Rock crawling is an extreme form of off-road driving that typically includes travel over very rugged terrain including boulders, large rocks, and other obstacles. Some people deck out their cars and dedicate themselves to four-wheeling as a sport. There are many companies that run four-wheeling day-excursions, a very popular activity in Moab and other regions. Smaller ATVs and UTVs such as four-wheelers and buggies are often the most popular choice for four-wheeling. Extreme four-wheeling can include vehicles with roll cages and other specialized features.
Typically done with some form of all-terrain vehicle (ATV), utility terrain vehicle (UTV), or other truck/Jeep/vehicle with an appropriate build-out. Four Wheelingįour-wheeling is driving off-road, typically in four-wheel drive. In terms of rental vehicles, it’s very important to know what type of off-roading, if any, is allowed by the rental terms and agreements. Off-roading encompasses a wide spectrum of driving conditions, from unsealed dirt, gravel, and forest roads, to driving completely off roads over natural terrain. This may include extremely rugged terrain that involves four-wheeling or rock-crawling. Off-roading involves travel on unsurfaced roads or tracks or over natural terrain. Overland vehicles are typically built out to accommodate living from the vehicle, a set-up that usually is not compatible with extreme off-roading, four-wheeling, and rock-crawling due to balance and weight loads. Your vehicle is the primary mode of transportation and living, and all gear and supplies that you need are carried with you. Overlanding is has a broad definition but it is generally understood as vehicle-supported, self-reliant adventure travel to remote destinations, where the journey is the primary goal. Before we continue, let’s break down the meaning of some of these terms. While overland travel can certainly include some off-road travel, the term “off-roading” is most frequently used to refer to more extreme versions of off-roading, such as four-wheeling and rock-crawling. Off RoadingĪn important distinction that is often confused is the difference between overlanding vs off-roading. In a ruggedly outdoors state like Colorado, where new adventures can be found around every turn, there is no trip that is too short or too long to have a grand adventure. Today, people embark on overlanding expeditions for anywhere from a long weekend to a multi-year trip. The goal is open exploration, wanderlust, and often a desire to reconnect to the simplicity experienced by the original nomads, explorers, and adventurers. Today, we overland to experience life differently, living in the present moment and enjoying the journey as much – if not more – than the destination. While most looking for an overland experience today may not need to push new territorial boundaries or find new fields to graze our sheep or cattle, the root in adventure remains the same. It’s About the Journey, Not the Destination
Web searches for “overlanding” will yield results of vehicles kitted out for life on the road for short trips to full-time living on-the-go. The term is often used to describe travel overland via a mechanized vehicle – from bicycles to cars, trucks, and Jeeps – with off-road or all-terrain capabilities, where the travelers typically camp each night along their journey. Many peoples and cultures around the world still “overland” as they have for hundreds of years, driving their herds with the seasons in search of better climes, abundant food, water sources, and markets.Īnd, while overlanding is still alive and well in this sense, today the term “overlanding” is much more broad. These original routes are still used by overlanders today. Pioneers of “overlanding” cut tracks across the outback, opening new territory and stock routes for driving sheep, cattle, and other livestock to market. The term was used to reference the droving of livestock across the vast lands of the outback. While the concept of “overlanding” has been around since the dawn of mankind, the actual term first surfaced in Australia.
The earliest humans traveled over-land primarily by foot, eventually taking to the backs of horses, camels, donkeys, and other four-legged friends amenable to carrying humans and their gear across vast landscapes. It has been a primary mode of transportation for hundreds of years. Overlanding is exactly what it sounds like: travel over land.