A New 4x4 Park

Are you an active user with truck within 100 mile radius of Raleigh

  • Yes

    Votes: 36 80.0%

  • No

    Votes: 9 20.0%
  • Total voters
    45
CasterTroy said:
  • You don't have nearly enough acreage
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I disagree that there isnt enough acreage... just depends on what you want. The Farm was only ~20 acres and it could have more obstacles than were there, but there wasnt any trail riding. Again it goes back to the clientel you want to market it to. If it were me, I would look at the guys with jeeps/etc on 33-35s. Have some trails around to ride on, and some rocks and hills, nothing too crazy.
 
paradisePWoffrd said:
I disagree that there isnt enough acreage... just depends on what you want. The Farm was only ~20 acres and it could have more obstacles than were there, but there wasnt any trail riding. Again it goes back to the clientel you want to market it to. If it were me, I would look at the guys with jeeps/etc on 33-35s. Have some trails around to ride on, and some rocks and hills, nothing too crazy.
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This. The more I think about it, the more I think your target audience isn't the experienced crowd here, its the relative stockers who are just looking for an afternoon ride, maybe a day, to play w/ their Jeep.
Which could mean a slightly different operational model too, b/c they are less likely to be part of a club, so the club-only, reserved-event model may be difficult. Perhaps it would need to be something semi-regular, like only weekends, or first weekend of every month, or something predictable.

In fact, imagine if you struck a deal w/ some Jeep dealers in Raleigh or Durham to buy entrance passes in bulk, which they throw in as an enticer with a Jeep purchase. There are a lot of guys out there who would be super stocked to get 2 free passes to try out their new JL Rubicon.
 
RatLabGuy said:
This. The more I think about it, the more I think your target audience isn't the experienced crowd here, its the relative stockers who are just looking for an afternoon ride, maybe a day, to play w/ their Jeep.
Which could mean a slightly different operational model too, b/c they are less likely to be part of a club, so the club-only, reserved-event model may be difficult. Perhaps it would need to be something semi-regular, like only weekends, or first weekend of every month, or something predictable.

In fact, imagine if you struck a deal w/ some Jeep dealers in Raleigh or Durham to buy entrance passes in bulk, which they throw in as an enticer with a Jeep purchase. There are a lot of guys out there who would be super stocked to get 2 free passes to try out their new JL Rubicon.
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I have my 100 acres where this is exactly the approach I've thought about taking when I'm day dreaming. Create a mud drag area on about 20 acres. But even then, I couldn't imagine having more than 20-25 rigs at a time on 80 acres. Which after parking for rigs and trailers and a small refreshment area, probably turns that 80 acres in to 60 acres tops. But that 60 acres is probably only going to appeal to the 33" and smaller club, and the 'I want some mud spatter down the side of my rig before I pull back in to the high school parking lot' demographic.
 
BigClay said:
and maybe those of us that work in an office :lol:
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I still have some residual clay on the quarters of my bronco from a wet two track I went down 3-4 years ago. Made sure to rev in 2wd like no tomorrow, to optimize rooster tail effect and maximize splatter. I do it for the street cred.
 
UTfball68 said:
I have my 100 acres where this is exactly the approach I've thought about taking when I'm day dreaming. Create a mud drag area on about 20 acres. But even then, I couldn't imagine having more than 20-25 rigs at a time on 80 acres. Which after parking for rigs and trailers and a small refreshment area, probably turns that 80 acres in to 60 acres tops. But that 60 acres is probably only going to appeal to the 33" and smaller club, and the 'I want some mud spatter down the side of my rig before I pull back in to the high school parking lot' demographic.
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So what's wrong with this? I mean, it may not sound appealing to a lot of us, but it does to a lot of others. Including @BigClay apparently :D
If it is register-for-event style, then you just open the doors to the first 30 rigs that get registered.
Although I think you'd be surprised how many you can fit into a park IF they are lined up into groups and not just running around randomly. The Cove is a pretty small place too (not this small) and they have probably 100+ that line up into groups for the Main Jamboree.
Also, the majority of 33" Jeep guys won't have a tow rig and trailer.
 
Acreage size has very little to do with what type of vehicles should be marketed to.

6 acres of good obstacles could keep a group of 5-6 buggies occupied for most of a day.

Depends more on the type of terrain and obstacles of what group/type to market to.
 
RatLabGuy said:
So what's wrong with this? I mean, it may not sound appealing to a lot of us, but it does to a lot of others. Including @BigClay apparently :D
If it is register-for-event style, then you just open the doors to the first 30 rigs that get registered.
Although I think you'd be surprised how many you can fit into a park IF they are lined up into groups and not just running around randomly. The Cove is a pretty small place too (not this small) and they have probably 100+ that line up into groups for the Main Jamboree.
Also, the majority of 33" Jeep guys won't have a tow rig and trailer.
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Nothing at all is wrong with it, was just saying. I think there's potential there. He's just asking the wrong people for participation (right people for advice). Post the park on FB and I'm sure plenty of less experienced wheelers (than the folks here anyway) would be interested.
 
UTfball68 said:
Nothing at all is wrong with it, was just saying. I think there's potential there. He's just asking the wrong people for participation (right people for advice). Post the park on FB and I'm sure plenty of less experienced wheelers (than the folks here anyway) would be interested.
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Continuing with that line of thought, there may also be opportunity for "4Wheeling 101" classes for an extra fee per session.
 
Make it JKs only and sell t-shirts and latte's and you'll get rich on the merch.
 
jeepinmatt said:
Make it JKs only and sell t-shirts and latte's and you'll get rich on the merch.
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I would say sell light bars and the jeep wave stickers for the side mirrors.
We all know you cant have a 4 door wrangler without those necessary accessories.....
 
CasterTroy said:
That's part of the problem

The folks you're getting responses from have "paid to play" at parks all over the country and have experience.

What you're talking about is the equivalent of me going to Bad Daddy's burgers and having a GREAT burger, and deciding to buy a food truck and start a mobile burger business. And if you've ever had one of my Burgers served at AOP in the rain, you know how good of an idea that is

@obullfish @Wildwilly87 @Jason W.

  • You don't have nearly enough acreage
  • You need to hire a Civil engineer and have them come inspect your property and introduce you to NCDENR. If you've never heard of NCDENR and you continue without consulting a civil...you will
  • You need a compact dozer for ANY kind of trail system
  • If you don't get a dozer, a skid-steer with mulcher at a min

Personally? With that acreage you're better off targeting enduro/single track dirt riders than full size rigs
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Exactly!!!!! :popcorn:
 
77GreenMachine said:
You also need to figure out insurance, liability waiver forms, and most importantly erosion control. You may get by for a while with just a handshake and a $20 bill for a day of wheeling but if you start having the creeks get muddied up too much and it gets noticed someones gonna come looking to hand out some fines. They may give you the option to fix the erosion and set up sediment ponds and you continue, which will cost a boat load, or they shut you down entirely. It’s best to control it before they even notice by using proper water diversion and some simple straw bales and gravel. This takes money and time as well.
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Hasn't broken nut been goin thru the same thing w their park??
 
Regarding acreage, DPG is ...I think 48 acres.
And I've seen 50 rigs entertained for a day there.
 
1-tonmudder said:
Hasn't broken nut been goin thru the same thing w their park??
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Yes owner did not get proper permits from county. He had a problem law was called and then tried to get the proper permits from county. He was then was denied and had to hire a lawyer to get the permit to operate. Well at least that is part of the story per what I was told.
 
Ron said:
Regarding acreage, DPG is ...I think 48 acres.
And I've seen 50 rigs entertained for a day there.
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Even hosted multiple races, with moderate success.
 
ghost said:
Yes owner did not get proper permits from county. He had a problem law was called and then tried to get the proper permits from county. He was then was denied and had to hire a lawyer to get the permit to operate. Well at least that is part of the story per what I was told.
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And didn't Skip have some trouble from the city or county over mud in the road too??
 
NC4x4Park said:
So this little 42 acres has a 40-60 foot drop to play on. A few trails. A few dried up creeks. 1 protected creek which would have a 25’ Wide rock garden to enable trucks to cross. A couple of clearings for mud pits. Possibly a small tent camping site by the marsh.but not likely. Food and beverages will be on site. No cookouts.

4 hour pass
$25 a vehicle
$5 a passenger
Kids under 12 free

$350 yr
$3 a head
2 hour pass daily

Would you visit?
How often?
Thoughts?
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A time limit will never work.I have rode w folks that broke just 30/40 mins from the trailer and it took us hours to get them off of mountain.Break something around dark and it could easily turn in to an all night ordeal.Been there,done that.
 
Ron said:
Regarding acreage, DPG is ...I think 48 acres.
And I've seen 50 rigs entertained for a day there.
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Last I was there was in like 2011 if I remember correctly. They still host events?


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Small park is doable.
Gulches 80 acers,
The Flats, 68 acres
The SHOP 100 acres
DPG was 40 something
and so on.

What ever your property will support as far as demographics, go with that. If it's for bone stock 4X4's, so be it. If it excludes the bigger built rigs, well it suck for us, but we all started in something, in stock form. There are so few places in that area to go to, I am sure if it's run right, then it will be a success. Charge a reasonable amount. keep the place up. Create a decent place to park(this is where Skip at Gulches really falls behind, if his parking lot is wet, then it is a total cluster F*** to get in or get out, and nasty's up the road, therefore, he can't open because of this pretty often.
make some reasonable rules, like NO DRINKING, No ATV's, seems this crowd every where is responsible for all the spider trails, creating excess run off, and they are the ones mostly throwing out the blue cans(for lack of space for trash). Forget having your own food place. Allow groups like churches and so on, to come in and serve, and make a little money. Trust me, that is one big headache that you don't want.
Forget the hour thing. Set hours for start to wheel, and hours for off the trails.
find yourself a club, or a group, to help maintain the property. Man power will be needed.
Small parking space? have someone directing traffic. stack em in close, so you can get them in.

There's a lot to think about and do, but like I said, if it is run right, and you build it, they will come.
No, you may not support the big boys, but there is a hellova lot more stockers out there with no where to go, than there are big built rigs
 
Also with the smallish amount of acres what are the properties all around it. If you have a lot of people coming in half drunk or on 4wheelers they will think they can make trails where they want and pretty soon will be entering your property and then trespassing on to any property that butts up to yours.


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