Welcome to Overland South, a weekend camping event for overlanding enthusiasts at the private, 6,000 acre Woodlands Nature Reserve in Charleston, SC. Bring your camper, RV, roof-top tent, converted van, refurbished school bus, stealth camper, motorcycle tent, or whatever. Don't own a fancy rig? No sweat, bring a tent and join the fun! With several lakes and over 30 miles of dirt roads and trails, this massive property is ours to explore. The venue invites us to explore miles of dirt roads and forest trails with licensed vehicles, bikes, or any electric mobility device (Onewheel, Sur Ron, you name it). Bring a canoe to explore the lake of your choice. Kayak tours of the pristine blackwater swamp are only available through Charleston Kayak Company. Planned daytime sessions include a sheepdog herding demonstration, laser skeet shooting, a blacksmith metal forging demonstration, offroading workshops, and more. For evening entertainment, this year we are planning our first annual overlanding short film festival.
Tickets
Tickets are either a three day camping pass or a Saturday-only day pass. A Thursday Early Arrival pass is available for an extra day of camping. Attendance for this event is limited to 300 vehicles. Tickets can be purchased here!
Sponsors
We could not make this happen without the generous support of our sponsors. Please support them when you can!
Preliminary Event Schedule*
Thursday, October 10th
2:00pm - Gates open for Early Arrival Pass holders. Check in, then pick the best camping spot around the lake
Friday, October 11th
11:00am - Gates open for all 3 Day Pass holders. Check in, then pick a camping spot around the lake (please avoid arriving at rush hour)
5:00pm - Community grill at the main tent. BYO camp chair!
6:30pm - Falconry Presentation
7:30pm - Recovery Training Presentation
10:00pm - Night ride!
Saturday, October 12th
7:30am - Oatmeal Breakfast Bar
7:30am - Roads, trails and lakes are open, go explore!
10:00am - Blacksmith Demonstration
11:00am - Sheepdog herding Demonstration
12:00pm - Raffle for a ride in an Army Humvee (one adult winner, one youth with a parent winner)
1:00pm - Laser Skeet Shooting
Presentations, Activities, Food Trucks, Key Note Speaker
10:00pm - Night ride!
Sunday, October 13th
7:30am - Breakfast is up to you, but we'll have coffee and hot water available.
7:30am - Roads, trails and lakes are open, go explore!
10:00am - Challenge Course Style Competition: vehicles will compete in a judged competition to complete the Challenge Course in Style. Competitions include Jeep vs. Taco, Youtuber vs. Youtuber, and Humvee vs. Unimog. To be judged by a panel of experts (likely a handful of kids we pick from the crowd 😄)
12:00pm - Lunch on your own
2:00pm - Break camp, leave it cleaner than you found it
*Activities and schedule subject to change at any time. Join our WhatsApp group to receive announcements.
F.A.Q.
What should I bring?
The venue does not provide power or water, so you'll want to bring enough food and water to survive (and thrive!) the entire weekend. Bring trash bags, if you pack it in, prepare to pack it out. Bring a flashlight.Are pets allowed?
Well-behaved, leashed pets are allowed. Some of the lakes have alligators, so you may wish to leave small pets at home.What kind of vehicles are allowed?
At the request of the venue, only registered/licensed vehicles (cars, trucks, motorcycles) are allowed on the trails, as well as bikes or any electric mobility device (Onewheel, Sur-Ron, etc.)Will you have trash cans?
This is a "Pack it in, Pack it out" event. Please plan to take home any garbage you may generate.Can I swim/fish or canoe the lakes?
The Woodlands Nature Reserve invites you to bring your own canoe to explore the lakes. Unfortunately swimming and fishing are not allowed. The pristine blackwater cypress swamp is only accessible by private tour with Charleston Kayak Company.I have a van, car-camper or RV but don't off-road, is this for me?
Yes! This event is primarily for people who are interested in "habitable vehicles" (even if they only have a tent) and we look forward to many RV's and DIY vans and trucks, and even some "Schoolies" attending. We have many activities and social hours planned, and the huge Woodlands Nature Reserve is open for exploration by bike, Onewheel, or even just good old fashioned walking.I don't have a camper, is this for me?
Sure! Many people will be in tents, but if you can always rent an RV or camper from our friends at Paradise RV.Isn't a "nature reserve" inconsistent with offroading?
The huge Woodlands Nature Reserve has opened the very rare invitation to us to explore 30+ miles of trails on their property. Of course, we expect all explorers to abide by TreadLightly.org's T.R.E.A.D. principles, and the speed limit for the entire property is 15 MPH. Explorers should take care to not damage the trails...except for two areas: the powerline trail and the recently harvested forest area. The power company has traditionally managed forest growth under the powerlines with an amazing amount of nasty chemicals. The Nature Reserve has finally bargained with the power company to not do that, on the condition that the Reserve can keep growth down on it's own. So, quite paradoxically, you will be helping nature by knocking down every sapling and plant you like on the Powerline Trail. There is a fair amount of topography on the Powerline Trail, including low ridges, ditches and bogs. If you want to get stuck out there, you definitely can.Can we have a campfire?
There will be a community fire pit at the main tent. You are welcome to have your own fire if you bring a raised fire pit.Where can I follow announcements during the event?
Announcements and communications will be through our Overland Conclave WhatsApp Community.Is this event weather-dependent?
This event is rain or shine! Programming is subject to change at any time, subscribe to our WhatsApp Community to receive updates.
