Anything longer than 30 feet will have some problems in California State Parks.
Anything over 40 feet, as I recall, has road restrictions, because they designed the roads for 40 feet.
Highway 120 into Yosemite NP has recently been modified to accomodate 45 boot buses because highway 140 still has length restrictions due to the rock slide several years ago.
The forest service campgrounds that I go to are sometimes difficult with a 20 foot trailer and a 20 foot truck. Ditto for Castle Crags SP.
A lot depends on where you want to go. Longer is more comfortable. Shorter can go more places. Pick one of those two options or compromise in between.
Wayne in San Jose
TV1:2002 Chevy 1500HD 4wd Crew Cab,Valley Odyssey brake ctlr,McKesh mirrors
TV2:2008 GMC 2500HD long bed 4wd Crew Cab,GMC brake ctlr,GMC mirrors
TT:Trailmanor 2720
Honda 2000
Yamaha WR250R,Polaris Sportsman 700 X2,Polaris Scrambler 500
We've had both trailers and a DP. The DP can be maneuvered easier once the toad is dropped, but not necessarily better. Our DP was only a 37' without a tag axle so it was at the easier end of the DP range, while the trucks were 4x74 crew cabs so they were a the harder end of the trailer spectrum.
A 42' DP will be hampered by both it's length and the tag axle, although some tag axles can be lifted.
A 42' DP is not allowed on some highways, including some of our favorites in CA where 40' is the limit.
You mentioned staying in various COEs & NF sites. We like to stay in smaller, older CG's whether private or gov't and we've noticed that a large number of sites are under 40'. Long enough for the trailer since the TV can be parked sideways or even somewhere else. While the folks with 42-45' DPs always say they never have a problem finding a site, we rarely see coaches of that size where we usually go.
If you want to have similar access to this type of CG as you have with your 5ver, but you'd like to have a DP, then get one that's 36-38' long and you'll have both.
Steve & C. J.
"Gracie" the Rough Collie & "Bo'sun" the Bichon Frise
A 42-45' DP will have the same turning radius as a 37-40' non tag with the same front axle. Even if the tag does not lift the the wheelbase when turning is the distance from the drive axle to the front axle. Those rear four tires with 20K lbs on them are not going to slide sideways, it those two with 10K or less.
As for big enough campsites for a 42'+ you have to go look. Even CG owners often do not realize that I can get my 42' in a site they think 37' is max and often still have room for the toad parked in line with the MH. It's the same as parking a big PU at Home Depot, you cannot make it in one turn. You have to over shoot the turn and plan on backing up once or more.
If the space is long enough and there is enough room to back and fill I can get into most places. I can also hang part of the rear end out over the grass and stay on the gravel with the wheels. I love the ride of the tag when on the road. I have not found a place I can not go yet but I am sure there will be places but many older NF non hook up campgrounds are not what I am looking for. I want to have a nice campground that is peaceful yet has good power int he summer for the AC unit and in the winter I can live on 30 amps but still the NF non hook up places are not for us.
John
2001 42' Foretravel U320
2007 Bornfree 24 Painted
2001 Jeep Wrangler
2007 Burgman 650 Executive
Susie and Dolly (Cavalier King Charles Spaniels)
Dolly now in our hearts and thoughts 8-27-05
Doodle a Black and Tan Cavalier
Lolly a Ruby Cavalier
"I guess no one will tackle the geometrics??" Not sure this is tackling your question as the amount of wheel cut is more important than the geometry or wheel base. Fortunately most newer MH's have 50 degree or more so the turning radius is much better than my 10 wheel dump truck that is only 38' long. It probably only has 35 degrees of cut and takes up as much room as my 42' DP to turn around. Is your Duramax a 4x4 as they do not turn as well as a 2x4 and what is the angle of the PU to the trailer in a maximum turn? I'm pretty sure it will be more than 55 degrees as my PU/5er will turn around better than my DP. The wheel base of your trailer is more likely 308-30=278 which is to the center of the axles... so my conclusion is the PU/5er will have a better turning radius plus it's easier to back up several times to increase the turning radius. I've even had my 5er go backward when the PU was more than 90 degrees to the trailer.
For access to COE & NF areas, go to a website like reserveamerica.com and plug in your information to search for sites to fit a 45' MH. I am looking now for places in my home state of West Virginia and there are very few that will fit anything over 30', at least as far as the parks are concerned. I don't know how reliable their information really is, but that is what is being advertised.
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