hitch mount system for Prius?

[pdean]

Heading out West in a month with wife + 100lb Labrador. We're picking up a camper van in Denver but need to get us and our stuff there in our Prius.
I'm ready for a new bike rack, so thinking I might install a hitch, use hitch-mounted storage for this trip, then add hitch-mounted bike rack later.
[Jackson is fine riding in the back of the Prius, he's used to it. There just won't be enough space for a month's worth of gear.]

Any suggestions/experiences to share about this?
Thanks!

[Miss Tash]

I have a bolt-on trailer hitch on my 2010 Prius.  Ordered it online years ago.  I use it with a bike rack or a hitch-mounted platform for transporting large stuff.  Rack is a 1Up.  Best rack ever.  It has a small hitch receiver (1 1/4", maybe) and works really well.  I put it on myself with the included bolts and am pretty happy with it.

[pdean]

Thanks, MT! Gear Junkie agrees with you about 1Up...
https://gearjunkie.com/1up-usa-quik-rack-bike-rack-review

[Miss Piggy]

It wasn't for a Prius, but I had good luck with an Ecohitch from Torkliftcentral a couple of years ago:

https://torkliftcentral.com/2010-2015-toyota-prius-ecohitch

(I'm not sure what year your Prius is...the link I posted is for 2010-2015.)

[pdean]

Thanks -- it's a 2013.

[flannel]

I have a hitch on my 2010 and have done a couple road trips with a hitch box.  It’s worked well and didn’t hurt the mileage as much as I feared.  The clearance is very low and I have scraped a few times over uneven parking lots,  particularly when loaded with weight. My typical load is a large cooler (full with 40lbs of ice and drinks) and a Rubbermaid tub with odds and ends.  We did this last week on a 2000 mile road trip, with four adults and the trunk full of camping gear and still got over 40mpg.  It was a little intense, but better than renting (or owning!) a bigger car.

[pdean]

Thanks, flannel. Any hardware recommendations?

[flannel]

I got one of these:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002NZWGWK/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It’s got a 1.25” receiver and I bought an adapter to hook up a standard 2” hitch box.  I bought a cheap hitch box at Tractor Supply to go with it. 

[pdean]

Perfect, thanks!