2003 Camp Jeep Oak Ridge Estate, Virginia - Back East For More Trails, More Jeeps

We've covered Camp Jeep since its inception, and each year it gets bigger and better. Camp Jeep 2003 returned to the East Coast location of Oak Ridge Estate, just south of Charlottesville, Virginia. This was the fourth time in eight years for Camp Jeep at this venue, and CJ 2004 is slated to be held there as well. While DaimlerChrysler tried to institute a Camp Jeep West in Southern California this year, the majority of registrations came from east of the Mississippi, so the western version was cancelled. However, some from the West made the trek, as the long-distance awards were tied between Washington and Southern California.

Regardless of location, Camp Jeep is the only all-Jeep owner event, unlike anything else in the industry. With nearly 2,000 Jeeps-from Flatties to Libertys-and 6,000 people, participants enjoyed a host of lifestyle activities from mountain biking to kayaking. But the best parts for true Jeepers are the engineering roundtables, where Jeep engineers spend time with owners and enthusiasts and, of course, the trail rides. The Estate covers acres of land where private trails are maintained by local 4x4 clubs for this express purpose, and over half of the owners went trail riding during the weekend. With trails ranging from scenic to hard-core, it took three days to handle the demand. If you're interested in this year's Camp Jeep, go to www.jeep.com for the latest information.