Yes, and it's already documented. Ford ran pre-production Broncos on the Rubicon in 2020, and all three finished. But "finished" and "finished clean" are different things, and the trail Jeep named its most capable Wrangler after doesn't hand out easy passes to anyone.
In This Guide
What the Rubicon Trail Is
The Rubicon Trail is about 22 miles through the Sierra Nevada, from Georgetown, California, to Lake Tahoe. It's been run as an organized event since 1953, when the first Jeepers Jamboree brought 55 Jeeps through it, and it's been rated as difficult as a 10 out of 10 on the numeric trail scale, with narrow granite passages, rock ledges, and obstacles like Cadillac Hill, Big Sluice, and Walker Hill. It's also the trail Jeep's Wrangler Rubicon trim is named after, which makes it as close to a home course as Jeep has.
Access and When to Go
The Rubicon Trail is technically open to motorized travel 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with no fixed seasonal closure dates. In practice, Sierra Nevada snowpack makes it impassable for months at a time, and the safe window generally runs June through September. Check current conditions through the Rubicon Trail Foundation before planning a trip, since snow depth and occasional fire restrictions can close sections with little notice.
Ford Already Tested This
In 2020, Ford sent three pre-production Broncos onto the Rubicon Trail, and Bronco6G forum members spotted and photographed them. All three completed the trail. They also came back with real damage: a scraped steel front bumper, scratched paint, and at least one video showing a Bronco struggling on a steep rock climb before sliding back down with an audible crunch. This wasn't a clean, effortless run. It was three factory test vehicles finishing a trail that's punished far more capable rigs, and coming out scarred for it.
What It Took to Finish
The three test vehicles weren't stock in the strictest sense. One was a 2-door Badlands on 33-inch BFGoodrich all-terrain tires, standard wheels, and a Ford Performance steel modular front bumper. Another was a 4-door Badlands with a manual transmission, 33-inch Goodyear mud-terrain tires, and Ford Performance beadlock wheels with beadlock rings. The third was a 4-door Badlands with the Sasquatch package and the same Ford Performance beadlock rings. Every vehicle had upgraded tires and a steel bumper at minimum; two had beadlock rings, not beadlock-capable wheels.
How That Maps to a Sasquatch Bronco Today
A Sasquatch Bronco today ships with 35-inch tires, locking front and rear differentials, and 11.6 inches of ground clearance, all of which are beyond what the 33-inch, non-locking test vehicle in that 2020 run had. But the Sasquatch Bronco that finished the trail also had real beadlock rings added and a Ford Performance steel bumper, not the plastic factory piece. A Sasquatch Bronco straight off the lot, without a steel bumper and without beadlock rings installed, is missing two of the things that got that specific test vehicle through in one piece.
The Honest Verdict
A stock, non-Sasquatch Bronco has no documented case of running this trail and shouldn't be expected to attempt it. A Sasquatch Bronco with a steel front bumper, rock sliders, and real beadlock rings installed is in the same territory as the vehicles that already proved it's possible, and that lines up with how we classified 10-rated trails in our trail difficulty guide: built for professional-level drivers in purpose-built rigs, not showroom-stock trucks. The Rubicon has been completed in a Bronco. It hasn't been completed easily, and it won't be in one that isn't built for it.
FAQ
Has a Ford Bronco ever completed the Rubicon Trail?
Yes. Ford ran three pre-production Broncos on the trail in 2020, and all three finished, though with visible damage, including a scraped steel bumper and scratched paint.
Can a stock Ford Bronco handle the Rubicon Trail?
There's no documented case of a fully stock, non-Sasquatch Bronco completing it. The Broncos that finished ran upgraded tires and a steel bumper at minimum, with two of the three also equipped with beadlock rings.
Why is the Rubicon Trail named after a Jeep?
It's the other way around: Jeep named its most off-road-capable Wrangler trim, the Rubicon, after the trail, using it as the benchmark for what a Trail Rated Jeep should be able to handle.
When is the Rubicon Trail open?
Technically 24/7, 365 days a year, with no fixed seasonal closure. In practice, Sierra Nevada snowpack makes it impassable for months, and the safe window generally runs June through September.
What tires and bumper did the Broncos that finished the Rubicon have?
33-inch tires at minimum across all three vehicles, with a Ford Performance steel modular front bumper on every one. Two of the three also had Ford Performance beadlock wheels with beadlock rings installed.
Building toward a trail this serious? Start with our front bumper buying guide and our breakdown of the Sasquatch package.
About This Quick Read
This was put together by the team at Bronco Forge. We sell aftermarket parts exclusively for the Ford Bronco and reference documented testing and owner-reported experience when writing about off-road capability. Questions about fitment or anything Bronco-related? Reach out at contact@broncoforge.com or (909) 772-8050.
