ATV Adventures: Registration for the Tenth Annual Outlaw ATV Jamboree opens today
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- Riding the Dyer Mine Loop Trail in the beautiful Uinta Mountains at the Outlaw ATV Jamboree in Vernal.
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- On a section of slick rock on our way to visit Moonshine Arch along one of the trails offered at the Outlaw ATV Jamboree in Vernal.
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- Lynn Blamires
Watching the countdown clock to the opening of the Tenth Annual Outlaw Jamboree was enough to excite me about this year’s jamboree in Vernal. Registration opens like a floodgate with spots filling quickly. The dates are set for May 29-June 1. You will get the best choice of rides by signing up today.
Utah has an amazing amount of diversity of scenery. Each jamboree showcases a section in the best way possible — on backcountry trails. I maintain that you will never see the real beauty of Utah unless you get off the highways and into the backcountry.
The Outlaw Jamboree is the only ATV event on the eastern side of the state this year. Vernal has outlaw history and places where the dinosaurs played — the perfect place to launch an exploration of the backcountry. What better way to do this than with an experienced guide who knows where to go and what to see? He will also share interesting stories about the who and the what of the places you will visit.
Registration is $120 per person and is a value for what you get. The meals and the T-shirt alone will cover that. Three days of guided rides, a bag of swag, entries into drawings for some exciting prizes and memories to last a lifetime are a bonus. What are you waiting for? Registration is already open at https://www.outlawatvjam.com.
Places to stay in Vernal are plentiful including motels, campgrounds and RV parks. Some motels are sponsoring this event and will be offering special rates to jamboree participants, so be sure to mention that you are with the jamboree when you book.
All rides leave Western Park at 8:30 a.m. Some leave right from town and others require trailering. Each ride is limited to 15 machines so there is an opportunity to get to know the other riders.
If the ride you would like to take is full, there is a self-guided ride you can take at your own pace. The ride is “The Gambler.” It gets its name from the fact that it is a poker run. One poker hand is included with your registration. Additional hands can be purchased for $5 each. The trail runs along the rim of historic Diamond Mountain and winds through cedar forests. More information is available in the ride description.
The ride descriptions also include a difficulty rating from 1-10. The Doc’s Beach Trail is only 3 miles long, but it can take up to four hours to complete because the trail requires you to crawl and not haul.
The historic trails appeal to me. The Butch Cassidy, the John Taylor Loop, the John Jarvie and the Josie Morris trails fall into this category. Mining history, outlaw history and the fascinating stories of just eking out an existence in these pioneer settings.
Another ride that caught my eye is the Musket Shot Trail. It is described as a “Baja race”-style ride that will have you speeding below Blue Mountain to the Colorado border (like an outlaw being chased by a posse in the Wild West). I like to see a little of a lot of scenery — sign me up.
This jamboree is unique in the number of what I call “creative” rides. “The Vernal Foodie Tour” gives you a taste of some of the best places to eat in Vernal from breakfast, hand-dipped chocolates, homemade mozzarella cheese, wood-fired Neapolitan pizza, yummy appetizers, savory meats and delectable desserts. This ride will have you coming back to Vernal if only for the food.
Another of these rides is “The Cowboy and Indian Ride.” It combines archery and OHV trails with stops at several archery shooting stations.
In this same category is “The Wild West Shootout Ride.” Riders will shoot at a .22 silhouette range, AR rifle range, competitive pistol and cowboy action shoot.
With the inclusion of a night ride, this jamboree has it all. The Butch Cassidy Trail is offered as a day ride with a difficulty rating of 6 and the same trail is taken after dark. A caravan of machines lit up like Christmas trees making their way through the mountains is an amazing sight.
Maps of the trails can be downloaded using the Avenza Maps app on your cellphone. When you go, take plenty of water, keep the rubber side down and take advantage of the offer to sign up for this jamboree — it is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to experience Uintah County inside and out.
Contact Lynn R. Blamires at quadmanone@gmail.com.