RoadNotes

We recently completed two new books about free RV camping. One includes Western states, the other includes Midwestern states. Each is sold at Amazon and other online retailers and both have a cover price of $14.95. Details for each is below.

Free RV Camping American Heartland

Discover 1,784 officially designated camping areas in 12 states across America’s heartland. These camping areas are real places-not big box store parking lots or side street parking-but formal campgrounds and dispersed camping areas. Included are camping areas managed by various agencies including federal, state, local, and others. Use this helpful guide to begin experiencing the many wonderful camping opportunities available throughout the American Heartland!

More information is available at Amazon.

Free RV Camping American West

Discover 1,902 officially designated camping areas in 11 states across America’s west. These camping areas are real places-not big box store parking lots or side street parking-but formal campgrounds and dispersed camping areas. Included are camping areas managed by various agencies including federal, state, local, and others. Use this helpful guide to begin experiencing the many wonderful camping opportunities available throughout the American West!

More information is available at Amazon.

There is a spreadsheet file that has been available online from various websites that you may find useful in calculating the combined weights of your tow vehicle and trailer. I have altered the original file to make it a little more user friendly and uploaded it to this site (see link below).

The spreadsheet allows you to enter vehicle weight ratings (tow vehicle and trailer), tow vehicle weights (dry weight, people, cargo, fuel), and trailer weights (dry weight, options, battery, propane, water, and stuff loaded inside the trailer). Calculated combined vehicle weights are shown near the bottom of the spreadsheet.

I didn’t create the spreadsheet and haven’t been able to find out who did. It appears on several websites when you search for “towing capacity worksheet”.

Download the file by selecting the link below:

• Towing Capacity Worksheet

In addition to the above, there is also a GVWR and Payload Calculator. There is a spreadsheet file that can be downloaded here or you can use the online calculator here. There also is a video on YouTube you can watch to learn more.

Below is a list of small RV manufacturers. That is to say, these manufacturers are not owned by one of the big three (Thor Industries, Forest River, Winnebago) as of the time of this post. Do you know of other small RV manufacturers not listed here? If so, please contact us.

Refer to the following post for a list of all RV manufacturers.

• • Adventurer Manufacturing – Truck campers
  • Aliner – A-frame pop up campers
  • Allen Camper Manufacturing – Fifth wheel trailers, Travel trailers
  • Alliance RV – Fifth wheel trailers, toy haulers
  • Armadillo Trailer Manufacturing – Fiberglass trailers
  • Backwater RV – Teardrop campers
  • Bigfoot Industries – Travel trailers, Truck campers
  • Bowlus – Travel trailers
  • Braxton Creek – Teardrop campers, Travel trailers
  • CampInAwe – Teardrop campers
  • Capri Camper – Truck campers
  • Casita Travel Trailers – Fiberglass trailers
  • Chalet A-Frame Campers – A-frame pop up campers
  • Chinook RV – Class B RVs, Travel trailers
  • Coach House – Class B RVs
  • Eclipse Recreational Vehicles – Fifth wheel trailers, Travel trailers
  • Escape Trailer Industries – Fiberglass trailers
  • Eveland’s, Inc (Scamp Trailers) – Fiberglass trailers
  • Genesis Supreme RV – Fifth wheel trailers, Travel trailers
  • Gulf Stream Coach – Full line RV manufacturer
  • Happier Camper – Fiberglass trailers
  • Host Campers – Truck campers
  • inTech RV – Mini campers
  • Lazy Daze – Class C RVs
  • Leisure Travel Vans (Triple E Recreational Vehicles) – Class B RVs
  • Little Guy Trailers – Teardrop campers
  • New Horizons RV – Fifth wheel trailers
  • Northern Lite – Truck campers
  • Northwood Manufacturing – Fifth wheel trailers, Travel trailers, Truck campers
  • Northstar Campers – Truck campers
  • nüCamp RV – Teardrop campers, Travel trailers, Truck campers
  • Old School Trailers – Travel trailers
  • Oliver Travel Trailers – Fiberglass trailers
  • Outdoors RV Manufacturing – Travel trailers
  • Pacific Coachworks – Travel trailers
  • Phoenix USA RV – Class B RVs
  • Pleasure-Way Industries – Class B RVs
  • Regency RV – Class B RVs
  • Riverside RV Inc – Travel trailers
  • Roulottes Prolite – Travel trailers
  • Rugged Mountain RV – Truck campers
  • Runaway Campers – Mini campers
  • Rustic Trail Teardrop Campers – Teardrop campers
  • The RV Factory – Fifth wheel trailers
  • Safari Condo – Class B RVs
  • Sunset Park RV – Mini campers, Travel trailers
  • Taylor Coach – Travel trailers
  • Tiffin Motorhomes – Class A RVs, Class C RVs
  • Travel Lite RV – Travel trailers, Truck campers
  • VanLeigh RV – Fifth wheel trailers
  • WeeRoll Campers – Mini campers
  • Xplor Campers – Travel trailers

Many RVers enjoy overnight RV parking at Walmart wherever it is allowed. The map below shows the location of Walmart stores in the United States. It also identifies stores where overnight RV parking is not allowed. Learn more and get the latest overnight parking status on our website.

There is a small RV park managed by the City of Pittsburg, Kansas. The park is near Lincoln Park and the Four Oaks Golf Course at 20th Street and US Highway 69. There are 12 spaces for RVs, each with water and electric hookups. The cost is $20 per night. Tent camping is also allowed for $10 per night but is only for use by cross country bicyclists. The city’s website indicates the park is open from March through October but there were two sites occupied when I was there in late November. The park also has an RV dump station, picnic shelter, and restrooms with showers.