Tired of spending all day in front of a screen? Not feeling adventurous these days? Instead of staying on that same road, time to veer off into something different. Enter the Ford Bronco Off-Roadeo.
It’s not just a driving experience; it feels more like an initiation into a new world. A new world of connection to the great outdoors, a better connection and understanding on just what a 4×4 vehicle could do and a sense of fun.
A day spent trading boardrooms and Wi-Fi signals for dust, torque, and terrain that feels alive and moves beneath your tires. A place where boring isn’t on the brochure, it’s experiencing the sound of gravel biting under you. Feeling the rhythm of a vehicle built to conquer chaos, and the grin you wear all day long when you finally trust the machine enough to let it dance on various trails.
Welcome To The Ford Off-Roadeo Experience in Tennessee
An off-road playground for the wild ones.
Normally, if you want to go off-roading or remotely interested, there is a bit of a high threshold. One you have to know someone who does it and if you aren’t in a small town or mountainous area, that might pose to be a hard aspect to acquire.
Next, you may not have an off-roader, you might have a nice sedan, maybe an SUV that like it could handle an off-roading experience, but you are still timid to take it to the cottage if a branch is too big or going up a curb feels like a daunting task.
The Bronco Off-Roadeo Gives You All You Need To Go Off-Roading
A place to go off-roading. A place to learn how to off-road properly. A place to experience a Ford Bronco for yourself that they have on-site.
Bronco Off-Roadeo is Ford’s nod to adventure and a passionate community for those who crave the road less paved.
Every trail, every obstacle, every twist and turn of the wheel is designed to showcase just how capable these vehicles are and what makes the Bronco family so iconic and one of the most fun SUVs to drive out in the wild.
Experiencing More As A Bronco Owner
For Bronco owners, if you have purchased a Ford Bronco during a certain time, this experience can be it’s included with your purchase (check with your Ford / Lincoln Dealer). A full-day experience meant to test your skills and expand your limits.
For the uninitiated, the Off-Roadeo Half-Day Adventure opens the gate to anyone curious enough to get their boots dirty, run trails, try rally and have fun.
The Great Smoky Mountains Bronco Off-Roadeo Experience in Maryville Tennessee
I arrived at in the Great Smoky Mountains Bronco Off-Roadeo Experience outside of Maryville, Tennessee (closest to Knoxville airport), at a very beautiful, purpose-built lodge that looks like the headquarters of an expedition brand rather than a car experience. Not to mention it’s overlooking a beautiful lake. It feels almost like a dream cottage when you drive up.
Here, the very entertaining and knowledgeable Expert Trail Guides walk you through the essentials: vehicle setup, driving dynamics, spotting, recovery, and the sacred art of “line selection.”
Then it’s time to roll through the foothills and tight wooded trails of Appalachia, with over 2,000 square km of terrain waiting for you.
The initial training obstacle course is a proving ground. It acts as a basic to more advanced progressing lesson in the fundamentals of off-roading. Expert Trail Guides take you through just about everything you can think of with off-roading. Whether you are refining your approach or you are completely brand new to the idea of off-roading. I still think about the lessons learned in this orientation. From going through the theories and basics and then seeing them in action definitely bring confidence and more awareness with driving. The Expert Trail Guides were friendly, encouraging, positive, and extremely knowledgeable.
The obstacle course has climbs and drops, rock crawls, muddy ascents and descents, pausing the Bronco on two wheels and moments of pure “I didn’t know it could do that“.
You’ll learn to navigate the trail with precision, trust the Bronco’s advanced technology, and apply Tread Lightly! principles that remind you adventure should leave no scars or nicks in the body work.
Hitting The Wooded Trails In Tennessee
As soon as we went through the basics, fundamentals and to understand how different situations need different strategies, it was time to hit the trails.
The area was vast, acres upon acres of fun and it had so many different situations to name. We were constantly changing the drive modes, understanding what each of them do and when to use them.
It’s not all crawling or inching your way through the woods, it’s definitely not all slow.
Suddenly, we get lined up and it’s more of an open field and then we are instructed over the radio to put it in Rally Mode on the G.O.A.T (Go Over Any Terrain) mode on the Ford Bronco Sport Badlands Edition, where Rally mode is a new specific feature on the Badlands model. Adjustments are made within the computer system of where to put the power and traction and all you have to do is enjoy the rest.
Letting the Bronco Sport Go Rallying
Then you rev up the engine and do your best World Rally Car impression, sliding around turns but always feeling in control. It was one the most fun parts of the experience and a nice change of pace after being technical and intentional going through tight paths.
Trying New Off-Road Technology In The Bronco Sport
After we put the pedal to the metal, we made our way back through another part of the trail, where each part felt like the difficulty level was getting higher and higher over time and building up. You approach and stop just before an obstacle, thinking how am I going to do this?
It felt a lot like a very intimidating hole in golf. You see problems, you see coast line, wind, and a very tiny fairway when you get to the tee box, but after you take your first attempt at it, somehow the feeling of intimidation goes to the feeling of being up for the challenge. Then after you start your way into the challenge, it feels like it opens up and you get your confidence taking it step-by-step and after going through such a complex looking situation, you find a wave of confidence and satisfaction hit you as you look at the obstacle you just passed in the rearview mirror.
Additionally, with so many trail assist features like Ford Trail Control™ with 1-Pedal Driving, you can really control just about everything the trail throws at you at your own controlled pace.
Five Destinations. Infinite Terrain.
The Off-Roadeo isn’t confined to one landscape or one region, it’s a nationwide expedition stitched together by Ford’s adventurous DNA.
Moab, Utah
The legend. Red rock cathedrals, Martian vistas, and trails that humble even the most seasoned drivers. Home to Bronco, Bronco Sport, and Half-Day Adventure experiences.
Nevada
Where dust meets adrenaline. Home to the Bronco Raptor experience, equal parts desert storm and rock-crawling masterclass.
New Hampshire
Verdant forests and granite climbs; the East Coast’s rugged secret for Bronco and Half-Day guests.
Tennessee
Pictured here. Rolling trails, lush valleys, and a rhythm of southern grit.
Texas
The heartland of Bronco culture and the original Off-Roadeo site. Open to Bronco owners and the public-facing Half-Day Adventure crowd.
What You’ll Take Home From The Bronco Off-Roadeo Experience
No ownership required, just courage, curiosity, a valid driver’s license, some small requirements and a willingness to let go.
- You leave with the confident feeling that you can tackle almost any terrain.
- Real-world knowledge of recovery techniques and off-road etiquette.
- A connection to a tribe that understands why we go out there in the first place.
- A reminder that capability is built with the right knowledge and having the right tools for the terrain.
The Off-Roadeo is a great experience for anyone looking to start off-roading. It’s not about finding out the capabilities of yourself as a driver and the potential of your vehicle. After you enjoyed your experience you can head back to the basecamp, see amazing Bronco history and choose from great merch and clothing items to purchase as well.
For more information about the Bronco Off-Roadeo Experience and for booking and locations, be sure to visit their website.
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