I had to drop back and get a definition of "Overland Travel" to clear up (at least in my mind) what it is we're talking about here;
"Overland travel is self-reliant, vehicle-based exploration across long distances, emphasizing the journey, remote routes, and sustained travel over land." So, as to North America, in the U.S., the lower 48;
It's not just road tripping, but it certainly includes paved miles traveled. Unless you are out West there really isn't any long distance to travel remotely, off road or over landing by trails. There are no long-distance stretches of public lands to go blazing over in your 4x4 and nothing that is so remote you can't walk out of in an hour's hike. (Assuming you're not lost and hike in the wrong direction.)
Seems "self-reliant" only becomes an issue if you have trouble, to me, this self-reliant part applies to camping outdoors, surviving the "wilderness" living with mother nature during your trek. But, I'd have to ask, is being able to pay the tab at a Motel 6 or La Quinta not being self-reliant?
So, it's all about getting there, and then I remember my days riding on top of boxes filled with camping gear in the back of a 1955 Pontiac station wagon asking how much further is it! Oh, we explored all the dirt roads on Camp Ripley, when mom drove along the firing range target roads. The adventure began when tank rounds exploded near the car and mom told me to get on the floor! I remember spotting five tanks lined up side by side and telling mom, she just turned the car toward them and drove overland, through the field, and someone got in front of the tanks waving his hands in the air.
My dad was the Commander of a Tank Company, Armor, that was him out there waving his hands yelling cease fire, mom and I traveled from Missouri to dad's summer camp at Camp Ripley and he was out on the firing line. That was probably my first overlanding adventure.
Point of that story is that "overlanding" won't ever die out as long as people need to head to other destinations, regardless of the reason. I would question the degree of adventure that might be had today, you really need to go out west to see the lions and bears, but if gators and snakes excite you we have those east of the plains.
Gas prices will most likely kill long distance vehicle travel for pleasure, at least in larger vehicles, until things get back to normal.
The function of traveling cross country has certainly built an industry of specialized vehicles, equipment, gear and gadgets to tame wilderness travels, and now, at my age, there's not much adventure to it, just an opportunity to relax, get away from the everyday and experience new places.
So, no, I don't see overlanding dying out.
