Overland Expo West 2025 in Flagstaff, Az?

[Sid Post]

https://www.overlandexpo.com/west/

What advice does everyone have for attending the Expo West event mid-May this year? What is different between the two camping options? Does the extra money get you anything besides camping near the "grandstand"?

I will be headed that way out of East Texas so, any recommendations on things to see and do on the way out or while in Arizona would be appreciated as well.

Best Regards,
Sid

 

[Umbrarian]

Arrive Thu if camping. Avoid getting a locked in spot. The Event has outgrown the venue, so expect it to be crowded.

If you have time, take the road less traveled. I went 380 West, camped first night in Lincoln, then hit VLA, Petrified NP, Meteor Crater. Second night in Cinder hills and check out Sunset Crater.

 

[mep1811]

Expect to be very crowded if camping on site. No escape in the event of a fire nor running out to the store if you forgot something. . The plus side is meeting other people. The last time I went, I stayed at the KOA. Very comfortable .

 

[AbleGuy]

Be prepared for enjoyment of a choice of mud or dust. Both have been issues in past outdoor events up there.

That area has been getting more and more windy in recent years. So be prepared for that possibility impacting your camping.

Fire season has already started up in the higher elevation piney forests of northern Arizona so maybe have a plan developed ahead of time as to how you’ll handle a response to that threat.

Make camp reservations asap. There isn’t a lot of capacity in the Flagstaff area and the KOA is way over on the opposite side of town with lots of slow traffic to navigate to get to the show site. Take the freeway across town back and forth if you stay there, don’t make the choice to drive (crawl) through the center of town.

Know that USFS camping and driving restrictions caused by forest closures can also happen and impact availability of/access to off site hobo camps.

It’s prohibited to camp in your rig overnight anywhere in the city limits (you're certainly not able to overnight at Walmart, but possibly might be able to at Cracker Barrel but they’ve got very limited space there). The community has been pretty harsh about enforcing that no city camping rule too.

Way west of town, off of the interstate you might find some spots to free camp (Camping World?). Way east you might stay in the parking lot of the Navajo Casino off of the freeway (it’s very, very noisy all night there with big truck traffic though).

 

[Sid Post]

Be prepared for enjoyment of a choice of mud or dust. Both have been issues in past outdoor events up there.

Sounds like my past attendance at the Fort Collins, CO Expo events. Some serious mud there a few times, and high winds as well on other visits.

 

[AbleGuy]

https://www.overlandexpo.com/west/

I will be headed that way out of East Texas so, any recommendations on things to see and do on the way out or while in Arizona would be appreciated as well.

Best Regards,
Sid

Great back road route…

E. Tx to Roswell NM*
Roswell to Socorro
Socorro to Pie Town** past the VLWA base***
Pie Town NM to Springerville Az
Springerville AZ along the scenic Mogollon Rim to Flagstaff


*https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g47182-Activities-Roswell_New_Mexico.html

An otherworldly resident in Roswell, a small city in the southeast corner of New Mexico that lacked much of a national identity until one day in 1947 when, believers say, an unidentified flying object, or UFO, landed in the nearby desert

1 photograph : digital, tiff file, color.

www.loc.gov

**stop here for a break, for coffee and sweet treats at any of the several places offering ‘home made’ pies



***as recommended above by Umbrarian

Visit the Very Large Array - National Radio Astronomy Observatory

Welcome! The Very Large Array (VLA) Radio Telescope facility is a two-hour drive from Albuquerque, 50 miles west of...

public.nrao.edu

 

[LexusAllTerrain]

Be prepared for enjoyment of a choice of mud or dust. Both have been issues in past outdoor events up there.

That area has been getting more and more windy in recent years. So be prepared for that possibility impacting your camping.

Fire season has already started up in the higher elevation piney forests of northern Arizona so maybe have a plan developed ahead of time as to how you’ll handle a response to that threat.

Make camp reservations asap. There isn’t a lot of capacity in the Flagstaff area and the KOA is way over on the opposite side of town with lots of slow traffic to navigate to get to the show site. Take the freeway across town back and forth if you stay there, don’t make the choice to drive (crawl) through the center of town.

Know that USFS camping and driving restrictions caused by forest closures can also happen and impact availability of/access to off site hobo camps.

It’s prohibited to camp in your rig overnight anywhere in the city limits (you're certainly not able to overnight at Walmart, but possibly might be able to at Cracker Barrel but they’ve got very limited space there). The community has been pretty harsh about enforcing that no city camping rule too.

Way west of town, off of the interstate you might find some spots to free camp (Camping World?). Way east you might stay in the parking lot of the Navajo Casino off of the freeway (it’s very, very noisy all night there with big truck traffic though).

How early should we arrive to the Parking space at event if we have paid parking on a Friday or Saturday?

 

[AbleGuy]

How early should we arrive to the Parking space at event if we have paid parking on a Friday or Saturday?

It’s pretty tough to predict the crowd expected there…but the recent one in SoCal set attendance records, I believe.

That being the case, if we see the same kind of response here, the line of backed up traffic to get into the venue will likely start early. Traditionally, the Friday crowds weren’t as big as the weekend crowds FWIW.

If it’s a nice day weather wise, maybe plan on getting there as early as you comfortably can, get parked and just take a walk through the big ponderosa pines nearby or sit on your folding camp chairs, enjoy a cappuccino and tasty pastry from Macy’s (absolutely the best coffee and bakery in Flagstaff*) and watch the parade of attendees.

Me? I’d be there an easy hour early (but that’s because I’m kinda ADHA… my spouse always gives me grief for wanting to leave extra early for my doctors appointments 15 minutes away too🤣).

*Late for the Train coffee shop is also pretty good

 

[Sid Post]

I have been told the Flagstaff event has larger crowds than what I see at the MTN West event in Ft. Collins, CO. Traffic to get in is apt to be pretty bad.

 

[KarstenP]

I'm staying in in La Quinta hotel, is there a shuttle to the expo site?

 

[toddz69]

I'm staying in in La Quinta hotel, is there a shuttle to the expo site?

There used to be - and I assume it's still running. You get on at a parking lot at NAU and ride a bus to the event.

Todd Z.

 

[KarstenP]

Thanks!

 

[plh]

Expect to be very crowded if camping on site. No escape in the event of a fire nor running out to the store if you forgot something. . The plus side is meeting other people. The last time I went, I stayed at the KOA. Very comfortable .

I stayed at the KOA in Flag a few years back. It is pretty nice. Good breakfast too (at that time).

 

[Sid Post]

I'm staying in in La Quinta hotel, is there a shuttle to the expo site?

There are shuttle bus details on their website. Seems like I remember seeing 3 drop-off/pick-up spots. I'm camping there so, be sure to confirm details on their website as my camping directions changed between reserving my spot and getting my most recent email from them with updated directions to get on site and to get my armband for attendance.

 

[LexusAllTerrain]

I'm staying in in La Quinta hotel, is there a shuttle to the expo site?

You will need to walk Half a mile to P62 , a 15 minute walk under the interstate 17. If you are ok doing that...La Quinta is a nice Hotel.