Forest River Cherokee Wolf Pup RVs (Reviewed)

The Wolf Pup camping trailers by Cherokee are lightweight, compact, self-contained travel trailers that could be the perfect choice for your RVing adventures.

However, a great RV is more than looks. You need to know if a brand uses quality materials and expert craftspeople and has a top-notch customer service team to handle the inevitable questions and issues that arise over time.

To help you compare RV brands, I put together this guide that focuses on the Cherokee Wolf Pup line of travel trailers. Inside, you’ll learn about the different Wolf Pup floor plans, the pros and cons of the line, top features, and which models I consider the best for camping trips and why.

So, if you’re getting close to selecting an RV for the upcoming camping season, check out the Cherokee Wolf Pup details below!

Cherokee Wolf Pup Travel Trailer Facts

Forest River manufactures the Cherokee Wolf Pup travel trailers in Elkhart, Indiana. The company was formed in 1996, and the Cherokee Wolf Pup line came out around 2010.

The Wolf Pup series includes a toy hauler travel trailer, and the company updates the floor plans and amenities each year to fit the needs of modern camping enthusiasts.

Most RVers agree that the Wolf Pup is a good “starter” travel trailer for newbies. The camper has a reasonable price, a quick learning curve to tow, plenty of amenities, and a decent selection of floor plans.

What Forest River Cherokee Wolf Pup Features Stand Out?

Great Towability

The Wolf Pup trailers are lightweight, aerodynamic, and handle wonderfully while towing. In addition, owners love the control they feel over the trailer while driving, which reduces stress levels immensely.

Another great feature is the ability to tow a Wolf Pup with a light-duty truck or an SUV with proper towing capacity, saving you from buying a new vehicle to go camping.

Convenient Size

The shorter length of the Wolf Pup trailer increases the ease of parking, turning, and backing up into campsites, significantly reducing the risk of hitting obstacles or dealing with prolonged maneuvering to get into your campsite.

Another key benefit to a shorter RV is access to all the state and national campgrounds, which often limit travel trailer length to less than 28 feet for most campsites.

Solid Build and Design

Each Cherokee Wolf Pup is built with care and quality materials, ensuring years of use with few issues. In addition, the design includes plenty of interior and exterior storage space, which is a nice touch for such a compact travel trailer.

Cherokee has a pre-delivery inspection facility that ensures excellent quality control for every Wolf Pup that comes off the assembly line.

Cherokee Grey Wolf Pup Travel Trailers and Toy Haulers

There are nine Wolf Pup floorplans plus one limited dealer-stock-only option. Cherokee also includes one toy hauler travel trailer in the Wolf Pup line.

You can find details on each of the 2023 floor plans and specs for the Cherokee Wolf Pup camping trailers by visiting forestriverinc.com, but here is an overview so you can see the size, weight, sleeping capacity, and price range of the campers.

Cherokee Wolf Pup Travel Trailers

Tour the Wolf Pup 16FQ (Video)

Cherokee Wolf Pup Toy Hauler

Wolf Pup 18RJB-BL Toy Hauler (Video)

Cherokee Wolf Pup Standard Features

The Wolf Pup travel trailers have a surprising number of features for an entry-level RV. The inclusion of these amenities will allow you to travel and camp more comfortably and efficiently.

Here is the top standard Wolf Pup features:

• 13,500 BTU Central Air Conditioner and 20,000 BTU Furnace
• 12V 11 cu. ft. Residential Refrigerator with Travel Lock
• Full Bathroom with Toilet, Sink, and Shower
• Outside Shower with Hot and Cold Water
• Cherokee Backup Camera System
• Seamless Roofing Membrane with Heat Reflectivity
• Power Gear Frame Technology
• Power Gear Frame Technology and Space Saver Rail Design
• USB Charging Stations
• Cherokee Total Control App and Remote Control System
• Power Awning with LED Lighting
• Tire Pressure Monitors
• Wolf Pup Quick Jack

Visit the website for all the standard features and the Black Label Package optional upgrades.

Best Cherokee Wolf Pup Travel Trailer for 1-3 Guests

There aren’t many Wolf Pup travel trailer floor plans, but the one that I think has the best layout for a single, couple, or family with one child is the 16CW model. This unit is 22′ 7″ long, sleeps up to three, and has a UVW of 3,783.

Why it works:

For starters, this unit offers the biggest bathroom that covers the entire width of the trailer. The bathroom also includes a sink, which most other floor plans leave out.

Not having instant access to a sink to brush teeth or wash hands will quickly become annoying, let alone having to use the kitchen sink for such tasks.

Next, the slideout for the dinette greatly increases interior space, so the camper is more comfortable and provides my walking room when working in the kitchen. The kitchen has a sink cover to expand the countertop, and there is plenty of storage in the overhead cabinets and dinette seat drawers.

The innovative Cherokee Sleep System provides a sofa by day and expands into a queen bed at night, which delivers flexible use of the space, especially if you want to entertain guests indoors.

Outside, you’ll find a large storage compartment, a mini kitchen, a TV mount, a battery disconnect, an LP quick-connect, and a 10-foot awning.

This floor plan delivers good flow when performing the campsite living tasks, and the exterior upgrades make outdoor relaxing or cooking much nicer.

Forest River-Cherokee Wolf Pup-16CW (Video)

Best Cherokee Wolf Pup Travel Trailer for a Family

There aren’t many Wolf Pup travel trailer floor plans with bunks, but the one that I think has the best layout for a family is the 25JB model. This unit is 31′ 2″ long, sleeps up to eight, and has a UVW of 5,482.

Why it works:

If you need more sleeping capacity, this model provides the most separation between the adults in the queen bed up front and the bunks in the rear for kids or other guests.

I also like how the bathroom places the sink outside the room with the toilet and shower, so people can use it while other guests are washing up. This little design perk will come in very handy, even if it does entail having to walk a few extra steps to wash hands after going potty.

The slideout in this model is more expansive, including the dinette, refrigerator, and a large walk-in pantry. The ample storage inside that pantry is a must to hold supplies for family camping trips.

The addition of the sofa in the living area provides enough seating for the family, but the kitchen is slightly more compact, which could make meal prep a challenge.

Outside, you get amenities like the 16-foot awning, LP quick-connect, a mini kitchen, a TV mount, and two storage compartments.

Tour the 2023 Wolf Pup 25JB (Video)

Cherokee Grey Pup Pros

Thoughtful Interior Design

The Wolf Pup’s interior design is basic but still has a modern feel that will appeal to a wide range of tastes. The placement of the furniture and appliances is well done, so you can move about naturally instead of having to contort your body to get things done.

For such a compact travel trailer line, the Wolf Pup does an excellent job of providing enough storage space to hold clothes, food, camping gear, and other travel necessities, so you don’t have a bunch of clutter around the RV.

Full Kitchen

Each Wolf Pup comes with an oven, a stovetop with two burners, a microwave, and an energy-efficient 12-volt refrigerator. Some models offer a pantry, but all have cabinets and drawers to hold supplies.

Yes, the lack of counter space will cause issues if you love to cook, but the kitchen is very functional for being in such a small camper.

Tpms and Backup Camera

A tire pressure monitoring system and a backup camera are two features can be life savers while driving and parking your Wolf Pup travel trailer. Getting these features standard shows that Cherokee understands what RVers need to stay safe.

Until you’ve had to rely on spotters to back your trailer into a campsite or been anxious about your trailer’s tire condition while cruising down the highway at 70 MPH, you’ll never understand just how important it is to be able to see the rearview or getting an alert on tire problems.

Cherokee Wolf Pup Cons

Compact Size

The benefits of the compact Wolf Pup size will only be for some. The lack of slideouts in most models, along with the shorter length of the trailers, will mean tight quarters if all guests must be inside at the same time.

Rain, snow, or relentless heat happens plenty on camping trips, so before you buy, take all your potential traveling guests along to the dealership to test out how it feels inside as a group.

Another area for improvement with the compact size is the need for more privacy. Most units have the main bed and bunks open to each other, so expect to see and hear everything going on.

Small Holding Tanks

The tanks in the Wolf Pup travel trailers are pretty small, with most only 23 gallons for the black and grey water and fresh water around 28 gallons.

The lack of capacity will limit how you use your fresh water and increase the need to dump waste tanks. For example, I have an RV with 22-gallon waste tanks, and using it as a couple, we need to dump every other day.

When you’re traveling or boondocking, it’s going to be a burden trying to figure out the best way to dump waste tanks and fill fresh water so often.

Uncomfortable Mattress

Everyone I know with a Wolf Pup has quickly replaced the horribly uncomfortable mattress for a good-quality one if they want a good night’s rest.

So, expect this additional expense, as reviews from other owners in RV forums agree with my friends that the mattress is cheap and unbearable to sleep on.

Poor Customer Service

When problems arise with the Wolf Pup trailers, customer service is lacking. Many customers report severe delays with warranty repairs or getting ghosted by service staff who won’t return phone calls or emails.

Consider this if you buy a Wolf Pup, as you’ll probably need a backup plan if Cherokee fails to help you resolve your issue.

In Summary

After researching and touring the latest Cherokee Wolf Pup models, I think they are a good purchase.

The Wolf Pup is not a luxury travel trailer by any means, but they have all the amenities you need to have fun and comfortable camping adventures. With the shorter length and lighter weight, you’ll also save money on fuel and some grey hairs as it’s so easy to tow.

If you can find a floor plan that suits your needs, I believe the Forest River Cherokee Wolf Pup will bring you years of pleasure as you explore the country or enjoy your weekend getaways!