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RV trip planning guides for big rigs
Plain-spoken, first-hand guides for people who measure home in feet and inches. No fluff — just how to plan routes your rig can actually drive. We're publishing these on a steady cadence, so check back as the library grows.
How to plan an RV trip
The whole process, step by step — from a blank map to a route your rig can actually drive, and back home again.
Read the guide RoutingBig-rig route planning: how to route a large RV safely
The numbers to know, the hazards car GPS misses (low bridges, weight limits, steep grades, propane tunnels), and how RV-safe routing ties it together.
Read the guide RoutingRV-safe GPS, explained
What dimension-aware routing actually does under the hood, where the clearance data comes from, and how to tell honest routing from marketing.
Read the guide SafetyHow to avoid low-clearance bridges in an RV
Know your true height, learn where low bridges hide, and let RV-safe routing catch them before you do.
Read the guide SafetyPropane restrictions and tunnels
Which tunnels ban RV propane, which allow it with the valve off, and the one habit that keeps you safe everywhere.
Read the guide ReferenceRV height clearance by state
A reference table of the maximum legal vehicle height in all 50 states and DC — and why the legal max isn't a clearance guarantee.
Read the guide ChecklistThe RV trip planning checklist
Everything worth checking before you roll, in order — rig profile and route, bookings and budget, the pre-departure walkaround, and the on-road routine.
Read the guide FuelPlanning fuel stops for a big rig
Work out your real range, pick a reserve, and find truck stops and diesel a 40-foot rig can actually use.
Read the guide SafetyDriving mountain grades in an RV
What grade percentages mean, how to climb and descend without cooking your brakes, and how to see the steep stretches before you go.
Read the guide CampgroundsRV clubs and campground discounts
Passport America, Good Sam, KOA, Thousand Trails, Encore, and lodges: how each works and how to use them without surprises.
Read the guide SafetyRV travel in wildfire season
Where fire and smoke data comes from, what to check before each drive, smoke inside the rig, and when to change the route.
Read the guide MaintenanceAn RV maintenance schedule you'll actually keep
A starter schedule with the makers' intervals for roof, tires, LP, generator, bearings, and brakes, and how to log it by miles, days, or hours.
Read the guide BudgetHow to track RV trip costs and real fuel economy
The short list of expense categories, measuring MPG full tank to full tank, and cost per mile and per night.
Read the guide PlanningPrinting and exporting your RV itinerary
Paper for the cab, a calendar file for family, CSV for spreadsheets, and GPX for a Garmin or Rand McNally RV GPS.
Read the guideMore on the way
Weight-limited bridges, big-rig-friendly campgrounds, and curated big-rig route guides.