We purchased a gently used fifth wheel this past spring. Over the summer we visited local campgrounds and state parks. In October we traveled from our Indiana home to the Painted Desert, Grand Canyon, Monument Valley and Colorado Springs. We are hooked. Consider we live in Indiana, when would it be a safe time to hit the road again to local areas? We have winterized the camper for the winter and are anxious to know when it is safe from freezing up.
When to start again
- Thread starter Scott104
- Start date
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SeilerBird
Well-known member
Sorry Scott, the people paid to predict the weather can't do it so us amateurs stand no chance. I have been snowed on in the Grand Canyon in June. I have been in a heat wave in Salt Lake City in January.
ArdraF
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 12, 2006
- Posts
- 10,695
I'm with Tom on this one. The year we drove east in January on I-80 from San Francisco to Indiana we breezed right along and had fairly decent weather. At the same time there was a blizzard on I-10 down in Texas. We made the right call on that one but it could have gone the other way too! We watch the weather weeks in advance when planning to go on a long trip. We look for weather patterns forming out in the Pacific and observe whether the winds are taking them north or south. When we're in the southeast we watch the hurricane patterns as well as those storms moving up the Mississippi River valley that often form tornadoes. That's about the best any of us can do. We carry a NOAA weather alert radio, watch the weather on both the Weather Channel and the regular satellite TV channels, and turn on the over-the-air TV for local channels in dicey areas.
ArdraF
ArdraF
alanbl
Member
SeilerBird said:
"I been warped by the rain, driven by the snow
I'm drunk and dirty, don't you know
But I'm still willin' "
Sorry. Couldn't help myself!
SeilerBird
Well-known member
How did you know I have little feet?alanbl said:
RedandSilver
Well-known member
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- Aug 25, 2016
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- 1,325
Scott104 said:
I'M in MI and every year is different.
This last year it was warmer in FEB than it was in most of April. Very unusual.
I doubt anyone can give you a date as to when the last freeze will happen and you then have a green light to go camping again.
Get a Farmers Almanac - that's the best advice I can give you - but there is still no guarantee that will tell you what you want to know.
Your going to have to wait like the rest of us. ;D
sadixon49
Well-known member
Forget the Farmers Almanac, go to the grocery or gas station and pickup an Indiana Auto & RV magazine. When there's more snowmobiles than boats, put your RV away, when there's more boats than snowmobiles, get it back out. That's worked for me for years.
JudyJB
Well-known member
The biggest problems will be finding campgrounds that are open. You can easily dry camp places, but most campgrounds will NOT have sewer connections or functioning dump sites. Most also will not have water available. Also, plan on going through a lot of propane keeping warm.
However, if you are planning on heading south, you could always do a fast trip down there, and not un-winterize your trailer until you get to one of the southern states.
However, if you are planning on heading south, you could always do a fast trip down there, and not un-winterize your trailer until you get to one of the southern states.
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
LOL! All the replies are correct but not very helpful. Of course there are no guarantees with weather, but Indiana should be fairly decent by around May 1. You can probably de-winterize in mid April, but again, there can be no guarantees.
If you plan to camp early in the season, you will probably encounter rain and cold nights or even days, but whether that is adventure or misery depends on your attitude. Would it still be an OK weekend if you were mostly cooped up inside the RV and needed a jacket or raincoat to do things outside? Be prepared to use lots of propane for heating if you go out much before Memorial Day.
The campground opening dates in your region will give you some clues - many do not open until there are enough customers to make it worthwhile. That gives you an idea of what other campers think.
If you plan to camp early in the season, you will probably encounter rain and cold nights or even days, but whether that is adventure or misery depends on your attitude. Would it still be an OK weekend if you were mostly cooped up inside the RV and needed a jacket or raincoat to do things outside? Be prepared to use lots of propane for heating if you go out much before Memorial Day.
The campground opening dates in your region will give you some clues - many do not open until there are enough customers to make it worthwhile. That gives you an idea of what other campers think.
