Hello! So some friends and I are planning an archery road trip in 2018. The idea is to drive around the country for a couple of weeks hitting up the most scenic outdoor 3d courses and camp all along the way. Ideally we would like to time it so that we could maybe even attend a fun archery event or two. Preferably something trad specific.
Here is my question for you folks. What would be on your list of essential archery destinations in the lower 48? Scenic outdoor 3d courses? Unique And challenging ranges? Important or historic archery shops? Traditional gatherings and events? Local hidden gems? I'm Looking for recommendations basically.

We are in Austin tx and sofar only have a spots in Colorado and Arkansas on our radar. I will let some of the information we gather here dictate where the rest of the trip takes us. The time of year is still flexible too but we are thinking late winter or early spring.

Thanks in advance!

One that I'd say is a "gotta Go" is ETAR in PA.  It's always the last full weekend in July and is held at Denton Hill State Park.  It's a gathering of 4000 or so trad shooters.  

Mike

ETAR in PA would be high on the list of trad shoots.

The Tennessee Classic in late April/early May.  It's near Clarksville.  Free camping.  It's such a great time I camp out there for 8 days.  The 3D course is the best I've ever seen.  Friends from Houston come up and camp with us every year.

I'm hoping your spot in Colorado is the CTAS shoot!! Hands down the best I've ever been to. Don't forget the MCAAP shoot every August in Oklahoma

Yep, the Eastern Traditional Archery Rendezvous (ETAR)for sure.

Not trad specific, but there will be a R100 August 11&12 in Meeker Colorado! If your traveling through Denver, Thursday nights during the summer RMSGEAR has a weekly league shoot at an outdoor 3d range in Golden that's primarily trad with a token few of the other type shooters attending. The CTAS High Country Shoot mentioned earlier is a must attend shoot before you croak though, might not be as big as etar but it's not near as hot or buggy either

TN Classic indeed!  May 4th, 5th & 6th.  All trad, good vendors and seriously great Southern hospitality.

Absolutely CTAS at the top of the list. You could do Coon Rapids MN or Compton in MI the week before and then head to Colorado during your two week schedule.
Tennessee Classic, ETAR, and Tannehill are also great (2018 may be the last year for the Tannehill Spring Fling)  And usually the week after Tannehill is Florida's spring shoot - those two would make a great combo trip.

This is great you guys. Exactally what I'm looking for. I've watched a few YouTube videos from ETAR and after the feedback here, there is no excuse for me to miss it in 2018. I've never heard of CTAS Until now but it's absolutely going on the list. I'll have to check out the MCAAP as well! Oklahoma is on our route and I was hoping to find a good destination there. We obviously won't be able to time them all out for one trip but if I could link a few up that would be ideal. There are a lot of great suggestions here. Seems like most events are in the summer. I need to do a little research on all of these events.
Thank you so much for your help you guys!

The Kalamazoo expo is a lot of fun as well. Lots of booths and the past few years they've started doing an indoor 3D shoot that's a lot of fun.
Might be quite a drive for you though.

This is great you guys. Exactally what I'm looking for. I've watched a few YouTube videos from ETAR and after the feedback here, there is no excuse for me to miss it in 2018. I've never heard of CTAS Until now but it's absolutely going on the list. I'll have to check out the MCAAP as well! Oklahoma is on our route and I was hoping to find a good destination there. We obviously won't be able to time them all out for one trip but if I could link a few up that would be ideal. There are a lot of great suggestions here. Seems like most events are in the summer. I need to do a little research on all of these events.
Thank you so much for your help you guys!

If you want to make the Compton shoot in Michigan, you can hit Cloverdale in Indiana the weekend before. Cloverdale is the second full weekend in June and Compton is over Fathers Day weekend. Leave Cloverdale Indiana and its about a 5 hour drive to Berrien Springs Conservation Club in Michigan and the shots starts Thursday. Good camping at Berrien Springs and close to Lake Michigan. Lots of stuff to do for the few day between shoots.