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129 RV Horror Stories You DON’T Want to Experience Firsthand!

By Mike Wendland | Updated Dec 11, 2023

Brace yourself for these RV horror stories our RV Lifestyle community has endured!…

Like any adventure, RVing comes with risks and if you RV long enough, you’ll likely have a scare. Whether something goes wrong driving down the highway or parked in camp or whether a storm or the local wildlife threatens your life.

Having experienced a few scary moments ourselves, we were curious what our fellow RVers have endured.

So, we recently asked on our RV Lifestyle Facebook page: My scariest moment while RVing was ______________!!!

People responded in droves with nearly 300 comments (and counting). The following are some of those true accounts of RV scares people have had on the road and in camp.

As Marsha pointed out, “Not one of these comments is good advertisement for RV traveling! 😱”. But our intention is not to scare you away from RVing!!

We have included helpful resources in each section to help save you from having a scary RV story of your own! Hopefully, we can all be better prepared for the risks RVers face, knowing how to prevent and react to them as necessary!

RV Horror Stories with Storms

(Note: We’ve made minor edits throughout for ease of reading, but we did not fix everyone's typos and grammar mistakes – in case you were wondering….)

*Have an RV horror story of your own? Share it in the comments at the end!

Bluetick: My husband and I were camping in a great place in Ca. It had rained pretty hard in the day. We went to bed, still raining. I was a bit nervous. We got up and were getting ready to leave to go home. I was doing my stuff inside and my husband was doing his stuff outside when all of a sudden I heard a terrible noise. The 5 th wheel popped up in the front all the wood inside started to pop off. A big pine tree had fallen across our 5th wheel and the trailer next to us. I couldn’t get out of the door because the awning had been pushed down in front of the door so I had to go out the emergency window. Dog first. Luckily for us no injuries just a demolished trailer. No injuries to our neighbor trailer either. But their trailer was also a total loss. Now almost 12 years later it’s very difficult for me to camp near large trees.

Elizabeth: Camping in Standish Michigan… we had to run to the local store, our teen daughters stayed at the tt, and we went into the small town with our toddler daughter for a few supplies. While out, a severe storm popped up. We rushed through checkout, and on the way back to the campground a tornado warning was issued. A small car next to us was swerving and hydroplaning. His car flipped and slide into the median onto its side. My husband got out in the pouring rain with a couple others stopping to help. The sky was as black as night… by the time we got to the campground, the tornado had ripped through the park, and numerous trees were down and campers destroyed. (During the storm as we were helping at the accident, we called our girls and told them to hide in the brick bathrooms across from our camper) We managed to get to our campsite to find no damage to that area of the campground and our daughters were safe. There were no serious injuries to the others camping. It never failed; every summer we would camp in the same area, there would be strong storms or tornados… I have to say this is my biggest fear when we camp.

Linda: It was not me, but my mother-in-law and father-in-law rode out a storm on the coast in Texas. She said that she slept fully clothed, shoes and all! She was scared to death as the wind hurled inland. She is not a fan of storms anyway! We were watching the radar as the storm came in from North Louisiana and worried! My family makes fun of me as I watch the weather everywhere we go days and weeks in advance now that we are camping!!

Tim: Getting caught in a straight line wind storm in Kansas followed by a severe thunderstorm while in a pop-up camper.

Sharon: Driving my small Class A over Monarch Pass in the sleeting rain by myself.

Linda: Driving a 40′ motorhome with a toad, in a raging snowstorm in the mountains with one lane open, viability about 50 – 100 ft. Nowhere to pull off or pull over, speed at roughly 30 mph. Sheer drop at the side of the road. Nothing to do but keep going and pray.

Terri: When we were in a field in our trailer with 8 megacyclones all around us. And the guy on the news kept saying get out of your motor home, trailer mobile home or auto and go to your safe space???? No safe space in a field.

Mike: A Tornado went 200 ft from our Camper.

Richard: Tornados that devastated Nashville, passed over the campground where we were staying. Lots of shredded branches, but no damage.

Carol: I was going to say the time I was driving on I-40 through OK in horrible winds. But just reading some of these stories, mine wasn't all that bad!

Teena: The windshield seal came loose, window started coming in towards us while traveling I-40 in a thunderstorm.

Lisa: Camping oceanfront during tropical storm Berry in myrtle beach and hearing the winds and seeing the ocean water surrounding the motorhome. Never again. No way. I will leave. Too scary.

Gary: 65 mph winds 5th wheel lifted up.

Walter-Pam: In a storm and the wind had to be 50+ mph. It was night time and couldn’t see a thing. And our RV just kept shaking. That was a bad feeling.

Esther: Going to bed under a tornado watch in Mississippi.

Judy: A high-wind storm in the middle of the Anza Borrego desert in the middle of the night…..

Sue: Having floodwaters come up around us.

Jane: Driving on an icy 2 lane with water on both sides of the road-freaky but my husband did an excellent job😞🙏🏻👌

Minda: Driving south on US93 when a dust devil came and pushed me across the road. Driving in the wind is scary anyway.

Wests: Literally, just missing a tornado and driving up on a semi truck that got flipped upside down.

Deborah: Drove home over Hwy 204 in a blizzard and thought I was at the turn off but I apparently did a 180 and found myself driving back up the mountain, pulling Rpod with Tacoma.

Wayne: I was pulling my fifth wheel across the Cumberland river bridge on I-24 in March a few years ago. Very high gusty winds that day. A big gust hit me from the side and I thought I was a goner. Those side rails on that bridge are about three foot high. I didn’t hit it but was only an inch or two from it.

Kelly: Beach camping on the gulf coast. I got up to make coffee but the generator wasn't working so we went out to fill it up. Our backs were to the gulf all of a sudden waves were breaking against the backs of our legs. Thankfully we were able to ride out of there before we sank.

Kim: Pulling a 32 ft fifth wheel with a waverunner attached out of a flooded campground, down 10 miles of flooded road. Had to have help removing my hands from the wheel. And no, we had no prior warning.

Michael: Ice storm crossing the Continental Divide.

Mike: Driving thru a sandstorm in Death Valley.

Resources for Dealing with Storms in an RV

Driving an RV in Strong Winds

Driving & Accidents

Hugh: Crossing a curved highway bridge between Nashville and Clarksville TN pulling a 32’ travel trailer in the rain. The temps started falling quickly and the bridge iced over. Went into a slide and still haven’t figured out what I did to bring it out but got it back under control as fast as it began sliding. Only time I ever felt scared pulling (or driving) an RV.

Lisa: Me driving south on the I-5 and suddenly saw the big rigs in front of me pulling off onto the shoulder! I just automatically followed them. Good thing… wrong way driver!

Tom: It was 2017 on our Alaska trip outside Delta Junction (Dad was stationed at Ft Greely at Delta Junction in 1976-1978. Anyway my wife and I followed the RV GPS and it sent us to a gravel road that turned into a dirt road (this is where I should’ve used my brain) and the dirt road turned into a 12x 20 mud pit. Yes we stopped before we mud pit. I’ve never been so nervous in my wife. I think I was on the verge of a heart attack.

It took about 15 minutes for me to decide to unload the car from the tow dolly, back the car down the 1.5 mile dirt/gravel road. I removed the tow dolly and pushed it into the woods and backed down the road. I had to turn around and back 1.5 miles to reconnect the tow dolly. Wow. Now when the gps tells us that the route has a dirt road I get a flashback of that trip.

Carla: Our very first trip heading out of WI to TN in our 35 ft motor home. Got down to Clinton WI. On Hwy 39. And I hear my Husband say. Son of Birch. I said what. The awning open up going down Hwy at 70 miles an hour. We pulled over and tried to figure out what to do. After standing in shock. My husband got his tools out and took apart the awning off the motorhome. Now what are we going to do with it. Wouldn't fit through door. Luckily it fit through passenger window. And lay in the center inside the motorhome. We then noticed it took off the cover of a vent. We looked for it but no luck finding it. Insurance did pay for all new stuff. Was ready to go home. But the vacation turned out good.

Diana: Going about 70 and about to miss the exit! Hubby pulling a 41 ft 5th wheel decided he could make it. He did…but, I think I died a little bit!😂
Kevin: I was parked on the side of the road of the Baker grade and a semi with a set of doubles swerved and hit my mirror. I was sitting in the front seat and it just exploded. Didn’t hit the coach thank God or me. Mirror was 1500 K.

Vickie: When my husband didn't slow down as we approached a railroad crossing that was slightly raised and we launched like we drove up a ramp hitting hard with every cupboard flying open and crap everywhere! It was like something out of a Chevy Chase movie 🤣

Kathy: When my husband backed our 32 foot motor home into a ditch in the Colorado mountains near Cripple Creek. With his granddaughter and two great grandsons on board.

Linda: Going from Idaho on a shortcut to Jackson. The dogs, ice machine and medicine all flying around because of the road. It wasn't rv ready.

Barbara: When a box truck decided he wanted our lane and tried to push us off of an overpass. DH is a seasoned driver and held the lane. The box truck took out numerous construction cones and was pulled over before we caught up to him! The construction boss took off after him.

Mick: Traveling thru NM we came to a highway repair work area. We were the last car stopped in a long line. A semi came up behind us and didn’t start stopping soon enough. I saw him coming in my rear camera and said to my wife…. “He isn’t stopping, brace yourself!” It was like watching a football play in slow motion. He kept coming and then tried to stop when he was way to close to us. At the last minute he veered off the shoulder to the right and finally stopped even with us. I looked right into his driver's window. Our line started moving and he just sat there. I’m sure it really shook him up as much as it shook us up. If he hadn’t driven onto the shoulder….. I shudder to think how bad we would have been smashed up and whether we would have survived. We were in a Roadtrek class B van.

Connie: We lost compression for our air breaks in a curvy, hilly two lane road on Labor Day. The E-system did its job and we were dead in the road. Thanks to wonderful local residents who were also emergency responders, safety precautions were put up around us almost immediately, the police arrived, and they got a tow company out to us. Never had that happen to us, never want it to happen again. Turned out to be a really easy fix, the tow bill was greater than the actual repair. Lol. Oh hey, the RV life!

Alice: Driving over Narrows bridge when flatbed in front of me lost a 4×4 eight feet in length. They had neglected to secure it. Fell off and at 60 mph it was flipping end over end toward us. Retired transit driving my rig, somehow he managed to control trailer, miss the traffic in both lanes next to us, and come out smooth. It was amazing.

Vicky: being pushed off the highway by a semi truck, we had our whole family in the truck and just barely made it to the off ramp to file a report against the truck driver. it was sooooooooooo scary.

Joanie: We had just come from Estes Park to Boulder, and stopped for ice cream. When we came out and started the van, the brakes went all the way to the floor. The master cylinder had gone out. Needless to say, if it had gone out a couple of miles earlier, we probably would have had a different outcome. I’ve also had a scary blowout on the highway.

Laurel: When a car cut right in front of us to an exit, on our first outing

Ethel: Turning the rig around on Big Horn mountains. OMG so frightening

Penny: Blue Ridge Parkway passed by a motorcycle with a truck coming. There was a handprint where he got as close as possible to the trailer. I was sure he was going to get hit. Scary

Robert: had a leaf spring lose all the shackles while driving, rear axle slid back on one side, trailer almost went over, got pulled over and with help from a passing by Angel managed to get the vehicle a couple miles up the road to a repair shop and was on the road again in a few hours.

Linda: When I was put behind the wheel!

Jane: When my husband was driving. I'm doing almost all of the driving now.

Teresa: No brakes at an elevation of 5800 feet. Kissed the ground when we stopped.

Tim: We had just come down Pikes Peak and were sitting in a parking lot punching in directions to our next stop. We weren't towing at the time, but we're set to leave the next morning. Directions in, I put the truck in drive and the power steering cooler hose blew spewing power steering fluid everywhere. We instantly had zero steering in the truck. Had it been a few minutes before, coming down Pikes Peak or the next morning towing our camper down Cheyenne mountain, I shudder to think what could have happened to us. We extended our vacation a few days while the truck was repaired.

Melinda: Driving on Beartooth Hwy in a 35 ft motorhome 12,000 feet in the air😳 We had no business being on that hwy, but there were no warning signs about campers. The road was narrow and nowhere to stop or turn around.😲 We were both sweating and were so glad when we finally reached Yellowstone National Park. I will never go on that hwy again.😫

Gary: Here’s mine just bought this coach was driving it to my brothers farm in Idaho didn’t make a wide enough turn if that power pole wasn’t there it would have tipped over on its side.

129 RV Horror Stories You DON'T Want to Experience Firsthand! 1

Michael: Lost brakes going down biggest mountain in Vermont!

Alice: Going thru a one way tunnel in a 38’ Motorhome that the mirrors had to be pulled in on each side to not rub the sides and pray no one would be entering the other end!!!

Amanda: Driving out west with the door awning OUT and taking GPS’s advice on the switch backs in a coach and car in tow

Resources: How to Drive an RV Safely

Jen Goes to RV Driving School!

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When we bought our 5th wheel, Jen went back to school! RV driving school, that is. Come along as we head to Keystone RV Company to learn the way of the fifth wheel! We knew we would have new skills to learn when we started our 5th wheel journey, and being able to tow properly was right at the top of the list.

Scary Stories of Towing an RV

Robert: Pulling our 28 ft travel trailer to camp out for July 4th weekend and a out of control car hit us head on …totaled our truck and trailer on a two lane road with no way to avoid the bad driver…. we were able to tent camp and months later had complications resulting in neck and back surgery… driver that hit us was a suspended driver… not a great trip.
Carolyn: My scariest was we were heading to our favorite COE campground. My husband had a new 2013 brand new F-150. We were pulling a travel trailer that weighed 7,800 lbs. You know the truck that pulled 10,000 lbs. no problem. SURE IT DID!!! While going down the highway The road curved going down hill and went back up not to steep. There was a Ford F-250 behind us. The little truck always struggled towing. When all of a sudden it shut down completely! OMG!! The F-250 went around us. I told hubs head for the shoulder hurry!! I swallowed hard hung on to my little dog. He got it off the road with a huge struggle as a Bull wagon came over the hill in left lane! OMG! Life could have ended right there for the three of us. Got calmed down. Started the pickup. And went on to Hords Creek! I drank a lot that night. About a month later we were rear ended in Dallas. And that was enough of that! The accident pushed us into another car in front! So my husband got a pickup GMC 2500 that was quite old at the time. It is still running! That was my scariest trip while RVing!

Matthew: Tandem towing my boat behind my 5th wheel up Vail pass. I’d periodically check the camera I installed on the 5th wheel to check up on the boat. I’d noticed on the screen that the boat seems to be bouncing way more than usual. Pulled over and started to inspect. Found that 2 bolts and a weld had broken off one side of the hitch where it attached to the 5th wheel frame.

This could have been a very bad situation. Luckily my paranoid mind would check the camera often.

Tracy: Pulling out of farm driveway onto main road and looked in the mirror to be sure I was clearing the sign ok. I saw my horse trailer (with horse inside) drifting backward away from the RV! Always check everything twice, especially when two people hook it up. The ball was not locked on. The cables broke. Horse was just fine.

Floyd: How about, I went right, but trailer went straight, fifth wheel hitch failed. Emergency brakes worked. Damage to tail gate, lucky me!

Jeff: Several years ago I was towing my popup camper to winter storage. Forecast called for rain and 40 degrees. It turned to an ice storm. As we were coming down a hill on a two lane highway, the Cadillac in front of us spun while a semi was coming up fast behind us. I was braking and trying not to fishtail the camper. The semi swerved into the other lane which fortunately had one coming and flew past us. The Cadillac was able to get stopped, we got stopped in time and the semi was able to get around everyone. It was a little too close for comfort.

Shawn: When we went to Surfside and I hurt my knee so bad that I couldn’t stand up. My wife has never pulled the camper. Lucky for me, the last day I could at least get in the pickup and drive 5 hours home.

Jennifer: Asking my sister in Michigan if the trailer hitch looked correct and she saying I don’t know. Then Traveling through Illinois with a 1973 Serro Scotty finding out after hitting a pothole that now it was not actually on correct and my sister screaming me awake as we are going 60 dragging the trailer by emergency chains cutting off a semi truck as we go towards the shoulder. Worst 10 seconds. Couldn’t sleep while driving for the next 10 years. My sister would never drive towing a trailer again. Damage the leveler bent a bit and there was a small dent in the back of the minivan. Luckily it lifted easily to put back on the hitch. And of course this time it was set correctly.

Scott: 65 mph trailer sway event. Absolutely horrific, like a giant hand reached from the sky and threw the vehicle all over the highway. We survived with no crash and no injuries but I will never forget it.

Mike: Broke a leaf spring on rear axle on my 2 year old camper… tire rubbed up into the insulation and plywood and started smoking. Pulled into a truck stop and pulled all the smoking insulation out and started making phone calls. Found a trailer repair place that had a leaf spring that was a 1/2 longer than mine and changed it out in the truck stop. Always carry tools and ratchet straps…. made it to our destination. Couldn’t find a leaf spring the right size so towed it 1200 miles home and ordered all new springs That was our third issue with this camper, sold it and bought a motor home!

Amy: When our trailer popped off of the back of our truck and spun around on the highway. Apparently we didn’t have the right size trailer hitch on our truck. No one at the dealership noticed or mentioned it to us.

Melissa: Coming home driving down a hill, pulling the camper, and lost my brakes.

Nancy: When we took a wrong turn pulling our 5th wheel and found ourselves on a hill on the corner of Haight-Ashbury in San Francisco. We were stopped at a red light…hoping and praying our truck would have the power to take us up and over the hill from a complete stop. My husband pressed the break and the brake until the torque converter kicked in…and away we went over the hill and back to the freeway. The funny part is no one on that corner looked at us; I guess they have probably seen lots of scared people pulling a giant 5th wheel praying to Jesus they don't go barreling backwards down a steep hill. And as the saying goes, “You're going to look back at this and laugh someday”. And, we do all of the time.

Monica: Watching a travel trailer do the death wobble in front of us on a 3 lane highway and flip. Everyone was ok. After we all stopped and behind all 3 lanes stopped We helped a truck driver get them down from the flipped pickup.

Bonnie: Hard breaking and swerve to avoid heading collision. 5th wheel went up on 2 wheels back and forth 4 times. Can't believe we didn't roll. Broken welds, spindles bent, multiple structural issues. Totaled the rig.

Shari: When all our navigation, air conditioning and lights on my dashboard went out going over the grapevine in California while towing our new to us toy hauler. 😕

Kathryn: Our brakes went out on our truck! While pulling our big living quarters trailer after a camping trip, loaded with horses. We made it all the way down to Menifee, CA from Heartbar (back side of Big Bear). We stopped to fill up with diesel once we got down off the twisty mountain road. We tried to pull away from station and brakes were gone! We found a shop to work on the truck. But had to find a spot behind a business to park, unload horses, and unhitch trailer. Truck went to shop next door. We tied horses to trailer and called a neighbor with a truck and hitch ball in bed. He came and rescued us, our trailer, and our horses, one hour from home. Whew! Glad it didn't happen on the mountain!!!!! 😳😳😳

Lee: First time out with our borrowed 27 ft trailer and we lost control of it. Throwing my pregnant wife, me, our borrowed tow vehicle and our trailer in the ditch totaling both the tow vehicle and the trailer. Thank God no one was injured!!

Resources for Towing an RV Safely

Tires

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Charla: When I didn’t make wide enough turn out of the gas pump and unknowingly snagged my rear tire fender. The RV began to shake violently so we pulled over to discover the fender has stripped the rear tire!! Thank God the tire didn’t blow!!

Regina: On one of our first trips out, as we are traveling down the highway, a work truck blew a tire in front of us. First a big loud pop, then flying tire pieces whirling straight at us. We had plenty of distance between us, but I told my husband to slow down! The largest tire piece hurling at us. Windshield? Air Conditioner? I don't remember exactly how we misses it, but we lucked out with no contact. Phew!

Dan: 55 mph into a left hand curve when the right front tire blew. I learned I could drift the bus sideways thru the grass on the shoulder with a toad behind me.

Donna: When a whole wheel and brake assembly flew off and about 20’ in the air to the other side of a busy highway! Luckily this 100lb assembly didn’t hit another car! I was driving our motor home at 50mph when this happened! I slowed down the best I could and pulled over with vehicles zooming by. Luckily it was the back and not the front wheel. If it would have been the front, our motor home would have flipped!
Pam: We were pulling our travel trailer with our 2007 Dodge Ram. We had put 4 new tires on the truck before this trip. About 20 miles from Lincoln NE, I forget the Hwy but it was 4 lanes, we felt a shudder and just stopped. The left rear wheel of the Ram came off! Totally! Could not find it. There were cornfields all around. Never found it. A rollback came and loaded the truck on it and towed our trailer to a shop in Lincoln. They had us up and going within 24 hrs. Almost turned around and went back to SC but decided to finish the trip.

Madeline: When we were coming home from camping and the front tire flew off our truck ( we seen it rolling across the highway) thankfully my husband got the truck stopped and no one was hurt.

Patti: When I was traveling alone in NC in my 30’ Mini-Winnie and had a blowout on my right rear dual. It turned out to be a very positive experience because of all the help and support I got from locals 😀❤️

Jeri-Anne: Our drivers side tire blew off while doing 120 kmh, it flew past us into the other lane, back into ours and into the bush … so amazed nobody was hurt!

Blew left front Tire going 65 of interstate 81. Still don't know how i didn't verve left.. But white knuckled it to the shoulder and no damage other than the tire.

Deb: Front tire blowing while going around a curve on a hill coming off the highway. We could have been down that embankment and rolled several times before reaching the bottom.

Kip: Had a rear dual tire loose 90% of it tread cap at 70mph on the I-5 shaking the entire unit to an inch of being uncontrollable destroying the wheel house an rupturing the fresh water tank.

Rosanne: Tire blow out on the highway .. but didn’t flip minimal damage … learned the hard way always replace dealer tires asap!

Resources About RV Tires

Break-Ins & Criminal Activity

Alma: I had two men trying to break into my camper while I was getting ready for bed. One was at the side door trying to pry it open. The other one was at the driver side door instantly opened it within seconds and I had the seatbelt wrapped to the handle. I use my air horn to scare them off. They ran, but they came back after I left, and did a lot of damage to my camper. Luckily I was not there when they finally did break in . I put an alarm ,and I use a chain to hold both handles of the cab area, and I have a lock for the steering wheel and I have pepper GEL and an air horn and plenty of things to protect myself with but I am looking forward to getting another dog.

Dave: I pulled into a rest stop, there was plenty of parking I pulled up to the first parking spot and laid down in the front seat of my RV. I stuck my head out because you know us guys, we’re protective for some reason that protective instinct saw a man standing between my headlights in the middle of my hood with a rifle. I sat up got in the driver seat started my RV! I hit reverse, put it in drive and I was out of there like a bat out of Hell. It can’t get any odder than that.

Patricia: Knowing I was all alone. And someone I don't know was trying to get in .

Nicki: was at a rest area and just finished walking the dogs , was out smoking a cig and looking at the Rv . I was approached by a female and a male , said they needed gas money and asked if I could help . I said sorry , no I don’t carry cash . She tried to come in closer but I kept space . She kept asking where r you from etc . I noticed the male go in front of the Rv out of my sight . I lifted my shirt a tad and said I’m not interested in talking to you , I’m an introvert and I don’t care for people much . She hollered at her friend and they left . Needless to say I didn’t stay there that night.

Dena: A drunk guy getting into our kid tent next to the RV. Didn’t end well..lol

Cynthia: Dry camping in the forest and hearing a woman screaming (domestic dispute) next door! No one else around.

Buddy: When we got rear-ended by a hit and run driver.

RV Safety Resources

Fire

Bobbi: When the circuit board on the refrigerator burned up and all I could smell was smoke at 4:00 in the morning I thought my camper was on fire and here it was just a small little circuit board that burnt up.

Jutta: When we stood in front of our RV, just jumped out the last minute with our dogs and everything burned down, it was shocking.

129 RV Horror Stories You DON'T Want to Experience Firsthand! 2

Sarah: Wildfire in a COE campground.

Cat & Kev: When our brakes almost caught first in Colorado.

Terry: Waking up at 2 in the morning with a thought a toilet issue due to the smell. The at the time wife and I got up trying to figure out what was going on. Turns out that somehow we bumped the stove knob going to bed and it was propane filling the trailer.

We opened all the windows and went for a nice midnight stroll through the state park.

I believe we were extremely lucky it did explode.

RV Fire Safety Resources

Wildlife

George: Being a long at night with a canvas tent trailer, no weapons and a bear prowling and growling just outside of view at night. Camp fire going and 4 lanterns with my back up against the trailer.

Andy: When I was young camping with my family in Wyoming. Grizzly bear came at night while we sleep, Grizzly came scratching him/herself at our pop up camper! That shook us up!

Marlene: Tent Trailer. Bear breathing in my ear with just canvas separating us!!

Donald: A deer ran in front of us.

Jeff: I saw Bigfoot once. 1951. Sequoia National Park. Left a footprint 37 inches, heel to toe. Made a noise I care not to hear again in my lifetime.

SPEAKING OF BIGFOOT?!…

Rene: I was up in Colorado rocky mountain and around 2 in the morning sometime started rocking my RV all I heard was grunting and rocks and tree limbs being thrown at the RV suddenly it stop ,I looked out and saw nothing but heard a loud howling in the woods . In the morning I packed and left all o saw was rocks and things all over mushy print in the ground,never saw it just heard it . Back in August 1977.

Robin: A bear not too far away from me and my kids.

Peggy: Coming back from Las Vegas and a crow crashed into my windshield,cracking it really bad..right in my driver's side. Nearly had to change clothes.

Linda: Moose running in front of us and an oncoming 18 wheeler….

Joan: Walking along a gator infested trail along the water at night with 1 small flashlight.

Wildlife Safety While RVing

Camping Mishaps

Jose and April: Watching The Hills Have Eyes in the dark, in a tree filled campground on a projector 📽️ using a white sheet betweening two tree's. 🌲🌲

Colleen: My husband forgot to put the wheel chocks out and we stared to slide downhill in the mud while in the camper…we didn't slide far…just enough to take 10 years off our lives 😅 it's a mistake that will never be made again.

Pam: We were headed home on I-90 west in Mintana, we decided to Boone dock for the night along the river. Was beautiful, chatted with fishermen drifting the river. My husband waved a t every train that went past. About the 5th train I was sitting facing river and he went to front of truck to wave at train. I heard what sounded like a helium balloon pop and stuff falling from sky. Went around trailer to see a semi had stopped on the tracks, called 911. Needless to say it was not pleasant and there was only one way out that was now blocked all night. We'll never know why, but we will always make sure there is more than one way in/out.

Mark: Wife trying to back me up into a spot 😉

Chanté: My husband was hooking the trailer up to the truck…and was struggling. I hopped out to help him just as he got it locked in..leaving the kids in the truck.

Looked back and the truck was rolling fast into a campsite with another family. While my kids were bouncing in the truck. Husband still between the truck and trailer.

I was huge at the time .. ran and pulled myself into the rolling truck and stopped it just in time.

Got out and barfed once I secured the parking brake. 🤪 So scared and then I couldn't move my arms for a few days. It's not easy to jump into a moving vehicle..with a trailer!!

Mary: When we were getting into our site and the front tire on our 40′ motor home fell into a culvert!

Diane: Derecho in northern Wisconsin had 3 trees hit motorhome-one broke off about 40ft up and dropped 60 ft tree in front of motorhome slicing off the front, while we were in it!

Barbara: When camping in Baja while making popcorn in the RV and I look up and there is this car barreling down the hill side in the air over our van an into the ocean.

Denise: When the toilet backed up from not using RV safe tissue. What a disgusting mess that was !

Michelle: When I forgot to pick the wheel stops up and dropped the fifth wheel in the bed of the truck. Crunch!😂😮😉

Chesley: My first trip to the gas pump!

HAHAHA! We think that’s a good one to leave off on, Chesley. Since we all know how scary that is! Read more harrowing comments or join the RV Lifestyle Facebook Group. Have a horror story of your own? Share in the comments below!

More Helpful Resources to Keep You Safe

43 Dumbest RV Camping Mistakes (Don't Do This!)

After all those nail-biting RV scary stories, we thought you'd appreciate some funny stories! We have another article on the dumbest (and funniest) RV camping mistakes that both newbie and veteran RVers make.

Some of the following mistakes can lead to the scary stories above! So, it's good to learn from others mistakes…

1. Leaving the gray and black water tank valves open.

2. Bringing dogs that will bark constantly.

3. Walk through other people’s campsites.

4. Placing dog poop bags on the picnic table.

5. Forgetting to bring bug spray on your trip.

6. Thinking that your vehicle is strong enough to pull your trailer when it is not. (Always make sure you account for extra weight, like water, clothing, and other items.)

Continue reading all 43 mistakes…

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129 RV Horror Stories You DON'T Want to Experience Firsthand! 4 — Hollywood Racks – and the RV Rider Ebike Rack

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Mike Wendland

Published on 2023-05-04

Mike Wendland is a multiple Emmy-award-winning Journalist, Podcaster, YouTuber, and Blogger, who has traveled with his wife, Jennifer, all over North America in an RV, sharing adventures and reviewing RV, Camping, Outdoor, Travel and Tech Gear for the past 12 years. They are leading industry experts in RV living and have written 18 travel books.

2 Responses to “129 RV Horror Stories You DON’T Want to Experience Firsthand!”

May 05, 2023at10:24 am, Mary Andrews said:

What caught my attention was how many of these incidents happened just before or after the people would have been in much more dangerous situations. Makes you think that Someone was watching out for them!

May 05, 2023at11:54 am, Team RV Lifestyle said:

Indeed! Thanks for sharing, Mary – Team RV Lifestyle

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