MEMBERS

In October, Overland Bound Executive Director, Kent Reynolds hosted a Trail Guardian event at the Mojave National Preserve. On a cool fall morning, 53 Overland Bound member volunteers from California and Nevada joined representatives from the National Park Service and Mojave Desert Land Trust to help with projects at the southeastern California Preserve. By the time members headed home from the weekend, they had logged 650 volunteer hours.

NPS Projects

We are grateful for everything that our National Park Service rangers do. Overland Bound Trail Guardians were more than happy to help them with several projects to make the Preserve safer and more beautiful.

The biggest project at the Fall event was to finish replacing the roof on the Kessler Ranch barn that was built around 1900. OB member Mike Keith and his crew had been working to rebuild this historic structure since it was damaged by the Cima Dome Fire in 2020. Thanks to our members, Kessler Ranch has their barn back.

Joshua Tree seeds collected by volunteers

NPS biologist shows volunteers how to correctly collect Joshua Tree seeds

Mojave Desert Land Trust Projects

In order for new properties to be conveyed to the National Park Service and become a part of the Preserve, all non-historic items must be removed.

To this end, Members helped representatives from the Mojave Desert Land Trust to remove 80 yards of rusted appliances, old vehicles, and other surprising garbage from the Ronnie Crowell Ranch in Cima. The Ranch is now eligible for Mojave Preserve incorporation, which means more land and trails for NPS and the rest of us!

Members also surveyed the Mojave Road to identify damage that would need to be addressed at a later date.

The group found major storm damage along several miles of the road that will be projects for future Trail Guardian events.

NPS Biologist Neal Darby presenting to members on Saturday night

Trail Guardian Program

The Overland Bound Trail Guardian Program exists because governments around the world do not have the resources to keep all of our public lands clean and safe for everyone to enjoy. Since 2018, Trail Guardian events have removed 100 tons of garbage from public lands, with many more clean-up and revitalization projects happening multiple times a year.

Learn more about Overland Bound Land Use and Stewardship.

Organize Trail Guardian events in your community

Become an Overland Bound member today to organize a Trail Guardian event in your community and to participate in trail clean-ups around the globe!

Don’t wait to chip away at this bucket list of overland destinations in the western US. Life’s short and this is only the first list of many recommendations coming your way. 

Links to locations and trails will take you directly to the resource map in Overland Bound One. Be sure to download for iOS or Android for the best experience.

We’ve noted GPS coordinates and What3Word (///) locations for each point of interest. 

01 Southwest Texas near Big Bend National Park

Why it’s on the List

There are few places in the United States where you’ll find more biodiversity than the Chisos Mountains and Chihuahuan desert surrounding Big Bend National Park in far west Texas. More than 1,200 species of plants, 450 species of birds, 56 species of reptiles, and 75 species of mammals call this corner of Texas home. 

Of the 423 National Parks in the US, Big Bend is one of the most remote and least visited. There are more dirt roads than paved in the area, and the backcountry surrounding the park is a playground of off road exploration. Other region highlights include Big Bend Ranch State Park and Terlingua Ghost Town. 

Best Time to Go

Late fall to early spring is an ideal time to check this one off the list. Remember this is the desert. The average summer temperature for the region is 83 degrees, but that’s in the shade. Around the Rio Grande, you should expect summer temps to climb well into the triple digits. 

Options for Group Campsites and Dispersed Camping

There’s lots of dispersed camping along the River Road in the backcountry of Big Bend NP. Make sure you get a permit from a ranger station before heading out. 

Rancho Topanga Campgrounds, Terlingua, TX

29.30326, -103.67956 | /// celebrated.photographed.bolsters

Roys Peak Vista Campsite, Big Bend National Park

29.38830, -103.07780 | /// putters.deposits.joystick

Jack Ass Flats, Alpine, TX

29.62140, -103.56890 | /// lorries.agency.perfected 

Must Do Off Road Trails

Black Gap OHV Trail, Glenn Spring Road

29.13850, -103.11377 | /// gala.perceptual.upended

Difficulty Rating: Easy

Terlingua Ranch Road, Alpine, TX

29.61280, -103.14350 | /// leveraged.tint.lifts

Difficulty Rating: Moderate

Member Recorded GPX Tracks

@TXpedition through Big Bend National Park

29.54275, -104.32540 | /// showbiz.clenching.filaments

Difficulty Rating: Moderate

02 Alpine Loop, Colorado

Why it’s on the List

Alpine Loop (aka Alpine Loop Back Country Byway) is a 63 mile vehicle trail that connects the towns of Lake City, Ouray, and Silverton in southwest Colorado. While some of the Loop can be accessed by 2WD vehicles, you better have a 4WD rig to complete the entire trail. You can complete the main Loop in a day but there are also lots of side trails to explore. In your journey from base camp at 7700 ft. to the summit at 12,800 ft., you’ll enjoy high mountain passes, alpine tundra, mountain meadows, ghost towns, and relics of the silver mining era. Bonus: Alpine Loop is nicknamed “American Switzerland.”

Best Time to Go

You’ve got a very short window to check this destination off your list! Alpine Loop is only snow free and open to traffic from June through September.

Options for Group Campsites and Dispersed Camping 

Mill Creek Campground

37.90659, -107.39056 | /// bells.yelling.wavelength

The Crags

38.87145, -105.12057 | /// adventurer.duty.preferably

Angel Creek Campground

38.00594, -107.69234 | /// lollipop.spoken.decked

Must Do Off Road Trails

Yankee Boy Basin Trailhead

37.97940, -107.75910 | /// marshes.immaterial.intention

Difficulty Rating: Moderate

Black Bear Pass, Telluride, CO

37.89731, -107.72779 | /// successes.alarming.discuss

Difficulty Rating: Hard

Member Recorded GPX Tracks 

@LifestyleOverland did the primary loop: 8 hours

37.93375, -107.56840 | /// tangible.prefect.lawyers

Difficulty Rating: Moderate

  03 Southeast Utah near Canyonlands National Park

Why it’s on the List

Southeast Utah is heaven…or at least Mars. Utah is home to 5 national parks and the towering cliffs of red rock are the main attraction in the state’s southeast corner. Zion National Park in southwestern Utah is the state’s (and the country’s) most visited parks, and for good reason. But if you keep driving north on the 15 and then east on 70, you encounter the majestic “other” side of the state, home to Arches, Canyonlands, and Moab.

Best Time to Go

Spring or fall. Late summer and early fall visitors should expect afternoon thunderstorms.

Options for Group Campsites and Dispersed Camping 

Spring Canyon Bottom

38.62111, -109.99976 | /// refresher.support.accepts

Devil’s Kitchen #1

38.13626, -109.86024 | /// eating.raffle.triangular

Dirty Devil Overlook

38.17216, -110.46194 | /// holder.voters.careful

Must Do Off Road Trails

Colorado River Overlook

38.16900, -109.7605 | /// gross.refilling.richly

Difficulty Rating: Moderate

Hell’s Revenge

38.58335, -109.53089 | /// alpha.replicated.brightened

Difficulty Rating: Moderate

Fins and Things

38.58226, -109.50709 | /// vitamin.including.condiment

Difficulty Rating: Moderate

White Rim Trail

38.45930, -109.79520 | /// hang.loops.luckily

Difficulty Rating: Moderate

Member Recorded GPX Tracks 

@probablytheguy did Schafer Trail

38.47131, -109.81131 | /// streamline.gurgled.multiples

Difficulty Rating: Easy

@JPaul did Metal Masher

38.60335, -109.70108 | /// experiments.generates.belongs

Difficulty Rating: Hard

04 Eastern Sierra, California

Why it’s on the List

The Eastern Sierra refers to the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains between the city of Lone Pine and the Nevada border. Covering roughly 24,000 square miles, the region includes world-class outdoor destinations including Mammoth Lakes, Bodie Ghost Town, Mono Lake, and parts of Yosemite and Death Valley National Park. If attractions aren’t your thing, the Eastern Sierra is also our favorite region for dispersed camping and 100% off-grid adventures.

Best Time to Go

As long as you’re prepared for sudden temperature and weather changes, you’ll have a great time visiting year-round. Winter is chilly and you might see snow and hail in the highest elevations. Take note that summers don’t get too hot (rarely above 90 degrees), which means it’s the most popular time for people to visit. Spring and fall are lovely and you’ll encounter fewer tourists.

Options for Group Campsites and Dispersed Camping 

West Lake on USFS Trail

37.20120, -119.1300 | ///  impresses.discoveries.menu

Big Springs Campground, Crestview

37.74857, -118.95046 | /// cuff.lighthouse.parsnips

Dinkey Creek 

37.07470, -119.15427 | /// grazed.hotdog.agriculture

Must Do Off Road Trails

Laurel Lake Trail

37.61875, -118.90834 | /// countryside.wove.vessel

Difficulty Rating: Moderate

Kavanaugh Ridge and Dunderburg Mill

38.10370, -119.25088 | /// inherit.chaotic.brewers

Difficulty Rating: Moderate

Member Recorded GPX Tracks 

@glacierdog did Mono Mills narrow gauge railway to Aurora, NV

37.89190, -118.95850 | /// jams.export.laundry

Difficulty Rating: Moderate

@TahoeTime did Bridgeport to Bodie Ghost Town via Chemung Mine

38.30890, -119.21111 | /// camps.inhabited.visited

Difficulty Rating: Easy to moderate

05 Oregon Back Country Discovery Routes (BDR)

Why it’s on the List

Oregon has it all. Moody coastlines, towering mountain ranges, high deserts, and canyonlands. The Oregon Off-Highway Vehicle Association designed off-highway routes throughout the state to help you see everything that Oregon has to offer. The main route is 1500 miles. You can do the entire trip in 6 discrete sections that are designed for off-road capable vehicles including trucks, ATVs, and motorcycles. The routes are intended to be self-supported backcountry trips so be prepared.

Best Time to Go

The routes open every year once snow has melted and close once snow begins again. Historically, June is the earliest that the routes open. Keep in mind that you’ll encounter mosquitos earlier in the season so don’t forget the repellant. If you go later in the fall, trails will be especially dusty.

Options for Group Campsites and Dispersed Camping 

Cabin Lake Campground

43.49470, -121.05680 | /// sights.diversions.luminosity

Owyhee Mountains

43.34607, -116.99733 | /// bloomers.bluntly.sensing

Two Color Campground

45.03704, -117.44641 | /// quail.coder.promotions

Boulder Park Campground

45.06560, -117.41023 | /// chances.drones.contraband

Must Do Off Road Trails

La Dee Flat OHV Park

45.21224, -122.21316 | /// kilt.gambles.campaigning

Difficulty Rating: Easy, Moderate, Hard

Browns Camp OHV

45.60209, -123.33375 | /// divisional.verifying.cameras

Difficulty Rating: Easy

Member Recorded GPX Tracks 

@MRose did Spring Creek Run

45.37010, -118.29738 | /// truthfully.fingertip.brains

Difficulty Rating: Easy

@TR8R did Gates to Mill City

40.68352, -118.07042 | /// seamlessly.hinders.turns

Difficulty Rating: Easy

Add these bucket list destinations to your Overland Bound One offroad app and have a look around the area for dispersed camping sites, views/attractions, trails, gas stations, mechanics, medical care, and recorded tracks left by Overland Bound members.

Should I disconnect my sway bar and why would I need to in the first place? If you are a seasoned off-road driver, you already understand how sway bars works. But those newer to off-road pursuits might not be as familiar. Don’t worry. We’ll bring you up to speed.

Welcome to Great Question! – A series of articles that focus on basic questions new drivers might have while preparing to venture down the road less traveled.

What is a sway bar?

Sway bars, stabilizer bars, anti-sway bars, anti-roll bars and torsion bars all refer to the same part. They are a fundamental component of the suspension system that helps keep the vehicle’s center of gravity in a safe zone to avoid excessive body lean. The balance provided by sway bars contributes to keeping you safe when cornering, driving up/down a hill or driving over trail obstacles.

Where are sway bars located?

Modern vehicles use a U-shaped steel stabilizer bar that connects the front suspension to the frame and another similar torsion bar that does the same with the rear suspension.
What is the purpose of a sway bar?
In simple terms, the purpose of a sway bar is to prevent a vehicle from rolling over. To achieve this goal, sway bars limit the movement of each wheel and its suspension components to reduce the leaning that could roll over your vehicle during curves or uneven trails.

Keep the phrase “sway bars limit the movement” in mind, as we will return to this shortly.

Which cars have sway bars?

All modern vehicles have front and rear sway bars. However, many vehicles before 2000 only had a front sway bar, and even further back, many vehicles did not have a stabilizer bar. That might make you wonder how necessary sway bars are, which we’ll cover next.

Can you drive without a sway bar?

Well, technically, yes, you can drive without sway bars. But if you think about it, the same could be said for seat belts, airbags and even bumpers. As time passes, manufacturers improve vehicle safety by incorporating new components. Sway bars are one of them.

That said, the real question to ask yourself is, under what conditions should you consider disconnecting your sway bars?

Why would you disconnect sway bars?

Thanks to sway bars, off-road vehicles offer reasonable cornering stability and even safety during mild off-road activities. But what about driving on more extreme trails? Do you really need a sway bar in such cases?

If you disconnect the stabilizer bar from your SUV or truck, you COULD benefit from a greater range of suspension travel. That kind of trail fix is definitely handy if you’re rock crawling at slow speeds. However, you pay a high price as you forgo the suspension’s only body roll control mechanism.

Furthermore, the gain in suspension travel varies widely from vehicle to vehicle. If you add to this that many Overlanding-ready vehicles have fridges, extra batteries, modified bumpers, and additional equipment, then the issue becomes more complex as the center of gravity is no longer the same as the factory vehicle.

For this reason, if you like to enjoy extreme trails, our recommendation is to replace your factory sway bars with aftermarket parts designed for this purpose. That is adjustable sway bars that can be connected and disconnected as needed. However, keep in mind that the latter is only recommended for expert off-road drivers who have additional protective equipment and know exactly what they are doing.

Again, disconnecting the anti-roll bar is not a universal solution as it only provides real benefits to certain vehicles under specific road conditions. For the vast majority of Overlanding enthusiasts, a quality sway bar that is thicker than the original will be more than enough to handle lateral movement while driving through challenging trails.

Why do stabilizer bars matter for Overlanding?

For most, Overlanding is about connecting with nature by taking the road less traveled. In that sense, it is essential to be self-reliant and take care of safety at all times. In some situations, sway bars limit your ability to overcome obstacles, so if you choose to disconnect them, proceed with caution. And remember to reconnect them once the road runs smooth again.

More of a visual learner? Here are some great videos that break them down even more.

Sway Bar Basics

How Electric Sway Bars Work

Why Use Sway Bars Off-Road

The purpose of the Great Question! Series is to always be learning. Everyone starts somewhere, and there are no dumb questions when it comes to overland vehicles. Shoot a message to us if you have a topic you’d like us to review in depth! For those wanting more, check out our write up on vehicle considerations before taking your truck on an overlanding adventure.

Safe travels out there!

We recently took the time to talk shop with Overland Bound Member Blake M. about his Titan swapped 2006 Nissan Xterra build. Blake chose to be very hands on with his build and did many of the modifications himself.

Learn how his love for snow boarding and snowy mountains was the driving factor behind his build process.

You typically won’t find a Nissan Xterra on any top 5 overland platform lists, but his modifications and gear choices makes the Xterra a viable overland travel solution.

2006 Nissan Xterra SE

Name: Blake, Overland Bound Member #2055

Home Base: Snohomish, Washington

Occupation: Aerospace Mechanic

What’s the Year/Make/Model/Mileage of your rig?

2006 Nissan Xterra SE with 130K miles. I’ve had this vehicle for seven years now.

Overlanding Since…

Since I bought the vehicle. I always slept in the back, before I knew overlanding was a thing. We slept in the back up until about two and a half years ago when we got our first used RTT from a friend at CVT.

What is it about Overlanding in your Nissan Xterra that you enjoy most?

The drive. No matter what the trail or fire road is or where it leads. We sometimes find ourselves driving over ten hours in a day just because we are enjoying the ride, the scenery, and the navigating. We get itchy staying in one place longer than 12hrs because we love the aspect of exploring.

Longest trip completed/planned?

Not sure what the longest would be. One of our longer trips was six nights and seven days on the WABDR. We saw one truck and a dirt bike the entire time. Most of our trips are three days.

What influenced your Overland vehicle choice of a Nissan Xterra?

I was in the market for a 4WD capable vehicle that I could sleep in the back of for snowboarding and other activities. That was all I cared about at the time. I wanted it to be easier for me to stay at the mountain and snowboard.

I rode in my friend’s first gen supercharged Nissan Xterra and I was sold. Seven years later I’ve not regretted that decision once.

What are 3 things that you *really* like about your rig?

Uniqueness – I try to make it as different as possible from other Nissan Xterra’s. But what I think is cool is the Xterra is not a common build that you see on the trails or on the roads. Far and few between are the built ones.

The roof. I have always liked the curve in the roof, since I first saw the Xterra. It’s a little different.

Nissan. I love that I drive a Nissan Xterra in what seems like a world full of Toyota’s in the off-road community.

What modifications have you made so far on your Nissan Xterra?

Quite a few. Here’s the run down.

Simple Titan swap is what is on the truck currently. This is when you take Nissan Titan suspension components (stock or aftermarket) and bolt them on to the Frontier or Xterra as they are all on the same build platform.

This involves the upgrade to a front Titan M205 differential and axles from the stock R180. (Learn more about a Titan swap here.)

• We upgraded to the UpTop Overland roof rack a few months back, so far so good.
• Front bumper/skid with Smittybilt winch.
• Rear storage build out.
• Rear seat delete DIY storage platform.
• Onboard air for air ups/air tools/air locker.
• Ditch lights and headlights that do pretty decent.
• Put a 4.56 Yukon gear set and yolk in the three-rib M205 Titan diff up front and rebuilt the diff.

The rear axle we rebuilt and then did a 4.56 nitro gear set with a ring gear spacer from Nisstec. This is paired with an RD149 ARB air locker. Then capped it off with the Ruffstuff/Offroad Gorilla diff cover.

Currently in the process of installing the onboard air system to run said locker, air up tires and run air tools.

Camping & Kitchen:

Currently we just use a Camp Chef Sherpa table that works out great for us, along with a camp chef dual burner stove. We use a 5lb propane tank in the back next to the drawers for that.

Organizers that came with it worked perfectly for our left drawer which keeps coffee/tea, utensils etc. all organized and easy to grab. Right drawer is the pantry with some tools and fluids on the bottom.

Shelter:

Have been using an old CVT Shasta but recently upgraded to a clamshell style aluminum tent from a company I am really excited about, that I will be working with as the west coast rep.

Electrical:

Nothing special yet though there’s big plans for the future. As of now we are using a Goal Zero Yeti 500x paired with a 52l Costway fridge and it works great for that and charging cameras and phones, etc.

Lighting:

So far all I’ve done for lighting in the Nissan Xterra is put on some ditch lights and different headlights. I changed the projector and the bulb in the headlights (now using Morimoto 2stroke LED’s) but still plan to retrofit my old ones myself.

Storage:

We have built a nice dual drawer storage system in the back out of ⅜ birch and some outdoor marine carpeting. There’s more storage underneath the drawers with the weird floor storage area that comes in the Nissan Xterra, and more storage on the sides of the drawers.

We also did a rear seat delete and have a platform for the dog and fridge, with storage underneath.

What would you add or improve on your Nissan Xterra?

I plan to add a rear tire carrier swing out hopefully before Christmas. It will be a custom one off design, which I have lots of ideas for.

I’m also planning to make full skids. Was going to before the prices skyrocketed. There are some sliders sitting in the garage right now that I need to put on as well. I’ll eventually get a little rowdy with it and build a VK56 block and put that in it, and I would SAS it as well.

Have you ever had to make a trail repair?

None so far on this Nissan Xterra. I’ve helped with trail repairs before though. Replacing CV axles, changing a flat, bending back a tie rod and chasing a loose ground are some trail repair memories.

What’s the one piece of overlanding equipment you can’t live without? (Besides your rig.)

Toilet paper. Definitely toilet paper

What’s your favorite destination?

Basically anywhere in the mountains with a good view.

What else should we know about your rig?

It’s a never ending, forever changing build (but aren’t they all) that I’ve had much fun with. I’d like to focus more on suspension and drivetrain upgrades from this point forth and improving its capability.Suspension:

• 2.5” Radflo Coilovers w/ 600lb Eibach Springs
• Total Chaos Chromolly Rebuildable Titan UCA’s w/ 1” Uniball
• Nissan Titan boxed lower control arms
• Nissan Titan Inner/Outter tie rods
• Alcan Custom 4” lift leaf pack +550lbs
• Bilstein 6253 Shocks
• Nisstec Adjustable Shackles
• Timbren Extended Bumps
• Axle Degree Shims for pinion angle
• U-Bolt Flip Kit
• Extended Stainless Steel Braided Brake Lines (front & rear)

Tires: Milestar Patagonia

Wheels: KMC Grenade bronze

Recovery: Running a Smittybilt XRC Gen3 9.5k full synthetic winch. This is sitting inside a DIY garage fabbed front winch plate bumper and front skid plate.

Security: Just my master lock steering wheel lock and manual trans is usually a good deterrent, but if they still feel like getting after that, there’s still a fuel cutoff switch that’s hidden. Good luck!

Nav/Comm: Currently running a CB radio on my Nissan Xterra and looking at Midland GMRS options.

Up Next in the Member Spotlight: Chris Solis gives us the full run down on his vintage Camel Trophy Truck