Jeep's Easter Safari Concepts Tackle Moab's Most Iconic Trails

Fins and Things doesn't care what badge is on your hood. The sandstone ledges and stairsteps of the Sand Flats Recreation Area sort capable rigs from pretenders, and at the 60th Easter Jeep Safari, three of Jeep's most ambitious factory concepts proved they belong on one of Moab's most demanding OHV trails.

Journalist Kevin Sintumuang drove the Wrangler XJ Pioneer, the Wrangler Anvil 715, and the JPP Buzzcut on Fins and Things during the March 28 to April 5 event, reporting firsthand on steering feel, suspension behavior, and trail manners. The lineup signals where capable OHV builds are headed, and each design choice carries practical weight for anyone booking a Moab trip this season or next.

The XJ Pioneer is the sentimental pick for best in show. Built on an actual 1984 Cherokee donor vehicle, Jeep added a 2-inch suspension lift, quick-disconnect sway bars, carbon fender flares, and 33-inch BFGoodrich all-terrain tires on 17-inch wheels, then bolted on integrated rock rails to protect the original bodywork. The standout detail: the Cherokee's 2.8-liter V6 engine was left completely stock because it ran well enough that the team saw no reason to touch it. Chris Piscatelli, Jeep's lead design manager, captured the nostalgia driving the build: "Those of us who actually grew up in the eighties, remember that realistically, it was Fifty Shades of Brown."

The Anvil 715 earns the boldest-engineering citation. Starting from a Wrangler Rubicon, Jeep replaced every panel from the A-pillar forward with carbon fiber components CNC-machined from custom molds, work managed by fabricator Dan Feldman, who has had his hands on nearly every Easter Jeep Safari concept in recent memory. The inspiration came from Kaiser-era military Jeeps, and the redesigned front end, taller composite top with integrated skylights, and 392 HEMI V8 give it serious trail authority. Its 37-inch tires and locking differentials made short work of Fins and Things' steepest ledge sequences.

The Buzzcut gets the most-likely-to-influence-your-next-rental vote. The chopped two-door Wrangler runs a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with an 8-speed automatic, rolls on 37-inch tires with bypass shocks, and carries a Warn winch on a steel front bumper flanked by 7-inch TYRI lights. On Fins and Things its compact footprint gave maneuvering advantages that longer rigs couldn't match, though the chopped roofline narrowed the windshield and limited sightlines at technical obstacles. For guided operators and rental customers alike, the Buzzcut's build illustrates the clearest trend from the entire 2026 lineup: full recovery systems and proper lighting integrated from the ground up, not bolted on as an afterthought.

Jeep's three remaining concepts were on display at Walker Drug in downtown Moab through April 3, including a Grand Wagoneer Commander on 35-inch all-terrain tires and a purpose-built Gladiator Red Rock fitted with a Rock Krawler 3-inch lift, 37-inch BFGoodrich KM3s, a Warn winch, and an ARB onboard air compressor. That Gladiator was donated directly to the Red Rock 4-Wheelers at the event and is now patrolling Moab trails year-round for marking, maintenance, and rescue support.

The donation reflects how deeply the 60th anniversary entangled spectacle with stewardship. Jeep employees joined Red Rock 4-Wheelers and BLM crews for organized trail work days, repairing rock walls and clearing debris on routes already strained by the tens of thousands of enthusiasts who flooded Moab during event week. For anyone planning around a future Safari, the practical math is the same as the one those concepts were demonstrating on Fins and Things: show up prepared, with the right tires, a proper recovery kit, and enough lead time to secure lodging and trail registrations before the crowds do.