This is the setup I had last month.
IMG_20170228_123221_824 by
Nate, on Flickr
Drove from Indianapolis, IN to Sedona, AZ and back for a RT of about 3300mi.
My hitch rack is a Kuat NV. Some challenges I have to deal with. Rear galley access on my Hiker Trailer is a side-swing door. The Kuat doesn't fold down enough to permit access. For that matter, Kuat is emphatic about NOT using its racks on either extensions or the backs of trailers, so I won't be going there with it, though some manufacturers are okay with it (1upUSA hitch racks, for example, if you limit to 2 bikes). The bikes in question weigh probably 60lb in total. On this trip, I knew I would need to be driving between camp and the Sedona mtb festival grounds every day - roughly a 20min drive. I had already attached the roof trays onto the trailer and didn't feel like moving them to the car. However that may wind up being the long term solution to that problem. For short trips where we can ride out of camp, bikes on the trailer are no problem.
Here's a close up of the connection so you see some limitations of the setup I actually used.
20170226_160446 by
Nate, on Flickr
I won't be doing it this way in the future because there's just not enough room. I had to be careful about turning radius, because the rack would contact the tongue box. Also you can see that the underside of the rack was VERY close to the coupler on the trailer tongue. There was no contact on the trip, however to attach/detach the trailer, I had to remove the rack. That was a PITA. I also had to remove the tongue jack that came with the trailer and install a new one that I could fold out of the way.
My long term goal, I think, is to buy a small pickup so I can load the bikes in the bed. This will be especially useful when I need to transport them to trailheads distant form camp. Also it will be nice for getting the bikes out of the wind when on long drives. Fuel economy on the subie for this trip dropped from around 28mpg to 18mpg. Considering the size of the fuel tank, it meant for more frequent fuel stops, and more transit time. I think even a 4cyl pickup would allow for much improved fuel economy when towing. Partly due to improving aerodynamics of the package, but also due to improved ability of the truck to tow the TD.
Short term, I think I'll manage mostly with what I have. Heading out this weekend with the camper and the bikes. May not be able to ride because of Saturday rain, but my campsite will be right by the trailhead if I do, so no need to worry about bringing the hitch rack.