Living in Texas, there aren't a lot of places to offroad. I live in DFW, and locally I have a basic choice of Bridgeport or Barnwell, but they are both closed-course private parks. Just isn't what I love, which is using an off road vehicle to reach a destination. Like climbing a mountain in a national park VS the rock-climbing wall at the mall.

I've driven my Jeep and former Land Rovers at these off road parks, and none of the experiences compare to the single time when I took my then new '94 4Runner through Big Bend's Black Gap Road and photographed the area along the way.

With this in mind, yes I probably need to move somewhere else like CO.

Anyone else feel the same? Or maybe different - you prefer the controlled environment of an off road park?

 

I haven't been to an offroad park yet. I am sure they are fun, but I think they would be missing the adventure aspect of four wheeling. I love driving down the highway and just picking random dirt roads or trails and following them just to see where they go. Sometimes they are just boring drives, other times I find something cool. It's a lot more interesting for my wife as well if we have a goal or destination to get too, like a nice view, lake or quiet camping area.

 

I've never been to an off-road park either, but I don't think I would like it as much as trying to get somewhere. It's kind of like walking 80 flights to see new york from the top of the empire state building or climbing a stair master. I prefer the view (although sometimes the view from the next stairmaster isn't so bad...)

 

I completely concur--plyaing in off-road parks gets pretty boring pretty quickly. In the past, the Jeep has been eschewed for overland travel because of it's limited carrying capacity. But, with the advent of the four door, Jeep has a very solid entry into the overland/expedition community. And, there are others who feel this way as well. Here are a couple threads you should follow ...

Expedition Modded Jeeps - Let's see 'em!!

Expedition vs Rock Crawler, How is the build different?

Also, the magazine Overland Journal is an excellent (if expensive) quarterly with articles about long-term trips. They even have a test JK.

 

Understand what your saying, I ride the same parks myself. Clayton Ok. is close and a lot more open, but pretty tough in spots.

 

Thanks for the responses, everyone. It just grieves me that in a state as grand as Texas we have so little public land and off-pavement opportunities.

 

I am in the Flower Mound area. Not much around here that's legal. Most places I find have been invaded by teens and they trash the place and it gets roped off in a hurry. Let me know if you find anything local. I'd be up for it.

 

Well, here's my problem. I live in Illinois. I'd have to drive a long ways to really have the experiences I've enjoyed at the off road park. I would LOVE to follow some of the many dirt roads around me and find something cool, but I kinda know where they will lead...grid pattern around farm fields. That said, I would much prefer to go exploring and enjoy an adventure that way, but I've enjoyed cutting my teeth at the OR Park. I can't complain about them at this point.