17-20ft travel trailer as base camp?

I'll try to keep this short. The family and I would like to to hit the road for several months to a year or so. We plan on purchasing another Jeep JK as the main vehicle. We are also considering a 17-20ft travel trailer camper for use as a sort of base camp.

Basically we'd like to go someplace and set up camp for a week or two. But then also adventure out on small overnight trips using the Jeep, hiking, or even an overnight bike ride. And not having to tow the trailer, tear down and set up every night. We like the idea of the camper because of all the creature comforts of home, just a smaller scale. Not to mention the ability to just lounge around in comfort and decompress and relax before heading out for a few more days of adventure.

I was just curious if anyone has done something similar and how has it worked out?
 

doug720

Expedition Leader
We have done that style of camping for 20+ years with motor homes and a 60 Series LandCruiser.

Travel and stay in comfort, but have the freedom to easily get to and see great places you would not be able to without the 4x4.

Great way to travel for us.
 

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mkitchen

Explorer
Funny you should ask;

I have just changed from a Tacoma double cab with an AT Horizon off road trailer to a Tundra with a large tent trailer with a deck. We always traveled in a fashion that had us changing camp every night, sometimes two nights. I got tired of that method of camping on a month long trip we recently did. We also have gotten into dual sport bikes and wanted to be able to bring them along as well. The main reason though is that we want to do a base camp for one to two weeks at one spot and then travel by bike or 4X4 on daily trips in the area.

We can no longer camp in the very scenic, secluded spots that the Tacoma and Horizon allowed us to camp at, but I believe I am enjoying this style more. I can't say anything negative about the AT Horizon. It is a fantastic trailer and would go anywhere my modified Tacoma would go. Calling these tent trailers with a deck, an off road trailer is a joke and I understand that. I have some ground clearance with the tent trailer and can get out back somewhat though and from there we can explore with the Tundra or the bikes. Right now I seem to be happier with that method of travel.

We just got back from an 8 day trip to the Moab area and we had a great time. Each day we would explore with the truck or the bikes and then back to camp that afternoon. It worked out great. I can't wait to go again. I also think we got to see as much or even more than we would have done with the Tacoma and Horizon.
Mikey
 
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rcharrette

Adventurer
Great idea

This is exactly how we travel. We have a 27' TT and tow it with our Land Rover. We are a family of 4 (2 boys, 11 and 2yrs old) and a 80LB dog. We've had this camper for 3 years making many trips to Moab, Fruita and So Cal. This year we rented out the house long term and got on the road. We've been living in this for 10 months now. We left Colorado last November, went down to San Diego and worked our way up the West Coast to Whisler, BC. From there went East to Fernie, BC then dropped back down through Montana, Wyoming and back to Colorado.
Anyway, I think your idea is great. We love to have a "basecamp" with all our comforts to come back to.
 

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Nice setup!!! That is our exact plan of attack. We want to spend winters in the south and adventure north in the summer. Old age will make you do that. How well does it tow at highway speeds being that long and a short wheelbase tow vehicle? Our adventure tow vehicle has 104 inch wheelbase.
 

rcharrette

Adventurer
We've towed THOUSANDS of miles at this point and it's never so much as twitched back there. Not to say our truck tows it "easy". We definitely know it's back there and in the mountains we have to slow down and keep the RPM's under control but we use an EZ-Sway friction sway bar with the stock air suspension and it keeps it straight as an arrow going down the highway.
 

armymgdude

Observer
We just sold our 17ft Casita and bought a 2017 Outdoors RV Black Rock 20RD. It has 20ft of floor space, 72 gallons of fresh water, solar prep, heavy duty suspension with shocks and lots of clearance, rated to camp at 0 degrees, and 460amps of battery power. Lots heavier than our old trailer, but still within spec for our powerwagon. We are travelling fulltime and wanted to camp in cold weather offgrid. So far it is great, but we have only had it a week.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
 

calicamper

Expedition Leader
I'll try to keep this short. The family and I would like to to hit the road for several months to a year or so. We plan on purchasing another Jeep JK as the main vehicle. We are also considering a 17-20ft travel trailer camper for use as a sort of base camp.

Basically we'd like to go someplace and set up camp for a week or two. But then also adventure out on small overnight trips using the Jeep, hiking, or even an overnight bike ride. And not having to tow the trailer, tear down and set up every night. We like the idea of the camper because of all the creature comforts of home, just a smaller scale. Not to mention the ability to just lounge around in comfort and decompress and relax before heading out for a few more days of adventure.

I was just curious if anyone has done something similar and how has it worked out?

We met a family that had a Livintite 17 bunk model this summer. It was small enough to back into a tent site which is key to finding available sites on the west coast. The tow rig was a Volvo wagon. They were on the road for a month. The setup seemed to be working pretty well. Our set up is a 4x6 Lifetime tent trailer. Which is great for dry summer camping, but not great for shoulder season. We do 6 day trips set up bsse camp then break up the trip into exploring the local area and a day or two just hanginging out relaxing etc.

I think with the kids the ideal longer trip rig would be a bunk model like the Livinlite paired with a GMC Canyon diesel long bed with cap, so we have a gear garage, for bikes and other toys, that is enclosed and more streamlined.

No kids I think my dream rig would be FWC flatbed on the Canyon. Quick set up and tear down, great mileage several owners are seeing pretty solid 25mpg averages with the fwcs.
 

Dendy Jarrett

Expedition Portal Admin
Staff member
rcharrette

Read the article I just had published about my overlanding progression (first link in my signature below).

Dendy
 

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