What to Expect From a Ford Bronco Off-Roadeo

Off-Roadeo enrollment is included with every Bronco purchase, and it's a great way to learn off-road driving skills and see firsthand what Ford's hottest SUV can do.

Evan McCausland | 

Jul 5, 2023 | 3 min read

Ford

My wife and I bought our 2022 Ford Bronco in Michigan, but our favorite part of the purchase process — attending a Bronco Off-Roadeo off-road driving school — took place 2,000 miles away in Moab, Utah.

Ford

What is a Ford Bronco Off-Roadeo?

What Ford calls an "off-roading and outdoor adventure playground" is really a means for new Bronco owners or reservation-holders — even those with no prior off-road experience — to see what these SUVs are capable of off the beaten path. Off-Roadeos are currently held in four locations — Las Vegas, rural New Hampshire, near Austin, Texas, and in the canyons around Moab, Utah — with a fifth Bronco Raptor-exclusive option scheduled for 2023.

If you order a 2021-or-newer Bronco, Ford comps one person's enrollment at the school, apart from a $50 registration fee. Up to three guests can tag along and share in the driving duties, but at additional cost. Lunch and dinner arrangements are included, but lodging and transportation are your responsibility.

There's no need to "BYOBronco," so to speak. When it's time to hit the trails, you'll do so in Broncos provided by Ford. Apart from a few two-doors, most are Badlands or Sasquatch-equipped four-door models.

Lucky us: Apart from a larger engine and some nicer interior trim, the Bronco Outer Banks Sasquatch we got to drive was a mechanical dead-ringer for the Base Sasquatch four-door at home, especially when it came to gearing, front- and rear-locking differentials, and beefy 35-inch tires.

Ford

What a Ford Bronco Off-Roadeo Is Like

While other locations are closer to our home, it was hard to resist the lure of Moab, especially once we learned the driving would be on established off-road vehicle trails along the Dome Plateau, just east of Arches National Park.

While half-day sessions are held on Sundays, we opted for a full-day course which kicked off early along the banks of the Colorado River. Apart from some brief introductions and walkthroughs, we spent more than 8.5 hours on the trail, traversing some magnificently rocky terrain.

Are there tougher trails elsewhere in Moab? Absolutely. But these were technical enough, challenging us to find the right lines, engage lockers and "GOAT modes" as necessary, and focus on controlling our Bronco over some sizable obstacles. Off-Roadeo instructors keep the atmosphere friendly and jovial, helping even first-timers traverse some rather steep climbs over loose, rocky inclines.

Given that Ford oversees this all, you'd be forgiven for fearing you'd be browbeaten with glowing marketing prose, but that wasn't the case. Our instructors, both Bronco owners themselves, were refreshingly candid on what they liked and disliked about the Bronco, and how they modified their personal vehicles for trail use.

Ford

Should I Sign Up For a Ford Bronco Off-Roadeo?

If you own a 2021-or-newer Bronco or have one on order and can make the necessary arrangements to attend an Off-Roadeo, my opinion is that you do it!

Not only were we able to get up close and personal with some of the most incredible sights in Utah, but also we're now much more familiar with how our Bronco will behave and what it's capable of when we venture into new terrain back home.

Evan McCausland

Car, truck, train, or bus—if a vehicle has wheels, chances are Evan McCausland is interested in it. More importantly, he’s interested in helping others learn more about cars and trucks, especially when it comes time to make a decision on their next vehicle purchase. For nearly two decades, he’s been fortunate to have the opportunity to do just that, writing for major automotive publications, automotive clubs, and automakers alike.