Where can you go and not go with a 3500-4000lb (dry) overland trailer?

[msterner]

Oh ya - Arkto can handle all of that. Turning around is always a concern. We usually peep roads on Google Earth beforehand and do a risk analysis when we are there on the ground. But we haven’t run into any issues at all - this is our third trailer though (we bought and modified cheap stuff out of Indiana before this). Shoulda just made the upgrade sooner frankly - but money lol. It’s been game changing having the arkto. I was so scared to buy something new and with a steep price tag (not compared to other overland models but still). I have never been happier. Always happy to chat via a DM if you’ve got specific questions!

Hey Fox,
Can't tell you how helpful this is for context! Sounds like you are into a lot of the same stuff we are. We like to be remote and honestly spend more of our time backpacking, hiking, climbing, mtn biking, etc. Just want to be able to get wherever we want to get to, but we're also not looking to overly focus on the "automotive" side of overlanding per se.

Kids are 5 and 9, so they'd be in the bunks now. No more cribs!

Would love to hear more about your trips. I am also interestd in getting into canyoneering. Long time climber and into repelling, but I live in the Midwest, so haven't gotten into canyons yet!

Thanks so much!

 

[eatSleepWoof]

Very good advice as usual. But if your TV and trailer are 5-10 feet longer how could that not effect your turning radius?

It does affect it, but not to the point that two-three more back & fourth movements cannot get me out of the situation.

At the end of the day, 99% of the spots where I can turn around with a tiny overland trailer are intersections or fields, in which I can just as easily turn around with my full size travel trailer.

 

[Obsessed2findARuggedHybid]

It does affect it, but not to the point that two-three more back & fourth movements cannot get me out of the situation.

At the end of the day, 99% of the spots where I can turn around with a tiny overland trailer are intersections or fields, in which I can just as easily turn around with my full size travel trailer.

I have been in situations that my rig barley made the turn and I could not have done it in a Tundra Crewmax and a 20 foot trailer. The best advice you gave is to be prepared to back out down step hills with switchbacks by practicing. I am always super stressed out about on coming traffic on narrow steep roads.

 

[eatSleepWoof]

I have been in situations that my rig barley made the turn and I could not have done it in a Tundra Crewmax and a 20 foot trailer. The best advice you gave is to be prepared to back out down step hills with switchbacks by practicing. I am always super stressed out about on coming traffic on narrow steep roads.

It can definitely happen, no doubt about that. Which takes us back to everything being a compromise.

If you spend all your time on very tight trails, leading to unknown destinations, through unknown terrain, you're going to need a very different setup from someone cruising well developed FSRs. Thankfully there are lots of options to choose from.

 

[ruadhrigh]

I also have an Arkto and have been on some trails that had me sitting upright. Videos don't do much justice but I have taken the trailer up Stony Pass from the Silverton side. Lots of tight switchback and blind corners, plenty of steep loose climbs also. Trailer did not care.
I also took Stony Pass from the reservoir side and although not as sketchy it was very tight. My truck has an awful turning radius and that was more of a hindrance than the trailer.

We have found some very remote camping sites and base camped from them. That's the benefit of a trailer, once you're camp is set up there's no tear down if you want to roam.

 

[dstefan]

I had deposit on a TetonX and finally came to my senses just before they started the build and backed out. Not due to the trailer or the company, but because I wanted to go back to the White Rim and many other places in the Southwest that I love and did previously in my built ’09 Tacoma and a tent.

Instead we put an Ovrlnd camper on the modified ’21 Tundra I was gonna buy anyway for the TetonX. Since then, I have been able to go nearly anywhere I wanted in comfort, including technical trails that I would not dare to try with a camping trailer. I have also seen several seriously stuck off road due to the trailer limitations and helped recover one.

Sure, I could have dragged a trailer some of those places, and a very few times I wanted to have a base camp and not have to close up the camper for the day to explore, but the lack of hassle that would come with a trailer is huge for us.

I have more room in my camper than we would have in the TetonX (we spent time twice in person with Kyle and Lindsey crawling around inside of one) and you can fit 2 adults and two kids in camper. Not to mention, I don’t have two vehicles to break down, have flats, etc on the trail.

At the end of the day you’ll need to figure out 2 things: 1) where do you really want to go, and will your backpacking selves be happy with the limitations of the trailer in reaching remote, difficult places and 2) How good are your off-road skills and self recovery, because I can’t see that you won’t have issues in technical areas with a trailer. That includes how you’ll feel about your wife and kids not being too happy with the inevitable difficulties if you misgauge your trails or areas. I’ve been doing this for decades and I didn’t trust myself to haul a trailer the places I want to go. ‘Course simple FS roads are another thing, but your post didn’t sound like that’s what you wanted.

 

[Obsessed2findARuggedHybid]

Great points for sure. With a truck camper it is kind of a dedicated vehicle. This is great if you don't need your tow vehicle as a daily driver. It also seems like 90 % of truck campers are over the cargo capacity of the truck. Once camp is set up you can't drop trailer and leave camp.

 

[Spencer for Hire]

You can always buy a Casita. I know with a family of 4 it may be tight. but a lot cheaper. There are many folks who have set it up for off grid and remote trails with lifts, new tires and suspension. Though, you may not be able to pop wheelies or do skateboard tricks in the desert.
For instance; https://forum.expeditionportal.com/threads/off-road-heavy-duty-casita-build.216478/

Why we chose a Casita Travel Trailer for full-time RV living | Two Happy Campers

The reasons why a Casita Travel Trailer is perfect for our new full-time life on the road!

twohappycampers.com

Finally, you may have read about MALI MISH. They are a family of 4 that has used a bunch of different vehicles to travel the world. Here is their off road Casita that was for sale and a description of their mods.

 

[Obsessed2findARuggedHybid]

You can always buy a Casita. There are many folks who have set it up for off grid and remote trails with lifts, new tires and suspension.

That is an option if you totally replace the Lippert Dexter axel.

 

[Spencer for Hire]

Aren't those 2 different axels?

 

[Tex68w]

While it might be possible to drag a well-set-up overland-style trailer with good suspension over the Alpine Loop, I'd highly advise against it.

 

[Obsessed2findARuggedHybid]

Aren't those 2 different axels?

Yes likley but Lippert keeps buying all thier competition. Plus they are both mass produced.

 

[DVD]

Really enjoying this thread. My wife and I are coming at this from the opposite side of the age spectrum (considering offroad trailer to augment offroading/overlanding as retirement approaches), but have the same general question/concern. Arkto and EOS are both high on the list. Bummer about Alpine Loop. We did that maybe 12 year ago, before side-by-sides got big, and that was on the list of trips we'd like to reprise with a trailer, but I was wondering about traffic now. Other places/trails on the "nice to return with more time and a trailer" list: Death Valley (except for Steel Pass/Dedecka Falls - great advice to do this as a day trip from basecamp if one so desires), Mojave Trail, KofA. All these are great winter trips, but we've gotten pretty cold on prior trips; Canyonlands Maze (hmm wonder about that trail with switchbacks, but I imagine that it's navigable with trailer with patience), Dolls House might be a challenge, but again, it would be great to get out there and spend multiple days hiking, biking, and just soaking it in with a nice trailer. More frequent scenario is the additional comfort and time when basecamping compared to our tent trip last summer to the Maroon Moutains area west of Crested Butte. We had to get a few miles out of town and past the "4WD-Only" sign before there were available dispersed sites. Then enjoyed a few days of basecamp with beautiful mountain views with daily explorations/adventures.