2026 Off-Road Event Calendar: Races, Expos & Festivals

The 2026 off-road calendar is stacked. Next year is already looking to bring the best in offroading and overlanding events in the US – and there’s something for everyone.

King of the Hammers gets most of the headlines – and rightfully so for its 20th anniversary – but the off-road world extends well beyond Johnson Valley. 

Easter Jeep Safari celebrates 60 years. The SCORE Baja 1000 moves to Los Cabos for the first time in its 59-year history. Trail Hero brings the community together in southern Utah. And that's just scratching the surface.

Ready to plan your year? Here are the events our community talks about and the adventures that create stories you'll tell for decades. Let's break it down.

2026 Events At-a-Glance

Racing & Competition

King of the Hammers

January 22 - February 7

The world's toughest one-day race celebrates its 20th anniversary in Johnson Valley, California. 

What started in 2007 with 12 teams competing for a case of beer has evolved into a two-week festival drawing 80,000+ spectators across motorcycles, UTVs, and 4x4s.

The Race of Kings on February 7 features a 200-mile course combining 100 miles of high-speed desert with 100 miles of boulder-strewn granite requiring inch-perfect precision. Only about 15% of starters finish – creating legendary status for those who conquer "The Hammers."

General admission grants access to over two weeks of racing, the Hammertown Vendor Show, live entertainment, and unlimited spectating across the entire course.

American Off-Road Racing Championship

The 2026 season marks the historic merger of Best in the Desert and Unlimited Off-Road Racing into a unified championship. 

Five races define the calendar: 

• Parker 400 (January 14-18)

• Mint 400 (March 4-8)

• Silver State 300 (April 22-26)

• Vegas to Reno – celebrating its 30th anniversary! (August 13-16)

• Laughlin Desert Classic (October 15-19).

The Mint 400 remains the "Great American Off-Road Race" with deep heritage dating to 1968. The downtown Las Vegas parade, massive car counts, and festival atmosphere make it the sport's most visible event. Vegas to Reno is the longest point-to-point off-road race in the USA.

SCORE Baja Series

SCORE International's 53rd season delivers four championship races across Baja California. The San Felipe 250 opens in March, followed by the Baja 500 in June and Baja 400 in September.

The headline event: the 59th SCORE Baja 1000 moves to Los Cabos for the first time in history (November 9-15). 

This is a big shift – the race has previously started in Tijuana, Ensenada, Mexicali, and La Paz, but never entirely in Baja California Sur. The new venue showcases the southern peninsula's mountains, deserts, and beaches while positioning Los Cabos as an emerging motorsports destination.

Rebelle Rally

October 8-17

The only all-women precision navigation competition in America covers 1,500 miles over eight competition days. No GPS, no phones—just maps, compasses, and roadbooks. All digital devices are sealed for the duration.

Two-person teams (driver and navigator) start at Mammoth Mountain and conclude at the Colorado River near Needles, California. 

Daily competition involves finding hidden checkpoints scattered across the desert, dunes, and mountains using old-school navigation. 

The 11th edition continues to draw automaker-sponsored teams, with manufacturers like Toyota and Ford using it as leadership development for their engineering teams.

Expos & Festivals

Easter Jeep Safari

March 28 - April 5 (60th Anniversary)

Six decades of continuous operation makes Easter Jeep Safari the grandfather of organized recreational four-wheeling. 

Hosted by Red Rock 4-Wheelers in Moab, Utah, EJS delivers nine days of guided trail rides across the region's legendary red rock landscapes.

Participants register for specific trails ranging from 1-3 (scenic routes suitable for stock SUVs) to 7-9 (extreme rock crawling requiring lifted rigs, lockers, and nerves of steel). Routes include Hell's Revenge, Poison Spider Mesa, Golden Spike, and Behind the Rocks. 

Volunteer trail leaders, mid-pack coordinators, and tail gunners guide groups safely through obstacles—the camaraderie defines the experience.

The 60th Anniversary includes a special Night Run on April 1 in partnership with Jeep Jamboree USA, featuring decorated rigs with lights and glowing accessories.

Despite the name, all street-legal 4x4 vehicles are welcome – Land Cruisers, Broncos, 4Runners, built trucks. But book lodging early! 

Overland Expo Series

Overland Expo pioneered the overlanding event category when it launched in 2009, growing from a single Arizona gathering to a five-event North American tour. 

These are big, multi-day campouts where attendees sleep in their rigs, take expert-led classes on driving, recovery, and navigation, and test vehicles on dedicated courses. Plus, it’s one of the best ways to connect with the global overlanding community.

2026 Schedule: 

• SoCal (March 14-15, Costa Mesa)

• West (May 15-17, Flagstaff – the flagship event)

• PNW (June 26-28, Redmond, Oregon)

• Mountain West (August 21-23, Loveland, Colorado)

• East (Fall 2026, Arrington, Virginia)

Expect hundreds of exhibitors, 200+ hours of instruction across all events, test drives on dedicated courses, and the Overland Film Festival.

Trail Hero

September 28 - October 3

Six days in southern Utah combining guided trail rides, music festival, vendor show, rock crawl competitions, and charity events. 

Trail Hero turns the Hurricane/St. George area into an off-road playground where families, hardcore rock crawlers, and side-by-side enthusiasts come together.

What sets Trail Hero apart is its philanthropic focus – it raises funds for veterans, special-needs children, and the Racing Anxiety nonprofit. Over 5,000 veterans and 1,000 individuals with special needs have participated since the program's inception.

Daily guided rides depart at 9 AM for 4x4 and side-by-side routes through Sand Hollow, Gooseberry Mesa, Wire Mesa, and Canaan Mountain. 

Off-Road Expo

October 3-4

The 27th annual Off-Road Expo moves to the OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa. 

This is the industry's premier fall showcase where manufacturers debut their latest products and active racers display their vehicles. All types of enthusiasts can get hands-on access to the newest gear – it’s well worth the ticket!.

Specialty & Regional Events

Hay Days

September 12-13

Snowmobiling's biggest gathering takes over North Branch, Minnesota, each September. 

This is the Sturgis Rally of snow sports – manufacturers bring out new models, racers compete in grass drag eliminations, freestyle riders launch off massive ramps, and much more.

Arctic Cat, Polaris, Ski-Doo, and Yamaha display their 2027 lineups here before anywhere else. Even if you don't ride sleds, Hay Days delivers spectacle worth experiencing.

Sand Sports Super Show

September 18-20

Three days dedicated to dune buggies, sand rails, ATVs, and UTVs at the OC Fair & Event Center. 

If you ride Glamis, Dumont, or any sand dunes, this is the annual pilgrimage to see new gear and connect with the sand sports community before the season starts.

Over 300 vendors, Proving Grounds test drives, and product launches from leading brands make it the world's largest sand sports expo.

SEMA Show

November 3-6

The grandaddy of them all, SEMA is the automotive aftermarket's Super Bowl. 2026’s event is taking over the Las Vegas Convention Center. 

Off-road and 4x4 products constitute a massive portion of exhibitor space – this is where you'll see new tire models, suspension systems, armor, and lighting before they hit shelves.

The main trade show (Tuesday-Thursday) requires industry credentials. However, SEMA Fest on Friday is open to the public with concerts, showcases, and vendors aplenty.

Will We See You Out on the Road in 2026?

2026 is looking to be packed with plenty to see and do – so which ones will you be at? 

No matter your destination, Goats Trail Apparel has the gear you need to look and feel the part.

Check out our latest apparel and accessories and show up to these events looking the part. We'll see you out there – whether it's Johnson Valley, Moab, southern Utah, or wherever the trails take you in 2026.