Step 1 — Before You Start Breaking Camp
- Eat breakfast and drink coffeebreaking camp takes 30–60 minutes; don't do it hungry
- Check your departure time and campground checkout timeconfirm there's no rush
- Walk the site: identify every item you brought outside (chairs, rugs, toys, firewood, cords)
- Check all outdoor nooks: behind trailer wheels, under awning, behind fire ring
- Drain coffee maker, empty sink, empty any full trash bags inside trailer
- Pack all valuables into tow vehicle before unhooking anything (phones, cameras, tablets)
Step 2 — Secure the Interior
Interior First
Secure everything inside before you start disconnecting outside. Once you start hitching up, you'll be moving and can't keep running back in.
- All cabinet doors latchedlatch mechanisms engaged, not just pulled shut
- Refrigerator door latchedfridge latch is different from a house fridge; confirm it's locked
- All loose items off counters and tablesstowed in cabinets or secured
- Bedding and pillows securedthey shift and block aisles during transit
- Shower stall: all bottles and items packed away, door latched
- Toilet lid closed
- Outdoor gear that stored inside: relocated to exterior bays
- Stairs/step retracted if they extend outward
- Window shades and blinds fully upprevents wind damage to mechanism
- All interior windows closed and latched
Step 3 — Slides & Awning Prep (Critical Order)
Leaf Blower Step
Before retracting any slide, spend 2 minutes with a leaf blower on the slide roof. Pine needles, leaves, and dirt on top of the slide get dragged into the seal and mechanism when retracted. This is the single most preventable source of slide seal damage.
- Use leaf blower or brush to clear debris from ALL slide rooftops before retracting
- Retract slides one at a timeconfirm each is fully retracted before moving to next
- Check slide topper awning (if equipped)confirm it retracts with the slide
- Awning: retract fully and secure awning lock (if equipped)
- Awning travel lock: engage if your model has one
- All roof vents and fans: closed and latched
Step 4 — Waste & Utilities Disconnect
Dump Before You Drive
If you're more than 2/3 full on black or gray, dump before leaving. See the Water Dump Procedure for full instructions.
- Turn OFF shore power at the pedestal before unplugging cordalways kill power at the source first — never yank a live cord
- Unplug shore power cord — coil and store in designated bayinspect cord ends for burn marks or corrosion before storing
- Turn off water supply at the spigot — disconnect and drain water hosedrain hose fully before disconnecting from trailer; store with pressure regulator
- If sewer connected: dump tanks (black first, then gray) — see Water Dump Procedureblack tank first — gray water rinses the sewer hose automatically
- Disconnect sewer hose — cap the trailer outlet, cap the sewer end, store hoserinse hose before stowing; never store uncapped
- Close gray valve — confirm all exterior bay doors latcheda forgotten open gray valve will drain while driving
Step 5 — Hitch Up
Use the Hitch & Go Safety list for the full hitch sequence. The most common departure mistakes: wheel chocks not removed, tongue jack not fully retracted, breakaway cable not connected.
- Retract and pin stabilizer jacksall four fully up
- Remove any leveling blocks from under tow vehicle if applicable
- Back tow vehicle to trailerhitch up following Hitch & Go Safety sequence
- Safety chains attached in X-pattern
- Breakaway cable connected
- 7-pin connector plugged inverify all lights
- Tongue jack fully retractedpin engaged
- Wheel chocks removedALL of them (do a dedicated chock check)Buy ↗
- Leveling blocks removed from under trailer tires
Step 6 — Final Site Walk (Leave No Trace)
Walk the Full Site — Twice. First pass: collect everything yours. Second pass: verify the site is clean for the next camper. Most often left behind: camping chairs, door mats, kids' toys under the trailer, items behind fire ring, and cord adapters at the pedestal.
- Camp chairsall of them, including any borrowed or extra
- Outdoor rug / patio matshaken out, rolled, storedBuy ↗
- Extension cord / outdoor power strip
- String lightsremove stakes, roll cord, pack LED clips
- Firewood and fire toolsleave only what's acceptable at this campsite
- Fire ring: fire completely out and coldpour water, confirm no heat
- Kids' toys: check under trailer, under picnic table, at edge of site
- Cord adapters at electrical pedestal30A/50A adapter is expensive to abandon
- Grill or camp stovecleaned, cooled, packed
- Pet supplies: bowls, leashes, tie-outs, waste bags
- Final trash: fill trash bags, use campsite receptacles before leaving
- Leave the site at least as clean as you found it
Step 7 — Pre-Departure Safety Check
Stand at the back of the trailer and do one full visual pass. You're looking for anything moving, hanging, or not where it should be.
- TV antenna: FULLY DOWNconfirm before every departure, every time
- All exterior bay doors: closed and latchedpush each one
- Awning: retracted and lockedvisible from outside
- All slides: confirmed retractedlook at trailer sides
- Propane: tank valve closed for highway driving
- Mirrors: adjustedcan see full trailer sides and rear
- Brake controller: confirm active with reading on display
- All lights check: running, brake, turn signalsbefore pulling out
- Drive slowly 1/4 mile, pull over, do one more complete walk-around