
Tales from the Trail: Piney River & Beyond
My trip through the Blue Ridge Mountains with the 2022 Ultimate Overland Build started as the remnants of Hurricane Ian made their way through western Virginia.
Overland Expo EAST is just east of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains along Highway 29. It is 22 miles north of Lynchburg and 35 miles south of Charlottesville and is a short drive to Shenandoah National Park.
OCTOBER 23-25, 2026
OAK RIDGE ESTATE // ARRINGTON, VA
FRI 9-5 | SAT 9-5 | SUN 9-3
Oak Ridge Estate is a professional event venue sitting on 4,800 acres of lush Central Virginia countryside in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The popular event venue hosts numerous large events each year including the Lockn’ Music Festival, a 3-day mega-event blending more than 30,000 attendees with top music acts, local foods, craft spirits and extensive weekend camping packages.
Your Overland Expo East adventure kicks off the moment you hit the road. With Hipcamp, explore unique camping spots that make every step of the journey memorable.

My trip through the Blue Ridge Mountains with the 2022 Ultimate Overland Build started as the remnants of Hurricane Ian made their way through western Virginia.

Just north of Harrisonburg, Virginia you’ll find a section of George Washington National Forest with an incredible density of trails. This area really has something for every adventurer with great options for trail difficulty, camping, and other activities, all within relatively close proximity to each other.

Fall is a great time to visit the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. One of the best ways to experience these mountains is to explore the trails and forest roads that criss-cross this region.

If you’re on your way to or from Overland Expo East and decide to seek out a challenging trail, Bald Mountain is where you need to be. It’s located in the Saint Mary’s area of George Washington, and the southern terminus is only 45 minutes from Oak Ridge Estates.
Looking for more ways to connect with others? Join one of the many overland groups traveling together before or after the show.
Expedition Portal | American Adventurist | ADVrider | Overland Bound
Looking for a scenic route that uses dirt, gravel, and paved roads to wind through remote parts of the region?
Additional Hotel Search Options:
EXPO HOUSING SERVICES
WARNING: This is not a legitimate company. If you are contacted by them, do not use their services.
We do not allow motorhomes / RVs to camp on-site. It’s best to book a real RV park near Arrington.
RV PARKS IN THE ARRINGTON AREA:
Check out reviews of various RV Parks and Campgrounds in the area.
In order to keep our culture of off-the-beaten-path travel alive and well, all on-site camping is restricted to motorcycles, tents, overland vehicles, and small overland trailers ONLY.
CAMPGROUNDS IN THE AREA:
NATIONAL FOREST CAMPGROUNDS
The George Washington and Jefferson National Forest offer several campgrounds, click HERE for a list of campgrounds.
DISPERSED CAMPING
For those who prefer more solitude, dispersed camping is also allowed in the Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forest. For a detailed guide to regulations and suggested sites, see: Dispersed camping.
An eclectic arts venue, community space, coffee shop, and used bookstore located in The Packing Shed in historic Rapunzel’s Coffee.
Basic Necessities celebrates the European mentality of thoughtful food preparation, conversation and relaxation. “La table” in French signifies so much more than just “the table,” or dinner table. It means a place where family and friends can eat, drink, talk and just be together.
When you visit you’ll find amazing, locally roasted coffee paired with a wide selection of house-made food. Bean Tree Cafe serves coffee and espresso locally roasted and also features a full menu that includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner items with several gluten-free options available upon request.
Remember Lynchburg’s wilder side with some of the most unique burgers and brews in town! You may feel like you’re entering a speakeasy through the lower entrance, but you’ll know you’re home when you sample Bootlegger’s brews and burgers.
Find more places to eat in and around Arrington, Charlottesville or Lynchburg.
Not sure what you want to do, but want to know what is available in the area? Visit Nelson County offers a treasure trove of tips and advice on how to make the most of your stay near Infinity Downs. Looking to get out and explore a little? Check out Visit Charlottesville, Lynchburg Tourism, or Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountain website. You can also take a look at this great article for 100 Best Things to Do in Virginia.
Cascading waterfalls, spectacular vistas, quiet wooded hollows—take a hike, meander along Skyline Drive, or picnic with the family. 200,000 acres of protected lands are a haven to deer, songbirds, the night sky…and you. Plan a Shenandoah escape today!
From Virginia’s oldest winery, farm wineries, terraced vineyards and rustic to elegant modern tasting rooms, Nelson County offers many unique wine-tasting experiences for the wine lover. With easy access to the Route 29 corridor, the following wineries are open to visitors: Lovingston Winery, Delfosse Vineyard and Winery, Brent Manor Vineyard, and Mountain Cove Winery. Along Route 151 are Veritas Vineyard and Winery, Cardinal Point Winery, Afton Mountain Vineyard, Flying Fox Vineyard, and Hilltop Berry Farm and Winery. Be sure to check out Nelson 151. Find out more at Visit Nelson County.
Charlottesville has Live Music almost every night of the week. There is something for everyone!
Looking for a great Concert to attend? Lynchburg may just have what you’re looking for.
Get lost in the beauty of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests with a great hike! Limitless options are available at Hiking Project.
Take a day hike on a section of the Appalachian Trail. Crabtree Falls claims to be Virginia’s most beautiful waterfall. Enjoy this hike to decide for yourself!
This list highlights 15 favorite hikes near Charlottesville.
The Brew Ridge Trail is a self-guided tour featuring five of the nation’s best craft breweries. With everything from lagers to stouts, there’s something for everyone along the trail… The five breweries along the Trail include Blue Mountain Brewery, Blue Mountain Barrel House, Devils Backbone Brewing Company, Starr Hill Brewery, and Wild Wolf Brewing Company. Visit brewridgetrail.com for more information.
Popular mountain biking trail suggestions from the Charlottesville Area Mountain Bike Club.
Bicycle rentals and guides available through Blue Ridge Cyclery – Downtown in Charlottesville or Bikes Unlimited in Lynchburg. MTB Project or Singletracks also have maps and suggestions for great trails in Virginia.
Take a trip back in time at The Walton Museum.
Civil War enthusiasts have plenty of options in Lynchburg, or Charlottesville hosts three UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Nelson County offers many fishing opportunities along its rivers, lakes and streams, including the Tye River, James River, Little Piney River (stream) and Rockfish River.
Species: Rainbow trout, brown trout and brook trout; largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and bluegill
Dead Drift Outfitters is here to get you locked in on fish. Services include custom flies, gear, tying materials, fly fishing and tying instruction and guided wade and float trips.
Although motorcycle rentals are not available locally in Arrington, you can fly to the surrounding areas and rent adventure motorcycles at:
Charlotte, NC – Carolina Adventure Cycles
Roanoke, VA – Eagle Rider
Townsend, TN – GSM MotoRent
Enjoy a ride through the Blue Ridge Parkway or Shenandoah National Park on your way to Overland Expo.
Last Overland Expo of the year. You’ve been meaning to go. Now’s the time. 🔥
Less than 10 Premium Camping passes remain. Moto, General Camping, and Day Passes are still available.
🎟️ Buy tickets using the link in bio.
Overland Expo East
📍 Oak Ridge Estate, Arrington, Virginia
📅 October 23-25, 2026
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Home is wherever you park it. 🏕️
Comfort was built in from the start. @Breeo, @Jetboil, @PittmanOutdoors, @Taruca_USA and @TRAVOCA.US round out the 2026 Ultimate Overland Vehicle with everything you need once you arrive. Smokeless nights around the fire, hot meals after a long day, a mattress built for real rest, an awning and shower enclosure for shade and privacy, and a cooler that keeps food fresh miles from the store.
Rugged truck by day, cozy camp by night.
Come fall, this build crosses the Bring a Trailer auction block—with every dollar going to the @OverlandExpoFoundation.
What`s your must-have for a comfortable camp?
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Built different—because the destination demands it.
@offgridtrailers designs, builds and tests its adventure trailers in North America for the terrain true overlanders explore. Rugged construction, four-season capability and purpose-built off-road systems create a dependable basecamp that can follow the adventure beyond the pavement.
The goal isn’t simply getting a trailer through the trail. It’s giving explorers the confidence to go farther, stay longer and discover what awaits at the other end.
Capability must be earned.
#OffGridTrailers #OverlandExpo #BuiltDifferent #Overlanding #EscapeCivilization
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Some people collect hobbies. Brock collects adventures.
Navy diver. Underwater photographer. Land Rover builder. He`s rebuilding a 1984 Land Rover 110 V8 and a 1971 Santana Series 2A, and he still makes time to dive WWII crash sites with Project Recover.
Oh, and that dive watch he designed? Sold out in 24 hours.
Catch him and his Series 2A at the Zarges USA booth at Overland Expo East. Come talk Rovers, diving and everything in between.
Read his full story on The Compass. Link in bio. 🧭
IG: @deepsea.edc
#OverlandExpo #Overlanding #CommunitySpotlight #TheCompass
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The absolute best way to deploy @Pro_Eagle`s Off-Road Jack Stands 2.0 is directly underneath a lifted rig, securely suspending it high in the air during heavy trail maintenance.
Frankly, trusting a massive overland vehicle to generic car stands is a terrifyingly bad idea. By utilizing these wide-base, six-ton rated steel supports equipped with grip-enhancing Topography Pads, overlanders can safely execute extreme repairs on unpredictable terrain.
This uncompromising security profoundly enhances adventure, ensuring drivers spend zero time worrying about equipment failure and all their energy getting back to exploring the wild.
#ProEagle #OffRoadJackStands #OverlandSafety #TrailMaintenance #HeavyDutyRecovery
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You`ve been there. You reach for your jack in soft sand or deep mud, and it just sinks right when you need it most. Our latest Industry Spotlight features Pro Eagle, the off-road jack built to solve exactly that. 🛻
Every @pro_eagle jack features an integrated skid plate that helps keep it from sinking, plus extensions that reach high-clearance frames up to 35.5 inches. Founders Austin Su and Chuck Foreman couldn`t find a real jack for heavy-duty rigs back in 2011, so they built their own.
Read the full story on The Compass, linked in our bio. 🧭
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Weekend plans: exist. Bigger plans: Overland Expo East. 😎
Come for the gear, stay for the community.
Forest camping is sold out. General and moto camping is still available! Buy tickets using the link in bio.
📍 Oak Ridge Estate, Arrington, Virginia
📅 October 23-25, 2026
#OverlandExpo #East #Overlanding #CampLife #Virginia
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School’s back, and the best lessons don’t happen behind a screen. 📚
At Mountain West, you picked up ideas around trail cooking, navigation, and life on the road from people who know it best. Next stop: Overland Expo East in Arrington, VA, Oct. 23–25 at the Oak Ridge Estate.
🎟️ Buy your tickets through the link in bio. Don`t wait, Forest camping is already sold out.
#OverlandExpo #East #Overlanding #Education #Virginia
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Join attendees from all over the world at this year’s Overland Expo East in Arrington, VA.