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
The all-new HELLA Blade 6” driving lamp leaves absolutely nothing in the dark, so you can start your next off-road adventure with total confidence.🙌
The 6” Blade illuminates an incredible 8,500 lumens with its 6 high-output LED modules. Its first-to-market innovative position light design can be shown in white or amber, and the contour stone shield emanates the translucent @hella.usa logo while the position light remains visible.
Learn more at the link in our bio!🔗
#OverlandExpo #Jeep #Hella #OffRoad
INEOS Grenadier will be sponsoring a Ride and Drive experience at Overland Expo West with the highly anticipated 4x4 for enthusiasts and adventurers alike to get up close with the rugged capabilities, robust engineering, and off-road prowess of the vehicle.🛞
“Grenadiers and Quartermasters are the perfect combination of rugged and refined, so they can cope with the toughest off-road conditions and still be a great drive on the highway,” - Greg Clark, Executive Vice-President, INEOS Automotive.
In 2017, INEOS Chairman Jim Ratcliffe, a car enthusiast and experienced adventurer, identified a gap in the market for an uncompromising 4X4 engineered for modern day compliance and reliability. INEOS Automotive Limited was formed to bring the vision to reality with a fresh perspective of 4X4 development and manufacturing.
Tap the link in our bio to read more about the @ineos_grenadier Ride and Drive at West!🔗
#INEOS #ineosgrenadier #rideanddrive #OverlandExpo #OverlandExpoWest
Sleeping on the trail in style🏕️
After a long day on the trail, nothing beats a peaceful night of sleep at camp. Luckily, overlanders and adventure travelers have a range of sleeping options to choose from!
Whether you’re on a tight budget or seeking luxurious comfort, we’ve got you covered in our latest Gear Showcase—tap the link in our bio to read and learn more!🔗
#OverlandExpo #sleepinginstyle #sleepingonthetrail #GearShowcase
Wildsam Magazine is the magazine of the open road, dedicated to road trips, outdoor pursuits and the vehicles that get you out there. With a reverence for the lesser-known locations and memorable characters of the open road, each issue of Wildsam Magazine features deeply researched road trip routes, expert vehicle reviews and insights from people living the lifestyle.
The @wildsam booth at Overland Expo West will feature free copies of the magazine as well as a selection of Field Guides to a variety of US locations. There will also be a vehicle on-display from The Ember Overland Series and curated outdoor and vehicle gear from our partners in the Wildsam marketplace. Stop by and dream up your next adventure.
Get your tickets today—link in our bio.🔗
#Wildsam #OverlandExpo #OverlandExpoWest
Training is at the core of Overland Expo🧭
To bring the core principle’s of our world-class training program to a wider audience, Overland Expo Training is now available to ANY attendee in a one-day format at PNW June 28-30 in Redmond, Oregon.
Tap the link in our bio to learn more and buy your Training pass today.🔗
📸 @whosjohnallen
#OverlandExpo #overlandexpotraining #OverlandExpoPNW
Blackseries is brewing up something exciting for Overland Expo West 2024! Amidst the bustling chaos of life, you can take solace in the serene embrace of nature.
Whether you are traveling solo or with family and friends, disconnect from the noise of everyday life and immerse yourself in the tranquility of the great outdoors. Don’t just imagine the future, step into it at the @blackseries.us booth.
Link in our bio to get your tickets to West.🔗
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#blackseries #overlandexpo #overland #overlanding #overlandexpowest
Keeping lights on and handheld devices charged is challenging on your vehicle’s battery. Enter the DuraLite Portable Solar Kit from @gopowersolar!
It’s light as a feather, tough as the trails we tread. Keeping your battery charged, fueled by the power of the sun, the base kit can expand to 300 watts of portable power generation. Picture this: unfolding it at dawn, soaking up that solar juice, and voila! Phones charged, music playing, and stories flowing.
Link in our bio to learn more.🔗
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#gopowersolar #gopower #dometic #overlandexpo #overlanding #offroad #overland
Join us May 17-19 for our first event of the year at Overland Expo West and be sure to check out the exclusive Overland Expo gear and merchandise for 2024!👕🧭
Each Overland Expo will feature unique graphics only available at that event, along with branded items accessible across all four events.
Click the link in our bio for a glimpse of the latest gear!🔗
#overlandexpo #overlandexpogear
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