By Cheri Sicard
Below is a terrific video for anyone who is intimidated about how to back a trailer into a campsite.
That used to be me, but I got some invaluable lessons from a former truck driver. If you don’t have such a friend in your life, this video from the Canadian Campaholic just might be the next best thing.
Backing a trailer into a campsite or parking space is one of the most fear-inducing tasks new RVers face. But with some education and understanding along with a little practice, you absolutely can get confident with this. Yes, even your brand-new RVer! And trust me, the better you get at it, the more accomplishment you will feel.
Being proficient at backing your trailer can also have a positive financial impact on your travels, as back-in campsites often cost less than pull-throughs.
When I marveled how quickly and easily my trucker friend could back any trailer into any parking space, he told me, “You have the basics, now it will just take 20 years of practice.”
Yikes! At my age, I don’t have 20 years to practice!
That 20-year estimate might be true to become an expert like my friend, but in reality, it takes far less time to become competent.
Each time I would successfully back into a new campsite on subsequent travels, I would send my friend a photo and he would take 3-5 years off from his estimate depending on the difficulty of the spot. It’s been a fun running joke for us ever since.
The video’s advice on how to back a trailer into a campsite will work with any kind of trailer: travel trailer, popup camper, horse trailer, cargo trailer, and even fifth wheels. These tips also apply to trailers of all sizes. Sure, a smaller trailer might be easier to maneuver, but the principles apply to all.
While there is no filmed actual backing demo in the video, he instead uses props and charts so effectively it is even better than watching an actual demo. Watching the video gives you an invaluable place to start before you go out and practice, as it will give you a thorough understanding of the mechanics of how to back a trailer into a campsite.
Positioning a trailer for backing into a campsite
The process begins with proper positioning, which exactly concurs with what my trucker friend taught me.
You first need to survey your potential campsite, as this will affect how you approach it. You will also need to evaluate obstacles in your way like picnic tables, fire pits, large rocks or boulders, or trees.
Once you are familiar with where you want to put your trailer, you need to determine the best way to approach the campsite.
Whenever it is possible, the task of backing into a campsite will be far easier if you are able to approach the campsite from the driver’s side. The video explains and illustrates why this positioning is so advantageous, but it also covers scenarios that are the exception to the rule and how to handle those, too.
When you want to back in, you are going to want to keep your tow vehicle as close to the campsite as possible.
Turning the steering wheel the right way when backing
The next part of the video discusses this often-confusing part of the task of backing a trailer and tries to simplify it. Really, with a little bit of backing practice, this will become as second nature as backing your vehicle when there is no trailer attached to it.
Backup cameras and spotters
The discussion continues about having a spotter when possible, or at minimum a backup camera. But these can distort things, so a spotter is better.
I don’t have a camera on my 25-foot travel trailer and I often don’t have a spotter, either. I still manage to back my trailer into campsites, but a thorough inspection of the site, as previously discussed, is absolutely essential in these circumstances.
Maneuvering into a campsite
Once you understand the mechanics of how to back a trailer into a campsite, the video talks about putting it all together.
Another piece of advice he gives that echoes my trucker friend: Don’t watch the trailer, watch the wheels of the trailer in your mirror to see where the trailer is going to go.
What to do when things go wrong
It takes practice to get things down and sometimes things will go wrong. In the meantime, you should always follow the rule of G.O.A.L. Even when you do become proficient, you will still want to follow this rule.
GOAL means when in doubt, Get Out And Look!
As I am often backing my trailer by myself, I do this several times during the process. No big deal. Get out, walk around your rig, and assess the situation.
##RVDT2142
A very informative video that covered a lot of backing. I would also add when setting up for the back in as you get close to the point where you are going to reverse, turn out the opposite direction to pre-angle your trailer, then turn your tow vehicle back in the direction you were heading. This will give you a much better angle for starting your backing maneuver. This also gives the tow vehicle more maneuvering room as you’ll be farther away from the left side where the front will need to be to turn the trailer. The set up is the most important part of backing, if you don’t get the set up right you’ll spend a lot of time chasing the trailer trying to get the right location. I was an over the road truck driver and have backed into many strange places, successfully.
My truck driver friend also said to do that, although that part was not in the video. But I loved how he used the props for the video, it really was better than watch someone backing in order to really understand what’s happening.
Great advice Bob P I was a truck driver for 35 years and you hit the nail right on the head.
This information is great! I am the spotter for our 5th wheel parking as hubby has not committed to me driving yet! He does most of this, having towed and backed trailers since he started driving but a 5th wheel is a different experience! He has let me position it in the campsite once he gets backed in, which has been an eye opener for me. Definitely something I can learn from with the video!
The most important tip for novice trailer drivers while backing up is to put your hand at the bottom of the steering wheel turn the wheel the way you want your trailer to go . This takes the confusion out of which way you need to turn the wheel until you get better at it .
Put a hitch on the front and push it in. ;~)
This doesn’t work for a 5th wheel
It also doesn’t work for most trucks and trailers since the front suspension of the truck cannot carry the weight of the tongue.