I was wondering about emergencies and having to hitch up my bp trailer in the dark. I tried it briefly and gave up becuz I couldn’t even get my truck into position. I put reflector tape on the nose of the trailer, but I can’t see the sides of the trailer or get my bearings.
Are there lights you add to your truck and/or trailer. I don’t have a backup camera, and there’s no lights back there (unless your foot is on the brake).
Very daunting! Thanks!
I have a gooseneck, but you might be able to modify this for your use. I put my tailgate down, and lay a flashlight right in the middle facing toward the trailer to guide me.
I once used a piece of reflector tape on the inside of my tailgate AND had a piece on the handle of the crank thing that raises and lowers the trailer. By having the handle in the most UP position I could see them line up and get close enough to only need a few more adjustments.
Otherwise you just have to get close and then just relax into the next 5 adjustments it takes to line up.
See it like a game of chess. 
This!
With or without a backup camera, I can’t see at all in the dark. I just lightly bump the coupler with the ball, then hop in and out of the truck to check as I make little adjustments.
Maybe I will try the reflector tape!
I used to do it all the time. With a manual transmission. On an uphill, curved drive. I got quite good at it. I would jump in and out a lot to get straight, using landmarks other than the trailer. I used a tree. Then, to back up, I would eyeball how many inches, get in the truck and reverse with the door open, finding a spot on the drive to focus my eye on and backing up the same number of inches from my spot on the ground. It’s no fun now, with lights and a backup camera.
Practice…
I’ve got lights I can turn on in my truck bed. I wonder if you could get a battery powered lantern (Enegizer makes some LED ones) and rest that on the nose of the trailer?
If you can use the brake lights to help you get centered then that’s the bulk of the battle.
You could get two flashlights that hang or stick somewhere with a hook and magnet:
If your trailer is aluminum, find a way to hang them where you can see the trailer.
If steel, stick the flashlight with the magnet where it can tell you where to drive to.
Most any flashlight laying on the trailer hitch and pointing back to reflect on the front of the trailer should illuminate it enough to back to it close enough?
Thanks everyone!!
Great ideas!!
Additionally:
Your vehicle should have white lights on the back. that light up when you put it in reverse. If one or both is burnt out it will make things much harder.
If you have tinted windows, roll them down all the way so you can see your mirrors. My truck has tinted windows and it makes backing up in the dark much more difficult.
Try the dollar store for lights. I found three way, LED lights with a little magnet for $3cdn that would be ideal for this.
this roof-mounted spotlight is magnetic, so you can just stick it up on your truck roof pointed backwards. Operates from inside your cab by remote control.
Or (or in addition), you could put strips of glow-in-the-dark tape on the two outside edges of the trailer and the centerline. Then you could see its “shape” in any of your mirrors without needing external illumination to light up reflective tape. This stuff glows for up to 6 hours, so it’s not like an all-night solution.
I use this little gadget! It has foam tennis balls for the daylight and red lights for night time. 
One telescoping thing goes on the trailer right at the hitch and the other goes on the truck at the ball area.
https://www.etrailer.com/Hitch-Alignment/Performance-Tool/PTW1276.html?feed=npn&gclid=CjwKCAiAwrf-BRA9EiwAUWwKXqdF9_BMlxxXCsyYBvRUTLHSYyRT79xNzfK3YzzvrN5Hspo54LN8vhoCOykQAvD_BwE
I used some old magnetic base antennas for that for long time.
I taped some silver duct tape on the ends, the tennis balls are easier to see.
Get a pool noodle. Cut slits in one end so it fits over your hitch. Apply duct tape around the slit end for security, if necessary. Stick the pool noodle on top of your hitch, you should be able to see that from your truck as you back up. You could add on to this system by adding reflective tape, or by sliding an inexpensive small flashlight into the hole on the top pf the pool noodle.
I use this system to hook up my GN trailer, as my current 4 door truck is too big for me to see the hitch.
A- That is why I leave my trailer hooked up all the tme.
B- My truck (actually a van) has reversing lights. Doesn’t yours?
C- My trailer is parked where there is an overhead light.
D- If I still can’t get lined up, I get my husband, or my sister, to guide me - (“right had down, come back about 2 feet” etc).
You forgot “in a blizzard” 
You are brilliant.
Same as another poster, I put a piece of reflective tape on my trailer above the hitch so I could easily see it out the back window. I know the ball on my truck is in the middle of the tailgate so just line that up with the tape. Practice it in the daylight first, and try to relax. It’s so much harder with someone barking at you. Good luck!
I had one of those small solar path lights that I kept on the trailer hitch all the time when parked. Cost about $1 at the Dollar Tree. Gave me something to aim for…
I was going to say uphill both ways
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