Learn how to offroad in a Ford Bronco

There are many reasons to own a Ford Bronco, and one of them centers on the vehicle’s off-roading capabilities. A properly specced-out Bronco is arguably the best off-roader in Ford’s current lineup and one of the best off-roading vehicles on the market in general.

Unfortunately, many Bronco owners won’t take their vehicles off the beaten path. Instead, they tend to treat it as a daily driver, with its wheels never really leaving the asphalt. Ford is aiming to change that with the Bronco Offrodeo, an entertaining and educational experience that teaches its customers the basics of off-roading.

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Who can experience the Bronco Offrodeo?

Technically anyone can enjoy the Bronco Offrodeo experience, but some people can experience it for free-ish. As it’s designed for new Bronco owners, anyone who has bought a new Bronco in the last few years can come along, although that free voucher does expire.

If you snagged a 2022 Bronco, then you have until December of this year. 2023 Bronco owners will have to hit the trail by June 2025, and if you have the 2024 model you have until December 2025 to claim your free adventure.

Non-Bronco owners, those with expired vouchers, and folks who’ve been before can still pay for a half-day experience.

It’s a crash course for beginners

Before you get behind the wheel, there’s a chat about the Ford Bronco that delves into some of its technical aspects. You’ll learn what locking the diff does, what a transfer case is for, and how to plan your approach.

Then there are a few practice sessions before you get onto the trails, which give you some practical experience of crawling over rocks and ensure you know the meaning of the various hand signals that spotters use.

“Mechanical Sympathy” also plays a large part, partially so you don’t add unnecessary wear to the venue’s vehicles and partially so you know how to avoid damaging your own Bronco. Expect to learn proper parking procedures, when to use your lockers, and how to take a turn without denting your rear doors.

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Good news: there’s probably one within 500 miles of you

There are five strategically placed locations throughout the United States, with one at Moab, one near Las Vegas, one in Texas, one in New Hampshire, and the newest Offrodeo in Tennessee.

According to Ford, the current locations mean around 80% of Bronco owners have an Offrodeo location within 500 miles of them. Each location also offers something a little different, with Tennessee boasting muddy mountains and woodland, while Nevada offers a unique “Raptor Experience.”

The experience is surprisingly intense

I find myself trying out off-roading experiences and going to off-roading events all the time. You may be surprised to learn that many of them are pretty disappointing. Whether it’s a manufacturer that doesn’t want you to test the actual limits of their vehicles, or organizers who wish to minimize any chance of something going wrong, a lot of offroading experiences play it pretty safe.

The Bronco Offrodeo isn’t unsafe, and the instructors are great at what they do, but it also involves some pretty challenging and technical sections. On the one I experienced firsthand, there was a section that required a serious discussion about winching and a set of traction boards to get us through it. There were also several parts that required spotters and a lot of concentration from anyone who didn’t want to do unnecessary damage to the vehicles.

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Final thoughts

If you’ve recently bought a Bronco, you'll want to get booked in for this. An experienced off-roader will get a fun half day out of it and may still learn a thing or two. A less experienced off-roader, or someone who is totally green, will leave with a good grasp of the basics and will probably want to muddy up their own Bronco at the first opportunity.

There are some costs involved though. Bronco owners need to pay a $50 “booking fee” and there’s a $150 refundable deposit you need to fork over at the time of booking which will be returned after the experience. There are additional fees for driving and non-driving guests, plus you’re responsible for your own accommodation and travel.

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