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Old 02-21-2017, 07:47 AM   #1
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TT Size Limit in CA State Parks

We are traveling down the northern CA coastline from Oregon in late June and I am now making reservations at CA State Parks along the way. We are hauling a 25-ft AS and most (all) the state parks in CA indicate a TT size limit of 24 feet. Does anyone know how strict the parks are about the actual trailer size? Would the one foot make a difference. Since each park is listed the same it seems a bit arbitrary. In other states it seems to be more of a rule of thumb, but I've not camped in CA yet. Thanks Much!
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Old 02-21-2017, 08:01 AM   #2
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Also remember that Airstreams measure from ball to bumper. Most all other trailer manufacturers measure the actual trailer.
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Old 02-21-2017, 08:06 AM   #3
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Welcome Dlaker! I'm a transplant from Minneapolis and we love camping on the coast. There are so many fun places to stay. I would add Sonoma county parks to your list, they have a few on the coast. Doran is one of our favorites.

The websites listing size are not that helpful. I usually look through campsitephotos.com and note where trailers are parked in the pictures. Some of the state parks are really tight and even at 24', it would be a challenge. The other thing to do is call the ranger station, they usually know where the trailers like to stay.

June is beautiful along the coast, but you're a little late getting your reservations. My suggestion is to stay flexible, most do have first come/ first served sites set aside.

Good luck!
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Old 02-21-2017, 08:37 AM   #4
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CA state park sites are smaller than we've seen in most state parks. We traveled up the coast last year with our 27 and stayed at the following CA state parks: Malibu Creek ( prob the smallest sites), Morro Bay ( there were Motorhomes there. We loved it there! Great town, great kayaking!), Pfeiffer Big Sur, Kirk Creek (great views!), Russian Gulch, Jedidiah Smith. A non SP campground that we loved was Santa Cruz Port District Campground - just a parking lot in a marina but the location can't be beat! We rode our bikes everywhere. Go onto Allstays because I'm seeing some state parks without the 24 ft limitation. Also, the campsite photo idea was a great one! Reservations needed ( abs we were there in March). Checkout my husbands bolg for more info on the parks we stayed at. Travelwiththeslowskys.com
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Old 02-21-2017, 10:45 AM   #5
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TT Size Limit in CA State Parks

Most don't measure (but one of the coastal parks does!). We got into a site at Napa with a 30' Classic, but it was tighter than clothes from junior high.

You will have to fit the trailer and tow on the site, and off of the road, or park your tow in overflow parking a good hike from the site.

Wrights Beach at Sonoma Coast Recreation Area has some longer sites, as well. Some parks are reservable but not site specific.
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Old 02-21-2017, 11:09 AM   #6
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This might help

Use this for trailer length in Calif state parks. Once you find the one you can fit in, make sure you get reservations. Some parks require reservations a year ahead.

http://www.parks.ca.gov/rvlength/

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Old 02-21-2017, 11:15 AM   #7
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Some Highways with Rig limits too

First, I agree that there are some county parks all over CA & other states worth seeing - & even some city ones!

Note that some of the highway sections also have length limits which are dead serious - emphasis on "dead" when it comes to tight turns!

For example, the section of PCH Hwy 1 north of San Francisco off the US 101 going down to Stinson Beach/etc. has a 22' or 24' limit, & I don't recall if that's an overall rig length or TT only, cuz we've always done that stretch in our `88 VW Westy camper, so it wasn't an issue. If overall rig length, then we'd have to cut over to PCH on another hwy further north if doing it with our Avion T20.

So you should check with AAA or other sources on length & width & height limitations of highways, in order to plan your route accordingly. But don't trust google maps, cuz they can't even get city streets right!

Another example which is both a highway & campground limitation is Sequoyah NP (spelling intentional - they & Toyota misspell the great man's name! ), which I think is 25' IIRC & I think it's an overall rig length - required due to the roadway snaking between giant Sequayah trees! One time in our Westy, we had to stop & help a guy who thought he knew better in 32-36' Class A RV get unstuck on a turn - which he was unable to do before the Ranger showed up steaming mad!

I think they had to guide him backing up for a couple of miles to a "Tee" intersection where he could turn around & go back the other way .... after a fat ticket!

So I agree with those above who suggested that you actually call the Ranger Stations at any parks where you want to go, in order to sort out those where you won't fit.

As to the comment above about other trailer mfgrs. only measuring the "box" - I don't believe that is correct, cuz AFAIK it's federal law for all trailer mfgrs. to provide the total vehicle length - including bumpers & tongues & other factory supplied protuberances & extenders.

What he may be confusing is the "naming" of trailers by the box length by some mfgrs., but that would put them at a marketing disadvantage relative to other trailers naming by overall length, so I even doubt that.

For example, our 1960 Avion T20 is actually 20'-6" long in stock form, which dimension was supplied in the factory brochures.

Do your research & follow what they tell you about the actual length limitations, so you don't end up like the RV guy in Sequoyah, who had to listen to his wife railing the rest of their trip I'm sure!

PS - aside from the limits imposed by the parks & CalTrans/US-DOT, there are what your comfort level is in the particular situation, so make sure to ask about the layout & other questions, in order to make sure you're comfortable in all situations.

Safe Travels!
Tom
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Old 02-21-2017, 11:21 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stanwirth View Post
Use this for trailer length in Calif state parks. Once you find the one you can fit in, make sure you get reservations. Some parks require reservations a year ahead.

http://www.parks.ca.gov/rvlength/

Stan
Thanx Stan!

Great Resource.

PS - some of the parks on that list which I know personally from almost 55 years of camping in CA, would give me the "willies" with our T20 in some parks for which it should fit per their limits! Palomar SP is just one example. So words of caution.

Tom
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Old 02-21-2017, 11:27 AM   #9
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Note that the Flying Cloud 25 is actually 25' 11" long.

Also, I keep seeing here on the forums people saying that other brands measure the box & not the total length, but a google search showed on several SOB forums that the length in the specs of their trailers is bumper to tongue, just like Airstream. Not to be confused with their model numbers, which have no relation to the length. My old Gulfstream Streamlite, for example, was a 22SLB and its published specs showed a length of 26.5', which was the bumper to tongue length, confirmed by my own tape measure.

Just thought I'd throw that out there......

Edit: Tom T posted above as I was writing my post, didn't see it until after I posted, so I agree with him.
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Old 02-21-2017, 11:35 AM   #10
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Thanks all for the information. Geeze, especially about the website on the camp site photos - which I had known about that earlier. Thanks so much. I have reservations along most of the way north of SF, just hoping that 24 versus 25 feet length works out. I checked the site photos and I think they will all work. I need one more site along the coast and the recommendation on Doran Co. Park looks super. Thanks all.
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Old 02-21-2017, 11:51 AM   #11
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Just saw the additional info on trailer lengths and especially the DOT and CA Highways safety limits - all very good info. More homework, but definitely worthwhile. Our trip is starting MN, along the upper tier to Glacier NP, down through ID and across Oregon, down to SF area and then home through canyonlands, the four corners area and southern Colorado. This info is invaluable for my planning. Again, thanks all.
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Old 02-21-2017, 12:46 PM   #12
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I will use this site while in california
THANKS
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Old 02-21-2017, 01:39 PM   #13
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Great resource, Stan. Like Tom T., I've been staying in parks for years but never came across this list before! I'll also echo what Tom T. sez about double checking camp site sizes before arriving. I too know from experience that not all camp sites in a park can accommodate the max size listed. Only some of the sites at Sugarloaf, for example, can fit a 24' trailer. Other camp sites are only deep enough for a 20 footer. Doran county park will easily fit your trailer...if there are any sites still left!
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Old 02-21-2017, 11:56 PM   #14
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I have found the Allstays RV app to be most informative for County, State, National and private parks. It provides very detailed information. And not just for California. Nationwide! Also shows truck stops, Walmarts, Elks, etc. $9.99 and worth EVERY CENT! Also shows grades on highways and interstates.
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Old 02-22-2017, 01:13 AM   #15
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I live in California and frequently camp in CA state campgrounds. I also have a 25' AS, but when I do my search I always indicate that I have a 24' trailer. This opens up many more sites than would otherwise be available, and I've never had a problem with the trailer fitting, nor being questioned on the trailer size. It is my 24-foot trailer, period.
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Old 02-22-2017, 10:56 AM   #16
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One other thing I'm learning about TT size and campground fit - it is not just the TT size fitting into the actual campsite you need to consider. At Matt's suggestion and others above, I called the Prairie Creek Redwoods SP and spoke with a ranger there who said that something many folks don't think about are the width of the access roads through the campgrounds and the (sometimes) extremely narrow clearances combined with tight turns that some trailers just can't negotiate, or worse, try to and get stuck. Maybe this is more of a Giant Redwoods Campground issue, but something to think about in addition to just thinking about the campsite photos (but the photos are darn useful) .
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Old 02-23-2017, 07:59 AM   #17
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TT Size Limit in CA State Parks

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dlaker View Post
One other thing I'm learning about TT size and campground fit - it is not just the TT size fitting into the actual campsite you need to consider. At Matt's suggestion and others above, I called the Prairie Creek Redwoods SP and spoke with a ranger there who said that something many folks don't think about are the width of the access roads through the campgrounds and the (sometimes) extremely narrow clearances combined with tight turns that some trailers just can't negotiate, or worse, try to and get stuck. Maybe this is more of a Giant Redwoods Campground issue, but something to think about in addition to just thinking about the campsite photos (but the photos are darn useful) .


To expand on this, beware of roads leading in to some parts of campgrounds that don't lead back out. Not all campground roads are circular, and if you think it's hairy driving forward through some of the narrow clearances described above, try backing out of them!
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