If you and your family love to tour the country and camp in many different areas you may be in the market for a travel trailer. But maybe you or some family members are tall, or you like to go off-roading so you’ll need a taller travel trailer. And now you may be wondering where you’ll safely be able to park it when it’s not in use or if all campsites will be available to you with a taller travel trailer.
The average height of a travel trailer is between 9 and 11 feet high — although there are many factors that can affect this as well as different types of travel vehicles that vary in height.
There are ways you can heighten or lower your trailer, but also some important information you need to do before you choose to do so.
Travel Trailers Average Exterior Height
As mentioned, this can vary but the average exterior height of a travel trailer generally comes in between 9 and 11 feet high. Adding extra storage or an air conditioner to the top will increase the height — giving you less clearance when driving.
Travel Trailers Average Interior Height
Some travel trailers can be as short as 6 feet tall on the inside but most will come in between six and a half and seven feet high to accommodate taller people.
| Exterior Height | Interior Height | |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 R Pod 180 | 9.58 ft | 8.5 ft |
| 2019 Coachmen Apex 185BH | 9.75 ft | |
| 2019 Starcraft Satellite 17RB | 9.75 ft | 6.5 ft |
| 2019 GEO PRO 19BH | 9.58 ft | 6.5 ft |
| 2021 Jayco Jay Feather 25RB | 10.08 ft | 6.5 ft |
| 2020 Heartland Sundance 221 RB | 10.92 ft. | 6.75 ft |
| 2020 FOREST RIVER ROCKWOOD MINI-LITE 2104S | 10.92 ft | 6.67 ft |
| 2020 Freedom Express 195RBS | 10.25 ft | 6.75 ft |
| 2021 Coachman Apex Nano 194BHS | 10 ft | 6.75 ft |
| 2020 KZ RV Escape 181RD | 9.33 ft | 6.5 ft |
| 2019 Escape 191 BH by KZ | 9.33 ft | 6.5 ft |
| 2019 Winnebago Minnie Drop 170S | 9.25 ft | 6.42 ft |
| 2020 R-Pod 195 | 9.67 ft | 6.5 ft |
| 2019 Solaire 258RBSS | 11.08 ft | 6.75 ft |
| 2021 Forest River Vibe 28BH | 11.17 ft | 6.83 ft |
| 2019 ROCKWOOD 2608SB | 11.17 ft | |
| 2019 Grand Design RV Imagine 3000QB | 11 ft | 6.75 ft |
| 2018 Coachmen 323BHDS | 11.17 ft | 6.75 ft |
| 2018 Jayco 29BH | 11.17 ft | 6.75 ft |
| 2017 Winnebago Minnie Plus 26RBSS | 10.83 ft | 6.67 ft |
| 2018 Jayco White Hawk 27 RB | 11.17 ft | 6.75 ft |
| 2020 Forest River 29BHHL | 10.83 ft | |
| 2020 Puma XLE 31BHSC | 11.08 ft | |
| 2019 Thor Jayco Eagle HT 264BHOK | 11.83 ft | 7 ft |
| 2020 28BHSS Puma by Palomino | 11.08 ft | 6.67 ft |
| 2018 Solaire 317BHSK | 11.08 ft | 6.75 ft |
| 2020 Grand Design RV Imagine 3170BH | 11.17 ft | 6.75 ft |
| 2020 Freedom Express 326BHDS | 11 ft | 6.75 ft |
| 2018 SportTrek 343VBH | 11.33 ft | 6.83 ft |
| 2019 Cruise Lite 273QBXL | 10.25 ft | 6.5 ft |
| 2018 Solaire 292QBSK | 11.08 ft | 6.75 ft |
| 2019 Coachmen 287BHDS | 10.75 ft | 6.75 ft |
| 2020 Salem 29VBUD | 11.17 ft | 6.67 ft |
Fifth Wheels Average Height
The average height of a fifth wheel from the ground to the top of the roof is 12 to 13.5 feet. The inflation of the tires can also greatly affect the height as does any additional storage or air conditioning units added to the top.
| Exterior Height | Interior Height | |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 Grand Design RV Reflection 150 Series 260RD | 12 ft | |
| 2020 Winnebago Micro Minnie 2405RG | 11.25 ft | 7 ft |
| 2020 White Hawk 26RK | 11 ft | 6.75 ft |
| 2020 Cougar 24RDS | 11.83 ft | 7 ft |
| 2020 Grand Design RV Reflection 150 Series 240RL | 12 ft | |
| 2020 K-Z Sportsmen 231RK | 11.92 ft | 6.25 ft |
| 2019 Forest River Arctic Wolf 245RK4 | 12.42 ft | |
| 2019 Keystone 281DBS | 12.33 ft | |
| 2021 Big Country 3895FK | 13.25 ft | |
| 2021 Sierra 39BARK | 13.42 ft | 7 ft |
| 2021 GRAND DESIGN SOLITUDE 390RK | 13.42 ft | |
| 2021 Keystone Montana High Country 335BH | 13.33 ft | |
| 2021 Cedar Creek Champagne 38EFK | 13.42 ft | |
| 2021 Arctic Wolf 37700SUITE 2 Bedroom Fifth | 13.08 ft | |
| 2021 Forest River Sabre 38DBQ | 13.42 ft | |
| 2021 XLR Nitro 351 | 12.83 ft | |
| 2019 Grand Design RV Momentum G-Class 320G | 13.42 ft | |
| 2020 FOREST RIVER RIVERSTONE 39FK | 13.33 ft | |
| 2020 Montana 3740FK | 13.42 ft | |
| 2020 Redwood RW3981FK | 13.5 ft | 7 ft |
| 2020 Salem Grand Villa 42FK | 13.25 ft | 6.33 ft |
| 2021 Cardinal 402FKLE | 13.25 ft | |
| 2020 Keystone Avalanche 396BH | 13.33 ft | 6.83 ft |
| 2020 Cedar Creek Silverback 35LFT | 13.42 ft | |
| 2020 Flagstaff SuperLite 529BH | 13.08 ft | |
| 2020 Grand Design RV Reflection 311BHS | 12.17 ft | |
| 2020 Cougar 364BHL | 13.42 ft | |
| 2020 Eagle 357MDOK | 13 ft | 8.58 ft |
| 2020 Montana 384BR | 13.33 ft | |
| 2020 Forest River Arctic Wolf 3660 | 13.08 ft | |
| 2021 Reflection 31MB | 12.25 ft | |
| 2020 Elkridge 38MB | 13.25 ft | |
| 2020 Keystone Montana High Country 362RD | 13.33 ft |
Toy Haulers Average Height
The height of a toy hauler can range greatly depending on its length and width but typically they are about 10 to 13 feet tall.
| Exterior Height | Interior Height | |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 Grand Design RV Momentum G-Class 21G | 12.08 ft | |
| 2019 Forest River XLR Boost 20CB | 12.42 ft | |
| 2020 NORTHWOOD DESERT FOX 21SW | 13 ft | |
| 2021 Wolf Pup 18RJBBL | 10.5 ft | |
| 2021 Sea Breeze 19FSB | 11.5 ft | 7.83 ft |
| 2019 Pacific Coachworks Blaze’n 22FS | 11.67 ft | |
| 2020 Forest River Grey Wolf 22RRBL | 10.5 ft | |
| 2020 FOREST RIVER WILDWOOD FSX 181RT | 10.17 ft | 6.5 ft |
| 2020 KEYSTONE RV HIDEOUT 172LHS | 10.17 ft | |
| 2020 Rockwood 19TH Geo Pro | 9.92 ft | 6.5 ft |
| 2019 No Boundaries 19.1 | 9.67 ft | 6.5 ft |
| 2019 Forest River Grey Wolf 19RR | 10.5 ft | |
| 2021 Road Warrior 414RW | 13.25 ft | 6.33 ft |
| 2019 Dutchmen Voltage 3705 | 13.25 ft | |
| 2020 Cougar 353SRX | 13.42 ft | |
| 2020 Grand Design Momentum 397TH | 13.42 ft | |
| 2020 Jayco North Point 385THWS | 13.5 ft | 8.92 ft |
Travel Trailer Height Limit
Most travel trailers won’t exceed 14 feet in height. This is to make sure they have proper clearance when going under bridges as well as for stability while driving.
RV Door Height
The typical RV door height ranges from six to seven feet tall. Some smaller pop-up trailers have much shorter doors, but most RVs typically allow for plenty of head clearance for entering and exiting the coach.
Pay Attention To Its Height! It Matters!
Not only are travel trailers more difficult to haul when they’re too tall but they may not fit in your garage and there are often other restrictions you need to know about when traveling to campsites.
National Park Campground Restrictions.
In most campgrounds — including national park campgrounds — you’ll have to worry more about length than height for your trailer, height will still come into consideration in some campsites.
Some National Park Campground will have restrictions for traveling to and staying in certain campsites. Low hanging trees, sight restrictions, and other rules may mean your trailer may not safely travel to or fit into certain campsites.
Most reservation sites will only ask you the height of your trailer or RV so if your trailer is higher than average or has extra amenities like an AC unit added to the top make sure you mention it so you can be given an appropriate campsite.
Highways and Bridges.
Some states and communities have rules under the Motor Vehicles Act that state your vehicle can’t be higher than 14 feet. These restrictions come into play due to safety reasons with sightlines as well as danger which can occur when driving a tall vehicle at high speeds in high winds or other treacherous weather conditions.
And many highways and even busier roads have overpasses and/or pedestrian walkways which a tall trailer could have trouble fitting under. Signs are usually posted on these bridges to prepare you and allow you to turn off but if you have a tall trailer you should check these out online when planning your trip. Most major cities and almost all major highways will post these overpass heights on their websites or you can call to find out.
How Is RV Height Measured?
The proper way to measure an RV is while it’s sitting on a solid, level surface. The tires of the RV should be properly inflated to the ideal as recommended by the manufacturer. Then it’s measured from the ground to the top of the roof. Then any additional appliances or anything else attached to the roof are measured and added to the total.
And it’s important to keep in mind there can be a “bounce factor” where your entire vehicle may lift slightly off the road while traveling at certain speeds and depending on the levelness of the road. So, it’s always best to give a bit more clearance when driving. For example, if your RV is 15 feet from the ground to the top of the AC you likely shouldn’t try going under a bridge that measures only 15 feet.
Does RV Height Include Air Conditioner?
Yes — as long as you bought your RV with the air conditioner already installed the RV height you are given on your paperwork should include the height of the AC. However, if you have added in an aftermarket AC unit you should make sure you measure the height of the AC unit and everything else on the top and add it to the height of the vehicle.
How To Raise Your Travel Trailer Height?
Sometimes people wish to raise their travel trailer height due to a variety of reasons, including:
- Dragging when pulling in or out of your driveway
- Banging dump valves or other lowered valves and important pieces on the ground
- Wanting to off-road without causing damage to your trailer
- You have a tall truck and want your trailer to be level with it
These are all valid reasons to raise your travel trailer height, but it’s important to note that the trailer height was manufactured to be at its most stable. But sometimes the pros for raising it outweigh this, so you can look into raising your travel trailer.
Keeping your tires inflated to the recommended height may raise it enough to prevent driveway drag or other issues so this is always a great first step.
If you still wish to raise it higher, the main way to raise your trailer height is by flipping your axles. Simply put, this means to move the suspension of your trailer from below the axle to above the axle to create more height on the underside of your trailer. This should always be done by a qualified mechanic or an expert in trailers. And check to see if it will invalidate your warranty in any way.
Why Are Travel Trailers So High Off The Ground?
If you have experience with older travel trailers you may notice that over the past few years travel trailers are manufactured to be much higher off the ground. This height change has happened for a few reasons:
- Trailers generally ride on top of the wheels instead of at a half-height, which cut into the trailer interior.
- It allows for slides to move out easier.
- Because trucks are built higher these days.
- To allow for driving safely on bumpy roads.
- Trailers have more dumping and water ports as well as storage on the bottom and this gives more room to access this and prevent any damage from happening to the bottom.
How Tall Should A Garage Door Be For A Travel Trailer?
Since travel trailers are generally 10 to 11 feet tall, you’ll likely want your garage door to have a clearance of at least 12 feet to properly fit your travel trailer.
The average home is built with an eight to nine-foot garage door, so if you’re not custom building your home or separate garage you’ll want to measure it then do necessary renovations to make it higher. Or if you have the room you can always put a 12-foot high sturdy tent storage on your property to store securely it as well.
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