How Big is Too Big for Bookdocking?

[Reed Cundiff]

Basic tenets of boondocking are the smaller the better and good ground clearance. You also need to worry about tree clearance. We could not take our 34' fifth wheel to Calukmal Archaeological Site due to low branches or some great cenotes in Yucatán due to swing room/parking room.
Reed and Elaine

[Scottybdivin]

We also like to Boondock as much as possible. You just have to do a lot of research. We took our 45' to a very remote campground in Death Valley that most people wouldn't consider. We have stayed at many BLM's and NF CG's. Then there are those that you couldn't get into with a 32'Class A. We do a lot of scouting ahead and carry a small popup tent to mark the spot.

[Dan McMartin]

IMHO, born of no actual experience but a lot of research, reading, listening, etc., shorter is better...period.

I've seen the folks that say they never have trouble getting into parks or campgrounds. I've seen the folks that claim they can take their 45 foot DP anywhere they want. I suspect they can but know their limitations and don't bother trying that dirt road or wedging into this little campground or even approaching the gates of that National Park. They avoid what they know they can't handle and, therefore, have no problem.

But there are limits and the longer you are, the more you'll face. That includes campgrounds and parks with length limitations but also boondocking spots with physical barriers to longer coaches. A bigger coach has a longer break over angle (the angles between the axles) and probably a longer departure angle (the angle behind the rear axle(s)). Those matter when you're off the pavement.

Now, maybe the number of boondocking spots you can get your 35 foot coach to but not your 40 footer are small but those spots are probably the better ones. Lot's of MH's and fifth wheels can't get there. But you could and you will probably be alone!

I do have one point of reference. Nina of Wheeling It told us when we visited with her a few years back (and I think the statement is on the blog too) that while they love their 40 foot coach, they wish it was more like 36 feet and they boondock a lot. 40 foot prevents them from getting where they want to be sometimes.

To look at it another way, I can get your average long bed four door pickup to about 90% of the spots I can take my Jeep. But I can assure you from owning both, the Jeep is a lot easier and pleasurable to get to those spots. And then there's the ten percent the truck can't go. It's too long. Approach, departure and break over angles prevent it. Same applies to RV's. Short is generally better off of the smooth controlled surface of your average road.

Can you boondock in a lot of cool places in a 40-45 foot RV? Sure. Can you get to more spots and get to them easier in a 35-38 footer (or a 32 foot gasser like we're ordering)? I say that's a certainty. Everything is a compromise. If boondocking is important, as it is to us, shorter is better but length isn't the only consideration. It's just one factor you need to balance with the other considerations.

We limited ourselves to 35 feet but preferred shorter. But we were looking at gas coaches. Hard to find DP's less than 36 feet. But if we were looking at a DP, we'd stick to 36-38.

[zman-az]

Certainly length will be an issue for tight spots. Diesel Class A height and ground clearance can also be a hinder. We had a 26' gasser and now a 34' Diesel. The gasser could get in tighter spaces and had way better ground clearance. I have been somewhat limited with my 34' class A, but still take it places others dream of.

If you do plan on being off the grid and go solar, I suggest you get a fridge with propane. I had 400 watts on our 26' with propane fridge and rarely ran the genny. Now I have that same solar system with almost 700 watts and 2 more batteries and I need to run the genny almost everyday for an hour in the morning. I am convinced it is the household refrigerator as I do here it run a lot (and I keep the icemaker off).

I would look for the shortest RV you can find and still be comfortable in.

[twogypsies]

Originally Posted by TacomaSailor

Our big question is How Big is Too Big when purchasing a diesel Class A motorhome, which we will use for extended dry camping in remote areas?

We plan to wander around the United States, Baja California, and Canada. We do not like fancy and expensive resorts or RV parks. We would like to do as much dry camping as possible and to spend as much time as possible off the interstate roads and in the wilderness.

I would like comments about limitations and restictions we might encounter when owning a newer 40-foot or larger Class A coach when driving and parking in:

- National Parks
- National Forests
- BLM land
- State Parks
- County and City parks
- desert SW back roads, both paved and dirt
- less expensive RV parks off the interstate system

I've reviewed the web pages for dozens of private and public rural and remote RV parks and campgrounds. Many have 36' or less limits. Will we be able to find a wide variety of low cost, remote, and off the normal path sites to accomodate a 40' or larger coach? Unimproved and dry camps are OK for us.

Is it practical to dry camp in remote areas with a nicer, newer, 40-foot plus coach?

All I can say is we full-timed in our 40' non-tag diesel and stayed in all the above places you mentioned and drove secondary roads as our first choice. We had no issues getting off pavement to awesome boondocking spots because the roads were always good hard-packed gravel - no sand. If we weren't sure we'd park on the side of the road or in a parking lot, disconnect the Jeep and take it down the proposed gravel road to do a pre-scout.

I can honestly say that once we chose our route (gravel or two-lane paved) we never had to make a different decision to our plans. Of course, we researched beforehand.

As for public campgrounds we have stayed inside many national parks such as Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Glacier, Rocky Mtn. Zion, Bryce, Grand Canyon, Big Bend and others. We've stayed in many more state parks, national forest campgrounds, BLM, county and city parks. I will state that the majority, but not all of our travels were south and west - not in the far east - not because we tried but because the density of those areas don't appeal to us. We've also spent the summer in Alaska - boondocking and public parks, including Denali's Teklanika and Riley Creek campgrounds.


I know there are many who say it can't be done but we did it! We rarely used an RV park and rarely made reservations - even for the popular national parks. Dry camping is great with solar!

[just_cruisin]

You will have fun no matter what size you end up in.

Just realize the largest sites in places like Yosemite are 40' max.....and there are only 12 of those I think.

Being able to fit into a 35' site will open up your possibilities.

[OLYLEN]

Fitting into boondocking sites has nothing to do with solar panels. 40 - 42 would be the max, each foot both in height and length limits the places you can get to. I know of many boondocking places that have parking but to get there because of road or trees is the problem. Choose the 'S that fits your life style, because that is your house, and live with the boondocking possibly. Or give up some amenities and open up more possibilities. It's amazing how much room the newer thought out 4 slide units have for storage and amenities. We are not full time but 3-4 months at a time, 4 season clothing along, hunting and fishing equipment along and have gone from 40' DP to a 31' C(we don't have much space left) but enjoy many smaller spots.

LEN

[joes2901]

Remember, a NF or NP site that says they have 40' even 45' sites usually means there are only a few of them, most are much smaller. I saw someone maneuver a 40' RV into a 34' site that had a nice view and then lost a mirror because the front end projected too much into the one way, narrow, tree lined, dirt road.

[Mr_D]

My 45' has air only, no jacks. I can lower or raise it 4" from normal travel height but the ground clearance is still not much with the long wheelbase. I have 400 watts of solar but that is to offset the all electric unit and I'd still have to run the gen daily (I think as I haven't tested this).
I've replaced over 60 of the halogen lights with LEDs along with all the TV's to new, lower draw units. But I lost some when I took out the gas cooktop and put in an induction cooktop.

[jpharley]

We feel like our 37 ft 5th wheel is too big for boondocking. No way would we drag it down some bumpy dirt road. We have done some dry camping in public campgrounds and a few other places, but true boondocking out in the wilderness is out for us. This is our home and no way would we want to damage it.

[Gordon Dewald]

All you have to do is go to the Imperial Dunes. Many 45' motorhomes boon docking during the long weekends or Thanksgiving Day week near or on the sand.

[Kiwiscott]

Originally Posted by TacomaSailor

"Get lots of solar power. But I'm sure you already know that after the boating years. "

Sure Do! We have not needed to connect to shore power in 17-years. Lots of solar, big batteries, big inverter, really efficient refrigerator, and no Air Conditioning. We spent 3-summer in the upper Sea of Cortez with no air. It takes bit of getting used to but is OK after a while.

Read with interest and we will have similar needs. Can you give me a feel for what you mean by "big batteries, big inverter" ? Thanks in anticipation.

[RJenks]

We have a 38' Class A With Solar. We Boondock 90% of the time. We haven't had any trouble so far. But... It depends on what you want do. National Parks and getting to the sweat spots. You should be less than 25 ft. Most only suggest 26 ft combined. It's a lot easier in the West than the East. So, Do some research and see what you guys really want to visit or live. Good Luck

[Tony Lee]

I've got a 35' relatively high clearance 2 axle class A in the US and we get to places a lot of people in fancy SUVs leave back at the parking spot and walk in. Rarely do I get stopped unless roads and tracks are really bad.
In Australia I have a 40' tag axle converted coach which has very low clearance and that certainly does limit me far more than the 35'.
Just sold a F350 with bigfoot camper in Chile and really the main limitation with all of them is not so much the length but the width and height.

https://get.google.com/albumarchive/114611728110254134379/album/AF1QipPt0fqLcU7FwnuGK1Mm9J5WpHaDxXw-TqICg7hF

However, it is no different to boats -- long boat has high mast and deep keel so is much more restricted in shallow waters than a smaller boat so you just have to live within the limitations imposed by the size of your rig and whether you care about lots of pinstriping or dings underneath or rips in the front and back skirts