Updated January 11th, 2024
Whether you’re a seasoned RVer or a newbie who wants to take their RVing to the next level and stay in your camper year-round, a 4 season travel trailer might be right for you.
So I’ve created this humungo list with all the very best 4 season campers I could find, plus… full walkthrough video tours!
But first… what the heck do I mean by a “4 seasons” trailer??
Table of Contents
What Is a 4 Season Travel Trailer?
So, this term is pretty self-explanatory. A 4 season travel trailer is a camper you can live in summer, spring, winter, and fall!
That means they’re equipped with some special specs (insulation, a high-power air conditioner and furnace, etc.) that keep them cool in the summer and warm in the winter–we’ll talk more about those specs later on.
I’ll talk about both four-season travel trailers as well as RVs for this article.
Let’s start with travel trailers, though…
The 6 Best 4 Season Travel Trailers
Travel trailers are a popular choice for all-weather RVing because they’re often easier to tow through snow than drivable RVs are to drive in snow. ❄
Here’s my list of the top six four season travel trailers built tough enough to live in all year-round:
- Keystone Montana–Best Luxury
- Northwood Arctic Fox–Best Budget
- Forest River Cherokee Arctic Wolf–Best for Families
- Oliver Legacy Elite–Best Compact
- Jayco Eagle–Best for Extreme Weather
- Lance 2295–Best for Milder Weather
Let’s take a closer look at these four season travel trailers!
Keystone Montana
Pros:
- Gorgeous interior space
- Weather package comes standard
- Advanced solar power system
Cons:
- Pretty expensive
I’d really consider the Keystone Montana an all-inclusive, luxury travel trailer. It comes with beautiful hardwood cabinetry, full-sized stainless steel appliances, a gas fireplace, heated massage recliners, and tons of other fancy perks.
But the best thing about this travel trailer is that it comes with a weather package, meaning its four-season traveling ability comes included with the cost of the travel trailer. In the weather package, you’ll get insulated flooring and siding, heated holding tanks, a heated underbelly and dump valves, plus a few other nifty features.
Click here for a walkthrough tour: 2022 Keystone Montana High Country 331RL | Team Montana Fifth Wheel Tour
Northwood Arctic Fox
Pros:
- Unbeatable insulation
- Lots of storage space
- Budget-friendly
- Great natural light inside
Cons:
- Not the prettiest interior (in my personal opinion)
This travel trailer is literally named for how well it performs in the cold! You can’t go wrong with the Arctic Fox. The one is truly four-season. I mean everything is insulated… literally everything from the windows, to the pipes, to the tanks, to every little outside door.
Along with its great weatherproofing, the travel trailer also has really nice natural light from windows and the bathroom skylight, as well as from the light fixtures and LEDs in and outside of the travel trailer.
The 22G I’m talking about here is nice and compact at 22 feet, but it still feels really spacious inside. Plus, it has tons of little storage compartments which are always nice when you’re living in a small space–we all have more stuff than we think we have, right?!
Check out this tour: Quick Tour of The New Arctic Fox 22G Travel Trailer
Forest River Cherokee Arctic Wolf
Pros:
- Spacious enough for the whole family
- Lots of floorplan options
- High-powered furnace and air conditioner with elemental protection package
- Auto-leveling system
Cons:
- Might be difficult to tow since it’s so large and heavy
On the Forest River Cherokee Arctic Wolf, you have to purchase the additional Elemental Protection Package to ensure it’s fully weatherproof. This package comes with a boosted furnace and air conditioning system, extra insulation, extra fans, and a fireplace. YES!
The Forest River Cherokee is actually considered a 4 season travel trailer without the package, but the protection package just ensures that the travel trailer will keep you comfortable for hot and cold weather camping.
What stands out about the Arctic Wolf to me is its size — it will easily sleep your whole family. Plus, there are tons of floorplan options so it should be easy to find one that suits your needs.
Here’s a nice walkthrough tour of one of the models: 2021 Forest River Cherokee Arctic Wolf 251MK – ½ Ton Towable Fifth Wheel – Only 29 Foot Long
Oliver Legacy Elite
Pros:
- Compact
- Good for boondocking
- High-quality build
- Beautiful interior
Cons:
- Likely too small for more than two people
How can you not love this cute little travel trailer! The Oliver company is dedicated to design and build quality, and it really shows. The Legacy Elite has that classic 1960s Airstream Trailer feel but with a double-hulled fiberglass shell and a modern interior.
It comes standard with some pretty typical weather-proofing features like double-paned windows and insulated pipes and holding tanks. Plus there are some add-on packages that make this travel trailer great for boondocking.
Other than being the cutest travel trailer on my list so far, it might also be the highest quality. Oliver owners really trust their 4 season travel trailers–and for good reason.
Check out this walkthrough tour to see more: The 2020 Legacy Elite Oliver Travel Trailer Walkthrough Tour
Jayco Eagle
Pros:
- Included extreme weather protection
- Spacious interior–sleeps up to 6
- Large bathroom
- Included washer/dryer prep
Cons:
- May be difficult to tow since it’s so large
Whether you’re planning to spend winter in Alberta, or summer in Arizona, you’ll be comfortable inside the Jayco Eagle. The Climate Shield and Helix cooling system technologies include extreme insulation, a fully heated underbelly, a high-output furnace, and insulated air ducts.
The weather-proofing technologies allow the Eagle travel trailer to stay warm at freezing temperatures, and cool in 100-degree heat. Check out this video where the Eagle’s weather-proofing is put to the test.
This four season camper has some other special features like an outdoor kitchen, a really nice bathroom, a full-sized fridge, and an island with a stainless steel double-sink.
Check out this video for the full tour: 2021 Jayco Eagle 330RSTS | Walk Through Tour
Lance 2295 Travel Trailer
Pros:
- Nice large bathroom
- Lightweight
- Included four seasons package
- Has a fireplace!
Cons:
- Only includes a full-sized bed
Maybe you won’t be camping in 110 degree heat or in below zero temperatures. You probably don’t need extreme weather protection but still want some nice insulation for unexpected temperature changes. I’d say the Lance 2295 with its weather package is perfect for you.
The weather package comes standard in all Lance campers and includes a ducted heating system, insulated battery and tank compartments, and insulated hatch covers. The weather package is not as beefed-up as, say…the Jayco Eagle, but it will definitely work well for milder winters.
Check out this in-depth tour of the Lance 2295: 2017 Lance 2295 | Luxury Travel Trailer | Roadster – RV Review
If you’re looking for something lighter weight, and maybe not as weatherproof, check out my list of 11 lightweight travel trailers: 11 Best Travel Trailers Under 5000 lbs (2021) Video Tours, Pics + Floor Plans!
Things to Look for in a 4 Season Camper
Okay, there are tons of campers out there and it’s not easy to figure out which one is perfect. And here’s the thing.. you also don’t necessarily need to get one that is marketed as “4 seasons”!!
As long as the camper has these three things I’m about to list, you should be good to go whether you’re in hot weather or cold weather.
Insulation…Everywhere!!
Insulation is a huge part of what makes a four season camper winter-ready. A camper that will stay warm in the cold and cool in the heat will have insulation everywhere!
That means insulation around the whole body, over the underbelly, around the holding tanks and pipes, in the doors, and in and around each hatch door on the exterior.
If your rig doesn’t have good insulation, a powerful furnace won’t matter because the heat will just leak out!!
There are tons of different types of insulation out there, but one of the best for insulating the body of the vehicle is closed-cell rigid foam insulation. It’s lightweight, stays the driest, and is one of the hardiest insulators out there for RVs.
Dual-Pane Windows
Windows are a huge weak spot for heat loss in an RV. They can’t be insulated the way the rest of the exterior can, so you absolutely need to look for dual-pane windows. This is the best way to keep heat from escaping from windows.
If you’re looking to reduce heat in hot temps, I’d also recommend looking for campers with UV-tinted windows, those will help your air conditioner be more efficient.
Powerful Furnace and Air Conditioning
This is another absolute must-have for a 4 season travel trailer. If your furnace and air conditioner aren’t powerful enough, they just won’t be able to keep up with super cold or super warm temperatures. You’ll end up either sweating or freezing inside your camper.
For furnaces, you’ll want to look for a BTU rating with around 50 BTUs per square foot if you’re staying in cold climates. So a 500 square foot travel trailer would need a 25,000 BTU furnace.
PRO TIP! – To make sure you have enough power to cool your camper in hot summer temps, I’d recommend purchasing an additional generator if you’re trailer doesn’t already have one.
Check out my article 13 Best Quiet RV Generators (2021) for Camping in Peace for some nice options.
Tips for RVing in Cold Weather
Winter RVing may not be for the faint of heart…but it’s not as scary as it sounds!
Plus there are some simple things you can do or buy that will help keep you warm and cozy in your RV even when it’s freezing outside. Let’s chat about those now…
Skirt Your Camper
If you’re serious about winter RVing and plan to do it long-term, skirting your RV is a great way to reduce heat loss and use up less power to keep your camper warm.
RV skirts are made from various materials (from plywood to haybales!) and insulate the bottom exterior of your RV to prevent wind and cold from entering the interior of the vehicle from underneath. These can reduce heat loss from inside the camper up to 25%!!
If you are able to invest, many all weather campers opt for reusable, inflatable skirting as it packs down small and is easy to set up each year.
Get a Space Heater
Even if your RV is advertised as winterproof, there may be those little corners of the camper that aren’t getting as much heat as others. For me, when I’m working or watching TV in my RV in cooler weather I always like to have a space heater blowing on my feet to keep them warm.
Space heaters are small, and pretty inexpensive, so if you struggle with keeping your feet warm like me, I recommend trying one out. Of course, these can be a safety hazard in an RV, so make sure you get one that has auto-shutoff mode if it overheats, gets tipped over, or is left on too long. This one is a nice option.
These are also great to have as a backup in case you have any issues with your RV’s furnace so you don’t get stranded without any heat at all.
Get a Heated Water Hose
If you’ve been out in your RV in cold weather and your water hose freezes, you know how frustrating this issue is. If you’re planning to camp in freezing temperatures, you absolutely need to purchase a heated water hose.
The hose provides some insulation and just a small amount of heat to ensure the drinking water you’re pumping from a campsite won’t freeze inside the hose.
They’re a bit pricey, but they’re also super necessary for winter RVing. Check out this one from Camco. It’s pretty much the standard for winter RVers and protects the hose in as low as -20 degree temps. (They also have one that is rated to -40 degrees!!).
Buy Holding Tank Heaters
If your RV doesn’t have holding tank heaters included in its four season package, you absolutely need to purchase them separately!! They basically just stick to the outside of your holding tanks and use a tiny bit of energy to keep them from freezing.
They’re easy to install and essential for RVing in freezing weather. Check out these heating pads with built-in thermostats on Amazon.
Dehumidify!!
Okay I’ve got a joke for you… what’s an RVers worst nightmare?
Mold!!
Okay, maybe that wasn’t really a joke…🤣
Anyway, if you live in wet conditions in an RV you know that mold is your worst enemy. It can get in teeny cracks and completely destroy your interior. If you don’t proactively try to prevent mold in your camper, it can destroy your camper (and your health!)
Mold is especially an issue to look out for if you’re RVing in cold weather and constantly have your furnace on. Having the furnace on can make for some moist conditions and condensation that creates a perfect environment for mold growth.
So, I definitely recommend a dehumidifier. It’s really not a necessity, but if you’ve had problems with mold in your RV in the past and want to avoid it like the plague (I know I do), it’s a good add-on for winter camping. Here’s a nice compact one on Amazon that’s not too pricey.
4 Season Travel Trailer FAQs
Are Airstream Campers 4 Season?
Airstreams are technically not four seasons campers.
However, you can absolutely add some upgrades. Many people love the Airstream Basecamp, and while I do agree they’re great for camping any place, they may not be great for camping any season.
Can You Live in an RV in Winter?
Absolutely!! Some RVs are actually made to live in in the winter. You just have to make sure your RV has great insulation, double pane windows, a powerful furnace, as well as enclosed and heated tanks and pipes.
How Cold is Too Cold for an RV?
About -20ºF is when insulation starts failing, pipes freeze, and your furnace just can’t keep up. There are some extreme-weather RVers that take their RV into below-freezing temperatures but you might do some damage to your rig if it’s too cold.
What Happens if RV Pipes Freeze?
If your RV pipes freeze, nothing will be able to move through them, so you can’t take showers or use the sink, plus there’s the potential they’ll burst 😯.
Burst pipes can be a super expensive repair which is why RVing in the winter requires that your pipes are well insulated and kept warm.
Ready to Brave the Winter in Your All-Weather Camper?
So hopefully I gave you some useful information about all things four-seasons RVs and travel trailers.
Even if you don’t pick one from my list, just make sure you keep a lookout for good insulation, dual paned windows, and a high-powered heating and cooling system.
While you’re here, don’t miss my other RV and travel trailer articles!!
- 10 Best off road camper trailers under $10,000 | Video Tours!
- 7 Best Off Road Pop Up Campers 2021 | Video Tours and Reviews
- 11 Best Class C RVs Under 25 Feet | Video Tours and Floor Plans
- 9 Best Pop Up Campers With Bathrooms (Video Tours + Floor Plans)
- Solar Eclipse 2024 Kids Printable Activity Pack! - April 8, 2024
- 11 RV Bathroom Makeovers to Inspire You! - April 7, 2024
- 13 Dreamy Hammock Camping Set Up Ideas + Pics - February 22, 2024
