The Hummer Club is returning to Black Mountain Off-Road Adventure Area for two days of off-roading in the rugged Appalachian mountains of southeastern Kentucky. The club has been visiting Black Mountain since 2010, and it remains one of the most rewarding parks the club runs each year. With over 150 miles of marked and rated trails sprawling across roughly 7,000 acres of mountainous terrain, there is more than enough variety here to keep the group engaged for a full weekend.

Elevations at the park rise to approximately 3,300 feet, and the terrain is a unique by-product of the area's coal-mining and logging history. Old contour mining benches and logging roads form the backbone of the trail system, which is why Black Mountain delivers a mix of long mountain climbs, technical rocky sections, scenic overlooks, and wide-open trails that flow for miles.

The Black Mountain Off-Road Adventure Area is open year-round and managed by the Harlan County Outdoor Recreation Board Authority. The club has built a great rapport with the park over the years, and members report this as one of the more memorable events on the calendar.

If you follow the Hummer club regularly, you may have seen an advertisement from the Hummer Club stating that the event was scheduled to take place on May 29 - May 30. Please note that the dates for this event have been rescheduled to what you see on this page now. The event has now taking place June 26 - June 27, 2026 which is the current details provided on this event page. Additionally, the optional pre-run day that was previously planned for the day before the event (June 25^th) has been removed due to a change in event coordinator. This event will now be a standard two-day off-road event with no pre-run day.

•       Drivers Meeting: 8:00 AM each morning in the side parking lot of the Quality Inn

•       Departure: Convoy together from the hotel to the trailhead (approximately 15 minutes away)

•       On the Trail: Full day of off-roading. Lunch is eaten on the trail. Bring your own lunch, snacks, and plenty of water

•       Return: Typical return to the hotel is around 5:00 PM, conditions depending

•       Evening: The group typically goes out for dinner together at one of the local Harlan restaurants (pay your own)

All registered attendees receive an event shirt. Shirt sizes are collected during registration. Additional shirts may be purchased during registration while supplies last. Park trail passes are paid separately at the park trailhead.

A park pass is required for this event and is paid separately from the Hummer Club registration fee. Park passes can only be purchased in person. They are not available online. After purchase, you receive a sticker that displays your permit, which must be affixed to your vehicle in a visible location.

The park does not offer one-day or two-day passes. The standard smallest pass is a 31-day pass, which is the recommended option if you are only attending this event.

 
Black Mountain Trailhead where you can buy passes

For more pricing and information, see the park's official fees page: blackmountainoffroad.com/fees

A room block has been reserved under The Hummer Club at the Quality Inn Harlan. This is the official hotel for the event and the recommended place to stay for all attendees.

To Book: Call the hotel directly at (606) 573-3385 and reference the group block name HUMMER CLUB 2026 to receive the discounted rate.

Rooms are first come, first served. Standard rates at this hotel are currently around $115 per night, so the block rate is a meaningful savings. It is strongly recommended to book early before the cutoff date.

Town of Harlan

The event hotel is located in Harlan, Kentucky, a small town in rural southeastern Kentucky.

Although Harlan is small, it offers the basic amenities you may need during the event weekend, including:

•       Grocery options including a Walmart and Dollar General

•       Auto parts stores

•       Gas stations

•       Several local restaurants where club members often dine after a day on the trails

Because Harlan is rural, amenities are more limited than in larger cities. If you need specialty items, vehicle parts, or anything specific, it is strongly recommended that you take care of those needs before arriving for the event.

 

Park Access and Trailheads

Getting from the Quality Inn to the trails is about a 15-minute drive to either the Evarts Trailhead (the main southern trailhead) or the Putney Trailhead. The Evarts Trailhead is the more commonly used access point for club events. For trailhead details and information, see blackmountainoffroad.com/trailheads.

 

Cell Service and GPS

•       In Harlan: Cell service is generally very good throughout town

•       On the trails: Cell service can be spotty in places on the off-road trails. Signal at the top of the mountain or in clearings is usually somewhat better and may still get through, but expect dead spots in some areas

Because cell service is unreliable on the trails, downloading offline maps before each day is a good idea. The group also uses radios for trail communication, which does not depend on cell coverage.

All participants are required to have a radio for communication during the event. The club has moved primarily to GMRS radios, which have become the standard for most events. CB radios are still acceptable as well.

•       GMRS radios are the standard for this event

•       CB radios are still acceptable

•       A radio does not need to be permanently installed, a handheld is fine

•       If you arrive without a radio, notify the event coordinator. In many cases a radio can be borrowed from another participant

Downloading your own digital maps is not required for regular event attendees. Trail leaders and the event coordinator will be using their own maps to navigate and guide the group through the park.

That said, some attendees find it helpful to have their own copy of the map if they want to see where the group is within the park, understand the trail layout, or identify areas of interest they may want the group to explore. Having the map available adds context to the trail experience, but is entirely optional.

Trail View Offroad Maps

Free app download, with the Black Mountain map available as a $12.99 in-app purchase. This is the most affordable option for personal use.

•       Website: trailviewapp.com

•       Google Play: Trail View on Google Play

•       App Store: Trail View on the App Store

Lifetime Trail Maps

Base app license is $259.99 and requires a Samsung Android tablet (Android 11 - 15). This application is geared more towards locals who go off-roading often in the region and covers multiple off-road parks. Likely not the best option for an out-of-town visitor coming for a single event, but those who own it appreciate it’s functionality and accuracy.

•       More info: lifetimetrailmaps.shop/product/app

The Hummer Club is pleased to have Mod Mafia on hand as the Official Mechanical Support Partner for Black Mountain 2026. Based out of Magnolia, Texas, Mod Mafia is a well-regarded Hummer H1 and HMMWV specialist shop. Engineer-owned and operated, the shop brings a rare combination of formal engineering backgrounds and extensive real-world trail experience to everything they do. Mod Mafia has been a Hummer Club partner since 2020.

 

When Mod Mafia attends an event, they arrive with their own tools and spare parts and are available to assist members who experience a mechanical issue or vehicle-related problem during the event.

Labor for mechanical support at club events is provided free of charge to members. Any parts or materials used are subject to a cost determined by Mod Mafia.

If you want to get your truck serviced or inspected before the event, reach out to Mod Mafia in advance at modmafia.com.

Mod Mafia's attendance is based on availability and is not guaranteed at every club event. The Hummer Club Inc. makes no representations or warranties regarding the availability, scope, or outcome of any mechanical support services that may be offered.

There are no EV charging stations at the event hotel. The nearest public chargers are located at the Harlan Center in downtown Harlan.

Harlan Center - Level 2 Chargers

Address: 201 South Main Street, Harlan, KY 40831

•       (2x) J1772 Level 2 chargers at approximately 6 kW each

•       Estimated charging speed: ~9 to 10 miles of range per hour of charging

These are not fast chargers and are best used for topping off, not for fully recharging a GMC Hummer EV. Availability and operation cannot be guaranteed, so these should not be relied upon as your only charging option.

GMC Hummer EV owners are encouraged to plan charging ahead of time and arrive in Harlan with sufficient range for the weekend. There are no Level 3 DC fast chargers in the immediate area, so plan accordingly.

•       Driver's meetings are held each morning in the side parking lot of the Quality Inn

•       All trucks should be fueled and ready to leave for the trails without the need for additional fuel stops

•       Pack a lunch, plenty of water, and extra snacks for each trail day

•       A camping chair is recommended for sitting during lunch breaks on the trail

•       A radio is required for communication during the event

•       Ensure your truck is well maintained and in good operating condition. Bring tools and spare parts as you feel necessary

•       Be prepared for long trail days; bring appropriate clothing, fuel, food, and water as conditions and trail length can vary

•       June in eastern Kentucky can be warm and humid with the chance of afternoon thunderstorms; dress in layers

For questions about trail selection, lodging, registration, radio loaners, or anything else related to the event, reach out to the event coordinator using the contact information above.