How to Make Plans for a Camping Trailer

trailer image by Greg Pickens from Fotolia.com

Camping is an activity the whole family can enjoy, but planning for a camping trailer requires more than just choosing a destination and hitting the road. You also must consider the time of year, your travel needs and the condition of your camping trailer. Create a checklist to make sure your camping experience is safe, comfortable and convenient.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Parking permit
Extensions
Anti-sway bar
Hook-ups
Sewer hose
First aid kit

Step 1

Consider where you will store the camping trailer. If you will store the trailer in a garage, measure the length, width, and height of the trailer to ensure it will fit. Camping trailers generally measure 14 to 36 feet long. If you plan to keep it at a storage site, remove valuables from inside the trailer and completely lock all doors and windows.

Step 2

Determine whether you need a parking permit at your camping destination. Some campgrounds and wooded areas may not require a parking permit, but other destinations might. If local law requires registration of the trailer, find out where to register the vehicle and claim yourself as the owner. Some towns require a permit from the police department to park a trailer or RV on a residential street. Permitting is a simple process requiring identification.

Step 3

Decide if you require extensions such as an awning or extra storage. If you plan a cycling tour, for example, add an extension to transport bicycles, gear and other equipment.

Step 4

Verify that you have the required equipment to attach the camping trailer to your tow vehicle. Basic items include a trailer hitch, tow bar, towing chains and electrical connections. Because you must line up the trailer hitch and tow bar as perfectly as possible when connecting, have a friend provide hand signals as you back your vehicle up to the camper.

Step 5

Decide if you need to install anti-sway bars to prevent your camping trailer from swaying when traveling at high speed or downhill or winding roads.

Step 6

Make a checklist of all necessary hook-ups for your camping trailer. Check the condition of your sewer hose, needed to flush your holding tanks; make sure it has no holes or other damage. Consider purchasing a holding tank flush kit to help with waste disposal. If your camping trailer does not have a holding tank, consider installing a portable one.

Step 7

Restock your survival and first aid kits and include an assortment of first aid equipment and medicine. Add solar blankets if you camp in the winter.

Tips & Warnings

Consider the square footage to determine how many people can comfortably sleep inside the camping trailer.

Consider the season. The spring can bring rains, mud and allergies, whereas the winter can bring bitter winds and freezing temperatures. The fall is less prone to insects, and temperatures are generally cooler.

Monitor the gas gauge to make sure it is working properly before going on a long-distance camping trip.

You can only tow a camping trailer with a tow vehicle. Use a car tow weight database to find out how much weight your car can tow.

Resources

Article Written By Charlie Gaston

Charlie Gaston has written numerous instructional articles on topics ranging from business to communications and estate planning. Gaston holds a bachelor's degree in international business and a master's degree in communications. She is fluent in Spanish and has extensive travel experience.

Editor's Pick

5 Top North American Wildflower Hikes

Springtime brings a sense of new beginnings and new life as flowers begin to bloom and fill the air with their sweet and pleasant fragrance. Luckily we can see wildflowers all summer long, since spring hits at different times throughout North America. See flowering cactu...
More National Parks...
Popular Article

National Park Substitutes: Great Spots Without the Crowds

Coping with crowds at national parks can get tiresome, especially during the peak tourist season. If you want to escape from the herd, or just take a breather from the bustle of bigger attractions, the United States has plenty of less-visited but still worthwhile spots t...
More National Parks...
Featured Destination

Prevent Yourself from Getting Lost While Hiking

When you're hiking you're going to want to make sure you stay found. What I mean by that is that you've put an itinerary in the car, you know the area that you're hiking to, you know the route and the trail you plan on being on, you know what the trail markers are going ...
More Camping Basics...