Past event · July 31–August 2, 2026. A free, family-friendly summer off-road weekend at Interlake, with daytime trail rides, a Saturday night run and the Raptor Junkies community.
This event has passed. Ignite the Night Run was the summer Raptor Junkies meetup scheduled for July 31–August 2, 2026 at Interlake State Recreation Area, Indiana. This page preserves the original event information; the schedule below is the published plan, not a post-event report.
The free, family-friendly weekend welcomed all Raptor generations, Broncos, other off-road vehicles and all skill levels. The program paired daytime trail riding with a Saturday night run on the same trails, plus time to catch up with the community.
Dates, venue and schedule
Friday, July 31 through Sunday, August 2, 2026.
Venue: Interlake State Recreation Area, Indiana. The main parking lot was the designated staging and meetup location.
The original schedule was tentative, with exact meetup and dinner times unconfirmed. All posted event times were to use Eastern Time.
Friday, July 31
Arrival day — settle into town or your accommodations
Optional evening hangout — a mod evening or s’mores gathering was proposed, with details to be determined.
Saturday, August 1
Morning meetup — staging, drivers’ meeting, radio check, group photo and airing down in the main lot
Group trail ride — smaller groups could be formed by trail preference and turnout
Lunch break — a packed tailgate lunch or quick trail meal
Afternoon ride — scout and rerun trails planned for the evening, then return to the lot and air up
Optional no-host dinner — a mid-afternoon convoy to RETRO Mexican Restaurant in Jasper
Hotel break or hangout — time to rest before the night run
Night-run meetup — convoy back with the group or meet at Interlake’s main lot
Interlake Night Run — air down and revisit the daytime trails after dark.
Sunday, August 2
Flexible departure day — return home
Optional trail session — another Interlake run was proposed if enough people were interested.
Admission and attendance
The community event was free. Each participant was responsible for a one-time park entry fee paid directly at the entrance; event staff did not collect that fee.
The original listing directed attendees to Facebook to track attendance and required all participants to complete an event waiver before attending. This past-event listing is for reference, with no active registration, waiver submission or surveys.
Family and accommodation
Spouses and children were welcome. Jasper, Indiana was the suggested base, with participants free to choose another hotel or nearby campground.
The organizer was considering a discounted hotel room block based on RSVP numbers and room requests. The source did not confirm a booking or rate. No one was required to stay with the group.
Time zone notice
Interlake is close to Indiana’s Central/Eastern time zone boundary. The original event instructions specified Eastern Time for all posted meetup times and recommended setting phones or vehicle clocks to a known time zone to avoid automatic switching.
Original packing list
Ford Raptor, Bronco or another off-road vehicle; other brands were welcome.
Dual-band radio for trail communication. MURS/GLRE and GMRS capability was recommended if available, with channels to be set at the run.
Packed lunch, snacks, drinks and a cooler with plenty of water.
Standard recovery gear, such as tow straps and shackles, if available.
A good attitude and a spirit for adventure.
The organizer planned to have a few spare handheld radios, with limited availability.
Safety and trail conditions
The original event was described as a casual group meetup. Drivers were responsible for their own vehicles, park passes, safety and trail decisions, and were asked to respect park rules and drive responsibly.
The organizer required no impaired driving, both on the trails and on the public roads to and from the event. Participants found to be impaired could be asked to leave.
The source warned that some routes were Jeep-style trails and could cause pinstriping, body damage or other vehicle damage. Off-roading was at each driver’s own risk. Organizers and participants would help minimize potential damage where reasonably possible, but could not guarantee a damage-free run.
Original event information
Content and the original poster are from Raptor Junkies’ Ignite the Night Run listing, reviewed September 5, 2026. This page records the published event plan; it does not confirm which optional activities took place.
Ignite the Night Run — July 31–August 2, 2026 | Raptor Junkies Offroad
