Across the American West, things are beginning to thaw out from what was a relatively mild winter for most states. This is especially true in the Southwest, where you can find some of the world’s greatest off-road and backcountry trails. At the center of it all is Moab, Utah – a tiny town of just a few thousand people on the doorstep of Canyonlands National Park, Arches National Park, and nearly limitless miles of two-tracks and slick rock routes for Jeepers of all stripes. The unofficial start of wheelin’ season in 2024 is the Easter Jeep Safari (EJS) event, based out of Moab, from March 23-March 31.

What Is Easter Jeep Safari?

If you haven’t heard of EJS, it’s one of the oldest festivals of off-road travel in the country, having started way back in 1967. It’s grown by leaps and bounds since then, and now includes thousands of participants, dozens of guided trail runs on the region’s best trails, and a big vendor expo showcasing the latest and greatest the Jeep and 4×4 aftermarket has to offer. In fact, the event has become so important to the 4WD community that auto manufacturers like Jeep and Ford also often attend, and even reveal new models to the public during EJS. Of course, there’s plenty of entertainment, educational sessions, camping opportunities, and other events throughout the week as well as all that wheelin’.

How Do You Get the Most Out of Attending EJS?

EJS has expanded so much that it can actually seem a little overwhelming if you’ve never attended one. The first stop is the website for Red Rock 4-Wheelers, the organization that puts on Easter Jeep Safari. From there, you can register for trail days and see the entire schedule of events. Most of the non-trail events are open to the public (including the Vendor Expo), but official guided day-long EJS trail runs are $75 per vehicle per day. You can pick and choose which days you’d like to get out on the dirt with EJS guides, and which ones you’d like to hang out in town, or find your own trails. The daily fee goes toward public lands permits. You can register online for any of the Easter Jeep Safari trail runs also through RR4W’s website.

Southeastern Utah has some of the most incredible landscapes and outdoor recreation opportunities anywhere. Many attendees not only go for trail runs, but also take time to do some camping, tour one or more of Utah’s “Mighty 5” National Parks, or find an out-of-the-way place for some splendid isolation camping in the vast deserts near Moab. As always, practice Tread Lightly! principles when exploring the backcountry, especially since late last year the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has issued a new travel management plan for the region, and some popular roads and camping areas are now closed. Discover Moab has handy links to detailed information about which roads and camping areas are open in the area. Remember to treat the land and each other with respect – we want as many trails and roads as possible to stay open for generations to come.

It pays to be self-sufficient in your trip to EJS as well. Moab, even though it’s a major tourist hub, it only has a few thousand residents. There are a limited number of vacation rentals and hotel rooms (which will be heavily booked and very expensive during EJS), fuel stations, and restaurants, and only a handful of grocery stores. Preparing ahead of time and planning some epic overnight camping trips while you’re attending EJS will help make your experience a little more relaxing.     

What Trails Should You Try During Easter Jeep Safari?

The first thing to note is that you don’t need a heavily modified Jeep or Bronco to try out most of the trails in and around Moab! Most stock 4WDs, like Broncos, Wranglers, and Gladiators with 33-inch tires will tackle a majority of the roads without too much sweat. Traction devices like limited slip or locking differentials, as well as 35-inch tires open the door to even more fun. Make sure your maintenance is up to date, and your tires are in good shape. A tire gauge and a good tire inflator will help you to air up and air down your rubber as needed. If you’re new to EJS and the Moab area, we recommend starting easy and working your way up to more challenging tracks. 

Red Rock 4-Wheelers also has a fantastic guide to some of the more famous (and not so famous) trails in the neighborhood with an intuitive rating system, as well as the schedule of the EJS guided trail runs. Signing up for a guided EJS trail run is a great way to learn about the particular kind of wheeling that is common on the trails around Moab, and a fun way to get involved in the off-road community. Once you have your feet under you, you’ll be able to take on some of the local tracks on your own.

Some of our favorite trails are Deadman Point (Rating: 3), the Buttes and Towers Trail (Rating: 3), the 3-D Trail (Rating: 4), the celebrated Fins and Things (Rating: 5), and, finally, in the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park, Elephant Hill (Rating: 5)

Bestop Will Be at Easter Jeep Safari!

Bestop is proud to be one of the lead sponsors of the 2024 Easter Jeep Safari. Not only will we have an extensive mobile store and display in the exhibitor area, we are also leading a handful of guided trail rides detailed below ( Also keep an eye on our Instagram account for more information):

• Monday, March 25th Bestop Red Rock run on Dome Plateau
• Tuesday, March 26th Bestop Red Rock run on 3-D and Buttes and Towers
• Wednesday, March 27th Bestop Red Rock run on Backwards Bill and Customer Appreciation Run on Hell’s Revenge
• Thursday, March 28th Bestop Red Rock run on Cameo Cliffs and Secret Spire
• Friday, March 29th Bestop Red Rock run on 7-mile rim

Finally, you can kick off EJS with a bang at our epic Monday Pizza Party in Moab. Join Bestop, Baja Designs, PRP Seats, Tuffy, and sPod for an evening of mouth-watering pizza, plenty of shop talk, and some radical giveaways. Don’t miss out on the chance to gear up your ride and make unforgettable memories. The fun starts on Monday, March 25 at 4:30pm at 62 W Center St, Moab, UT 84532.

See you there!