RV parks and campgrounds use a shorthand that is second nature to experienced campers and a foreign language to first-timers. This glossary covers every term you will encounter when reading park listings, talking to campground hosts, or decoding a site description. Bookmark it for your first few trips.
- Back-in site
- A campsite where you reverse your RV into the space from the road. Requires backing skill but more common at state parks and older campgrounds.
- Big rig friendly
- A park or site that accommodates RVs 40 ft or longer. Indicates wide pull-throughs, high-clearance entrances, and site pads long enough for Class A motorhomes.
- Black tank
- The holding tank for toilet waste. Must be emptied at a dump station or sewer hookup. Keep the valve closed until you are ready to dump.
- Boondocking
- Camping without hookups, typically on BLM or Forest Service land. Also called dry camping or dispersed camping. Usually free with a 14-day stay limit.
- City water inlet
- The external connection on your RV where you attach a hose to the campground water spigot. Bypasses your onboard fresh water tank and gives continuous water supply.
- Dogbone adapter
- A short electrical adapter that lets a 50-amp RV plug into a 30-amp outlet (or vice versa). Essential gear every RVer should carry.
- Dry camping
- Camping without water, electric, or sewer hookups. Same as boondocking, though "dry camping" is sometimes used for primitive sites at private parks.
- Dump station
- A facility (at campgrounds or truck stops) where you connect your RV sewer hose to empty your black and gray tanks when you do not have a sewer hookup at your site.
- Electric only
- A site with electrical service but no water or sewer hookup at the site. You supply water from your onboard tank and dump when tanks fill.
- FHU (Full Hookup)
- Water, electric, and sewer all at the site. The standard for full-timers and longer stays. No need to move the RV to dump or refill water.
- Gray tank
- The holding tank for sink and shower drain water. Less critical to manage than the black tank — the gray valve can stay open when connected to sewer.
- Hookup fee
- An add-on charge at some parks for utility connections (water, electric, sewer) on top of the base site fee. Common at older or budget-tier parks.
- Leveling blocks
- Plastic or rubber wedges placed under RV wheels to level the rig on uneven ground. Required for proper refrigerator operation and comfortable living.
- Monthly rate
- A long-stay pricing tier at private RV parks, typically 20–30% cheaper than the equivalent nightly or weekly rate. Usually requires a minimum 30-day commitment.
- Partial hookup
- A site with water and electric but no sewer connection. Common at state parks. You manage your holding tanks and use the park dump station when needed.
- Primitive site
- A site with no utility hookups whatsoever. May or may not have a picnic table or fire ring. Same as dry camping at a private park.
- Pull-through site
- A campsite you drive straight through — enter from one end, exit from the other — without backing up. Preferred by large motorhomes and fifth wheels.
- Rig
- Common shorthand for any RV — motorhome, travel trailer, fifth wheel, or campervan.
- Shore power
- Electrical power drawn from the campground pedestal, as opposed to your generator or solar system. Plugging into shore power is called "hooking up to electric."
- Slide-out
- A room section that extends sideways out of the main RV body when parked, adding interior living space. Does not affect site length requirement but requires side clearance.
- Water pressure regulator
- A fitting that screws onto the campground spigot and limits water pressure to a safe level for your RV plumbing (typically 40–55 PSI). Essential gear — skip it and you risk blowing fittings.
- W/E/S
- Abbreviation for Water / Electric / Sewer — the three utility hookups at a full-hookup site. Same as FHU.