Travelling with a large RV

[Seren]

Years ago, I drove in a car on some winding roads with fairly sharp turns in the mountains of North Carolina that I would be somewhat hesitant to use for an RV. Now that I have started fulltiming with a Landmark and will be travelling all over the States, I assume that there are certain roads that it would be difficult to pull a large RV on. Is there some sort of app, or map that anyone uses that shows which roads, especially in the Rockys or even in NC/VA/TN that should be avoided?


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[whp4262]

The Good Sam GPS (Rand McNally) allows you to enter your RV length etc and will route you around problem areas. There are probably a couple other GPS devices that will do the same but the Good Sam unit is the one I have and familiar with.

 

[danemayer]

Hi Seren,

The Rand McNally Trucker's Atlas might be what you're looking for. It identifies truck routes. If a semi can go there, you probably can also. I did find one road in western Montana that was in the atlas and turned out to be pretty dicey - but it actually worked out.

 

[Nabo]

Seren - I went to Camping World and got the "The Official RV Atlas" also called RV Road Atlas by Trailer Life Directory. It shows truck route that we use for traveling with the Landmark. Some other folks have gone to a truck stop with success getting a truck atlas. We do not use our TomTom (gps) since our model can not be set up for truck routes.

 

[Seren]

Thanks, will look into it. I would think that it would ruin ones day to get stuck on a roadbecause the turn was too sharp.



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[MTPockets]

One thing to remember is you're generally taking your RV from one campground to the next. General exploring and site-seeing un-attached. Following the normal route to the campground, be it private, state, or national, should be considered a safe route. We've travelled now in 49 states with various RV's and have never encountered a hazard. Some narrow, some winding roads, but with proper handling, no problem.

 

[boatto5er]

If "Rodbuster" can make it down the Dragon's Tail, you can go almost anywhere!

 

[porthole]

Take a look at this thread, and especially the pictures in post 32.

If there is a truck or trailer warning, my suggestion would be to heed such warning.

https://heartlandowners.org/showthread.php/41689-Tail-of-The-Dragon-US-129?highlight=Dragon

 

[Seren]

Take a look at this thread, and especially the pictures in post 32.

If there is a truck or trailer warning, my suggestion would be to heed such warning.

https://heartlandowners.org/showthread.php/41689-Tail-of-The-Dragon-US-129?highlight=Dragon

I think that I will avoid the Dragon at least until I get a little more practice, which should be in another 10-15 years.


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[Seren]

We will be heading from Fair Play, SC to Pigeon Forge, TN in 4 days. Google maps takes me on 441 past Cherokee, which looks like it has a lot of sharp turns. My feeling is to just head to Ashville, then 40 North, which adds an hour diriving time. Any thoughts about 441? Now you know why I started this thread.


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[Kbvols]

441 takes you over the mountain thru the national forest you don't want to pull over the mountains with your RV at least I would not. Additionally it is very congested on most days with a 30mph speed limit take I 40 you will save your self at least 2 hours and a lot of stress
IMO

 

[Nabo]

Seren - do not take a 40'+ 5th wheel down hwy 441 from Cherokee, NC over the mountain. It has some pretty good switch-backs that if you meet traffic could be trouble.

We are pulling out for Pigeon Forge tomorrow, staying at River Plantation RV Resort. We will be there til Sunday. When are ya'll coming in and where are you staying? Maybe we can get together.

Byrd

 

[JanAndBill]

X10!!! We just made the trip from Sevierville to Cherokee last week in the truck took 21/2 hours over and a little under 2 hours back. We met a few pulling smaller travel trailers but no big rigs. You'll be pulling hard till you reach the gap at the top, then burn your brakes coming over the other side. There's construction going on and if they're working you'll have real problems. Also, depending where you are there are not any places to pull off if you have trouble.

 

[Seren]

X10!!! We just made the trip from Sevierville to Cherokee last week in the truck took 21/2 hours over and a little under 2 hours back. We met a few pulling smaller travel trailers but no big rigs. You'll be pulling hard till you reach the gap at the top, then burn your brakes coming over the other side. There's construction going on and if they're working you'll have real problems. Also, depending where you are there are not any places to pull off if you have trouble.

Well, if there is construction then I think i will pass this time or at least until I get a little more experience. Or maybe I should be a little more adventurous and take 129 instead, just think of the the stories we would have! Then again, maybe not...


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[scottyb]

There is a CalTrans website that shows all the restricted length roadways in CA. It is broken down into regions. They go by KPRA (King Pin to Rear Axle) length. I was looking at it because I have a friend in Arcata that we wish to visit. I wouldn't be surprised if all the states respective DOT's have something similar.

 

[SeattleLion]

We use the Motor Carrier's Road Atlas. We have the car GPS and use that for general reference, but the atlas does a great job with clearances as well as roads that work for big rigs. If an eighteen wheeler can go there, so can we.

 

[GWRam]

We use the Motor Carrier's Road Atlas. We have the car GPS and use that for general reference, but the atlas does a great job with clearances as well as roads that work for big rigs. If an eighteen wheeler can go there, so can we.

Does the atlas show details of bridges clearances and widths on 2 lane blacktops as well as interstate? I used the good sam planner for a trip from Chattanooga to dahlonega and came around a turn on a mountain two lane to see a warning sign of low clearance ahead. There was no notations of this on the route information from good sam and It definitely made my heart jump. We cleared by about an inch but I would like some source of planning material so I can make the choice if that is something I want to face, (at the point I knew about the low bridge there was nowhere to turn around, we would have had to back up on mountain roads for over a mile), not leave it up to some computer program that won't let me adjust height restrictions.

 

[Seren]

Does the atlas show details of bridges clearances and widths on 2 lane blacktops as well as interstate? I used the good sam planner for a trip from Chattanooga to dahlonega and came around a turn on a mountain two lane to see a warning sign of low clearance ahead. There was no notations of this on the route information from good sam and It definitely made my heart jump. We cleared by about an inch but I would like some source of planning material so I can make the choice if that is something I want to face, (at the point I knew about the low bridge there was nowhere to turn around, we would have had to back up on mountain roads for over a mile), not leave it up to some computer program that won't let me adjust height restrictions.

I bought the Allstays app "Camp & RV" ($9) last week, which is their comprehensive app and has just about every possible thing an RVer needs on the road. You can filter bridge heights to either show 15-16ft, 14-15ft, 13-14ft, all the way down to 8-9ft, or there is a separate filter for bridges less than 13'6". In addition it shows campsites (can be filtered to show KOA, 1000 trails, military, Passport America, Good Sams, Escapees, also by rating, cost, elevation, allows big rigs, 50 amp, pet friendly, etc), public lands, parks (national, state, county), rest areas, which Walmarks allow overnight parking, casino parking, RV repair shops and dealers, truck stops, stores (Camping World, Bass Pro Shop, etc),- well worth the money.


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[GWRam]

Thank You,
I will give that app a try.
Just ran a new route through the good sam planner and within 3 miles of our departure point it has us drive through a series of uphill 90* turns followed immediately by a steep uphill 180* hairpin that the truck can barely make alone without anything in tow and using both lanes much less with a 41' 5er behind.
Fortunately we have been here a few days and have driven around and knew that. Sad thing is that going 2 extra miles on normal easy roads will get us to the same place without all the drama.
We won't ever be following good sam planner without a thorough review again.

 

[Seren]

Thank You,
I will give that app a try.
Just ran a new route through the good sam planner and within 3 miles of our departure point it has us drive through a series of uphill 90* turns followed immediately by a steep uphill 180* hairpin that the truck can barely make alone without anything in tow and using both lanes much less with a 41' 5er behind.
Fortunately we have been here a few days and have driven around and knew that. Sad thing is that going 2 extra miles on normal easy roads will get us to the same place without all the drama.
We won't ever be following good sam planner without a thorough review again.

I agree, that is my biggest worry getting on a road not suited for a large RV. I not only started a thread with that exact concern a few days ago, but also made that suggestion on the Allstay app I mentioned. Most people posted that the best thing to do is get some sort of a truckers atlas, which makes since, but it would be awesome if the Allstays app included it, or better yet, Google map had that as an option.


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