Four wheel drive enthusiasts converge for Winter 4×4 Jamboree

Four-by-four enthusiasts from all-over the western United States and as far away as Minnesota converged at the Washington County Regional Park this weekend for the Winter 4×4 Jamboree presented by the Desert Roads and Trails Society, or Desert RATS for short. Jeff Beiber, President of the Desert RATS, a non-profit organization, stated that there were approximately 300 full-sized off road vehicles that attended this two day event. Beiber hopes to make this an annual event, and possibly add an additional event sometime during the year.

The Saint George based Desert Roads and Trails Society organizes a local rock crawling or expo run once a month. Rock crawling usually requires some modifications be made to the four-wheel drive vehicle that enables it to climb rugged terrain.  “Expo runs” are sight-seeing expeditions that are suitable for stock four-wheel drive vehicles. There is also a smaller group that meets by the Costco gas pumps every Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. for scenic trail expeditions. 

The Winter 4 x 4 Jamboree held this past Friday and Saturday, welcomed all full-sized four-wheel drive vehicles. The event was a family friendly event, with many couples and entire families participating; bringing the total attendance to somewhere around 600. The $100 per vehicle registration fee covered a dinner, t-shirt, entrance fees to state parks and a per person fee charged by the BLM. 

Each day participants selected a trail to explore that was guided by experienced trail leaders. There were 22 different trails to choose from that ranged in difficulty from 2-10 on the trail rating system. One trail was in Arizona, one in Kane County, and the rest were in various areas of Washington County. Trail leaders helped participants select a trail that was suited for their type of vehicle and level of experience. Participants could also enter a raffle for prizes donated by various vendors.  

Proceeds from the event will go to support public land use organizations such as the Utah Public Land Alliance (UPLA). The Desert RATS are currently working with UPLA to help protect lands such as the Sand Mountain OHV area for future recreational use.

If you are interested in obtaining more information about the group or participating with them, you can contact them through their forum at http://desertroadsandtrailssociety.com or through their Facebook page Desert Roads And Trails Society – Desert RATS. There are no membership fees to join the society that currently has about 100 members. Anyone that has a four-wheel drive vehicle is welcome.