Biggest camper you can pull comfortably with a Traverse?

Thanks for all the info everyone, I appreciate it!

I towed for 140,000 miles with a very similar-size and similar-power vehicle, a 2008 Toyota Highlander V6 with factory tow package. I had a KZ Escape E14RB, a 2700 lb (loaded) trailer, 16' long overall, 7' wide and 99" high. This size seemed like a good match for the HL and it only had a little trouble in the Rocky Mountains (long climbs at high elevation). Keeping the wind resistance as low as possible, by having a low, narrow profile trailer, will be a key factor in how these V6 SUVs perform on the highway.

Another key factor is hitch weight. My little TT had a hitch weight of about 350 lbs, but with a full fresh water tank it came close to 400 lbs. My HL's limits were 5000 lb towing with 500 on the hitch. I doubt I could have towed a 4000 lb (or more) TT because they tend to be well in excess of the 500 lb hitch weight limit of the HL (and a Traverse). One doesn't want to have a hitch receiver tear off at highway speed, sending the trailer careening across oncoming traffic (worst case scenario).

I grew up in MI so I know what it's like. My recommendations:
Get a TT with dry weight under 3500 lbs, preferably under 3000 lbs.
Get a TT that's no more than 7.5' wide, and maybe under 105" high (not counting A/C)
Trailer should be no more than 21' long, due to Traverse's short wheelbase
Make sure dry hitch weight is under 400 lbs, so when you add LP, battery, etc it will be under 500.
Keep highway speed around 55-60 mph.

You might take a look at a molded fiberglass TT like Scamp or Casita. They are rounded (egg shape) and move through the air much more easily than a conventional TT, they will yield better gas mileage (14-15 vs 10-11), and you might find them cute. A 13' or 16' model could be ideal for a single mom and child. I have found that small, lightweight trailers are more pleasant to tow and to maneuver than larger trailers.

For a TT longer than 17', you should get at least a sway bar, but better yet a weight distribution hitch with built-in sway control (Andersen makes the lightest, cleanest model IMO).

I would not recommend towing anything high walled with the Traverse. with only two people, I highly recommend a full sized double cab pickup. GM's 5.3L, Ram's Ecodiesel, or Ford's 2.7L Ecoboost would be a great compromise and provide a very pleasant towing experience for up 6k dry or less.

I pull our 23lb (2306) with our traverse and have loaded it up for a week long trip and had it weighed. With 2 adults and 2 kids and a few gallons of water we were still under weight and I don't have any trouble pulling it. Pulled from Lansing to the upper peninsula getting 14mpg.

I would steer clear of towing right up to the towing capacity. There are plenty of lighter weight trailers that the Traverse would handle. I'd also research if a weight distributing hitch can be used with the Traverse. According to Car and Driver, the Traverse is one of the better crossover SUVs for towing.

FWIW, I'm a single mom with a 3 year old so there won't be much passenger weight. And not a ton of weight in gear since there are only 2 of us. I live in Michigan, (metro Detroit area) and will probably only tow it to the Tawas and Cadillac areas since I camp at friend's property.

I had an 2009 without the tow package and pulled a 12 foot TT 2400 pounds and it dropped the Traverse rear end and sucked fuel like crazy. I just used it within a 50 mile range twice a year. I later had a 2012 with tow package and bought a Jayco Hawk 22 ft TT at about 3800 to 4000 lb. I pulled it home about 150 miles and it did ok but I wouldn't have wanted to put anything in it and pull it. I mean I could have put 500 or so more pounds in it and maybe stayed within a 100 miles but that was also with an empty Traverse.

I then took a very painful reaming and traded it in on a Silverado 1500 5.3 ext cab 4x4 short box. The Jayco Hawk loaded was 5,000 and I had the bed full of items to take to Florida for someone so it was just over the payload at 1,750 lb. That set up worked good. It wasn't a pain to drive and would get up and go.

The 2012 pulling 4,000 wasn't dangerous feeling but it just seems to be at the max limit to me. I wouldn't want to try 5,000. I may have pulled 5,000 from Royal Oak to Flint but that would be about it. Moving to a 1/2 ton made a huge difference with 9,700 tow rating. If I had to guess I would probably like the 2012 Traverse with 3,000 max behind it which is a little over 1/2 it's rating. The 1/2 t silverado also felt good at just a little over 1/2 it's tow rating. People would say the silverado could pull 7,000 easy and it could but I dont think I would have liked the feel of it. Maybe 6,000 but I would do it local not all over the country. To me, most pulling of the majority of stuff will do best with a 1/2 ton. In general if you are moving up in TT or adding slides etc then a 3/4 ton is nice.

OH but wait, there was another trade when we decided we liked to travel and retired but it wasn't really painful and the Silverado held it's value well when I traded it for a 2014 CTD CC 3500 srw pulling a 12,000 FW. I would rather drive that rig than the Silverado and the 5,000 Jayco. Enjoy Michigan, it's been a great season up here so far.

I pulled my Ascend RD17 3,500 lbs. dry with my 6 cyl Highlander. now will use my V6 Tacoma.
bumpy

Technically you could pull to your max tow rating but usually you will max out other ratings, like payload, before reading it. Check all your ratings. Keep in mind as well that the tow rating number is calculated with an empty vehicle and allows 150lbs each for the driver and a passenger. The rating is reduced pound for pound with weight added to the vehicle beyond that.

Max capacity if appropriately equipped is 5200 lbs. That means something in the range of 4500-5000 lbs (depending on how you like to drive) FULLY LOADED WEIGHT would do fine. Check the payload limits on the Traverse, and keep in mind that tongue weight reduces your payload (you, other passengers, other stuff in the Traverse). To stay in the 4500-5000 lbs range you'll likely want a dry weight in the neighborhood of 3500-4000 lbs.

You could go higher, but would then have to be VERY careful about loading to stay below limits. I used to do this with my old trailer - everything that went in was weighed first to make sure it wouldn't put me over. It worked, but was a pain to do and isn't generally recommended.

Driving tips: Max speed 60 mph. (Keep in mind many trailer tires are only rated for a max speed of 65 mph.) Plan on going slower through mountains, should you ever go somewhere like that. You're on vacation - no need to rush around.