Community Forums

kenkap · 01-29-2005, 05:06 AM

My research indicates that many national parks, forests, etc. have limits (30') on motorhome length. Has anyone have experience?Have you been denied admission? Has any anyone been measured? Any other comments?

Thanks in advance.

kenkap · 01-29-2005, 05:06 AM

My research indicates that many national parks, forests, etc. have limits (30') on motorhome length. Has anyone have experience?Have you been denied admission? Has any anyone been measured? Any other comments?

Thanks in advance.

Cruzer · 01-29-2005, 05:14 AM

When we had our 33' suncruiser they would ask when we made reservations. If we told them it was over 30' they'd say "no way" and wouldn't reserve it. Many of the wooded spots we went for were pretty tight anyway but I remember Ghost getting into Yellowstone with his Adventurer 32V at Slough Creek. He just told them it was 30' and nobody bothered to measure. Of course it was more of an open area so he could fit. In Zion, they will measure your coach.

Lorna · 01-29-2005, 06:26 AM

Call the park that you want to stay in. Many of the public parks that we stay in/visit do not list updated lengths (I think Unicoi State Park (GA) still lists lengths under 40 ft but has sites that will accomodate 45 ft and one site that was at least 55 ft long with roads that were upgraded about 10 yrs ago). Many of the parks have had roads/sites upgraded to allow the larger RVs but simply never update the lengths. I have been told (by park rangers) that this is to limit the number of large RVs driven by folks who are simply unable to handle their units. I would recommend that you visit the parks that you wish to stay in (most will let you just drive thru during low occupancy times). If you are capable of driving your large RV then there will probably be no problem. You need to keep a list of the sites that you will fit on and make sure that the bridges you may encounter will support the weight of your RV. I do know of a NFS campground that is very difficult to get into (you have to back-up in order to make the turn into the campground) AND has a bridge with a low weight limit on it. But I have seen 40 ft Class A RVs in there. But this is an out-of-the-way campground that has no hook-ups, pit toilets, no dumpstation and costs all of $14 per night (unmanned campground). BTW, don't forget that if you hit something, you will most likely get a ticket as the park rangers are still cops. We were in a county park last spring and some one managed to take out a post (on the driver's side no less) and he got a ticket. We still haven't figured out WHERE in the park he could have managed to do that with out being an extremely inept driver. Needless to say we tried to stay far, far away from him when he pulled out to leave (and almost took out the RV in the space infrom of him along with the trash can at his site).

Gary RVRoamer · 01-30-2005, 11:41 AM

I've seen NAtional FOrest campgrounds with limits as low as 22 feet, usually because of the twisty access roads. I've also been in Nat'l Parks or Forest Service CGs that handle 40-45 footers easily.

Sometimes the stated size is a recommendation intended as information for less-than-excellent drivers and sometimes it is a real fixed limit that will be checked at entry. There are places where they really cannot handle larger rigs and exceeding the limit could result in a blocked roadway or collapsed culvert. Knowing that a percentage of visitors will try to "push the envelope", they check the length at the gate and turn away those who exceed it. It's best to call ahead if you haven't been to a place that has a posted size limit.

kayo · 01-30-2005, 08:11 PM

Several NPS parks have "overflow" lots (Zion)that will take big rigs. Bryce does not( or did not two years ago)

kenkap · 01-31-2005, 05:20 AM

Thanks for your responses. I'm trying to decide on the maximum length of my first MH, I think these will help.

full-timer · 01-31-2005, 05:43 AM

Kenkap,don't let the limit in national parks and forest dictate the size of the rig you buy.
Get the size you will be comfortable in and then look for a place to park it.
You can always find a spot no matter what the size of the rig is.
Joe

An Indian and a Gypsy

melvonnar · 04-20-2009, 06:39 PM

I have been to both Zion and Bryce; with my 32 footer was not turned away from either; I have been to most national parks in the U.S have not been turned away from any. I have never been turned away from any park because of my length.

paz · 04-21-2009, 06:47 AM

I agree with full-timer. Don't let the size limits in national parks dictate the size of your rig, unless you're planning to do all your camping in a national park. Buy what you can afford that will best suit your needs.

Size limits vary greatly from park to park and from campground to campground within a park. Some campgrounds are more primitive and have lower size limits. Other campgrounds have a few sites that will take big rigs, but these fill up fast, and you will have to make reservations WELL in advance.

You can almost always find accommodations right outside the gates of most national parks that will accept almost any size rig, and often with full hookups to boot. They will be more expensive than the park campgrounds, but it will also be a lot easier to get reservations.

melvonnar · 04-21-2009, 07:30 AM

I can understand some campgrounds reluckness to let large rigs in; some of the drivers of these large rigs would have difficulty parking in any campsite; and there are those that can drive a big rig and park it like a sport car. I have seen those that cannot back a rig, they need to have a pullthrugh, or they cannot park. If they need to back up; they run into electric poles; knock down water bibs; and just generally make a mess out of a campsite.