Upgrade Concern

[337MKR]

We are considering an upgrade to a longer fifth wheel. Possibly a 41’ or 43’. How bad does that length effect where you can find sites(campgrounds and boondocks)???

[MoonShadow_1911]

We are considering an upgrade to a longer fifth wheel. Possibly a 41’ or 43’. How bad does that length effect where you can find sites(campgrounds and boondocks)???

Excluding RV parks, it's more difficult.

There is a blog out there that did a lot of research on just the national parks. If you have a 35' camper, you will be able to fit into at least one spot in 85% of them. If you have a 37' camper that number goes down to less than 15%.

Most state parks also have shorter spots. For instance, in New Mexico, if you have a camper longer than 35', you cannot make a reservation. Most of the state parks have spots that are 30' and shorter.

You will have to research each location thoroughly before attempting to make a reservation. (Just as you should be doing now.)

EDIT: this is just my opinion! Please do not just take my word for this.

Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk

[el Rojo]

We've been in a Momentum 380 full-time for 6 years. It's 43'. We've slept somewhere every night. But yes it doesn't fit everywhere.

Red

[JFF&KRN]

we worked our way up from a 19 foot bumper pull through a couple other bumper pulls, and now in a 37 foot fifth wheel. We have had to decrease a few spots, but for the most part have been able to get in where we want. I use google maps and zoom in and kind of check out spots before making reservations, we have been pretty successful.

[D2Reid]

@MoonShadow_1911 makes a valid point. We have been fulltiming in a 40' 5th wheel for 7 years and a 41' 5th wheel for 4 years. We have traveled in all of the contiguous 48 states and the lower provinces of Canada. There are many places that we could not park our RV, but there were just as many places close by that we could. So overall we have not felt constricted by the size of our RV.

The trade off for us is a comfortable home. It's literally a one bedroom apartment on wheels with a garage.

When it comes to boondocking it is more difficult to maneuver the larger, more importantly; heavier RV. On my Momentum 376TH another huge factor for boondocking is my clearance, it isn't much, about 6". And given the length it's easy for me to drag the rear end when going through dips and ditches. Often times I will pull the motorcycle out of the back and go explore potential boondocking sites before I try to pull the trailer into them. Tearing the sewer pipe off on rock would give me a frowny face.

There is no right answer, only a decision to be made. I've decided on larger more comfort vs compact and more maneuverable.

[el Rojo]

We always stay 1 night in an RV park close to where we want to boondock and check the area out with the truck only.

Red

[337MKR]

@D2Reid Thanks for the reply. We are working on going full time soon. We will both be hopefully working remotely. That is why we are considering a larger rig. Since we have no experience to speak of rving so far we are looking to others for information. The length is our biggest concern right now. We don’t know how hard it will be to find places to fit. Information on the web is all over the place.
I have seen that for most National parks over 30’ is pretty much a no go. Of course even our current rig is a little over 35’

[337MKR]

We always stay 1 night in an RV park close to where we want to boondock and check the area out with the truck only.

Red

Thanks for that suggestion.

[Wicked ace]

@D2Reid Thanks for the reply. We are working on going full time soon. We will both be hopefully working remotely. That is why we are considering a larger rig. Since we have no experience to speak of rving so far we are looking to others for information. The length is our biggest concern right now. We don’t know how hard it will be to find places to fit. Information on the web is all over the place.
I have seen that for most National parks over 30’ is pretty much a no go. Of course even our current rig is a little over 35’

30' is about the sweet spot for non-private campgrounds and one of the criteria I used when I was looking. Go larger and site choices diminish.

[el Rojo]

@D2Reid Thanks for the reply. We are working on going full time soon. We will both be hopefully working remotely. That is why we are considering a larger rig. Since we have no experience to speak of rving so far we are looking to others for information. The length is our biggest concern right now. We don’t know how hard it will be to find places to fit. Information on the web is all over the place.
I have seen that for most National parks over 30’ is pretty much a no go. Of course even our current rig is a little over 35’

If your both working from the rig, that means you need wifi. That may rule out many National Parks by itself.

Red