3 Tips for Camping in a Small Travel Trailer

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Wade Thiel

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Wade divides his time among various outdoor activities in both urban and rural environments. An adventurer by nature, he is always up for a challenging hike, fun hunt, or day out on the water with friends and family. When he isn’t enjoying the outdoors, he’s writing, reading, or tinkering with motorcycles and cars.

Travel trailers, both new and used, come in all sizes. You can get a large travel trailer built for families or groups of people or even a toy hauler designed to allow you to bring along your ATV, golf cart, or motorcycle. Then there are small travel trailers. These smaller trailers can be pulled with a regular SUV or smaller pickup truck, making them very attractive to many people.

These models come with less space, but a smaller footprint overall isn’t a bad thing. It comes with its own merits. Here’s how to make the most of your small travel trailer.

1. Cook Outside As Much as Possible

Barbecue grill with fire on nature, outdoor, close up

If you have a small teardrop trailer, you might have an outdoor kitchen, which is perfect, but if you have a smaller travel trailer with an indoor kitchen, consider still making a point to cook outside. Cooking inside a small travel trailer leads to messes, and with the trailer space being so small the smells and sights are inescapable.

Some people will disagree with me here and think cooking in your small camper is the way to go. That’s fine, but I’d rather bring along a small grill and grill out. That way, I can keep the galley in my rig clean. I’d still use the space to prep your food, but for the actual cooking of the meal, I suggest a portable grill.

2. Pack Your Travel Trailer Carefully

A blue teardrop camping trailer on the roadside along the Oregon Coast

Packing your travel trailer will be something that eventually becomes second nature. You’ll get really good at packing up your rig and being ready to hit the road. At first, though, it can be easy to overpack. In a small travel trailer, it’s extremely important not to do so.

First off, the amount of weight a trailer can hold in terms of additional gear and supplies is limited. Smaller trailers can’t carry as much weight. Also, it’s important to try to balance the weight in the trailer. Don’t pack all your heavy gear on one side. It will throw the balance of weight off and this can negatively impact how the travel trailer tows. Try to balance the weight of what you pack evenly across the floorplan.

If you need to load up one area of the trailer, make sure it’s as close to the front as possible. The closer to the hitch extra weight is, the less impact it will have on how the trailer tows.

3. Find a Campsite Off the Beaten Path

Camping in a small travel trailer

One of the biggest perks of a small camper is that it can often go where other larger campers can’t. Take advantage of that. It’s no fun to be at a big campground full of huge class A and class C motorhomes. Find a more secluded campground or campsite that those big rigs can’t get to.

You can even try boondocking if you want. Boondocking in a small travel trailer can be a little more challenging than in a bigger motorhome of fifth-wheel because of the fewer amenities, but you’ll find being closer to nature has its own positives. You’re more likely to spend time outdoors and truly enjoy your surroundings.


Do you have any suggestions to add? Leave a comment below!

3 tips for camping in a small travel trailer

  • Comment (1)
  • Teri says:

    We have a pop up and have found a zillion ideas for it! If staying on site for a while: 1. Put up a very large tarp over the trailer that extends a bit beyond the awning as well as beyond the ends. This keeps all dry and clean and makes another “room” and storage area (we park our car under the tarp end and open the trunk, where we store dry food, etc.). 2. Use a hanging shoe organizer on the awning pole. It can hold paper goods, pot holders, cups, etc. 3. We pack a large sceen tent with covered top…that becomes our dining and game room ..awesome and verily bug free! Can be used in rain if you have another tarp or sides…

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