First Overland Adventure: Snowflakes and Bouncing Babies
Bill Dragoo recounts his first overland adventure. In the fall of 1980, Bill bullheadedly dragged his young family up Pearl Pass, the wrong direction, in a Jeep CJ-7 in a blizzard.
GUIDE TOLOVELAND, CO
Overland Expo MOUNTAIN WEST is located in Loveland, Colorado near the Rocky Mountains, Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests, Rocky Mountain National Park, and Denver, CO.
AUGUST 23-25, 2024
THE RANCH // LOVELAND, CO, USA
FRI 8-5 | SAT 8-5 | SUN 9-3
ABOUT THE VENUE
THE RANCH
Since 2003, The Ranch Events Complex has been earning the reputation as one of the premier event and entertainment complexes in the region. With the ability to host anything from a board meeting to tens of thousands of music festival fans, the multi-purpose venues on the campus of The Ranch are not only known locally as a place for entertainment but is also a nationally recognized event destination.
DRIVING TIMES TO THE RANCH:
- Denver, CO via I-25: 1 hr
- Cheyenne, WY via I-25: 1 hr
- Salt Lake City, UT via I-80 to I-25: 7 hrs
- Amarillo, TX via US 287 to I-70: 7 hrs
- Albuquerque, NM via I-25: 7 hrs
OVERLAND ROUTES & RESOURCES
Tales from the Trail: Colorado’s Alpine Loop
A group of Overland Expo ambassadors and exhibitors wind their way to Overland Expo Mountain West 2022 through Colorado’s Alpine Loop.
Trips & Trails: Moody Hill Road – FSR #513
If you are looking for a quick, scenic trail on the way into or the way
Trips & Trails: Russell Gulch, Colorado
If you like your backcountry trips easy-but-adventurous, and full of history, you won’t want to miss Russell Gulch, a largely abandoned mining town in Colorado.
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 | ADVride| Overland Bound
Looking for a scenic route that uses dirt, gravel, and paved roads to wind through remote parts of the region?
ACCOMODATIONS
HOTELS / BED & BREAKFASTS
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.
NEARBY RV PARKS
We do not allow motorhomes / RVs to camp on-site. It’s best to book a real RV park near Loveland.
RV PARKS IN THE LOVELAND AREA:
Check out reviews of various RV Parks and Campgrounds in the area.
CAMPING
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 Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forest offers several campgrounds, click HERE for a list of campgrounds.
DISPERSED CAMPING
Dispersed camping is allowed in the Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forest. More Info.
FOOD & DRINK
THE COFFEE TREE
Where good things grow! The Coffee Tree is dedicated to serving the best coffee. Their coffees are freshly-roasted and expertly prepared in the artisan fashion, with an emphasis on quality, presentation and efficient friendly service.
BENT FORK THE GRILL
A locally-owned independent restaurant, Bent Fork the Grill serves a diverse offering of traditional dishes that are inventive, fresh, and flavorful in a distinctive environment of casual sophistication.
NORDY’S BAR-B-QUE & GRILL
For over 25 years, the Nordhagen family has been working on and serving up hungry people in Northern Colorado. Out from their hickory pit smoker comes the most mouth-watering, slow-cooked ribs, brisket, sausage, and pork that you have ever tasted.
THE DONUT HAUS
Come for donuts, leave with love! The story of The Donut Haus began more than 3 decades ago in Estes Park, Colorado where German baker, Dieter D’Alquen, started making donuts in an old gas station. Today, you find Lois and Mary Ann at their “haus” in Orchards Shopping Center where they serve fresh handmade donuts, bagels, pies, cakes, brownies, breakfast burritos, and more.
ARTE PIZZERIA
Arte Pizzeria has been proudly serving the best pizza, calzones and salads in Loveland, Colorado for over a decade. We are a family owned business, and our artisan recipes are crafted with Italian traditions, a focus on quality and excellent customer service. We shred our own whole milk mozzarella cheese, grind our own pizza sauce, and only use the freshest ingredients.
THINGS TO DO
Not sure what you want to do, but want to know what is available in the area? Visit Loveland has suggestions for the art lover, foodie, adventurer and more. The Ranch can also help you Plan Your Visit to Loveland and make the most of your time in Northern Colorado. Colorado is full of adventure. Looking to travel before or after the show? Colorado Tourism can help you plan your travels.
ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARKS
No trip to Colorado is complete without a visit to Rocky Mountain National Park. Only one hour from The Ranch, let this park take your breath away with beautiful vistas, wildlife around every corner, and starry dark sky nights. These 10 hikes will get you and enjoying the best of Rocky Mountain National Park.
HIKING
Get lost in the beautiful pine forests of the Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forest with a great hike! Limitless options are available at Hiking Project.
Southern Colorado is home to the Colorado Trail, 485 miles of recreational trail that crosses Colorado from Denver to Durango.
Devil’s Backbone Nature Trail is right outside of Loveland, perfect for a morning or evening trek.
MOUNTAIN BIKING
Colorado is home to 4 of the 5 best mountain biking destinations in the country. View the list on Singletracks.com. Bicycle rentals and guides available. Use Velolet to find a shop wherever you find yourself in Colorado.
MTB Project or Singletracks also have maps and suggestions for great trails in Colorado.
FISHING
The City of Loveland is surrounded by a number of lakes, ponds, streams, and rivers. You don’t have to venture very far to find a great place to fish.
Species: Trout, walleye, bass, perch, bluegill, catfish, and more
Take a guided trip with Northern Colorado Fishing Outfitters LLC. Let them show you the best well-kept secrets in Northern Colorado.
Fly & Ride
Where to rent motorcycles?
Although motorcycle rentals are not available locally in Loveland, you can fly to the surrounding areas and rent adventure motorcycles at:
Denver, CO – Eagle Rider
Aurora, CO – Colorado Tour Bikes
Denver, CO – Twisted Roads (motorcycle sharing community)
Enjoy a ride through Rocky Mountain National Park or any of the front range mountains before or after Overland Expo.
CHECK OUT WHAT'S NEW #OVERLANDEXPO
@peaksuspension has been hard at work building something EPIC. Any ideas?👀
#UltimateOverlandBuild
From Bush to Back Country: Patriot Campers are bringing the GEN2 range of off-road camper trailers to Overland Expo West, including the epic Toy Hauler and it’s your first chance to see the X2 Tourer.
GEN2 brings Next Generation Offroad Automation to the world’s lightest, most compact camper trailers! Remote control setup in just 60 seconds and push button, central-locking doors are just some of features packed into the next generation Patriot Camper.
The mighty Toy Hauler is on display with its camper front end and flat-deck rear giving you the ability to haul side-by-sides, trail bikes or snowmobiles. This thing must be seen to be believed.
Limited stock is available to tow away now and the team will be demonstrating the lightning-fast setup and pack-downs as well as tours of each model so you can get the @patriot.campers experience at the most anticipated overlanding show of 2024. See Patriot Campers at booth Q34.
#patriotcampers #overlandexpo #overlandexpowest #overlandtrailers #overlandtrailer
20% off the ultimate summer adventure at Munds Park RV Resort, near Sedona, Flagstaff, and the Grand Canyon! Excitement awaits at every turn with direct access to 100+ forest trails, live events, and premier resort amenities!
Your stay promises to be as relaxing or as pulse-pounding as you desire. Whether you’re an off-road enthusiast seeking adrenaline-fueled thrills or simply craving a tranquil escape to the cool pines of Northern Arizona, @mundsparkrvresort caters to all.
Overlanders can use code OLMPRV to save 20% on RV Stays this summer. Book Now at the link in our bio.
#MundsParkRVResort #Overlanding #overlandexpowest #overlandexpo
Overland Expo West returns to Flagstaff, AZ for its 15th year— May 17-19!🧭
Check out 400+ exhibitors of Overland, Adventure Travel, Outdoor, Camping, & Motorcycle Gear & Equipment, prepare for your adventure with 175+ classes, slideshows, demos, & activities, and join thousands of overlanders from around the world for happy hour, the evening film festival, charity raffles, & parties!
For more information, visit our website! Link in our bio.🔗
#OverlandExpo #OverlandExpoWest
For tackling the journey and making the most of the destination. Designed and developed with some of the biggest names in the industry to conquer practically any trail, Tacoma Trailhunter is tough, rugged, and ready to explore.
Stop by the @ToyotaUSA booth at Overland Expo West to see it alongside the entire Toyota Truck Family, including the all-new 2025 4Runner Trailhunter and durable legends like the all-new Land Cruiser. Check out the Toyota Outdoor Skills classes offered throughout the expo and stick around Friday night for their signature Fireside Chat featuring the very teams that bring these vehicles to life.
While there, enter for a chance to win your very own 2024 Tacoma Trailhunter and learn more about Toyota’s robust portfolio of Toyota Genuine accessories as well as accessories from their industry�leading partners to see how you can build out your very own overland truck directly through your local dealer.
#overlandexpo #overlandexpowest #Tacoma #Trailhunter #toyotapartner
@iceco_icecool takes outdoor adventures to new heights with its premium 12V portable fridge/freezer, equipped with SECOP compressors for unmatched efficiency and reliability.
Whether you’re in the market for a single or dual-zone fridge freezer, or need a compact size to fit your space, ICECO has the perfect solution to upgrade your cooling game on the move.
Link in our bio to learn more.🔗
#ICECO #fridgefreezer #dualzonefridge #outdooradventure #overlandexpo #portablefridge
We’re revving up something special…👀
#UltimateOverlandMotorcycle
Don’t get started on your overlanding journey without some battle-tested power. Pick up The Ultimate Power Source for toughness and reliability on all your adventures.
#OPTIMABatteries 🔋👊
THE WORLD IS OUT THERE GO SEE IT!
Join attendees from all over the world at this year’s Overland Expo MTN in Loveland, CO.
Photo by @TheAdventurePortal