What everyone asks first
Getting into off-roading raises a lot of questions:
- What vehicle should I off-road in?
- What do I need to bring?
- Are there rules on the trail?
- Are there clubs I can join?
- Where can I go?
Here’s how we answer them.
Choosing a vehicle
Pick the vehicle for the kind of wheeling you actually plan to do. Easy dirt roads, mud, rock crawling and water crossings all ask different things of a rig.
The most common choices are Jeep Wranglers and Gladiators, Ford Broncos, Toyota 4Runners and Tacomas, and pickups of every kind, but plenty of other vehicles hit the trail too. Any of them can be bought with off-road features or built up over time with a lift, armor, bigger tires, lighting and radios. If you want help deciding what your rig needs for the trails you have in mind, that’s exactly what our free build consultation is for.
Rules of the trail
Above all: be polite, help each other out, and have fun. Beyond that, these are the rules we ride by:
- Go over obstacles, not around them. Driving around widens the trail and damages the land next to it, and damaged trails get closed.
- Obey trail signs. They mark closures, warn of obstacles ahead and show which vehicles are allowed.
- Stage respectfully. At the trailhead, leave room for other groups and never block access to the trail.
- Leave it better than you found it. Pack out your trash, and pick up what others left behind if you can.
- Uphill traffic has the right of way. Coming downhill, back up to a wide spot and pull aside while staying on the trail.
- Signal how many are behind you. When you pass oncoming traffic, hold up fingers for the number of rigs behind you in your group. Leading four rigs? Hold up three. Third of five? Hold up two.
Don’t go alone
Wheeling solo can be dangerous, and we don’t recommend it. In a group you have more hands, tools and ideas when a rig gets stuck or something breaks. Groups have gotten us out of situations that would have been serious on our own.
The other half is the people. Lunch on the trail and the time before and after a run are where you learn what gear and brands hold up, and where you hear about the next trail worth doing. Some of our closest friends came from those trips.
Northern Colorado has several good groups, most organized on Facebook, including the Off-Camber Off-Road Club, Colorado Jeep Club and NoCo Jeepers. All of them are good places to ask questions, get advice and join regular rides.
What to bring
- Recovery gear. Our Recovery Gear Guide covers what to carry and the brands we use.
- A radio. See our GMRS Radio Guide for how the club stays in touch.
- Food and plenty of water, especially for all-day or overnight trips.
- Hiking shoes or boots and comfortable socks, in case you have to walk out or climb around on rocks.
- A well-stocked first aid kit.
Finding trails
The Trails Offroad app and website, and the FunTreks guidebooks, are where we start. Both rate every trail by difficulty and include maps and directions. Our Trail Planning Guide covers how to use them and how to read the ratings.
Wherever you go, stock your rig with what you need, find a group to ride with, and stay the trail. See you out there.
Sources: Colorado Parks and Wildlife trail etiquette, Stay the Trail Colorado, Trails Offroad.