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Payne: Put on your boots, Detroit 4fest is in town

Posted by Talbot Payne on September 6, 2024

Holly — Summer’s nearly over. It’s time to put away the bathing suit, lace up your boots, and get dirty at Detroit 4fest.

Sponsored by Jeep, the sixth annual event runs this Friday and Saturday, Sept. 6-7, and is Michigan’s biggest off-road-palooza. An estimated 8,000 people and 1,000 off-road vehicles are expected to descend on Holly Oaks ORV Park — a 200-plus acre off-road playground that backs up to the Mt. Holly ski resort. Pickups, 4x4s, ATVs, and side-by-sides are welcome — but motorbikes are prohibited.

“The event just continues to grow,” said CEO Tom Zielinski, who also runs Detroit Winterfest at Holly Oaks in January and 4fest events in Texas and West Virginia. “We have all kind of cool stuff. It you’re new to this whole adventure lifestyle, we’ve got off-road 101 lessons available from our drivers.”

Manufacturers have embraced the off-road lifestyle and Americans’ obsession with SUVs with an array of tough, dirt-kicking product including the Jeep Wrangler, Ford Bronco, Toyota 4Runner, Toyota Land Cruiser. Add trucks like the Chevy Colorado ZR2, GMC Canyon AT4X, Ford Ranger Raptor, and Ram 2500 Power Wagon.

Rock ‘n’ roll. At Detroit 4fest, a participant tests his vehicle’s capability. Detroit 4fest, Detroit 4fest

Located 51 miles north of the Detroit River off I-75 in Oakland County, Holly Oaks offers a uniquely convenient way to exercise your four-wheel-driver without leaving the metro area.

“Holy Oaks is a unique feature because it is the only off-road park in a major metropolitan subdivision in the country,” said Zielinski, an ex-motocross bike racer who worked with Oakland County to convert a spent gravel mine into an off-road mecca. “That makes it really unique and everybody needs to check it out. If you’ve got a Jeep, if you’ve got a Bronco, if you’ve got a Toyota — whatever it is … come join us and have a fun day.”

Holly Oaks has even duplicated some of the famed, remote off-road challenges of Moab, Utah — where hardcore Jeepsters gather every April for Easter Jeep Safari.

“Mt. Magna is a fantastic thing. It has six of the iconic Moab trials — including Mickey’s Hot Tub, Rocker Knocker — some of the toughest trails made out of a giant slab of concrete. Really unique feature,” said Zielinski.

With so many enthusiasts in one place, manufacturers are drawn to Detroit 4fest like bees to honey. Sponsor Jeep will have a display of its off-road warriors, and its sister Stellantis brand, Ram trucks, will show off its latest beast, the 1500 RHO supertruck.

Starting at $71,990 — nearly $30k cheaper than the outgoing, 702-horsepower, V8-powered TRX — the state-of-the-art RHO goes head-to-head with Ford’s twin-turbo V-6 Raptor with its own high-powered V-6, the 540-horse, twin-turbo, straight-6 Hurricane. The supertruck is also armed with off-road tools like Bilstein shocks, 11.8-inch ground clearance, 14-inch suspension travel, and 35-inch all-terrain tires.

It doesn’t skimp on interior amenities, either, featuring 50 inches of available, digital screens including a 14.4-inch console screen, 12.3-inch instrument display, 10.25-inch passenger display and 10-inch head-up display.

The RHO will be for viewing only, but Jeep will offer trail rides so that visitors can sample their latest hardware including the V8-powered Wrangler 392.

Jeep nation checks out 2021 Ford Bronco Detroit 4fest. Henry Payne, The Detroit News

Other toys on display will be trucks from aftermarket mod-shops AEV and Blacklake — including the Silverado Blacklake pickup-up truck with insane, 22-inches of suspension travel. King of the Hammers racer AK Whatley will have his Chaos Motorsports Ford Bronco on hand. Equipment makers Cooper tires, Atturo Tie, and Bilstein shocks will also be in the house.

No 4fest is complete without a competition, and this year entrants will face-off for the Notch Shootout — a treacherous run up the rock-choked Notch obstacle course.

“If someone really wants to show off — and they’ve got a really good off-road rig — come out and try the Notch Shootout,” said Zielinski. “It’s (a time trail) up the big Notch rock course — up the face of that thing, its going to be a lot of fun. And I’m sure we’ll have some daring drivers.”

Jalen Rose Academy will bring a new generation of off-roaders — 50 students — to 4fest. And the event will also feature music, axe-throwing, and Nightfest on Friday night so that drivers can hit the trails under the moonlight. Saturday evening participants can join the 4fest Passport after-party where sponsors give away $30,000 in prizes.

A Jeep Gladiator Rubicon navigates a gulch in Holly Oaks ORV Park’s latest, 71-acre Northern playground. Henry Payne, The Detroit News

“We rent Mt. Holly ski area so people can trailer their vehicles out to the event,” said Zielinski. “We love to see people pull up in a (Jeep) Gladiator with a side-by-side behind it and take the family out off-roading. Have a blast all day, eat food from some of the best vendors in Detroit.”

Detroit 4fest schedule

Tickets: $40 per vehicle for weekend, $25 for Off-Road 101, $10 for spectators, $20 for Friday Nightfest

Friday, Sept. 6

3 p.m.: Gates open

5 p.m.: Off-Road Park open

7 p.m.: NightFest by TYRI Lighting

Saturday, Sept. 7

8 a.m.: Gates open for parking — Mt. Holly entrance/Flag sales will begin

9 a.m.: Gates open at Holly Oaks ORV Park, Vendor Village opens, Jeep/other demos begin

10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m.: Off-Road 101 courses

1 p.m.: The Notch Shootout Hillclimb Time Trial

5 p.m.: Holly Oaks ORV Park closed

5 p.m.-9:30 p.m.: Mt. Holly Ski Lodge Evening Festivities

6 p.m.: Passport To Prizes Drawing

Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or Twitter @HenryEPayne

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