they don't allow any parking on the grass or along the "street". So the whole time I had to struggle to find a parking spot (very popular park on a holiday weekend), with very limited extra parking. Since then, I've been reserving spaces that are at least 55 feet in length.

Now, with looking at NFS campgrounds, the slips are rarely over 40 feet, and the campground maps don't seem to show extra parking or parking lots. I just don't want to get stuck with no place to put my truck. I will give a few places that I'm interested in a call.

[canesfan]

Best to call, as others have said. It seems to vary widely, and SPs around the country seem to have different definitions of "max length". In Virginia the SP sites are supposedly RV length, not total combined length. But there aren't any standards, especially in the older parks or older sections of parks. I can get my 37' rig along with my truck into sites that are supposed to be 30' max. Others I'd be hard pressed just to get the rig into.

Ditto what Javi said. One of my favorite SPs has a bunch of newer 50A pull throughs that they "supposedly" reserve separately and save for big rigs. Every time I drive past them there are popups, small Class Cs, etc in them. They certainly aren't the nicest sites in the park by far. But the problem is the little guys taking up spaces that are "supposedly" for the bigger guys, and the office is supposed to enforce that. And when you reserve one of those pull throughs they ask you what kind and how long your rig is. Since the reservations are not site specific, you pick your own site when you get there. Even though these sites are color coded differently than back in sites, they still get used by smaller guys. Just like someone pitching a pup tent on a 50' back in site when there are beautiful tent sites just around the bend.