Last week, on October 4, Bronco Off-Roadeo Tennessee opened its doors for Bronco and Sport owners to come enjoy “the greatest experience on dirt.”
This location, set in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, joins four other off-roading pieces of paradise –– Moab, Nevada, New Hampshire, and Texas. At all the Off-Roadeo sites, people learn about the capability and performance of the Bronco or Sport while driving over trail obstacles and across varied terrain under the guidance of pros. You’ll have a blast and leave knowing how to be a better driver.
Many of you reading this review have been to at least one location already and have shared about the great time you had, and those waiting to attend Tennessee want to know if they will be just as thrilled. Let me get straight to it: Bronco Off-Roadeo Tennessee is equally as memorable. It’s now one of my new favorite places, and if you go, l can almost promise it will become one of yours.
Basecamp and the Terrain
The fun starts before you even arrive at the property. Off-Roadeo, only about 30 minutes from the McGhee Tyson Airport and not far from Knoxville, is easy to get to, and the drive in is as scenic as you’d hope. I attended as a Ford media guest, and as we were shuttled from the hotel that morning, my fellow writers and creators whipped out their phones in near-unison as the sun crested over the mountains. There’s nothing like a Tennessee sunrise or sunset!
Once you pull off the main road, Tennessee’s version of the iconic Off-Roadeo arch is not far. Be sure to get a photo here, especially if you’re driving your own Bronco to the location. And just to the left sits the beautiful Basecamp lodge, with gorgeous Lambert Lake just beyond. Make yourself at home on the patio or in the sunroom and enjoy the views throughout the day, during breaks and after dinner.
You’ll have both lunch and dinner inside Basecamp, and the mercantile, full of neat location-specific gear and Bronco swag, is situated here as well. For those uncomfortable with the idea of “tree-cilities,” you’ll be glad to know Basecamp features some fine plumbed facilities. You might laugh, but it’s a common question online!
And while we are on frequently asked topics, I’ll answer one more that comes up often: Like the other locations, pets aren’t able to attend, but service animals are allowed.
Your day kicks off with introductions, and then you’ll head outdoors. Be sure to add a pin for your hometown on the Bronco Nation wall map, then walk to the ORX (off-road experience) course. There, you’ll learn more about the vehicle, and if you know the answers to questions asked, you’ll get “can’t purchase anywhere” stickers to add to your collection, so speak up! Some of you will get to demonstrate techniques behind the wheel at this point. It’s a great time to ask questions, watch, and if you’re ready, show off your skills.
Then comes the moment you’ve been waiting for since you booked your trip: Heading out on the trails! Tennessee has that perfect backcountry, “man, am I blessed to be out here in a Bronco” feel. If you’re most at peace in the hills and forests, surrounded by animals and fresh air, then you’re going to love every second.
The trails wind up and down through 1,000 acres of woods, mountainous inclines and declines, and through rock gardens that can have you up on three wheels. You’ll get plenty of mud, creek crossings, and shifting rock, all while practicing spatial awareness as you weave through tight trees. And there’s one more treat: a ride and handling course, where you can experience the suspension and stability of the vehicle … and be a little heavier on the accelerator while doing so.
The Fleet and Guides
While I visited, I drove a 4-door Badlands. In addition to the Badlands trim, Bronco Off-Roadeo Tennessee has Sasquatch-equipped Black Diamonds, as well as Everglades and Wildtraks. Most of the Broncos are 4-doors, but some 2-doors are available too. All vehicles have the 10-speed automatic transmission. For Sport owners, the site has Bronco Sport Badlands to drive.
Like other Off-Roadeos, you can pick a trim similar to yours, or try out something different to see how other Bronco owners live. If you pick a more-equipped Bronco than your own, you can avoid using options like the stabilizer bar disconnect switch to make it feel like your personal vehicle, and if you have a manual, get on the radio and ask guides for tips on how you’d navigate a situation in a 7-speed.
Every guide is knowledgeable and highly experienced off-road, so don’t be shy in getting their opinions. One of my concerns off-road is spotting others on the trail. I don’t have a lot of experience in that area, so when we had some free time, Trail Guide Terry had me demonstrate my hand signals, then talked me through making them more visible. Later, while we were outside the vehicles looking at obstacles, he asked me to tell him lines I would pick for others, then helped me see alternatives. If you have any skills you’ve been working on improving, like left-foot braking, throttle control, or line choice, let your guide know and gain from their experience. They can also assist with recovery questions, and if you’re like my group, you may even get to use equipment and traction boards at some point.
How Does It Compare to Other Off-Roadeo Locations?
Thanks to working at Bronco Nation, I've been lucky enough to go to each of the locations (minus Raptor Off-Roadeo), and Tennessee ranks high on my list of ones I'd like to do again.
For background: I have 15 years of Michigan "soft-roading" experience –– think snow, sand, forest trails, and mud –– and 3+ years of working on rock crawling out West. My comfortability level starts topping out at 6-rated trails (i.e., I start scraping/needing more than one attempt at an obstacle).
Tennessee's trails were great -- not difficult for me per se, based on past experience and my familiarity with this kind of terrain, but challenging with the slick mud on inclines. Like every time I go back to Off-Roadeo, I learn new information and techniques that make me more skilled off-road.
The rock gardens require you to be prepared for shifting rock, and creek crossings will have the opposite bank getting progressively slicker with each Bronco. As mentioned earlier, points of the trail may become impassable without traction boards. Off-Roadeo adheres to Tread Lightly! standards, and each guide is proactive about maintaining the trails and avoiding rutting them out if possible. Currently, Tennessee has no distinct obstacles like Texas' famous Two-Step, but that doesn't stop it from being fun. There's a lot of time to practice doing "practical" driving -- articulating over mounds, navigating ruts, spatial awareness, throttle control -- stuff you will use all the time in other terrains. I do love that like Texas, there’s the ride and handling course. Even for the more experienced off-road, this is a fantastic location that will provide you and your guests with big smiles and life-long memories.
Book Your Own Trip
Pumped up and ready to go? We hear you! While this already-popular location is booked out through the end of the year, there is a cheat code to getting in, if you’re a lady and move fast: Off-Roadeo is hosting two Ladies’ Days, October 24 and 25, and there are a few spaces left for those.
Past that, if your complimentary credit does not expire –– Ford has included one Bronco Off-Roadeo visit with each purchase of a qualifying* Bronco, watch for 2025 dates to open up, and jump on them when they do! Owners of a ’22 must attend by December 2024, but 2023-24 model year owners have until June 2025 and December 2025, respectively.
If you can’t wait to attend, or you need to use your credit, please go to BroncoOffRoadeo.com, browse the dates available at other locations, and reserve your spot. This is not a trip to skip!
*Qualifying vehicles: 2022 or newer Bronco; 2022 Bronco Sport Badlands; or any 2023 or newer Bronco Sport are eligible to attend Bronco Off-Roadeo. One (1) Bronco Off-Roadeo visit is included with a vehicle purchase. This credit is available to the vehicle owner as long as the complimentary visit to Bronco Off-Roadeo has not been previously redeemed. Must be a resident of the United States or Canada. Includes a Bronco vehicle for you to drive during your event, meals, and campfire (weather permitting). Reservation and guest fees apply. Exclusions include travel, hotel, and transportation to and from the Bronco Off-Roadeo site.
Disclaimer: I attended Bronco Off-Roadeo Tennessee as media. Ford covered my airfare and hotel. All opinions are my own.
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