You recently read my post about the ideal RV size for national parks. You want to keep it more local and visit a state park with your motorhome instead. What size vehicle do you need to get into the park?
The best size RV for state parks is between 21 and 35 feet long. Motorhomes like the Heartland Mallard Pathfinder, Jay Feather Micro, and Thor Four Winds are perfect for traversing the country’s best state parks!
In this article, I’ll recommend RVs within the 20-foot range all the way to 35 feet so that no matter whether you like to travel lightly with only a few passengers or bring the whole family along on your adventures, there’s something on this list for you!
What Is the Best Motorhome Size for State Parks?
Did you know the United States has more than 6,600 state parks? I can’t possibly go over every single one the same way I did national parks, as we’d be here all day.
So let’s get to the information that you really came here for, shall we? While it does vary by park, most state parks follow similar size limitations for RVs as national parks.
That is, motorhomes between 21 and 35 feet long are commonly accepted.
Do some parks allow motorhomes smaller than 20 feet? It’s not unheard of. If a park doesn’t have that much room for accommodations, the limit might be only 20 feet or even 18 feet.
Likewise, you might be able to park your RV in a state park if it’s well over 30 feet. Although I listed 35 feet as a cutoff, larger state parks could fit motorhomes measuring more than 40 feet, such as 45 or even 50 feet!
If you’d like to know about RV sizes for national parks, read the article I wrote.
6 RVs That Should Fit Most State Parks
Next, I want to go over some motorhomes on the market that should fit state park requirements. Whether you seek a small RV or a larger one, there’s something on this list for you.
Let’s dive right in.
19 Feet – Jay Feather Micro 166FBS
The Jay Feather Micro didn’t earn that name accidentally! This ultra-lightweight, tow-friendly vehicle is small and travel-ready.
The 166FBS model measures approximately 19 feet, eight inches long. Other models are as small as 13 feet, four inches, and the largest is 23 feet, two inches. The 166FBS weighs 3,975 feet with room for three.
The exterior height measures nine feet, seven inches, and the exterior width with the sides out is nine feet, eight inches. Inside, this motorhome is six feet, six inches tall.
The Micro 166FBS has a 55-gallon freshwater tank, a 30.5-gallon graywater tank, a 30.5-gallon blackwater tank, and a 60-pound propane unit.
Inside this RV, you’ll find a jack-knife sofa with rotatable trays on either side and overhead storage. Adjacent to that is a 54-inch by 80-inch bed.
The kitchen includes a television cabinet, exterior fridge, microwave, pantry, fridge, and additional overhead storage.
The full bathroom boasts a medicine cabinet, sink, toilet, shower, and yet more overhead storage.
21 Feet – Heartland Mallard Pathfinder
Still compact for squeezing into most state parks, the Heartland Mallard Pathfinder P17QBH is approximately 21 feet, four inches long, and weighs 3,660 pounds dry. Its gross vehicle weight rating is 4,692 pounds.
This motorhome model is 10 feet, five inches tall, and over seven feet long. The Mallard Pathfinder’s sleep capacity is five to six people.
The P17QBH has a 46-gallon freshwater tank, a 30-gallon graywater tank, a 30-gallon blackwater tank, and a six-gallon water heater. Included also are a 14,500-BTU air conditioner and 20,000-BTU furnace.
This RV has more of what you need when camping out in state parks. The bedroom includes a 60-inch by 80-inch queen-sized bed with storage, a Quick Store bed base, and nightshades.
The bathroom comes with a tub and shower surround, medicine cabinet, foot-flush toilet, power vent, and shower skylight.
In the kitchen, you’ll find a high-rise kitchen faucet and a deep bowl sink for taking care of more dishes when on the road.
The exterior of the Mallard Pathfinder features two LP canisters (20 pounds each), exterior speakers, a power awning with LED lighting, 4G LTE prep, a 110-watt solar panel, a Wi-Fi HD antenna, and an outdoor dinette.
23 Feet – Winnebago Minnie Winnie 22R
A Class C motorhome, the Winnebago Minnie is the perfect option for traveling through the nation’s state parks. The 22R model measures approximately 23 feet, 10 inches long.
This motorhome for five people features an exterior height of 10 feet, 11 inches, and an exterior width of eight feet, 5.5 inches. The exterior has 60.4 cubic feet of storage and a 14-foot awning.
Inside, the Minnie measures six feet, 10 inches tall, and eight feet wide.
The vehicle has a 40-gallon freshwater tank, a six-gallon water heater, a 21-gallon blackwater tank, a 24-gallon graywater tank, and a 76.14-pound LP tank. Its fuel capacity is 55 gallons.
The Minnie 22R offers two chassis options. The first is a Ford E350 chassis with a 210-amp alternator, TorqShift six-speed automatic transmission and overdrive, and a 7.3-liter, 350-horsepower V8 Premium engine.
Your other option is a Ford E450 chassis with a 210-amp alternator, TorqShift six-speed automatic transmission with overdrive, and a 7.3-liter, 350-HP V8 Premium engine.
The bathroom features a spacious 23-inch by 34-inch shower, a medicine cabinet, a lavatory cabinet, shower wall surround sound, a textured glass shower door, a skylight, a powered roof vent, a foot pedal toilet, towel bars, and robe hooks.
In the bedroom, you’ll rest comfortably on the double bed with a headboard, foam mattress, and mattress cover. Wind down at night with a 24-inch HDTV.
The kitchen galley boasts a stainless steel sink, a two-way double-door combo fridge and freezer with 6.3 cubic feet of space and woodgrain paneling, a three-burner range with an oven and glass door, a vented range hood with a light, a microwave with touch controls, and a Corian solid surface countertop.
The Minnie 22R’s interior sets the mood with vinyl flooring and ceilings, a 32-inch HDTV (with a DVD player), LED lighting, a front wraparound curtain, and blackout roller shades in the bedroom, dinette, and lounge.
24 Feet – Thor Four Winds 22E
For a middle-of-the-road motorhome size, go for a 24-footer. I quite like the Thor Four Winds. The 22E model measures 24 feet, one inch exactly!
The Ford chassis version has an interior height of seven feet, a 15-foot awning, and a GVWR of 12,500 pounds. This motorhome has room for four people.
It has a 40-gallon LPG capacity, a 40-gallon freshwater tank, a 24-gallon blackwater tank, a 37-gallon graywater tank, and a six-gallon water heater.
The Chevrolet chassis version has the same awning height and interior height and a GVWR of 12,300 pounds. There’s also room for four, and the tank capacity is the same.
Inside the Four Winds 22E will surely impress you, what with the 84-inch ceilings, residential vinyl flooring, hard vinyl ceiling, weathered cherry flat panel cabinet doors, kitchen cabinet decorative glass inserts, LED lighting, pressed laminate countertops, dinette booth, and privacy shades.
The kitchen comes with a wastebasket, accent counter lights, a sizable window, stainless steel sink, a flip-up countertop extension, a microwave, and a convection micro oven.
If you want a bathroom, you got it. The Four Winds has a hot water recycling system, a shower skylight and curtain, a stainless steel bathroom sink, a foot-flush toilet, and a power vent bath.
29 Feet – Coachmen Pursuit 27XPS
If you want to keep your RV just under 30 feet, try the Coachmen Pursuit. The 27XPS model measures 29 feet long with an exterior height of 12 feet and an exterior width of 102 inches.
This 16,000-pound motorhome includes an 80-gallon fuel tank, a 50-gallon freshwater tank, a 31-gallon graywater tank, and a 31-gallon blackwater tank.
Inside this appealing vehicle, you’ll find privacy shades, a sofa, swivel and recline pilot seats, safety glass windows, and high-quality linoleum surfaces.
The kitchen galley boasts solid surface counters, a stainless steel microwave, a stainless steel three-burner range with a glass cover, a high-rise faucet and stainless steel sink, a stainless steel two-door refrigerator, and a stainless steel illuminated range hood.
The bathroom uses the black tank to flush. You’ll wash your hands at the stainless steel lavatory sink, enjoy some sun with a skylight over the shower, and easily bathe with the retractable shower door.
The toilet is made of porcelain, and the shower is a single piece of ABS plastic.
31 Feet – Thor A.C.E.
Who says Class A motorhomes always have to be gargantuan? The Thor A.C.E. is a Class A that measures approximately 30 feet, nine inches when you choose the 29G model.
This motorhome has an exterior height of 12 feet, two inches, and an exterior width of eight feet, three inches. Its interior height is seven feet.
Sleeping six, the A.C.E. uses a Ford chassis to deliver 335 horsepower and 468 pounds-feet of torque. It weighs 18,000 pounds.
The 29G includes an 88-pound LPG tank, an 80-gallon fuel capacity, a 50-gallon freshwater tank, a 40-gallon blackwater tank, a 40-gallon graywater tank, and a six-gallon water heater.
The interior is a marvel, what with the privacy shades, Lambrequin window treatments, pressed laminate surfaces, dinette with cup holders, theater seats with integrated footrests, leatherette sofa bed, and ball-bearing, full-extension drawers.
In the kitchen, you’ll find a lovely pantry, a solid surface galley top with accent lighting and sink covers, a double-bowl sink built of stainless steel, a tiled backsplash, a microwave, a three-burner gas oven with a bi-fold glass cover, and a double-doored fridge.
The bedroom has a king-sized bed, while the bathroom features a 12-volt fan, a 12-volt outlet, a foot-flush toilet, a shower skylight, and an antimicrobial curved shower curtain.
Entertaining is simple with a 39-inch LED TV in the living area, a 32-inch LED TV in the bedroom, USB charging ports in the living room and bedroom, and a digital TV antenna.
35 Feet – Winnebago Adventurer 35F
If you insist on a larger motorhome, the Winnebago Adventurer 35F won’t disappoint. This Class A RV measures 35 feet, five inches long, with an exterior height of 12 feet, six inches, and an exterior width of eight feet, 5.5 inches.
Inside, the RV is eight feet, five inches wide by six feet, eight inches tall. The Adventurer 35F weighs 26,000 pounds and has room for five.
This model also features an 80-gallon fuel capacity, a 51-gallon graywater tank, a 10-gallon water heater capacity, and two blackwater tanks, one that’s 41 gallons and a second that’s 21 gallons.
The Ford F53 chassis features rear valve stem extensions, 25.5-inch wheels, automatic hydraulic leveling jacks, electronic traction and stability control, and a 7.3-liter, V8 engine with four-wheel ABS, Hydro-Max System power brakes, and six-speed automatic transmission.
The interior boasts lots of great features, from a dinette with hi-low storage, dining USB ports, residential vinyl flooring and ceilings, a powered ventilator fan, an expanding sectional, and washer/dryer prep.
The 35F also features dual-pane tinted windows, the Winnebago Connect seven-inch touchscreen command center, blackout solar shades, LED ceiling lights, an electric fireplace, and a 39-inch HDTV.
How Do I Know If My RV Will Be Allowed in a State Park?
While the information in this guide is designed to help you plan your camping trip to a state park, I don’t know the policies of every state park in the country.
If you have questions about whether your motorhome is allowed into a certain state park because of its size, I recommend calling ahead and asking. You can also check the state park website, as the information is usually available.
The last thing you should do is drive up to the state park and assume you can fit. You don’t want to get turned away at the gate, especially without a Plan B in place.
Conclusion
RVs come in all shapes and sizes, but state parks have a pretty clear-cut policy about what’s allowed and what isn’t. I hope this guide gives you the confidence to travel to a state park in a motorhome. Happy travels!