Even if you've never been to a Camp Jeep event, most likely you've heard about them. The events are put on by Jeep with the help of many sponsors, including the United Four Wheel Drive Associations (UFWDA). The majority of participants at these events are new to the sport of four-wheeling, which makes Camp Jeep a great way for beginners to get more time behind the wheel of their Jeeps and learn from some of the best trail guides in the country how to safely drive their vehicles off-road.
In the last decade, over 36,000 enthusiasts have participated in Camp Jeep events. Members of groups like the UFWDA have volunteered their time to take tens of thousands of four-wheelers through hundreds of miles of trails in Virginia, California, Missouri, and Wisconsin. Typically, the trail rides are a couple of hours long and happen a few times throughout each day of an event. Do the math and you'll come to the same conclusion we have: There is no way these events could happen without the right people at the helm. Trail guides are mandatory on each and every run at Camp Jeep and that's where the UFWDA really steps up, providing all of the trail guides over the past 7 years.
UFWDA tells 4WD&SU, "Working with people new to the sport reminds us why we love to go four-wheeling. It reminds us of the first time we experienced the rush of being in a vehicle when we just couldn't imagine traversing the trail. It reminds our guides how much fun it is to go four-wheeling and to be around other people who love it too. It undoubtedly is a tremendous amount of hard work, but the fun, camaraderie, and the rewards of showing others the ropes is the experience of a lifetime.
"UFWDA is thrilled to be involved. Reaching out to so many four-wheelers at one time and doing it in a way that is safe and responsible benefits the whole community in the long run by reinforcing a message to maintain the trails we have today so we can enjoy them tomorrow. Carla Boucher, Camp Jeep trail-ride coordinator and nationally recognized land-use attorney for UFWDA said that in a real way the event demonstrates how a place like the Camp Jeep site...can sustain such a high level of 4x4 use and still be ecologically safe and productive. This is the message that UFWDA strives to deliver to the general public and the wheeling community. Camp Jeep is a fabulous event at which to carry that message," says the UFWDA.
For more information about the UFWDA, check out the organization's website at www.ufwda.org. For more information about Camp Jeep, visit www.jeep.com.