Travel Trailer Rental Guide: Pop-Up Campers, 5th Wheels, and What's Actually Available

Travel trailers are one of the most popular RV types to own and one of the hardest to find on rental platforms. The gap isn't a glitch — it reflects something real about how these vehicles are owned and insured. Most travel trailer owners bought their unit to use it themselves, not to rent it out. The ones who do list it on peer-to-peer platforms charge accordingly.

One thing to know before you start searching: when you rent a travel trailer, you're renting the trailer only — you supply the truck. With that in mind, here's the fastest way to know which path is yours. If you own a truck rated to tow 4,000 lbs or more, a full travel trailer is worth looking at. If you own an SUV or a minivan, a pop-up camper is the more practical option. If you don't own anything rated to tow, a motorhome will be cheaper than renting a trailer and a truck separately. This guide covers all three paths.

Travel trailers are scarce on rental platforms — and it's not random

On Outdoorsy and RVShare, motorhomes outnumber trailer rentals by a wide margin in most markets. A search in a mid-size city typically surfaces dozens of Class B and Class C motorhomes for every travel trailer listing.

Motorhome owners rent their vehicles more readily because the renter experience is self-contained — no hitch, no tow vehicle, no connection hardware to verify. With a travel trailer, the owner is relying on the renter's truck to be properly configured: the right hitch class, the right ball size, the right weight distribution setup, trailer brakes wired correctly. A rental gone wrong here is an owner's nightmare, not just an inconvenience. Many travel trailer owners decide the liability exposure isn't worth it.

If you have your heart set on a travel trailer, expect to search harder and be more flexible on dates than you would be with a motorhome. In some smaller markets, there may be no listings at all.

Pop-up campers: the trailer your SUV can probably tow

Pop-up campers (also called fold-down campers or tent trailers) are the most available towable category on peer-to-peer rental platforms. They're lighter, cheaper, and can be towed by a wider range of vehicles — which makes owners more willing to rent them and makes the renter's logistics simpler.

At roughly 1,500–2,500 lbs dry weight, a pop-up can be towed by most mid-size SUVs, and some minivans with adequate tow ratings. That opens the category to renters who don't own a truck. You're not getting a bathroom, real climate control, or hard walls — but for a family that camps regularly and wants more than a tent without committing to a full RV, a pop-up is a legitimate option.

What you give up with a pop-up

Canvas walls don't insulate the way hard-sided walls do. A pop-up is uncomfortable below 40°F and warm above 85°F unless the campsite has shade and a breeze. Most pop-ups have no bathroom — you're relying on campground facilities. Setup takes 15–30 minutes at each campsite and involves physical effort (cranking the roof up, unfolding the beds, securing the canvas).

If you're making multiple stops in a day or camping in variable weather, the setup time and weather exposure matter. If you're staying at one campsite for several nights in mild weather, they matter much less.

What pop-up camping costs to rent

Pop-up campers list at $55–$95/night on peer-to-peer platforms, with most listings in the $65–$80 range for mid-size units in good condition. Add the platform service fee (typically 17–25% of the listing price) and a cleaning fee ($50–$100), and a 7-night rental lands somewhere between $620 and $950 before campsite fees. That's roughly half the cost of a comparable Class C motorhome rental.

Full travel trailers: when they make sense

A full travel trailer gives you hard walls, a real bed or two, a kitchen with a stove and refrigerator, and usually a bathroom — all in a package you can unhitch and leave at a campsite while you drive somewhere in your own vehicle. For families who camp for a week or more and want the convenience of a dedicated sleeping structure without the cost of a Class A or large Class C motorhome, that's a genuinely useful combination.

The catch is the tow vehicle requirement. Most travel trailers in rentable condition weigh 4,000–8,000 lbs loaded, which means you need a truck with a tow rating to match — ideally 20% above the trailer's max weight for a safety margin. A half-ton pickup (F-150, Ram 1500, Chevy Silverado 1500) handles most trailers up to about 10,000 lbs. Three-quarter ton trucks (F-250, Ram 2500) cover anything larger. If you don't already own one of these, factor in what a truck rental costs before assuming a travel trailer is the affordable option.

Travel trailer sizes and what they mean in practice

Travel trailers range from about 16 feet to 40+ feet. The sweet spot for rental availability and campground access is 22–28 feet. Below 20 feet, you'll find teardrop trailers and small lightweight units that are easier to tow but more limited on sleeping space. Above 30 feet, you're looking at large slide-out units that may be restricted at some campgrounds and are definitely harder to maneuver in tight sites.

Many national park campgrounds have length limits that affect travel trailers the same way they affect motorhomes. Zion bans vehicles over 35'9" long — and combined vehicle length (truck plus trailer) over 50 feet — from the Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway entirely, which rules out most full-size travel trailer setups entering from the east. Several Yellowstone campgrounds cap trailers at 30–35 feet depending on the loop. If your trip includes national parks, check specific campground and road restrictions before assuming a longer trailer will fit.

Travel trailer rental rates

Well-maintained travel trailers list at $85–$150/night on peer-to-peer platforms, depending on size, age, and amenities. Listing prices are generally lower than motorhomes because owners know the tow vehicle requirement limits their pool of renters — they price for the market. The all-in cost after platform fees, insurance, and cleaning typically lands between $900 and $1,600 for a week.

The one thing most renters forget: the tow vehicle

This is where towable RV rental inquiries fall apart more often than any other point. Someone finds a pop-up camper or travel trailer they like, contacts the owner — and then the owner asks what they're towing with, and the conversation ends.

Every peer-to-peer trailer rental requires the renter to verify their tow vehicle before booking. The relevant specs:

• Tow rating: the maximum weight your vehicle's manufacturer says it can tow. This number is in your owner's manual and on a sticker in the driver's door jamb — use that number, not what someone says in a forum. The loaded trailer weight (not just dry weight) is what has to come in under that rating.
• Hitch class: must match or exceed what the trailer requires. Class III covers most travel trailers and all pop-up campers (up to 8,000 lbs). Class IV or V covers larger trailers and fifth wheels.
• Trailer brake wiring: trailers over 3,000 lbs typically need a brake controller. Verify your vehicle has a 7-pin connector and a compatible controller — or confirm the trailer is light enough not to require one.
• Weight distribution hitch: for heavier trailers, this spreads tongue weight across all four wheels of the tow vehicle. Some owners require it; others supply it. Ask before you assume it's included.

What it costs to rent a towable RV

The comparison that matters isn't towable nightly rate versus motorhome nightly rate — it's the all-in trip cost. Towables look cheaper on the listing page but have costs motorhomes don't.

Here's what the full towable cost picture looks like:

• Nightly rate: $55–$150 depending on type and size
• Platform service fee: 17–25% of the listing price
• Insurance/protection plan: typically $10–$30/night
• Cleaning fee: $50–$150 flat
• Campsite fees: $30–$65/night (not part of the rental, but a real trip cost)
• Truck rental (if you don't own one): $80–$150/day, plus any commercial hitch installation at the rental location

That last line is the one that makes towable rentals expensive for renters without a tow vehicle. A week of truck rental can cost $560–$1,050 before fuel — more than the trailer rental itself in many cases. For renters who own a capable truck, a towable is genuinely the more affordable option. For everyone else, the gap is narrow or reversed.

For a full breakdown of RV rental costs by class — including what's typically hidden until checkout — see the RV rental cost guide. If reducing the overall rental cost is the priority, the cheap RV rental guide covers where the real savings are across all vehicle types — class selection and timing matter far more than discount codes.

Where to find towable rentals

RVShare has deeper towable inventory than Outdoorsy in most markets. That's partly because RVShare's peer-to-peer model attracts more casual owners — people renting out a trailer they use occasionally rather than a dedicated rental fleet. Outdoorsy skews toward frequently-rented, well-equipped vehicles, which tends to mean motorhomes.

For pop-up campers specifically, search RVShare first, then Outdoorsy. Filter by trailer type rather than browsing the full listing grid — it saves time. Be prepared for limited options in urban markets (most people don't store pop-up campers in cities) and better availability in suburban and exurban areas where storage space is easier — the Chicago market is a good example of how this plays out in practice, with nearly all inventory concentrated in the northwest and southwest suburbs rather than the city itself.

For travel trailers and fifth wheels, expect to contact several owners before finding one whose vehicle fits your tow vehicle's ratings. Many owners will ask for a photo of your truck and trailer hitch as part of vetting. This is normal — treat it as part of the process, not an obstacle. It's also worth asking about the rate directly: P2P owners on RVShare frequently negotiate on price, especially for trips of five or more nights or dates in the shoulder season. The platform doesn't advertise this, but most owners would rather rent at a small discount than leave the unit sitting. Fleet companies like Cruise America don't carry towables at all — if guaranteed availability matters more than price, a motorhome is the practical alternative. The platform comparison guide covers how Outdoorsy and RVShare differ on inventory depth and booking logistics.

5th wheels and toy haulers

Fifth wheels are the largest towable category — they hitch into a special receiver mounted in the pickup bed rather than a conventional ball hitch. That mounting design makes them more stable at highway speeds than a comparably sized travel trailer, and the gooseneck connection allows for a raised "bonus room" over the truck bed, typically used as the master bedroom or a lounge area.

The tradeoff: you need a pickup truck specifically — no SUV, no crossover. And the truck needs a fifth-wheel hitch installed in the bed, which not everyone has. Rental listings for fifth wheels are sparse on peer-to-peer platforms; most owners of units this size aren't listing them for short-term rental. When you do find one, the truck requirement is almost always on you.

Toy haulers are travel trailers or fifth wheels with a rear garage area — a dedicated space to load motorcycles, ATVs, kayaks, or bikes. The garage converts to sleeping space at night. If your trip centers on hauling equipment, a toy hauler is built for it. Search RVShare filtered by "toy hauler," and be prepared for limited availability outside the Southwest and Mountain West.

For most first-time renters, fifth wheels and toy haulers are a research dead end — the inventory is thin, the truck requirements are strict, and the platform-to-pickup logistics require more coordination than a motorhome. They're worth pursuing if you have the tow vehicle already set up and a specific use case for the extra space. Otherwise, a Class C motorhome gets you comparable living space with far less friction.

Frequently asked questions