2026 · Arizona · Flagstaff · Overland Expo West · Toyota · May 04, 2026

An Inside Guide to Overland Expo West 2026

Your Insider Guide to Overland Expo West 2026

We’re just a few weeks out from Overland Expo West. Are you on the fence about whether or not to head out to Flagstaff this year?

If you haven’t grabbed tickets or planned your trip, here’s what we know will be on the docket this year:

Overland Expo West 2026 at a glance

Dates: May 15–17, 2026 — Friday and Saturday 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m.–3 p.m.
Location: Fort Tuthill County Park, 2446 Fort Tuthill Loop, Flagstaff, AZ 86005
Scale: 400+ exhibitors, 175+ classes and demos — growth from 423 exhibitors and 309 classes in 2025
New this year: ORBA (Off-Road Business Association), now a SEMA subsidiary, exhibiting for the first time
Big trend: The industry is moving toward lighter, more integrated systems — 12V over gas, modular over bolt-everything-on
Bottom line: This is widely considered the anchor event of Overland Expo’s 2026 calendar.

Last year's West event drew 28,000+ attendees — and according to the team behind the event, around 41% of them were first-timers! That shows just how popular the event – and the hobby itself – is becoming across the nation.

Hundreds of exhibitors and hundreds of classes and demos — building on 2025’s 423 exhibitors and 309 sessions. Much of the programming leans hard into hands-on skills: vehicle recovery, navigation, route planning, camp cooking, and photography.

The 12th annual Overland Expo Film Festival, sponsored by Remote Vans, kicks off at West 2026. Evening programming includes the Oasis Bar and community gatherings around the fire.

One trend signal from March's SoCal Expo preview that’s worth paying attention to: the industry is shedding weight.

12V climate systems are replacing gas generators. Compact camper designs are squeezing more capability out of less mass. Modular lighting and storage setups that don't wreck payload limits are dominating booth space.

If your mental image of overlanding involves a truck stacked three feet above its rails, the show floor may surprise you.

ORBA is here — and that matters more than it sounds

Here's a big update: the Off-Road Business Association, now a SEMA-owned subsidiary, will have a major exhibitor and sponsor presence at West 2026, as Overland Expo joins as a Platinum‑level member.

You may not be fully aware of ORBA's work, as much of it isn't glamorous — it's lobbying, coalition-building, economic impact reporting, and supporting federal legislation that keeps motorized access to public lands open.

But here’s why ORBA matters. You know those trails you plan routes around? ORBA is part of why they're still accessible. And at Overland Expo West, their leadership will host sessions at the event on land-use issues and how to plug in.

If you've ever wanted to do more than sign digital petitions on land-access issues, their booth is the first stop you should make at the expo.

Build trends to watch on the floor at Overland Expo West

Two platforms are likely to be everywhere on the show floor this year: the Toyota Tacoma Trailhunter and the 4Runner Trailhunter.

The 2026 Tacoma Trailhunter arrives from the factory with the hybrid i-FORCE MAX powertrain, Old Man Emu suspension tuned for overlanding, ARB steel bumpers front and rear, rock rails, a high-mount air intake, a built-in air compressor, MOLLE panels, a stabilizer bar disconnect, and a 2,400W power outlet for camp utility — all developed in direct collaboration with ARB.

We covered the Trailhunter in depth when the platform launched; the 2026 version builds on everything that worked.

But Trailhunter isn't TRD Pro. TRD Pro is Toyota's high-performance off-road flagship. Trailhunter is built around extended remote travel — protection, recovery, and camp power over sport suspension tuning. Knowing the difference helps you ask better questions and cut through the comparison noise on the floor.

Other than that, expect a big presence from Dometic, Expion360, Four Wheel Campers (confirmed exhibiting), Overland Vehicle Systems, and Pelican Products.

The lightweight builds from last year's standouts — FeatherLyte's rooftop tent, Travoca's 12V fridge setups, Denali Campers' lightweight panels — set the template for what you'll likely see iterated and expanded at West.

What to know before you go

Remember, Flagstaff sits at 7,000 feet elevation. In May, that means daytime highs of 70–80°F, overnight lows of 35–40°F (sometimes colder), and the weather can be finicky.

The daily swing is roughly 45 degrees. You will cycle through layers multiple times in a single day — so plan for it!

Our advice is to pack mornings and evenings like fall camping (35–45°F), pack midday like a warm summer day with intense direct sun. At 7,000 feet, UV exposure hits harder than it feels. And remember – sunscreen isn't optional.

For the all-day walk-around, a moisture-wicking base layer and a long-sleeve shirt handle most of the afternoon. A lightweight insulated jacket or fleece goes in your bag for early mornings, post-sundown, and any time clouds come through — which they will.

Footwear needs to handle four to six hours on your feet across mixed terrain. Camp shoes for evening are worth the bag space.

For layering pieces that hold up across the full range of what Flagstaff delivers in May, Goats Trail's Toyota long-sleeve tees and TRD off-road jackets are worth looking at before you pack. They're designed for days that start at 38°F and end at 75°F — which is exactly what you're walking into.

Will you be at Overland Expo West 2026? Let us know!

Overland Expo West is becoming one of the biggest events on the overlanding calendar. The direction of the industry becomes visible here — in the builds on the floor, the sessions filling up first, the conversations at the ORBA booth.

If you’re going, now's the time to get tickets, confirm your campsite, and sort your pack list. Tickets and logistics are at overlandexpo.com/west.

And if you want to see what else is on the schedule through fall, check our full 2026 off-road event calendar — the season stays busy.

Here at Goats Trail, we'll be watching what trends out of those 175+ classes. In the meantime, shop our Toyota off-road apparel collection — licensed gear for people who think 45-degree temperature swings sound like a reasonable trade-off for good trails.

Shop Toyota Off-Road Apparel at Goats Trail