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GlueGuy View Drop Down
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Posts: 2628 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Trailer and TOW length
    Posted: 22 Nov 2019 at 1:57pm
Originally posted by Tars Tarkas

It's been a few years, but I seem to recall why they have the restriction.  There are some pretty tight turns, on inclines, that would be very hazardous for the driver as well as other traffic.  I suspect they enforce the spirit of the law more than the letter.  (Your 4" probably wouldn't get you pulled over.) 
Yah. I was a little bit tongue in cheek there, but I was kind of curious how "by the book" they might be with naturally longer vehicles. Come to think of it, the F-150 actually makes 21' if I leave the WDH receiver in.
bp
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crankster78 View Drop Down
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Posts: 163 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Nov 2019 at 12:56pm
Greetings:
I MN where I live, some of the parks are modifying camp sites for longer units.  You don't usually find folks with large 5th wheelers or trailers at state and national parks.  They tend to go to full service private campgrounds with 50amp outlets, water and sewer.  This fall, I had fun watching someone with a new large motorhome park in a tight spot at a State park. He did manage it after a number of tries.  
At the Devils tower, they have a large parking area, before the drive up.  You can drop your RV there.  Yet some folks drive them up. 

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Tars Tarkas View Drop Down
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Posts: 1446 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Nov 2019 at 11:05am
Originally posted by GlueGuy

We have commented on the Glacier/Going to the Sun Road when we were there. As it happens, our F-150 is 20' plus 4", so theoretically would not be allowed through WITHOUT a trailer. Maybe they don't measure it all that closely, but it could make for some interesting workarounds to get to the other side.

It's been a few years, but I seem to recall why they have the restriction.  There are some pretty tight turns, on inclines, that would be very hazardous for the driver as well as other traffic.  I suspect they enforce the spirit of the law more than the letter.  (Your 4" probably wouldn't get you pulled over.)

I can't help but wonder how many vehicles with trailers use the road because they are under 20' total.  A SmartCar pulling a tiny teardrop?  Maybe a motorcycle with a trailer. 

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GlueGuy View Drop Down
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Posts: 2628 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Nov 2019 at 10:07am
Originally posted by Tars Tarkas

There are occasionally vehicle/trailer combo length limits.  Getting in to  Chisos Basin at Big Bend, they recommend a limit of 35', I think.  I don't know if they enforce it, but you will be very frustrated and will annoy a lot of people if you try to exceed it by much.  One of the main roads through Zion has a combo limit.  The Road to the Sun in Glacier NP has a combo limit of 20 feet (which seems like a odd way to say trailers not permitted.  There are great campgrounds on either end though. 
We have commented on the Glacier/Going to the Sun Road when we were there. As it happens, our F-150 is 20' plus 4", so theoretically would not be allowed through WITHOUT a trailer. Maybe they don't measure it all that closely, but it could make for some interesting workarounds to get to the other side.
bp
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Olddawgsrule View Drop Down
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Posts: 1014 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 22 Nov 2019 at 7:47am
Originally posted by Tars Tarkas


These are the ones I know about.  I'm assuming you're asking about road restrictions, rather than camping spots to back into.  And I'm not talking about back roads at all, which should almost always be avoided with an RPod.  (The definition of "back road" is subject to discussion.)

TT

That's where my statement of 'common sense' comes in. I will say many a class 6 dirt road has been nicer than several of the major highways I've traveled, though at reduced speeds. 
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Tars Tarkas View Drop Down
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Posts: 1446 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Nov 2019 at 7:30pm
The Road to the Sun length limit is on all vehicles or combos.  At 29 foot bus won't do.

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Posts: 1446 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Nov 2019 at 7:09pm
There are occasionally vehicle/trailer combo length limits.  Getting in to  Chisos Basin at Big Bend, they recommend a limit of 35', I think.  I don't know if they enforce it, but you will be very frustrated and will annoy a lot of people if you try to exceed it by much.  One of the main roads through Zion has a combo limit.  The Road to the Sun in Glacier NP has a combo limit of 20 feet (which seems like a odd way to say trailers not permitted.  There are great campgrounds on either end though.

These are the ones I know about.  I'm assuming you're asking about road restrictions, rather than camping spots to back into.  And I'm not talking about back roads at all, which should almost always be avoided with an RPod.  (The definition of "back road" is subject to discussion.)

Check websites or call before planning a visit if you have any doubts.  I've never had much trouble.

TT
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furpod View Drop Down
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Posts: 6128 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Nov 2019 at 11:44am
We never found a spot we couldn't get the 177 into.. approach and entrance roads that were crap was an issue a couple times. Most parks have at least a couple sites where the Pod fit fine, (but may not be available for the dates you want.. etc etc) though a couple times parking the truck was an issue, and we ended up with it in overflow parking or something. We also used a tent site more then once.

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Posts: 1407 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Nov 2019 at 10:58am
20' is a pretty standard minimum length for camper spots almost everywhere. The 195 and others of that length slightly exceed 20', but none of the other Pods do.
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Olddawgsrule View Drop Down
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Posts: 1014 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Nov 2019 at 10:55am
I, much like others here, mainly boondock off the beaten path. 

In most everywhere I have been, only a couple times I couldn't stay where I hoped to. For the most part the National Parks have been fine. I wanted to stay in the tent camping area at one (which I typically go for), but the road was too narrow and curved to negotiate. Two places on BLM land were just too rough and the same for an area at the North Rim in the National Forest. Pretty much just common sense.

I've been in a few areas that I couldn't get the Truck and Camper in together, well, nicely.. Yet in. The rPod will go where basically any other 'commercial' trailer will go. I don't consider the 'real' Overlanders as commercial, though they are becoming more popular. 

My next trailer will be a true Overlander and I will build it. 
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