Have you ever considered towing a light camper trailer with a minivan? Many people don’t realize it’s even possible! You might be surprised to learn about lightweight campers that a minivan or small SUV can tow.
Key Takeaways
- Minivans Can Tow Small Campers – Many minivans, including the Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna, and Chrysler Pacifica, can tow up to 3,600 lbs, making them capable of hauling lightweight travel trailers.
- Best Light Campers for Minivans – Several ultra-lightweight campers under 3,000 lbs are ideal for minivan towing, including the Keystone Coleman 13B, Jayco Jay Flight SLX Sport 170BH, and Gulf Stream Enlighten 17BH, all offering practical layouts with essential amenities.
- Key Features & Considerations – Buyers should ensure the camper’s Gross Trailer Weight (GTW), including cargo, does not exceed their minivan’s towing capacity. Many lightweight models offer features like bunk beds, full bathrooms, and off-grid solar prep for enhanced camping experiences.
What Is the Towing Capacity of a Minivan?
As of 2025, several popular minivans offer ample towing capability for smaller campers. The Honda Odyssey, Toyota Sienna, and Kia Carnival each have a maximum minivan towing capacity of 3,500 pounds, while the Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Pacifica can tow up to 3,600 pounds.
In this guide, we’ll explore light camper trailers that weigh around 3,000 pounds unloaded, making them perfect for camping with a minivan. However, their cargo capacities vary. For those new to RVs, weight-related terms like GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating) and GTW (Gross Trailer Weight) can be confusing.
The key takeaway? GTW—which includes the trailer’s dry weight plus cargo, water in tanks, and other gear—should never exceed your minivan’s towing capacity.
Picks for the Best Light Camper Trailer
As we review some of the best ultra-light camping trailers, note each RV’s weight and length. Always check specific campers against your minivan’s towing capacity and size restrictions.
Keystone Coleman
Keystone Coleman travel trailers range from 2,460 to 6,094 pounds and are 15’11” to 31’11” long. The three smallest Coleman campers make minivan camping a real possibility.
Despite their compact size, these campers have full rear bathrooms and air conditioning. The upgraded 13B and 17B models include a main bed plus bunk beds, making them ideal for families. The 17R replaces the bunks with a dinette.
On the exterior, features like a power awning, tinted safety glass windows, a friction hinge entry door, and backup camera prep add convenience—extras you might not expect in a light camper trailer.
Featured Floor Plan
- Coleman 13B— The 13B is the smallest Keystone Coleman camper but sleeps up to four people. It’s an all-electric camper, eliminating the need for propane.
Keystone Coleman Light
All five Keystone Coleman Light campers weigh less than 5,016 pounds, with two models well within a minivan’s towing capacity. These two measure 20’2″ and 20’5″ in length and feature surprisingly open floor plans for their size.
The 17BX and 17RX Coleman Light camper trailers have a front main bed and rear bathroom, with ample storage space thoughtfully maximized throughout the camper. The 17BX features bunks, while the 17RX offers a larger rear bathroom.
These light camp trailers are excellent choices for couples or families looking for a budget-friendly RV option without sacrificing comfort.
Featured Floor Plans
- Coleman Light 17RX— Ideal for couples, featuring a dinette instead of bunks and a walkaround main bed.
- Coleman Light 17BX— The most compact in the lineup but offers one of the highest sleeping capacities, accommodating up to five people.
Jayco Jay Flight SLX Sport
The Jayco Jay Flight SLX line boasts eighteen different models but only two SLX Sports. The line is known for its lightweight but residential design, with standard features like microwaves, air conditioners, and USB charging ports.
The Sport Edition package includes features like a smaller 12V refrigerator, a 19K BTU direct-vent furnace, shade prep for the entry door window, and a 42K BTU tankless water heater. The standard Farmhouse color scheme is cozy yet airy, providing a more open feel.
Each light camper trailer also offers an optional upgrade of Overlander Packages, which prepares you for boondocking with these extensive solar setups.
Featured Floor Plan
- Jay Flight SLX Sport 170BH—This camper weighs just 2,955 pounds but has a full-size queen mattress and two single bunks, accommodating families at a very reasonable cost!
Gulf Stream Enlighten
With RV floor plans ranging from 20’11” to 29’6″, the Gulf Stream Enlighten line offers something for everyone. The smallest model for towing with a minivan is the 17BH, which weighs just 2,810 pounds and offers a popular bunkhouse layout for small families.
Every Enlighten camper features pass through front storage and ample interior storage. On the exterior, they include a power awning and TV hookups for added convenience. These lightweight campers are budget-friendly yet have earned Best in Class awards for their design and features.
Featured Floor Plan
- Enlighten 17BH—The 17BH is the only Enlighten model towable by a minivan. It includes a queen bed, two single bunks, and a dinette. It also features a rear bathroom, a spacious kitchen, and a fireplace—a rare luxury in smaller campers.
Forest River Ozark
The Forest River Ozark lineup includes travel trailer and toy hauler layouts, all considered lightweight RVs. However, the lightest Ozarks are the single-axle light camper trailers ranging from 2,809 to 4,274 pounds and from 20’1’’ to 23’3’’ long. Two are under 3,000 pounds and can be towed by the best minivan for camping.
Inside, there are plenty of standard features to enjoy, including the largest-in-class panoramic windows and large holding tanks, allowing for extended off-grid camping.
The Ozark 1620BHLE ultra-light camp trailer offers bunks for families, while the 1610RBL is a rear bath travel trailer perfect for couples.
Featured Floor Plans
- Ozark 1620BHLE— This limited edition travel trailer is just 20’1’’ but includes a queen mattress and two single bunks in the rear. The bathroom is adjacent to the bunk, and the kitchen and dinette are in the camper’s center.
- Ozark 1610RBLE—Also a limited edition, this RV has more space around the queen mattress and a bathroom that takes up the entire rear of the camper. The Limited Edition Camp Ready Package includes a fireplace, making it even cozier!
Rockwood Geo-Pro
With thirteen models, the Rockwood Geo-Pro offers one of the largest lineups of ultra-light camper trailers. From the smallest at 12’3’’ and 1,903 pounds to the largest at 21’2’’ and 4,233 pounds, you can choose from a standard queen mattress to a King conversion to a Gaucho bed. Many Geo-Pro campers are at or below 3,000 pounds, fitting the ideal minivan tow capacity.
All the campers have laminate exteriors, heated holding tanks, and outdoor griddles with LP hookups. If you couldn’t tell, the Geo-Pro travel trailers are geared toward outdoor enthusiasts and come standard with large, off-road tires and solar prep.
Featured Floor Plans
- Geo-Pro 15TB—Rockwood’s smallest, walkable travel trailer, this camper has a wet bath and a unique twin-to-king bed conversion.
- Geo-Pro 15FDG— This tiny trailer has a great floor plan! With a rear entrance, the front of the camper includes a dinette and a Murphy bed. The shower is separate from the rest of the bathroom, with a door and a toilet with a flip-up sink.
Keystone Springdale Classic Mini
Keystone Springdale Classic Mini travel trailers are single-axle lightweight campers weighing between 2,799 and 4,115 pounds. Their lengths vary from 16’10’’ to 22’10’’, and the four most ultra-light camping trailers sleep from 2 to 6 people.
All the Springdale campers have tankless water heaters and full bathrooms, which allows you to enjoy longer showers and extra privacy!
You’ll enjoy a full or queen mattress for sleeping, and there are even a few travel trailers with a Murphy bed. Some offer single or double bunks, too. For remote work, check out the 1710MB with its desk/dining table offering window views!
Featured Floor Plan
- Springdale Classic 1400RE—This lightest travel trailer has a queen mattress, a full bathroom, and a dinette. The cozy kitchen has a 12V refrigerator and a two-burner cooktop.
Forest River Salem FSX
The Forest River Salem FSX line features nine light camper models plus five limited edition travel trailers. Choose between conventional or optional fiberglass construction and campers weighing 2,819 and 4,853 pounds.
Several models have a private primary bedroom, unusual for light camper trailers. Each Salem FSX camper has a waterproof portable FM / Bluetooth speaker system, a carpet-free interior, and oversized holding tanks that are 75% larger than average for extended camping.
Featured Floor Plans
- Salem FSX 174BHLE—At just 2,899 pounds, this ultra-light camp trailer has two single bunks, a queen mattress, a full bathroom, and a kitchen. It also includes a fireplace and a residential high-rise kitchen faucet.
- Salem FSX 164RBLE—This is a perfect light camper trailer for couples. It has a rear bathroom, a theater-style sofa, and a queen mattress. In the kitchen, enjoy a standard-sized refrigerator and two-burner stovetop.
Forest River Wolf Pup
The Forest River Wolf Pup lineup offers lightweight campers and budget-friendly all-electric travel trailers. The two all-electric Wolf Pup RVs weigh less than 3,100 pounds unloaded, and the traditional lineup includes two additional floor plans under 3,500 pounds dry.
All models feature ample exterior storage, a power awning with LED lighting, and fold-down stable steps for safer, easier entry. In the kitchens, cooking is easy with a propane cooktop, a traditional microwave, or a microwave-air fryer combo.
Ultimately, when choosing between the two lightest models, you must decide whether bunks are important to you or if you just need the queen mattress, which is included in both.
Featured Floor Plan
- Wolf Pup 16EV—This camper is ideal for families. It has two single bunks and a bathroom in the rear. The living space is mid-camper, with a queen mattress in the front.
Forest River Wildwood FSX
Images by Forest River
The smallest and lightest Forest River Wildwood FSX campers come in under 3,300 pounds unloaded. Ranging in length from 20’ to 21’8’’, each of the three models is relatively small, making them easier to tow with a minivan.
The smallest Wildwood FSX camper is great for solo travelers or couples because it offers a spacious rear bathroom and a queen mattress in the front. The other two ultra-light travel trailer floor plans include bunks, ideal for families or campers with frequent guests. Standard features include a power awning, an outdoor shower, and exterior storage with an oversized door for easy access.
Featured Floor Plan
- Wildwood FSX 174BHLE—This light travel trailer has two single bunks and a queen mattress while still including a bathroom, kitchen, and sofa. At just 2,899 pounds, it can be towed by any popular camping minivan!
Prime Time RV Avenger
The Prime Time RV Avenger travel trailers offer a distinctive design, recognized by their red and black exteriors and fresh, bright interiors.
The two lightest Avenger campers, the 16RD and 16FQ, have a front queen mattress, and the convertible tables provide extra sleeping space. In the kitchen, you’ll have a two-burner cooktop and microwave for easy cooking, while ample cabinet space and a 12-volt refrigerator provide plentiful food storage.
Featured Floor Plans
- Avenger 16RD—This light camper trailer has a huge U-shaped dinette that spans the entire rear width, making it perfect for hosting dinner guests or a party!
- Avenger 16FQ—The 16FQ’s bathroom is in the rear of the camper, with plenty of space. It even has a linen closet.
Who Makes the Lightest Travel Trailer?
At 1,903 pounds, the Rockwood Geo Pro G12SA is a super light camper trailer! On average, these lightweight campers weigh around 2,900 pounds.
Keep in mind these are the lightest travel trailers, but lighter campers do exist in other formats. For example, micro campers and truck bed campers are among the lightest RV camping trailers on the market, although you will forgo some of the amenities found in travel trailers.
What Minivan Has the Highest Tow Capacity?
Currently, both the Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Pacifica can tow up to 3,600 pounds, the max rating for minivans. Both will require their respective tow packages to reach this limit, but once equipped, they will tow your light travel trailer with ease.
Don’t let your vehicle stop you from enjoying RV camping! With today’s modern, lightweight campers, there is something for everyone and every vehicle.
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Which lightweight travel trailer would you choose, and why?
