6 Best Tips for RV Camping in the Fall

Sitting in your comfy chair at camp, looking at the beautiful leaves colors, enjoying the crisp cool air. Nothing beats RV camping in the fall.

Our favorite time of year to camp is in the fall. We have actually camped more in the fall than we have in the summer or spring.

Before we moved to Colorado we would come out here in the fall almost every year. We would stay in many different places but we fell in love with Colorado Springs. Mainly because it was a central location to everything that we wanted to do.

Why RV camp in the fall?

If you want to not sweat while setting up camp and enjoy a relaxing, beautiful day in nature, then fall camping is for you.

David’s number 1 reason why he loves camping in the fall is LESS BUGS! Next, is cooler weather! Sweating while being swarmed by bugs is not a fun camping trip.

Another benefit of fall camping is reduced camp fees. Some places will discount their camping fees in the “off-season”.

**Related post: Why is it awesome to camp in the fall?

RV camping in the fall can be intimidating

Camping in cooler weather can put some people off. It’s cold and your pipes/water could freeze. But if you have the right gear, it can be a great memorable camping trip.

Below are our best tips to help you ease your mind about RV camping in the fall.

5 Best Tips for RV Camping in the Fall

Tip 1: Complete an RV check

Your fall RV trip will be a little different than your summer camping trip. Therefore we recommend checking a few extra things that you might not check during warmer months.

• Tire Pressure- We check this before every trip, but you’ll want to check it again before you leave camp. WHY… the weather will dip into cooler temps and you might lose air in the tires. If that is the case, you’ll want to fill them up again before get on the road home.
• Water hoses- We do not have a heated water hose. When the weather dips below freezing at night we’ll unhook the water hose so our water doesn’t freeze. If you have a fancy heated water hose then use that bad boy. We were camping at Garden of the Gods RV Resort one time and the people next to us did not unhook their water hose and spent many hours trying to get their hose to thaw out. Don’t let that happen to you.
• Extra lighting- More flash lights, lanterns is what we recommend. Also double check that your outside lights work too. The fall the days get shorter and the nights longer.
• Furnace check- if you think that you may run the furnace double check that it is working. The worst thing would be to get up in the middle of the night and it’s not working. Be sure to fill the propane if you think that you might be low.

**Related Post: Planning your fall RV camping trip

Tip 2: Check the weather before and during your trip

Camping in the fall means the weather can change at any moment. The weather could start out sunny and warm then by lunch it could be cold and rainy. We check the weather all throughout the day. And we also pack for all 4 seasons when we go RV camping in the fall too. When we go on a hike, we also pack our waterproof jackets in case it starts to rain or get cold/windy.

Tip 3: How to stay warm in and out of the RV

Staying warm outside the RV

Layers! That’s it, that’s the whole big secret! Start with a base layer that wicks moisture from your body. Then shirt and pants (I wear thick, fleece lined leggings), light jacket then a rain jacket/warm puffer. For your feet, warm socks and boots.

As the day gets warmer you can take off the layers. But the trick to staying warm is layers.

Staying warm inside the RV

Layers! Again! For your bed, flannel sheets and extra blankets. For your body, long sleeved shirt and long pants. Flannel if you have them and of course warm socks.

We also bring a space heater with us. We have a small 23 foot trailer and a space heater warms up the whole space. We rarely have to run the furnace.

Tip 4: Fall camping activities

When we are RV camping in the fall, we try to look for places that we know don’t usually get below 30 degrees at night. We also want to camp near hiking and off-road trails.

If you aren’t planning on leaving camp then maybe your list will be different. Maybe you’ll want to look for campground activities like a hayride, bonfire, pumpkin painting or apple picking.

**Related Post: Where to RV camp in the fall

Tip 5: Cooking meals

It’s colder outside so your meals will take a bit longer to cook. We live above 6000 ft elevation and noodles and rice feel like they take twice as long, in the summer!

In the fall we already have in our mind that dinner could take an hour or longer to cook, if we aren’t using the crock pot.

Which brings me to another point… make as much as you can in the crock pot or instant pot. They are both time savers! It’s fall after all and who isn’t in the mood for some soup!!!

Oh… and don’t forget the hot cocoa!

Conclusion

• Make sure that your RV is ready for colder weather. There will be less daylight, packing extra flashlights and lanterns are a good thing to have.
• Check the weather continuously throughout your trip.
• Bring lots of layers to keep warm
• Find a campground that has fun, fall activities nearby
• Bring the crock pot or instant pot for warm comfort meals

Where is your favorite place to go RV camping in the fall?