Too big for boondocking?

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dbrownalive

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Joined
Jan 18, 2016
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10
Would a 30' Class A limit my opportunities to boondock?  Mobility and versatility remain our top priority, as we set out full-timing in the fall of 2016.  We ruled out the rPod, although I loved the outdoor kitchen, and have since then progressively been getting "bigger". 

I have read hundreds and hundreds of posts, and I can say that I have never found a better resource than the RV Forum.  Thank you for the help.

Dan and Leeann
Stevensville, MI 
 
I believe it is fair to say the larger rig you have, the less options may be available.  Having said that I have found plenty of boon docking places for our 28' TT and truck, and I have seen larger than 30' rigs in boon docking locations. My guess is you will be fine.  IMHO decide on a rig that fits your requirements & wants because ultimately you will have to live it, then let everything else fall in place from there.
 
Thanks for your input.  Holiday Rambler 30ppd seems to suit us very well.  I would still like an outdoor kitchen, but "you can't always get what you want."
 
dbrownalive said:
Thanks for your input.  Holiday Rambler 30ppd seems to suit us very well.  I would still like an outdoor kitchen, but "you can't always get what you want."
Click to expand...
But if you try sometime you find
You get what you need
 
I'm both a fulltimer and a boondocker - fulltime boondocker haha..........

If you are really after both mobility and versatility its hard to beat some kind of a TT and a four wheel drive pikup truck. I have a 28' toy hauler and an F-250 and am able to pretty much go anywhere.

I generally park the trailer someplace 'convenient' to serve as a base camp and then I can use the truck to go whereever. Often I'll end up sleeping overnight in the truck especially if I end up somewhere remote to kayak.... return to 'base' next day.

thanx........INTJohn

 
It really depends on what you mean by boon docking.  If you spend time in National Forests, even a 30 foot motorhome can be too long.  Prior to buying our motorhome, we had a Ford F250 which was almost 22 feet long.  We pulled a 30 foot trailer and from my perspective, I don't see much difference.  There are lots of folks who full time and boon dock with large 40 foot motorhomes.  They do their exploring from their toad.  Getting around in a 22 foot pickup can be challenging and I'm forever grateful that our toad, a Chevy HHR is so small.  We're going to buy a Jeep which I believe will be the ideal toad and will enable us to go everywhere.  Once the motorhome is parked, just unhook the toad and go.  There are a number of blogs written by folks who do exactly that.  They drive long motorhomes and boon dock a lot.  One of the  Blogs is: http://www.gonewiththewynns.com.  Once you find their blog, you'll see cross references to others who do the same thing.  Good luck. 
 
Our Class A is 43 feet long and the majority of our camping is boondocking. Most of it is done in the California and Arizona deserts, but we also boondock in Oregon and Idaho as often as possible. At 43 feet (if towing, 63 feet) there are a lot of places we can't fit into. It's not always the campsite that's the problem, it's frequently the access roads - too twisty, with inadequate turn clearance. Out west where we live, it usually just takes some planning to find a suitable boondocking site.

Kev
 
I've seen some pretty big rigs deep, how they got them there I have no idea. That said, there are plenty of stunning spots here that you could get to with no effort at all.

We pull a 25 ft ultra lite with a 4X4 expedition. It's a great combo on the back roads/ trails and goes places most SUV's will never see. A 4x4 TC can handle rougher trails but are taller than we are as a friend of mine found out when he couldn't follow us through a tree tunnel. ;)
 
Just my opinion here, but it seems like the boondocking sites in the eastern part of the country tend toward smaller areas. Short spaces staked out where the population is more dense, and land at a premium.

But in the mid western and western lands, where people are scattered further apart and everything tends to be sprawled out, the boondocking sites seem to match the size and openness of the land.

From all the descriptions in blogs I've read, I believe that longer, larger rigs would have a lot less trouble finding campsites west of the Mississippi.
 
I've gotten my 38ft beast into some pretty deep places.So I say go for it. On the flip side Their have been some places I have not been able to get usally due to the roads getting there. I'm pretty sure with a shorter 30ft I would have been ok.
 
I've been down some rough dirt roads in south Texas. What will stop a 34' gasser with a long rear overhang is water ways that cross the road. Kind of like  steep aprons, you can drag your hitch or bumper, may push through, may get hung up. I have not gotten hung up, but have experience in off road driving.

Bill
 
Every rig is a compromise. Depending on where you are and what kind of spots your seek, 30' seems reasonable based on my experiences.  I'm 40' plus toad (nearly 60') and spend nearly all my time boondocking in the west.  The roads are always the limiting factor for me.  I spend a good bit of time scouting spots/roads with my Jeep before attempting to take the coach in. Tree cover, sharp corners, ditches (water run off) or anything that would cause the rig to bottom out and all issues.  I'm not sure what it would take to pull a 35,000 pound rig out of a mess and I hope I never find out.  :eek:
 
    There is a MAJOR difference boondocking in the west versus the east.  On our first trip west we were amazed with the 45 foot + coaches set up in the desert with multi solar panels, and windmills for power.  We have one of our forum members that including the trailer that they haul behind the Class A ends up, if memory serve me right, over 70 feet, and we first met him boondocking at the Quartzsite Rally.
    In the east, there are far fewer locations to truly boondock.  Yes you can overnight at a Walmart or a Flying J, or some other similar type facility.  But, there isn't the large tracks of land, primarily managed by the BLM (Bureau of Land Management).
    |We often overnighted east and west in our 34 footer, but never "boondocked" ie put up for a few nights anywhere east of say New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, etc.

Ed
 
"We pull a 25 ft ultra lite with a 4X4 expedition. "

Is your ultra lite four season worthy?  I like the sounds of your set-up.
 
    In the east, there are far fewer locations to truly boondock.  Yes you can overnight at a Walmart or a Flying J, or some other similar type facility.  But, there isn't the large tracks of land, primarily managed by the BLM (Bureau of Land Management).
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Yes & No. While there are not the wide-open areas like the Western USA, there are plenty of "unimproved' campsites in National Forests, state & county parks, etc. There are several within 10-15 miles of our Florida home, for example.  Typically pre-defined campsites rather than just "park it anywhere", but boondocking nonetheless. They do, however, tend to be set up for smaller rigs, either because of access roads or site size. Even 35 footers tend to be a bit much in them, though we have done so. Now we have a 40 footer.

I personally do not feel that 30 feet would be very limiting, though I do know of a few places in the East where the real limit is in the 25 ft range due to narrow, twisty access roads.
 
Totaly depends on where you go.    In the area where I go their is vearing levels of access from walk in only tent sight.  To sight that can Handel multiple rv...... The best thing to do. Is pre scout the area and check accuss before bring in a big rig.  This is allSo important as most areas are a first come first get.  You should always have a plan b. In case someone beats you to that ideal spot
 
We boondog with a 26ft travel trailer pulled with a convention van.  I did put  LT all/terrain tires on th van disbight the tire center thinking I was nuts to do so.  We also pack a  come along and hevy roap just in case.  As it has saved an expensive tow more then once
 
I look at it this way...

Boondocking is another way of saying "going where no man has gone before". Keep that in mind, prepare for it, you'll be fine.
If you like adventure, it's a blast! You take the bad with the good and roll with it. Where ever you plant your RV for the night,

Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt.
Come Spring, will be boondocking out in the woods and loving it.
 
dbrownalive said:
"We pull a 25 ft ultra lite with a 4X4 expedition. "

Is your ultra lite four season worthy?  I like the sounds of your set-up.
Click to expand...

No, not really. It doesn't have a enclosed, heated belly so she will freeze up in day in and out freezing weather. We are use to seeing the 20's at night and survive but those walls are thin. Sit too close and it's chilly.

So the only way it's 4 season is if it's someplace warm while it's winter here. ;)
 
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