Practical size boondocking

[Cdaddy]

We currently have a 39' eagle 5er. Looking to trade it in a couple years. What's a practical size to allow use to get into blm sites and other dispersed sites

[Dave.H]

Depends on the BLM and you. I lack sanity and my trailer has a lot of ground clearance.

Of the ones I have been to in Colorado I could have easily drug a long 5er in.

[RoyBraddy]

Originally Posted by Cdaddy

We currently have a 39' eagle 5er. Looking to trade it in a couple years. What's a practical size to allow use to get into blm sites and other dispersed sites

BLM and DISPERSED CAMPING sure has a different meaning here on the East Side of the USA... USED to live in Arizona and had some outstanding Dispersed camping places to go to...

Here in Virginia up and down the Blue Ridge Parkaway and some camping along the wooded VA/WVA state line that goes through the George Washinton Natl FOrest is about all I can expect to find...

I still have my bondocking fun however...

I was always Tent Camping with my Jeep pulling a small utility trailer with all my camping items stowed...

Finally got the urge to get a something bigger and ended up with one of the STARCRAFT RT14 model which has a very high clearance off the ground and has 15-inch wheels on it. This model also has 6-inch frame under the trailer...

I pull it all over Virginia here and east to the coast and really love to go to the high country along the TN-AL-NC-SCA high country camping. Thats where my love really is...

The RT14 has a 5x8 front deck which I only use for hauling camping supplies and it really built to stand-up... Between the front deck and my covered truck bed area I can carry some serious camping items with me on my trips...


This is what my RT14 looked like when I was looking in 2008... I knew right away this was what I wanted hehe...

Google image

I wanted to make sure I had plenty of room on the Tongue area to add additional batteries to support my off-grid camping...

This trailer had the angles welded in place across the tongue area where you add your battery boxes. I started out with three 12V 85AH batteries across the tongue and they have lasted up until just a couple of seasons back. The rails will fit a really nice large battery bank like TORKLIFT sells...


Roy's image

Boondocking is not for everyone but we really enjoy doing it.

Roy's image

We have all the comforts of home we need with us and all runs from my battery bank until 8AM the next morning when we are usually allowed to use our 2KW Generator to run the on board Converter/Charger unit to recharge our batteries back up to their 90% charge state. Then we can do this all over again for the next day/night run off the batteries..

As you can see on my signature photo we have not got up North yet to check high ridge camping up there. Been to Tobyhanna a few time scrounging from property dispoals places so have seen some good places to go...

Roy Ken

[PlayersZ28]

Originally Posted by Cdaddy

We currently have a 39' eagle 5er. Looking to trade it in a couple years. What's a practical size to allow use to get into blm sites and other dispersed sites

It depends on which one and where. We've had no problems with the areas we've gone to (AZ CA NM) but in each area there were spots I wouldn't be able to get our 5th into (41' LOA) either because of turning around or ground clearance through washes. As long as you aren't set on getting into a specific site then any size will work. I've seen large 40'+ MH's towing enclosed trailers get back into some areas that I wouldn't have tried to get into so anything is possible.

[33 RLDS]

I been seriously looking at truck campers lately. At some point I will have to replace my aging TV and was considering a dually even if my next camper does not need it. And apparently they make some nice truck campers with slides that have a ridiculous amount of room and dry baths. They are pricey though. I like the idea of no camper to pull as we get to retirement age. Its just the loft bed that may be a issue climbing in and out of.

[oldmanAZ]

Originally Posted by 33 RLDS

I been seriously looking at truck campers lately.
snip
I like the idea of no camper to pull as we get to retirement age. Its just the loft bed that may be a issue climbing in and out of.

We've had 3 van conversion/class Bs in our younger years and did alot of boondocking. We went to a TT as we got older primarily because of the bed and bath issues/compromises with truck campers and class Bs. We're still getting older and at some point may consider one of the smaller class Cs.

[Kim Gass]

Boondocking is the norm in New England.. Anything over 25 feet is out. There are plenty of places in Northern Maine with primitive camping but those pesky trees...

[PlayersZ28]

Originally Posted by Kim Gass

Boondocking is the norm in New England.. Anything over 25 feet is out. There are plenty of places in Northern Maine with primitive camping but those pesky trees...

Interesting. I didn't know there was much public land there that allowed free camping.

[33 RLDS]

Originally Posted by oldmanAZ

We've had 3 van conversion/class Bs in our younger years and did alot of boondocking. We went to a TT as we got older primarily because of the bed and bath issues/compromises with truck campers and class Bs. We're still getting older and at some point may consider one of the smaller class Cs.

My wife likes those Leisure van Unity Murphy bed units. They are not cheap either !


But I still like the 4x4 aspect of the truck campers for winter camping. And all the premium units seem to be 4 season. And I figure the smaller space is cheaper to heat/cool.

The Host Mammoth has a dry bath and plenty of room !

[Kim Gass]

Originally Posted by PlayersZ28

Interesting. I didn't know there was much public land there that allowed free camping.

there are at least six definitions of boondocking. What I meant was dry camping no facilities. Sometimes they are free, some on National Forest Land some in the North Maine Woods are not free but have no facilities.. Public land is another matter. There is less than ten percent of land that is public in Maine. Yet there is a whole swath of forest that covers thousands of square miles that is owned by logging companies.

[bdreinv]

We have been boon docking in 5rs since 2005. Currently have Eagle 321 RSTS 2016, out this week in the pine forest! Thanks

[PlayersZ28]

Originally Posted by Kim Gass

there are at least six definitions of boondocking. What I meant was dry camping no facilities. Sometimes they are free, some on National Forest Land some in the North Maine Woods are not free but have no facilities.. Public land is another matter. There is less than ten percent of land that is public in Maine. Yet there is a whole swath of forest that covers thousands of square miles that is owned by logging companies.

Okay, the definition I go by is staying in a public land area with no designated sites and no or nearly no facilities (LTVA's have dump/water). A campground with no hookups is dry camping in my books. Parking lots are neither.

[Kim Gass]

Well we do have those. They are called canoe routes . On rivers lakes or the ocean.. None are accessible by RV.

They are largely free.

Its just one more difference between East and West. East you have trees to fit around, less public land, more water ( such that municipal sewage and water systems are uncommon around here) and lots are large as the utilities are largely self contained..

[Dreamteam]

When dry camping or boondocking do you use your toilet? Then do you travel with your bkack water tank until you are somewhere to empty? I thought you were only supposed to travel with it empty.

[PlayersZ28]

Originally Posted by Dreamteam

When dry camping or boondocking do you use your toilet? Then do you travel with your bkack water tank until you are somewhere to empty? I thought you were only supposed to travel with it empty.

Wouldn't be much point in having the tank if you had to travel with it empty

Yes, you use the sink/toilet/shower and dump the tanks at your earliest convenience. Just remember you have extra weight, that will also alter the hitch weight one way or the other depending on tank location, when you are driving.

[Kim Gass]

Originally Posted by Dreamteam

When dry camping or boondocking do you use your toilet? Then do you travel with your bkack water tank until you are somewhere to empty? I thought you were only supposed to travel with it empty.

Of course. I don't know why one would be required to drive with it empty presuming you have allowed for the weight. Getting to a dry camping spot one brings water. Its just used water

[Les7h]

As your “ fresh water “ empties your gray & black fill - so it almost equals out as far as the weight - Les

[koko]

In our part of the country, it just depends on how crowded an area is. Anything over about 25 ft. limits you to less secluded areas that you could easily squeeze into with a smaller RV. The larger rigs seem to always be in an open field.

Now that we have a motorhome, even though it's small, we are much more limited because of ground clearance. All of our trailers were off-road height, and we could go just about anywhere. Now we have to be careful of exposed rocks and rutty roads.

[Cimriver]

I would say clearance is the big issue out West. Sometimes length can get in your way on tight corners.

[Kim Gass]

Originally Posted by Cimriver

I would say clearance is the big issue out West. Sometimes length can get in your way on tight corners.

We see jackknifed rigs a lot or the rig straddling the road impossible to. Move withou driving in a ditch

Trees don’t move either and our state is 95 percent forest