RV Review: Cherokee Wolf Pup 18RJB mini toy hauler

I do articles for a number of websites and magazines and one of the places I spend time is among female campers. Each group of campers seems to have their own priorities. But the ladies who camp by themselves seem to favor smaller campers that can be pulled with something other than a full-sized pickup. 

But more and more of the ladies I’m speaking with also are interested in active lifestyle adventures – bicycles, kayaks, hiking and more. So when I saw this Cherokee Wolf Pup 18RJB, I couldn’t help but think of this group. 

Wolf Pup 18RJR

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Adventure awaits in the Cherokee Wolf Pup

The Cherokee Wolf Pup 18RJB is a small, single-axle toy hauler that packs a decent number of features into an affordable and very towable package. This is not the trailer to get if you have a bunch of folks who go camping with you, or you have side-by-sides that you want to take camping. But it is a great alternative for someone who wants to tote things like eBikes or kayaks or that kind of thing. 

This is also not the family hauler even though, in theory, it sleeps four. In reality, it’s great for solo travelers or couples who are athletic enough that crawling over one another for those middle of the night potty breaks isn’t a big deal. Of course, it could also lead to this. 

But the small size of this trailer can also be an advantage. Since this is only seven feet wide, it means some vehicles may do fine without towing mirrors. The narrower stance also means less wind resistance. 

The Cherokee Wolf Pup has a dry bathroom

This rig also features a proper dry bathroom, which you don’t always get in a smaller trailer. Interestingly, there is a sink in the bathroom. But that sink is in the tub/shower, which is fine. Put a little ice in there and you can keep your beer cold while you get clean. Well, maybe. 

The bathroom is a bit tight but not bad. 

The interior of this trailer is a bit minimalistic, with just a two-burner stove top and a small microwave for cooking. However, this is almost better than the tiny ovens in so many RVs. There’s also a round-bowl sink, and a fair amount of counter space. 

Since Cherokee is working to reduce the number of individual SKUs in their parts catalog, you still get a decent-sized 12-volt compressor refrigerator. That means you get Cherokee’s almost-worthless 50-watt solar panel on the roof. 

As long as I’m kvetching, let’s add the lack of drawers to that list, shall we? There are a few cabinets around and the big open space opposite the kitchen could also be used for those portable drawers. Those could also serve someone if they wanted to use this open space as a craft room. 

Wide open spaces

Since this is technically a toy hauler, that means there’s a big ramp door at the back. Cherokee fitted that ramp door with a railing and screen and the cables such that it can be used as a large deck. Furthermore, there’s a zip-up cover for the big open space left by the door. So you can significantly extend the useful floor space of this unit. This is pretty slick in a trailer of this size. 

In fact, the patio deck is not dissimilar to that of the Palomino 2912 pickup camper. Except this also will allow you to load things like bikes and kayaks and such. 

In the very back of the main body of this camper are flip-up seats on either side of the camper. Usually these are long enough for more than one rear end each, but this is a small rig so it’s just one hind end per side. 

There’s a free-standing table that can go between these. Or you can take it outside to that slick patio, or whatever suits you. 

Sleeping in the Cherokee Wolf Pup

I had mentioned the bed arrangement, which is a bit odd in this trailer. 

Yes, there’s a pocket RV queen up front which is tucked in behind the bathroom. 

Above that is the most useless bed I’ve seen in a camper because it’s tucked under the curvature of the front cap. But that’s not much of an issue as you can take the thin mattress out and use this for storage. Totes will fit up there nicely. Tots –  maybe not so much. 

You can also use that dining space in the back as a bed but, again, not a great bed. That’s why I believe this to be a great camper for a single traveler or maybe a couple, but that’s about it. 

In summary

I know lots of people for whom this would be an ideal camper. Furthermore, this is very affordably priced and the narrow body and relatively low weight mean you don’t need a huge truck to haul it around. 

I think the disadvantages of this rig probably won’t matter at all to people for whom this is a great fit. While I don’t see this as a mainstream toy hauler, I do see it serving the people whose camping style it fits very well indeed. 

My thanks to Josh Winters from Haylett RV in Coldwater, Michigan, for use of the photos for this article.

Tony comes to RVTravel having worked at an RV dealership and been a life long RV enthusiast. He also has written the syndicated Curbside column about cars. You can find his writing here and at StressLessCamping where he also has a podcast about the RV life with his wife. 

These RV reviews are written based on information provided by the manufacturers along with our writer’s own research. We receive no money or other financial benefits from these reviews. They are intended only as a brief overview of the vehicle, not a comprehensive critique, which would require a thorough inspection and/or test drive.

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