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 25-27, 2023
THE RANCH // LOVELAND, CO, USA
FRI 8-5 | SAT 8-5 | SUN 8-3
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
Overland Expo Pacific Northwest returns to Redmond, OR — July 7-9!🧭
Check out 350+ 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 #overlandexpopnw #overlanding #pacificnorthwest #overland
Advance your overlanding experience with Vivid Lumen’s powerful off-road lighting solutions.
@vividlumenled turns night-time expeditions into exhilarating adventures. Whether you’re navigating rugged terrain or setting up camp after dusk, Vivid Lumen is the perfect adventure partner. Expand your outdoor opportunities with unparalleled visibility, and safety, making every overlanding journey truly unforgettable.
Featuring FNG 5 Hyperspot Pods, FNG 3 Street Legal Series Fog & Driving Pods, and a 30” Amber Wired Series Combo light bar. Perfectly set up to trailblaze the path ahead, leaving no one in the dark.
#vividlumenled #whatdrivesyou #performancelighting #overlandexpo #overlanding
In the latest episode of Overland News, Nick & Rick highlight the brand new 2023 Ultimate Overland Vehicle Build, the LX600.🛞
We partnered with 25 brands to develop the ultimate off-road vehicle. This build is a true testament to the spirit of adventure and Overland Expo! The Ultimate Overland Vehicle vision has been brought to life over hundreds of hours of planning and development, thanks to all our partners.
Tap the link in our bio to hear more about the vehicle on the latest Overland News🔗🗞️
BUILD PARTNERS:
23 Zero
ARB
BOXO USA
CBI
Prinsu
Comeup
Dometic
Forrest Tool
Goose Gear
Helinox
ICON Alloys
Kenda
Off Grid Trailers
onX Offroad
MagnaFlow
Midland
MULE Expedition Outfitters
Optima Batteries
Radflo
Self-Reliance Medical
Solo Stove
Total Chaos
Victron Energy
Vision X
Zero Breeze
#ultimateoverlandvehicle #overlandvehicle #lx600 #overlandexpo #ultimatebuild2023
Have you ever traveled to Baja?🏝️
In the latest episode of Overland Essentials, Editor-in-Chief of @thejournaloflosttime, @josiahq, goes over a few important things to prepare for when traveling to Baja. He also notes a few things that may catch you off guard while in Mexico.
Tap the link in our bio to check out the entire episode on YouTube!🔗
#overlandexpo #overlandessentials #journaloflosttime #baja #bajamexico
Justin Dowey’s trip to the 1995 Australian Safari Rally sparked a love for adventure and the need for gear that could withstand the toughest environments.🏕️
After a 12-year career in manufacturing, retail, and wholesale in the 4x4 and camping market, @23zerousa was born.
Tap the link in our bio to check out the latest Industry Spotlight feature with 23Zero!🔗
#23zero #expeditionsuperstore #overlandexpo #overlandgear #overland
The biggest Overland Expo West ever!🧭
West 2023 had over 30,000 attendees, making it officially the largest Overland Expo on record. West also featured 417 exhibitors, 136 presenters and trainers, & over 500 session-hours of education!
Big shoutout to our incredible community for showing out and making Overland Expo an experience of a lifetime for all!🫶
Check the link in our bio for the full recap & highlights of the event!🔗
#overland #overlandexpo #overlandexpowest #overlandexpowest2023 #expowest
@methodracewheels Bead Grip technology is the perfect companion for your next adventure. This patented technology integrates special grooves to engage the tire bead for a stronger hold under extreme side load and lower air pressures so you can air down with confidence on the trail.💪
Method has several wheel styles and finishes available with Bead Grip technology, like the 704 Heavy Duty wheel.
👉️Hit the link in bio to learn more about Method`s Bead Grip technology!
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#methodracewheels #lighterstrongerfaster #offroadwheels #beadgrip #overland
The 2024 Jeep Wrangler specs & details are here! Well, mostly…
Carmaker Stellantis has revealed a list of changes and upgrades to this iconic off-roader, and Nick & Rick with the Overland Expo Compass team are here to break them down and provide their initial thoughts.
What do you think of the changes to the all-new Wrangler lineup?
Link in our bio or go to YouTube to watch the new episode of Overland News!🔗
#overland #jeepwrangler #overlandnews #overlandexpo #overlanding
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