What do you think? (input please)

[GRW]

My wife is taking a business class that is requiring her to do a study for a personal business.
The possibility of starting an off-road camp ground, like some of the places back east (Avalanche Ranch) would be great if you could make it work.
One of the requirements is to test the waters (so to speak) in certain areas.
Some of the advantages with this type of facility would be:
Guarantying trails to be kept open.
If you break down you would be able to get it out or at least keep you rig safe safe.
Camping with amenities (running water, bathrooms)
There would be someone around if you ran into problems.
Trails maintained, no dumping, shooting, exc.
This would allow new trails to be created, or modified.
Trail Jamborees, competitions, exc.
Shop area with facilities.

The places we have researched back east are running:
$15 a rig, $5 a passenger (over 12)
$15 camping a night
Group rates.

So what do you think?
Example: http://www.offroaders.com/directory/clubs/southwest.htm
(lots of example links on this site)

With the areas we have in the western US would a business like this have a chance?
Would you patronize a business like this?

Possible Locations:
Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah, Washington
Other locations you would like to wheel?
I like the sound of northern Arizona myself.

Any and all input would be appreciated. I found out today she needs a rough draft with information to back her ideas by Tuesday.

Thanks Gary
Reply to [email protected]

 

[TheMasterbater]

I personally always thought the ones back east were cool. I dont know if u could count on living off of it tho.

I think it'd be cool to see one around here.

 

[GRW]

It would a retirement gig.
As long as it could support it's self I would everyday

 

[Boxxerace]

I would pay money to wheel on good trails with some of the beni's you quoted. Camping on public land costs money now anyways.

Private land has many advantages. In a business sense, you could really hit up some broad customer base with the wheeling crowd, ATV cycle crowd, racing stuff, etc. Who knows, maybe you could put a pavement track in nearby. Folks pay $150.00 to race on pavement.

Whereabouts are you thinking within WA?

 

[79chevy39.5's]

i dont know about the 5 bucks for passanger..........maybe if they were staying overnight or brought a rig to the parking area

 

[landbruiser1]

The only thing that I can see is the price off land around here compared to the south east, Developers want to put housing complexs everywhere now, dont get me wrong thats how I make my living. I would pay to play in a place like that, you could wheel what ever you want and not have to worry about. Insurance would probably be pretty pricey, Wheel at your own risk I guess.

 

[ToyMater]

Yah, the only thing that would be hard to work out would be liability issues. Have em sign a waiver or something. As for location, Utah is my original home town and I found that place in southern utah are gorgeous sought after wheelin and camping locations. How ever it may be difficult to get some land like that.. But thats just my 2cents. good luck.

 

[KarlVP]

Chris and Heather Packard in Crozet, Virginia (pronounced CROW-ZAY), have a wheeling park.

They charge $45 per rig, per weekend. That covers camping fees (primitive camping with port a johns), and all trail running. They have a full service garage there, should you break your junk, and vehicle recovery services.

For a little more coin, you can rent a bunk in thier bunkhouse. It has plumbing, and electricity.

They don't make any profit off of it, the fees merely pay thier "Mortgage" for the property.

They are the ones who run the V-ROC series, which is where they make thier money.

Both still work though, they get the local wheelers to assist with trail building and maintenance.

contact Chris at www.xjsrule.com he knows what kind of hoops you will have to jump through.

 

[wrecker1]

We have an Off-Road park here in Longview, WA. It caters to the MX/ ATV crowd, but also has a sand drags area and a mud drag section.
All professionally done, waivers for everything, lots of trails (although I've never been on the atv trails, cause I don't have one). We do like to go to the mud drags tho!
Its called Longview MX Park/Barlow Point, and here is one of last years events.
http://www.omra-online.org/2005/Grizzl7.pdf

 

[Boxxerace]

P.S. Build rally roads on the property. Bring Rally to Washington!

 

[crash2]

i DON'T think its possable on this side of the mountains. Look how much trouble people are having putting on events "on there own land"....

 

[Symon623]

I "heard" that Avalanche Ranch was sold or is for sale??

Would be great especially if you could do it on land that they can't pile houses on anyway? IE.....mountains with steep grades for hill climbs and lots of elevation change. Liablility insurance would be interesting though?

I'll do it as soon as I win the lottery... :redneck:

 

[MT894runner]

I wish we had an offroad park here in Montana, but no we don't even have one. We have to find our offroad spots and they aren't very good. Just crappy old logging trails that aren't difficult. Im gonna end up moving to washington just to be able to wheel. Also our snow has been **** the last 5 years. Another reason to move to washington. Makes me sad that there are sooo many rich people here and not one of them will open an offroad park. And they continue to bitch at us wheelers for wheelin. Well if we had an offroad park we would be there instead of the loging trails. Sorry for the rant, but I'm just pissed and depressed that I have no difficult trails around here whatsoever.:booo:

 

[crapyota]

i think this is a good idea! before long the area's we do have will be so limited that the private parks are gonna be something that grows. the thought of a full park with camping and different trails for all styles :cheer: !!!!

 

[stealthrunner1]

Cool!!!!

 

[Long&Low]

Paragon in eastern PA, has a good set up. Also a private park opened up last year in Harlan, KY. Check Haspen acres in IN, and the Badlands in IL/IN (I forget which). There's some others in NC also, but right now the names escape me.

The nice thing about the parks, are most have camping on site, and a nice place to park your RV, truck and trailer. They make for good long getaway wheeling weekends.

The reason passengers typically need to pay, is for "proof" or acceptance of their liability and insurance claims. Same reason why golf courses don't let people just walk around.