The Ultimate Wildcat Off-Road Park Trip Planning Guide

Getting a few friends to say “Let’s go ride Wildcat” is the easy part.

Then somebody has to organize the trip.

Who’s actually going? How many machines? Who’s pulling which trailer? Where is everybody staying? When are people arriving? Who’s bringing recovery gear? What’s the food plan? How hard does everybody want to ride? And what time does the group need to leave Sunday?

A great Wildcat Off-Road Park weekend doesn’t require a complicated itinerary.

It does require getting a handful of important decisions made before six trucks start heading toward East Bernstadt, Kentucky.

This Wildcat Off-Road Park trip planning guide walks through the entire process—from the first group text to loading the machines for home.

Step 1: Decide What Kind of Wildcat Weekend You’re Planning

Do this before booking anything.

Ask the group a simple question:

What kind of riding weekend do we want?

A group looking for challenging terrain and long riding days will plan differently from a family bringing younger riders.

Maybe your crew wants:

• long riding days
• scenic exploring
• challenging terrain
• mud
• a beginner-friendly weekend
• a social trip with plenty of downtime
• some combination of everything

There’s no wrong answer.

Problems happen when nobody asks.

If half the group expects to ride hard from morning until dark while the other half imagines relaxed riding followed by grilling and a fire, somebody is probably going to be disappointed.

Agree on the general personality of the trip first.

Everything else becomes easier.

Step 2: Get a Real Headcount

“I think I’m coming” isn’t a headcount.

Before booking lodging or arranging trailers, establish who is actually committed.

You need to know:

Number of people

Number of machines

Number of trucks

Number and approximate length of trailers

Number of nights

Expected arrival times

This information affects almost every other decision.

Eight people arriving in two trucks with one large trailer is a very different logistical problem from eight people arriving separately with four trailers.

For Wildcat groups, machine and trailer count can matter almost as much as guest count.

Step 3: Identify the Least Experienced Rider

This isn’t about embarrassing anybody.

It’s about designing a trip everyone can enjoy.

Ask about riding experience before the weekend.

If someone is relatively new, build that into your initial riding plan instead of discovering it when the group reaches difficult terrain.

An experienced group can always increase the difficulty.

A beginner who’s already overwhelmed can’t magically become experienced halfway through Saturday morning.

If someone in your group is new to trail riding, our Wildcat Off-Road Park Beginner Guide goes deeper into terrain, line selection, hills, mud, water crossings and building confidence.

Step 4: Decide How Everyone and Everything Is Getting There

This sounds obvious until Thursday night.

Determine:

Who is hauling each machine?

How many machines fit on each trailer?

Who’s riding with whom?

Where will everybody meet?

Is the group traveling together or separately?

Does everybody have the lodging address?

Does everybody know the planned arrival window?

If one person’s truck or trailer is critical to transporting multiple machines, confirm that arrangement well ahead of departure.

Don’t build the transportation plan in the parking lot on Friday.

Step 5: Choose Lodging Based on the Group, Not Just the Bedroom Count

Once you know the actual group size and trailer situation, choose where you’re staying.

Wildcat Off-Road Park itself currently offers cabins, RV sites and primitive camping. Hotels are available around London, and private vacation rentals and rider-oriented lodging are available throughout the area.

Each option serves a different kind of trip.

But for groups hauling machines, don’t evaluate lodging like you’re booking a normal vacation.

Ask:

Can our trucks and trailers actually fit?

Can we turn around?

Where do the machines park?

How many real beds are there?

How many bathrooms?

Is there somewhere for muddy riding gear?

Can we cook for the group?

Is there laundry?

Can everyone hang out together after riding?

For a complete breakdown of these considerations, read our Where to Stay Near Wildcat Off-Road Park guide.

Step 6: Understand What “Close to Wildcat” Actually Means

Don’t automatically choose lodging based solely on the number of miles to Wildcat’s main entrance.

Wildcat’s main location and General Store are at 7800 N US Hwy 25 in East Bernstadt, Kentucky.

But your group’s riding logistics may involve other access points and nearby trail systems.

For example, Wildcat Pondside Basecamp is approximately 4.1 miles from Wildcat’s main entrance, but it’s also approximately 2.8 miles from Wildcat’s Hazel Patch Trail access and approximately 700 feet from an Outlaw trail entrance.

Same property.

Three different measurements.

When comparing lodging, ask what the advertised distance actually means and how it fits the riding you intend to do.

Step 7: Divide Group Responsibilities Before Packing

This is one of the easiest ways to prevent everybody from bringing six of one thing and zero of another.

You don’t necessarily need every machine carrying identical shared equipment.

Assign responsibilities.

One person may handle the larger tool kit.

Another handles shared recovery equipment.

Someone handles food.

Someone handles drinks and coolers.

Someone makes sure important navigation information is available.

Each driver remains responsible for the machine-specific items and personal safety equipment they need.

A group plan doesn’t eliminate individual responsibility.

It eliminates the sentence:

“I thought somebody else brought it.”

Step 8: Give Every Machine a Pre-Trip Inspection

The week before Wildcat is the time to discover a problem.

Not Saturday morning.

Inspect the machines early enough that you can actually fix something.

At minimum, look at:

• tire condition and pressure
• fluid levels
• brakes
• battery condition
• lights
• belts where applicable
• steering and suspension
• wheel/lug condition
• winch operation
• obvious leaks or loose components

Pay extra attention to anything that has recently been repaired or modified.

If something has been making a strange noise for three weeks, don’t assume a weekend of trail riding will cure it.

Step 9: Pack by Machine, Person and Group

Instead of making one enormous pile of gear, divide packing into three categories.

Machine

Tools, recovery equipment, spare or repair items, tire-related equipment and anything specific to keeping that machine moving.

Person

Helmet and other appropriate safety equipment, clothing, boots, medications or personal items, water and weather gear.

Group

Shared tools, coolers, food, communications equipment and anything that doesn’t need to be duplicated eight times.

That simple system makes forgotten items much easier to identify.

We intentionally aren’t turning this section into another giant checklist because we already built one. Use our What to Pack for a UTV Trip to Wildcat Off-Road Park guide when you’re ready to load everything.

Step 10: Make a Friday Arrival Plan

Friday determines how Saturday starts.

If everyone arrives exhausted, trailers are scattered everywhere, nobody knows where anything goes and dinner hasn’t been considered, Saturday morning starts by cleaning up Friday’s mess.

Instead, establish a simple arrival procedure.

Before leaving home, every driver should know:

The lodging address

Where to park

Where trailers go

Where machines unload

How to check in

Who’s expected to arrive first

What the Friday food plan is

If you’re arriving late, don’t feel obligated to completely unpack the universe.

Get people settled.

Secure the machines.

Handle the essentials.

Eat.

Relax.

You came to ride Saturday—not win an unloading competition Friday night.

Step 11: Check Wildcat’s Current Information Before the Trip

Don’t assume the information from your last visit—or from a six-month-old Facebook post—is still current.

Before leaving, check Wildcat Off-Road Park’s current information for things such as:

• operating/check-in information
• riding passes
• events
• announcements
• relevant park policies
• weather-related information

Wildcat currently states that its trail systems may be ridden until midnight, but always verify current information before your particular visit.

Special-event weekends deserve extra attention because they can affect traffic, crowds and the overall feel of the weekend.

Step 12: Check the Weather Twice

Check the forecast several days before leaving.

Then check it again shortly before departure.

Weather affects more than clothing.

It can affect trail conditions, visibility, mud, water crossings, how quickly the group travels and how physically demanding the ride becomes.

A forecast can also change your packing strategy.

Rain expected?

Bring enough dry clothing.

Cold morning followed by a warm afternoon?

Think in layers.

Hot and humid?

Increase the group’s emphasis on water and breaks.

Planning for weather doesn’t mean canceling every time a cloud appears.

It means not being surprised by something you could have anticipated.

Step 13: Have a Friday Food Plan

This deserves more attention than it gets.

People arrive at different times.

Everyone is hungry.

Nobody wants to make a decision.

That’s how eight adults end up standing in a kitchen at 9:30 PM asking:

“So… what are we eating?”

Solve Friday dinner before Friday.

Maybe everybody eats on the road.

Maybe someone picks up food.

Maybe you cook something simple at the cabin.

It doesn’t matter.

Just decide.

Step 14: Make Saturday Breakfast Easy

Saturday morning is prime riding time.

Don’t accidentally turn breakfast into a two-hour event unless that’s what the group wants.

Coffee.

Simple food.

Water bottles filled.

Coolers ready.

Machines checked.

Gear on.

Go ride.

If you’re cooking a large breakfast, designate who’s doing it rather than waiting for somebody to volunteer.

The objective isn’t to rush.

It’s to avoid wasting the morning through indecision.

Step 15: Don’t Overplan Saturday’s Route

Your main riding day needs a plan.

It does not need a minute-by-minute itinerary.

Before leaving basecamp, agree on:

Where you’re starting.

The general kind of riding you want.

Approximate lunch timing.

How long you expect to ride.

What happens if part of the group wants harder terrain.

What you’ll do if somebody gets separated.

When you expect to return.

Then allow the actual day to develop.

Trail conditions, weather, machine issues and what the group is enjoying can all change the plan.

Structure helps.

Rigidity doesn’t.

Step 16: Establish the Group Riding Rules Before Moving

You don’t need twenty rules.

You need everybody understanding the basics.

Decide who leads.

Decide who rides sweep at the rear.

Don’t make major turns without making sure the rider behind you sees where the group went.

Leave enough room between machines.

If someone stops, communicate.

If the group separates, know what happens next.

If you’re using radios, set the channel before everyone starts driving.

Five minutes of communication at basecamp can save an hour of confusion on the trail.

Step 17: Have a Separation Plan

Ask the group:

“If we get separated, what are we doing?”

Everybody should know the answer.

Depending on the situation, that may mean returning to the last known intersection, waiting in place or meeting at an agreed location.

The exact strategy matters less than everyone following the same strategy.

Without a plan, the front half goes searching.

The back half moves.

Someone else turns around.

Now nobody knows where anybody is.

Solve this before it happens.

Step 18: Plan Fuel Before You Need Fuel

Know approximately how much range each machine has under actual trail conditions.

The machine with the shortest practical range can affect the entire group.

Don’t assume everyone gets similar fuel mileage just because the machines look similar.

Driving style, terrain, idling, mud, hills and machine configuration all matter.

Start the main ride prepared.

If your group carries additional fuel, decide who is carrying it and make sure it’s transported appropriately.

Running out of fuel isn’t an adventure.

It’s a logistics mistake.

Step 19: Build Water and Food Into the Ride

Don’t make hydration something riders remember when they’re already thirsty.

Every machine should have access to drinking water.

Bring some food or snacks even if the plan includes returning for lunch.

Plans change.

Rides take longer.

Someone gets stuck.

The group finds an area they don’t want to leave yet.

Having water and something to eat gives you options.

Step 20: Give Saturday Dinner a Plan Before Saturday

After a full riding day, everyone will have opinions about dinner.

Very few people will want to organize it.

If you’re eating out, decide beforehand.

If you’re cooking, know what you’re making.

A crockpot or slow-cooker meal is nearly perfect for a riding weekend: start it before leaving and return to food that’s already waiting.

That’s much better than eight hungry riders staring into a refrigerator hoping dinner assembles itself.

Step 21: Treat Basecamp as Part of the Trip

The riding may be the reason you came.

But you’re going to spend a substantial portion of the weekend somewhere other than the driver’s seat.

After riding, people need showers, dry clothes, food, places for boots and helmets, somewhere comfortable to sit and somewhere to sleep.

That’s also when some of the best parts of group trips happen.

Dinner.

A fire.

Cards.

Talking about who almost got stuck.

Planning tomorrow.

Making fun of the person who absolutely did get stuck.

The right lodging doesn’t compete with the riding experience.

It extends it.

Step 22: Do a Five-Minute Machine Check Saturday Evening

Before completely shutting down for the night, look over the machines.

Did anything start leaking?

Any tire damage?

Anything loose?

Did somebody notice an unusual sound?

Does anything need cleaning before you can properly inspect it?

Is fuel handled for tomorrow?

Five minutes Saturday evening can prevent discovering a simple issue when everybody is dressed and ready to ride Sunday morning.

Step 23: Make Sunday Different From Saturday

One of the easiest planning mistakes is treating Sunday like another Saturday.

It isn’t.

You still have to return.

Load machines.

Pack the property.

Secure everything.

Possibly clean up.

Drive home.

Give Sunday a defined turnaround time.

Work backward from when you want the trucks leaving.

If departure is 2:00 PM and you need 90 minutes to get everybody cleaned up and loaded, don’t start heading toward basecamp at 1:45.

A shorter Sunday ride is often better than ending a great weekend in chaos.

Step 24: Divide Checkout Jobs

Don’t let one person become the trip parent.

Before leaving, divide the obvious tasks.

Someone checks the refrigerator.

Someone gathers trash.

Someone checks bedrooms.

Someone checks bathrooms.

Someone handles coolers.

Drivers secure their machines.

Trailer owners handle tie-downs.

Someone performs a final walk-through.

This isn’t about turning vacation into work.

It’s about getting eight people moving in the same direction.

Step 25: Do the Final Trailer Check

Before pulling onto the road, stop.

Walk around the entire setup.

Check:

Machines secured.

Tie-downs correct.

Ramps secured.

Trailer connections.

Safety chains.

Jack raised.

Doors/gates closed.

Loose items secured.

Lights working.

Tires visually okay.

Everybody accounted for.

Then leave.

Five minutes here is worth it.

A Simple Wildcat Weekend Schedule

You don’t need to follow this exactly, but it’s a useful starting point.

Friday

Afternoon/evening: Travel to East Bernstadt/London area.

Arrival: Check in, position trailers, unload what’s necessary and get settled.

Evening: Easy dinner, look over machines, review Saturday’s general plan and relax.

Don’t make Friday harder than it needs to be.

Saturday

Morning: Breakfast, coffee, machine check and gear up.

Early ride: Start with terrain that gets everyone comfortable.

Midday: Water, food, fuel and group check-in.

Afternoon: Continue riding based on conditions and how the group feels.

Evening: Return with enough energy left to enjoy basecamp.

Night: Dinner, laundry/dry gear if necessary, machine check and tomorrow’s plan.

Sunday

Morning: Simple breakfast and optional shorter ride.

Late morning/early afternoon: Return at the predetermined time.

Load-out: Pack, secure machines and perform final checks.

Departure: Leave without turning checkout into the hardest obstacle of the weekend.

Planning a Wildcat Trip for Beginners?

If part of your crew is inexperienced, don’t simply shorten the Saturday route.

Build the entire weekend differently.

Start easier.

Allow more time.

Keep the group smaller if possible.

Choose patient experienced riders.

Take more breaks.

Let the beginner gain confidence before increasing difficulty.

Our Wildcat Off-Road Park Beginner Guide covers this in much greater detail.

Planning a Wildcat Trip With a Large Group?

Large groups are fun.

They’re also slow.

Ten people don’t get ready twice as slowly as five.

Sometimes they get ready four times as slowly.

Someone can’t find gloves.

Someone needs fuel.

Someone forgot a phone.

Someone is still making coffee.

Someone’s machine suddenly needs attention.

Build extra time into everything.

The larger the group, the more valuable it becomes to assign responsibilities and establish clear departure times.

And when selecting lodging, pay particular attention to parking, bathrooms, beds and gathering space.

What Should You Book First?

For a normal weekend, I would secure the hardest-to-replace part of the trip first.

For many groups, that’s lodging that can actually accommodate the people plus trucks plus trailers plus machines.

Then finalize transportation and other details.

For special events and popular weekends, plan farther ahead.

Wildcat maintains an events calendar, so check what’s happening around the dates you’re considering before the group commits.

An event may be exactly why you want to visit—or a reason you prefer another weekend.

Your Wildcat Trip Planning Timeline

A Few Weeks Before

Confirm the group.

Choose dates.

Check the Wildcat event calendar.

Book lodging.

Finalize trucks, trailers and machines.

Identify beginners.

One Week Before

Inspect machines.

Coordinate shared equipment.

Start watching the weather.

Confirm arrival times.

Finalize meals.

Make sure everyone has the lodging information.

Day Before

Recheck weather.

Check current Wildcat information.

Fuel vehicles and machines as appropriate.

Finish packing.

Download or save navigation information.

Charge devices and radios.

Friday

Travel.

Arrive.

Park.

Get settled.

Eat.

Prepare for Saturday.

Saturday

Ride.

Enjoy Wildcat.

Come back tired.

Eat well.

Relax.

Sunday

Ride if the schedule allows.

Return on time.

Load carefully.

Go home already talking about the next trip.

Where Wildcat Backwoods Fits Into the Plan

Wildcat Backwoods exists because we kept looking at this entire process and asking:

How can lodging remove friction from a Wildcat riding weekend?

That’s why our priorities aren’t simply decorative amenities.

They’re things riders actually use.

Wildcat Pondside Basecamp

WPB is designed for groups of up to eight with four real queen beds, two full bathrooms and two living spaces.

There’s a full kitchen for group meals, Speed Queen laundry for riding clothes, rider gear organization and substantial gravel parking designed around trucks and trailers.

After riding, the pond, firepit, Adirondack seating and outdoor areas give the crew somewhere to actually enjoy the evening.

It’s built around adult riding groups that want to ride hard without sleeping like they’re still on the trail.

Wildcat Rally Basecamp

WRB is designed as a private rider compound.

Its two-building layout separates sleeping and gathering so part of the group can call it a night while everybody else keeps hanging out.

The property is being built around large-group parking, rider facilities, machine washing, covered SxS parking, outdoor gathering space, firepit and hot-tub recovery.

The idea is:

Sleep here → Hang out here → Park here → Wash here → Recover here → Ride Wildcat.

Both properties follow the same philosophy.

Make the logistics easier.

Make recovery more comfortable.

Think about the little things before the rider has to.

Ride Hard. Rest Easy.

Wildcat Off-Road Park Trip Planning FAQ

How many days should I plan for Wildcat Off-Road Park?

For groups traveling a significant distance, a Friday-to-Sunday weekend gives you time to arrive, enjoy a full Saturday and potentially ride again Sunday before leaving. Groups wanting more riding time can extend the trip. Your ideal length depends on travel distance, experience and how aggressively you plan to ride.

When should I book lodging for Wildcat?

Once your dates and realistic group size are established, lodging is worth securing early—particularly if you have multiple trucks and trailers or need a property suited to a larger group. Special-event weekends deserve additional planning.

Should we plan every Wildcat trail before arriving?

No. Have a general riding strategy, but allow conditions, weather and the group’s experience to influence the actual route. Overplanning can become frustrating when the trail day doesn’t unfold exactly as expected.

What should our group bring to Wildcat?

Every rider needs appropriate personal and safety gear, while the group should coordinate tools, recovery equipment, food, water, navigation, communications and machine-specific supplies. Use our What to Pack for a UTV Trip to Wildcat Off-Road Park guide for the detailed checklist.

Where should we stay for a Wildcat trip?

That depends on your group. Wildcat currently offers cabins, RV sites and primitive camping; hotels are available in the London area; and private vacation rentals provide additional options. Groups hauling several machines should give extra weight to trailer access, parking, real bed count, bathrooms, laundry and gathering space. Our Where to Stay Near Wildcat Off-Road Park guide goes deeper into that decision.

How late can you ride at Wildcat Off-Road Park?

Wildcat’s current FAQ says riders can use the park’s trail systems until midnight. Verify current rules and operating information directly with Wildcat before your trip.

Is Wildcat good for a mixed-experience group?

It can be, provided the group plans around the least experienced riders and doesn’t force everyone onto terrain beyond their comfort level. Start conservatively and increase difficulty as the group becomes comfortable.

One Person Should Own the Plan

Here’s the final piece of advice.

Every group trip needs somebody who knows the answers.

Not somebody controlling every minute.

Just somebody who knows:

Where are we staying?

Who’s coming?

Where are we meeting?

What’s the arrival plan?

Who’s hauling what?

What’s dinner?

What time are we riding?

What’s our separation plan?

When are we coming back Sunday?

That person prevents twenty tiny decisions from becoming twenty tiny arguments.

Once the basic plan is handled, everybody can stop organizing the trip and start enjoying it.

And that’s the entire point.

Less friction. More riding. Better weekends.

Ride Hard. Rest Easy.