I will have to admit if you told me ten or twenty years ago that I would enjoy going off-roading and getting a muddy-mess I would of looked you straight in the eye, laughed, and told you that you were crazy.
But here I am – insurance agent, Mom, blogger, I can dress up and be classy with the best of them, but I like to drive fast, and get muddy! My husband started our family on it a few years ago when he picked up a old Jeep Cherokee from Craigslist and decided to make it his project – first the lift kit, the big tires – and now three Jeeps later (we don’t even own any other type of vehicle) here we are. My youngest daughter and my son love it (my oldest- well, she’ll come around), and it’s something fun we can all do together.
Much like the hidden worlds of the internet that I live in (the blogging world, the sweeper world) there is this hidden world of Jeep owners. Did you know all Jeep owners do the Jeep wave (I talked about this before when I gave some tips on off-roading) but they are like a secret society – you must not only be a Jeep owner, but a Jeep lover at heart to be a part of this club; and along with the friendships, you can find some pretty wicked places to go off-roading all across the country.
Rubicon Trail -California. Considered to be one of the most challenging off-road spot in North America it’s technically part of a road – 22 miles long, part road/part 4×4 this trail is not for the faint of heart. The trail is closed in early August for the official Jeep Jamboree.
Moab – Utah. One of the most well-known off-roading trails is known for it’s breathtaking views. If you live out East like me, you don’t have to drive you Jeep to experience this trail – they offer guided trail tours and Jeep rentals.
Cliffs Insane Terrain – Illinois. If you are looking for some muddy adventures, Cliffs Insane Terrain is for you. Large fields, creeks and mud holes will keep you entertained (just watch out, some of those holes are a bit deeper than you might think!) If you are in need of some good off-road tires, you can stop by the local Jeep dealership- they have the tires you need in stock!
Redneck Yacht Club – Florida. Yes, it really does exist – this 800 acre park is every ‘rednecks’ dream. Mud holes, mud track, drive-thru ATV wash, camping, obstacle courses, concerts and more.
Shiloh Ridge – Texas. One of the first off-road parks in Texas, Shiloh Ridge is home to the -wait for it – Texas Redneck Games. It’s a 4-day event that includes camping, mudding, live entertainment and more (I’d probably not bring the kids along for this one – word is, they can get kinda’ rowdy!)
Azusa Canyon – California. One of the only state-owned off-road parks, Azusa offers 150 acres of off-roading fun. Rocks, dirt roads, water, and sand hills – all kinds of terrain to have fun in. The only difference here is your vehicle must be licensed to be on the road (and tagged) in order to gain admittance to the park.
