Welcome to Big Dogs Family Offroad!

What to expect at Big Dogs Family Offroad LLC Events-

As you pull into The Cove Campground, you will feel a calming sense come over you. Even if the traffic on the Cove Road is backed up, just look to your left and breathe, you made it! Be ready for all the Cove and Big Dog’s Family Offroad has to offer.

When arriving at the Cove office, you will stop at the cones. A friendly staff member will come out to get you checked in and through the gate as quickly as possible. The per person fee for land usage at the Cove is separate from the Big Dog Offroading fee. Please be patient with the Cove office, as events get busy and wait times may be longer than normal.For the 2022 season The Cove fees for the event are $75 per person (12 and under are discounted). Please call The Cove direct at 540-858-2882 for more information on camping/lane use fees. Big Dogs Family Offroad LLC’s fee for the event covers the operating costs for the actual event. 

The Cove will give you 3 cards, one is for their records and it is to be in your vehicle at all times. (you will need to turn this into them when you leave). The other 2 are ours- one for you to keep with the rules and the other with your registration number on it. You will give us the card with the number at the registration tent. If you don’t get a number when you check in and you are wheeling, please ask for one. If you forget it in your tow rig or back at camp, you will be asked to get it. This number is important to keep the count straight with the Cove and ensures that everyone has paid the land usage fee. We try to keep costs down and part of that is making sure all vehicles are paid for. We have to cover insurance and other costs to pull off these events so please help us keep it going by following these rules. You will also get a wristband at the Cove office, please leave this on for the weekend.

Once you are through the gate and checked in with the Cove, it’s time to come see us at registration in the field on the left a short way past the Cove office. Remember to bring that card with your number! Side note: if it is late, getting ready to rain or the kids really need to get settled in, head to camp and take care of things first then come to registration after or in the morning if getting in late. Please, if possible, try not to wait till the morning of the event to register. Registering before the morning of the event is greatly appreciated if you are at the Cove in advance. The morning of the events can get pretty busy so the sooner you get registered at the Big Dog’s tent, the better and smoother the events will go.

When at registration, you will present your number card. If you did not get one, you will need to go back to the Cove office and get one. If you forgot it back at camp, you will need to go back to camp. You cannot get registered without the card with your number. This goes even if you pre-registered online, as we still have waivers to be signed. Everyone must sign a waiver and children also need to be signed for. We like to keep the insurance company happy so Big Dogs can happen.

Once registered at the tent and waivers signed, you’ll receive your numbered Big Dogs event registration sticker. Please place this sticker on the windshield of your off-roading vehicle. This sticker is very important. It shows you have followed all the rules and that you have paid. Again, another way to keep costs down is to make sure all attendees are paying their part. We also use this sticker to keep track of the rigs.

After you are registered, you can chat away at registration, go back and chill at camp, or enjoy all the Cove has to offer- swimming, fishing, kayaking/canoeing at the lake, hiking, two shooting ranges or boat rental. (additional Cove fees for some activities) At registration, we will also have T-shirts and such for sale, as well as raffle tickets. The event raffle funds will be donated to 4 Wheel to Heal. All proceeds go directly to the charity they are for. We keep nothing. Anyone that wishes to donate prizes to the raffles, please contact us directly. Raffles will be getting bigger and better as we move into 2022.

What to expect Friday and Saturday mornings-

The driver’s meeting starts at 9am sharp in the field at registration. Participants are to be in the field by 8:30 am and getting lined up. If you are not in the field at 9am you will need to wait till the next group of rigs go out (this could take a while since we are set up to go at 9am and you will have to wait for a new group to form). We record registration numbers in the field before you head out with your guide. Anyone that does NOT attend the driver’s meetings and is out on the trails will be asked to leave the event with no refund. Each morning the driver’s meeting is REQUIRED! Back to keeping the insurance company happy and willing to keep up insured, which is required to hold events.

When you pull into the driver’s meeting, please use the entrance that is closest to the cove office/beside the rock pile. Once inside the driver’s area, please pull into the line that you are going on. Please do not bunch up in groups in the back. If you are wanting to go out with a group of friends, please pull in at the same time. We have to keep things organized in the mornings. If you are not sure which line to be in, please park by the rock pile and walk up, or look for someone in a yellow safety vest. It is best to figure out which line you want BEFORE the driver’s meeting. You can always come down to registration and ask, get info and guidance. Just please try to do it BEFORE the driver’s meetings.

Once all lined up, we will get the driver’s meeting started at 9am. After the meeting (lasts about 15 min), you will get with your guide and then get going! Before we pull out, your registration number will be recorded. Note-If you are with the 1,2,3 line, your guide will be having another quick meeting with you and going over any questions that you may have. After that, you are off into the 3,000 acres for some fun off-roading!!

Some groups circle back around at lunch time. We will have seating out as well as some canopies for shade. We do not have a food vendor at the events, but no one has ever gone hungry at Big Dogs. Not with Charlie around! Cash tips/donations appreciated but not required to eat whatever we have to offer at the registration tent. Not all groups come back for lunch, as the group makes that call to stay out for the whole day and pack lunch. The groups that do come back usually eat and leave after an hour or so to go back out. Some participants choose to not go back out but no one is ever to be on any trails without an approved guide. All groups are to be off the mountain by 5pm on Friday and Saturday.
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What to expect Friday and Saturday night-

Friday night, we have the mud pit show! We start around 8pm, depending on the light. We have lighting and the show will usually last till about 10pm. The mud pit is behind camp 6, just go straight back. Please do not try and hit the mud pit that is back there unless you are doing the mud pit event/show. There is a cash prize for “Best of Show” through the mud pit. The prize is based on how many crazy people want to go through it (or attempt). We do have a recovery team that will be there to get you out.

There will be caution tape up and all specters are to be on the right-hand side as you enter the area. No ONE that is not part of the mud pit crew is to be on the other side of the caution tape for any reason. No Passengers under the age of 18 are permitted in the vehicle going through the mud pit. If you are intoxicated, don’t even think about it. There are also no alcoholic containers allowed to be in the vehicle. Seat belts must be worn. Big Dogs reserves the right to refuse any person or vehicle from any event or part of the event. If you choose to go through the mud pit or any mud, you’re stuck with it till you get home. There is no washing of jeeps/rigs at the Cove, due to environmental policies. If you get muddy and take a shower, please make sure to clean up the shower after you are finished.

DJ Dave will be at the mud pit spinning some awesome tunes and Eugene Rose with the Mason Dixon Boys will be running the show. Please make sure to follow any instructions they give you.
Yes, there are lots of rules here but we promise you, it’s a great time.
PS. If you go through the mud pit at any time that is not the mud pit show time and get stuck, we will get you out and then laugh at you for the rest of the event. We like to have fun.

Saturday night, around 7-8pm, weather permitting, we will be doing another “Best of Show” in the driver’s field. This time, the show is all about the “Best of Show” on the Rock Pile, in the field. Again, we will have DJ Dave, Eugene Rose and the Mason Dixon Boys running the show with a big bonfire! We will also be selling more raffle tickets during the event and towards the end we will pull the winners!

There will be caution tape around the rock pile. Please stay on the outside of that line. No one is to be in the circle except for a spotter. When parking along the caution tape, please stay 2 vehicle lengths back so that we can have a nice broad walkway. We encourage parents to not let their children sit on the ground at the caution tape. We aim to make this as safe as possible and with that we ask that you follow these rules with a vehicle going over a rock pile that is probably going to come barreling over the other side, sitting on the ground right by caution tape is not a safe thing. Please keep yourself and children back.

Participants going on the Rock Pile must not be intoxicated. Seat belts and or harnesses must be worn. No alcoholic containers are to be in the vehicle. No passengers under 18 are permitted. Big Dogs reserves the right to refuse any person or vehicle from any event or part of the event.
The event lasts till about 10pm. DJ Dave will play on for a while if anyone wants to just sit and chill and hang out to the music around the fire.

We really wanted to have the bouncy house up again and the roll over jeep going but due to Covid, we have decided to keep them in storage. Having kids in and out of the bouncy house and needing to keep it sanitized is just not possible. Same with the roll over jeep. People in and out of the jeep and the helmets. We hope to resume these activities soon.

What to expect Sunday-

Sunday morning is a little more relaxed and anyone that wants to go out, we are back again for a driver’s meeting at 8:30 and on the trails by 9am. We run till about noonish so that everyone can get packed up and on the road at a decent time. And then….. Lisa gets to take a NAP! Thank you for reading through this and we hope to see you at the next Big Dogs Family Offroad Event!