Spooktacular Poker Run roars into Pahrump

This past weekend, Pahrump witnessed an influx of off-road vehicles as tourists from around the country made the trip to the valley to participate alongside locals in the 2nd Annual Spooktacular Poker Run.

A two-day event combining the freakish fun of Halloween and a passion for off-road adventures while simultaneously raising funds to give back to the community, the Spooktacular Poker Run is hosted by Nye County SxS and JGR Off Road.

This year’s event took place Friday and Saturday, October 16 and 17, offering families an evening of trunk-or-treating before the off-roaders took to the trails the following morning.

All proceeds from the event will go toward Nye County Sleep in Heavenly Peace, an area nonprofit that, utilizing an all-volunteer force, builds bed frames and fits them out with mattresses, linens and pillows before delivering them to the homes of children who need them.

“The event was great!” lead event organizer Ginger Simpson raved to the Pahrump Valley Times once all the dust had settled. “The weather was perfect, the route was well-received and the sponsors came out strong for us this year. Saddle West was very accommodating and from what I was told, they sold out of rooms and RV spots for our event, too!”

It all got started Friday evening, when side-by-sides registered to take part in the Trunk-or-Treat portion of the event began to roll into the vacant land adjacent to the Saddle West parking lot to set up for the night. With skeletons and spider webs, pumpkins, ghosts and all manners of creepy things decorating the side-by-sides and big bowls of candy at the ready, participants welcomed a crowd of local families all eager to don their costumes and kick off the Halloween season.

“The Trunk-or-Treat had about 60 side-by-sides, a truck and a jeep or two, plus the Oscar Meyer Weinermobile was there, and the Star Wars Desert Landspeeder and Lighting McQueen. The kids loved it all,” Simpson enthused.

The next morning, all of the side-by-sides made their way to Wheeler Plaza to register and rally before heading out for the poker run. There was a total of 200 side-by-sides hitting the trails, riding out across the vast expanses of desert and rugged mountain foothills in a poker run designed to offer as much excitement as possible. Each stop, manned by a different group, included a game to determine which card the players would take for their hand.

“The general comments were that people loved the route,” Simpson detailed. “We had added some new parts on the route, too, such as ‘Pick Your Poison’, which was a directional sign where riders could choose left or right trails and they would come back to the main route at the end. This gave options for a side for those wanting more technical aspects and another side for those wanting to take it easier.”

At the end of the ride, everyone headed back to Saddle West for an evening after-party, along with the announcement of the winning hands, and the crowd for this was even bigger than the more than 400 people who rode on the Poker Run route earlier in the day.

“Each of the side-by-sides had at least two people, some had three, one even had five riders,” Simpson explained. “Then, back at Saddle West, we had the after-party with dinner and raffles and fun – it was estimated over 600 people came in and out of the showroom that evening.”

The amount of raffle prizes donated to the event was astounding, Simpson remarked, adding that it truly made the event. “There was an estimated $20,000 to $30,000 in prizes given out, including a Shock Therapy gift certificate for a dual-rate coil system and a ride-improvement system – an approximately $2,000 value,” she reported. “The best hand – a full house with a 9 high – won $1,000 and the second best – a full house with an 8 high – won $500. We also held a 50/50 drawing and the winner received $409 in cash.”

When it comes to how much was raised, the accounting will take some time, as there are a lot of aspects to take into account. This year, the event included the involvement of both the Bureau of Land Management and U.S. Forest Service, for route planning and permitting. Both of these entities must be paid and other expenses covered before the final total raised will be known but whatever amount remains will be destined for a good cause, Sleep in Heavenly Peace’s bed building program for area youth.

“This event could not happen without the many people involved getting it done,” Simpson was quick to point out. “The people behind this event – I couldn’t do it without them. It takes a team to put on something of this magnitude. This is only our second year doing it and we had over 200 registered side-by-sides each year! What started off as a joke between friends, asking why Pahrump hasn’t ever had an off-road poker run, turned into a tease about, ‘Ginger, why don’t you put one together?’ And I ran with it!

“But I was dragging my friends along with me to do it, too, so huge thanks to the following committee of friends/members who suffer with me for the planning and organizing of this event: first and foremost, my husband Jason Simpson; Britt and Christina Davis; Aleana and Tommy McGough; Robin and Mike Holseth; Shaina and Brent Patterson; Donavan and Esme Stumne; and Paula Elefante,” she concluded.

The 3rd Annual Spooktacular Poker Run will take place Friday and Saturday, October 15 and 16, 2027.

For updates or more information, visit SpookyPokerRun.com

Anyone wishing to donate or sponsor next year, contact at Admin@SpookyPokerRun.com”

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com