Winter 4×4 Jamboree bigger, better than ever
By Julie Lindquist
Epic southern Utah scenery and trails ranging from easy to nearly impossible are attracting off-roaders from as far away as Alaska for the fifth annual Winter 4×4 Jamboree, a guided trail event for full-sized 4×4 vehicles set for Jan. 17–19. All activities are based at the Washington County Fairgrounds in Hurricane.
Many of the more difficult trails are run in the Sand Mountain Off-Highway Vehicle Area while milder trails will run on dirt roads and trails throughout the county.
This year’s jamboree is shaping up to be the biggest yet with more trails, more participants, and more to offer the general public. About 600 registered drivers and more than a thousand people are expected to show up for the event.
“This is the biggest event we’ve had since we started five years ago,” said Desert RATS president and event chairman Jeff Bieber. The event started small in 2015 with around 200 registered drivers and has grown every year. I’m just excited for people to come and see our area and see what it has to offer.”
The premier rock-crawling and trail-ride event features lots of options for four-wheel-drive enthusiasts from “buggy only” trails to scenic dirt road excursions suitable for stock four-wheel drive vehicles.
While there are no viewing opportunities for the trail rides, the public is invited to the fairgrounds each evening for a vendor show, food trucks, an RC race course, and monster truck rides. The activities are available Jan. 17 and 18 from 3 to 8 p.m. and Jan. 19 from 3 to 6 p.m.
This year, participants will have a chance to test their radio-controlled driving skills in the new RC rock-crawling competition course at the fairgrounds. For $1, anyone can run the timed course. Prizes will be awarded for the fastest times. Everyone will use the same RC vehicle to run the course.
“So it’s the skill of the driver, not the truck,” said Miles Kimberly, who runs Club Krawl at Sky RC in St. George and who organized the Winter 4×4 Jamboree RC event.
The Veteran Monster Truck will offer rides at the 2019 Winter 4×4 Jamboree. Veterans can ride for free in the truck, which is specially outfitted with two rows of seats in the back.
Vendors will fill both buildings at the fairgrounds with a variety of booths offering off-road recreation merchandise and information, Bieber said.
“The vendor show will be the largest we’ve ever had,” Bieber said. “I’d encourage anyone who needs aftermarket off-road parts to come out — this is the place to get them.”
The majority of participants come from the Intermountain West, but Alaska, Florida, Indiana, and other states will be represented as well.
“The Winter 4×4 Jamboree is a great event that brings in people from all over including out of the state,” Washington County sports and adventure marketing representative Doug Boyer said. “In years past, it has been a great event for good economic impact and is shaping up to have an even bigger impact this year.”
In 2018, the event brought an estimated $1.6 million in economic impact and raised $41,000. All proceeds from the event are donated to charitable organizations including the southern Utah-based Utah Public Lands Alliance and the Washington County Search and Rescue.
“I’m excited about the donations we are raising that will help keep our public lands open,” Bieber said.
Online registration for the 2019 Winter 4×4 Jamboree is closed, but in-person registration will be offered at the fairgrounds starting the afternoon of Jan. 16.
For more information and a schedule of events, visit winter4x4jamboree.com.
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