How Much Does a Small Travel Trailer (Under 20 ft) Weigh?

Typical loaded4,000lbs

Ready to tow, a small travel trailer (under 20 ft) usually weighs 3,000 to 5,000 lbs, including the trailer.

Published unloaded weights (about 2,800 to 3,550 lbs for Forest River Geo Pro, Airstream Basecamp, and Grand Design Imagine AIM models near 20 ft) plus 500 to 1,000 lbs of water, propane, batteries, food, and gear, capped near the 4,300 to 4,800 lb GVWRs these models carry.

Tongue weight: about 400 to 600 lbs. Hitch: standard bumper-pull (receiver hitch).

Real examples

ExamplePublished weightWhat that weight includes
2027 Airstream Basecamp 20 (20 ft 2 in)3,500 lbsunit base weight; 535 lb hitch; 4,300 lb GVWR
2027 Forest River Rockwood Geo Pro G17BLE (20 ft 0 in)2,819 lbsUVW; 345 lb hitch
Grand Design Imagine AIM 15RBA (19 ft 8 in)3,547 lbsUVW; 392 lb hitch; 4,795 lb GVWR

Published weights are usually dry, before fuel, water, batteries, and gear. Weigh your rig at a truck stop scale to know for sure.

Can your vehicle tow a small travel trailer (under 20 ft)?

1 Your vehicle
2 What you want to tow

3 Add your payload (optional, more accurate)

Look for the yellow Tire and Loading Information sticker on the driver's door jamb. It says "The combined weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed" a number. That number is your payload.

Which vehicles can tow a small travel trailer (under 20 ft)?

15 of 16 vehicles we cover can tow a typical small travel trailer (under 20 ft) at 4,000 lbs, using each one's best-case current rating.

VehicleMax towingCan it tow it?
2026 Ford F-15013,500 lbsYes
2026 Chevrolet Silverado 150013,300 lbsYes
2026 Toyota Tundra12,000 lbsYes
2026 Ram 150011,610 lbsYes
2026 Chevrolet Tahoe8,400 lbsYes
2026 Ford Ranger7,500 lbsYes
2026 Toyota Tacoma6,500 lbsYes
2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee6,200 lbsYes
2026 Toyota 4Runner6,000 lbsYes
2025 Kia Telluride5,500 lbsYes
2026 Ford Explorer5,000 lbsYes
2026 Honda Pilot5,000 lbsYes
2026 Hyundai Palisade5,000 lbsYes
2026 Toyota Highlander5,000 lbsYes
2026 Ford Bronco4,500 lbsClose to limit
2026 Subaru Outback3,500 lbsNo

Common questions

How much does a small travel trailer (under 20 ft) weigh?

Loaded and on its trailer, a small travel trailer (under 20 ft) typically weighs 3,000 to 5,000 lbs. Published unloaded weights (about 2,800 to 3,550 lbs for Forest River Geo Pro, Airstream Basecamp, and Grand Design Imagine AIM models near 20 ft) plus 500 to 1,000 lbs of water, propane, batteries, food, and gear, capped near the 4,300 to 4,800 lb GVWRs these models carry.

What's the tongue weight of a small travel trailer (under 20 ft)?

Plan on 10% to 15% of the loaded weight, about 400 to 600 lbs at a typical 4,000 lbs.

What size vehicle do I need to tow a small travel trailer (under 20 ft)?

Look for a towing rating of at least 6,500 lbs so a heavier small travel trailer (under 20 ft) still sits under 80% of the rating.

Sources