Eastern UP help

[Lake County]

Hello,
Looking for info on riding East in the UP. Departing from Land o Lakes, WI. Have ridden from Munising South and West everywhere but never further East.
Looking for info on best trails, lodging (cool cabins, motels, hotels), and places of interests. Saddle bagging for a week.
Thanks in advance
LC

 

[dfattack]

Many ways to head east so maybe get more specific so we can help with the areas you plan on visiting

 

[chiefcheese]

Looking for the same info as we have a group heading to the Soo in February. I think most are recommending the lake route over the southern route. Leave Sun/Mon and be back in the Lando/Watersmeet area later Thursday. Looking more for recommended routes with fuel stops. I have not checked into Ride Command yet but know that's a possibility as well. Pretty open to routes.. but fuel and lodging stops would be great.

 

[allpolaris]

Trail #2 was always a pain in the a** at Escanaba. They bring ya in along the fairgrounds on the SW corner of town and leave ya hangin'. 3 times, any local info we got, was riding alongside a County Hwy (??) straight N for about 2 +/- miles and the E for another 2 +/- miles to meet up with a trailhead on the NE part of town. The south route is pretty chopped up with varying snow, but the North side (Trail 8) Christmas, Pine Stump, Paradise over to the Soo has always been decent

 

[snoden]

As stated above trail #2 is a bust getting around Escanaba, just don't do it. You just have to get to Gwinn from the West/South and run trail #8 over to Munising. You can stay on trail #8 all the way to the Soo (easiest/fastest route) or drop south off trail #8. Your safe at this point to run the mid Southern trails over to the Soo. I can help out further with routes/fuel but easier on the phone. PM me with a # if you want a lot more detail.

 

[allpolaris]

As stated above trail #2 is a bust getting around Escanaba, just don't do it. You just have to get to Chatham from the West/South and run trail #8 over to Munising. You can stay on trail #8 all the way to the Soo (easiest/fastest route) or drop south off trail #8. Your safe at this point to run the mid Southern trails over to the Soo. I can help out further with routes/fuel but easier on the phone. PM me with a # if you want a lot more detail.

Thats great but then the loop is not a loop. If that was the case, one would run 8 over and back....hmmmm

 

[homan]

There is no East to West trail through Escanaba area. Don’t bother as that area seldom has much snow either. Once you get to Munising you can make a big loop. Towns with good lodging/food options are Munising, Brimley and the Sault. Casinos at both Brimley and Sault are good places to stay. St Ignace is another. Trails from St Ignace to Manistique are usually good as long as there is good snowcover.
gas is not an issue as long as you pay attention to where you are at.

 

[snoden]

Thats great but then the loop is not a loop. If that was the case, one would run 8 over and back....hmmmm

Call it a figure 8 then, I can run you a 1500 mile loop from one end of the UP to the other and only hit trail #8 in the same spot for 12 miles to get around the troubles of Escanaba. Look it up, the distance between trail #7 and trail #417 on the main trail 8.

 

[pclark]

I agree with steering clear of Escanaba, we tried one year to loop down and through there and literally ran out of snow not to mention the trails are confusing once you get down there.

 

[heckler56]

Look at the MI DNR maps online. These will show closed trails and breaks (Escanaba). I have known several people attempt Escanaba but the maps are correct that there are no designated connectors.

I suggest you head towards Republic then on to Big Bay. Big Bay down to Marquette (trail 5 up to Big Bay and trail 14 down). Continue on to Munising along the lake (trail 417) then on to Grand Marais (trail 8 and the Crazy 8’s), along the lake. GM to Paradise (trail 8) and then over east. I will let others speak to connecting from here to the Sault.

Coming back from the Sault travel trail 2 to trail 7 or consider coming up to Newberry and do a bunch of connector trails (45, 9, 431) heading back west. Go down to trail 2 from Seney (45). Once on 2 head to Trail 7 (to 7/8) or 41 to 8 (both will overlap 8, 7 less so). Continue on Trail 8 to Gwinn. From Gwinn head to Republic. Now at Republic you would overlap back to Land O.

Tell me the kind of miles you can put down in a day and I can gauge gas stops for you in the central UP.

 

[WorkHardPlayHrd]

Make sure you stop at Miners Castle, Whitefish Point, Tahqaumenon Falls (upper and lower),Top of the World Snowmobile Museum in Naubinway, and Big Spring in Manistique. All are worth the time.

Places where we have stayed and enjoyed. Buckhorn Bar and Cherrywood both are in Munising. Tahquamenon Suites Paradise MI(it is a little more than the hotel, but the beds are fabulous, my husband has back problems and can't handle a bad mattress.). The casino in Sault Saint Marie has great rooms and food options till 2 am in the morning. It is on the more costly side for rooms. The Quality Inn in Newberry good rooms and a full hot complimentary breakfast till 9 am. The Gray Wolf in Manistique plain rooms at a good price.

If weather has been warm before your trip you will want to watch out for the conditions on Southern side of UP. Fire roads going down to St Ignace if the club posts they are icy with little snow they are telling you the truth! You will need scratches or you will overheat.

Trail 2 between Manistique and Newberry has been closed many years lately because Bear Creek Swamp won't stay froze over. This section of trail has been closed many years in a row even in February so if the gates are closed the Swamp is open.

Between Munising and Paradise make sure you eat by 9 pm. The Brewery in Grand Marais, Pine Stump, RedWolf Inn, The Tahqaumenon Brewery at the Falls, and the Inn at Paradise all stop serving food at 9 pm. Some of them won't take an order after 8:30. All serve great food, all are very snowmobiler friendly. Pine Stump has fuel till 9 pm and I have counted 300 sleds there at a time on a Saturday.

Paradise and Newberry area are often spots for DNR traps on weekends. Especially Paradise make sure every member of your party stops at stop signs. PAY ATTENTION TO FLAGS AND ROPED OFF AREAS. People in the community are trying to keep snowmobilers off their septic systems and it has caused a lot of complaints and hard feelings.

There is a Swamp south of Paradise on trail 8. If the gates are closed you will need to ride the shoulder of the road about 2 miles to reconnect with trail at the mouth of the Tahqaumenon River. This is allowed.

Just to warn you the trail connection on 8 between Munising and Grand Marais can get ugly on the weekends. Just to many sleds. I will say the group that took over grooming after 2012 have done amazing improvements since. Used to be groomed by a company and groomers would sit on the weekend. The new club has turned things massively around. Shows what happens when volunteers are involved. Thank you to all of those everywhere that help us enjoy this sport.

Enjoy your trip.

 

[heckler56]

All great detail by Workhardplayhrd (I wonder how many times we passed each other?).

I would add stopping in Big Bay at the Thunder Inn where they have allot of detail on the movie “Anatomy of a Murder” that was made there in the 50’s. (The Rolling Stones manager lived in the area until he passed several years ago). Also on trail 417 between Marquette and Munising is Lakenland. Tom is a boilermaker by day and artist. He has created a stop on the trail where you can stop, warm up and drive through his park of sculptures, very impressive work.

I suggested leaving the Sault and heading back by Newberry to Seney using the “4’s” then down to 2. The last couple years the lake effect bands have hit that area on 2 over to trail 7. It was last year or the year before that a little town in the area got hit with 40”+ inches in a couple days. Talk about powder and “where is the trail”.

 

[frnash]

Also on trail 417 between Marquette and Munising is Lakenland [sic].

"Lakenland"? That would be "Lakenenland" -- that's from Lakenen, Tom's surname! Pronounced "Lock-en-en" (approximately, what can I say, it's Finnish!)

 

[heckler56]

"Lakenland"? That would be "Lakenenland" -- that's from Lakenen, Tom's surname! Pronounced "Lock-en-en" (approximately, what can I say, it's Finnish!)

Correct, yah-you-bet-cha! Great guy and I always stuff some $s in the old acetylene tank. Hanging out there drying off with my son is one of my last memories of our only ride together.

 

[Lake County]

Thanks everyone. Lots of great info posted!
Thanks,
LC

 

[chords]

Dec 15th - MI DNR advising snowmobilers to avoid / stay away / off of 101 miles of trails in E UP Chippewa and Mackinac County

 

[wiharley02]

Trail 2 between Manistique and Newberry has been closed many years lately because Bear Creek Swamp won't stay froze over. This section of trail has been closed many years in a row even in February so if the gates are closed the Swamp is open.

Only quoting part of this long post (full of good info!).

Is there a way around Bear Creek Swamp? I'm going to be staying at Jack Pine (Steuben) in February, and if there isn't a way around Bear Creek that kind of puts a fork in a south east day loop (if there is good snow down that way).

For example, if coming from the west (trail 41 and Trail 2), heading east/north east towards Bear Creek Swamp, is it possible to turn off of trail 2 before the swamp, and keep going north east on CR436/Floodwoods Rd (heads NE along Manistique River)? Is that plowed in the winter? CR436 turns into River Rd towards the north end where it turns east and looks like it starts having some year round residences on it, crosses M77, shortly after that trail 43 crosses, then can head up towards Germfask and continue on to Seney.

If, and big if, Bear Creek Swamp is open, and doing a loop from UP 2 up around Manistique Lake up to Seney, is trail 43 around Manistique Lake a lot of running on the side of a plowed road?

 

[chiefcheese]

Look at the MI DNR maps online. These will show closed trails and breaks (Escanaba). I have known several people attempt Escanaba but the maps are correct that there are no designated connectors.

I suggest you head towards Republic then on to Big Bay. Big Bay down to Marquette (trail 5 up to Big Bay and trail 14 down). Continue on to Munising along the lake (trail 417) then on to Grand Marais (trail 8 and the Crazy 8’s), along the lake. GM to Paradise (trail 8) and then over east. I will let others speak to connecting from here to the Sault.

Coming back from the Sault travel trail 2 to trail 7 or consider coming up to Newberry and do a bunch of connector trails (45, 9, 431) heading back west. Go down to trail 2 from Seney (45). Once on 2 head to Trail 7 (to 7/8) or 41 to 8 (both will overlap 8, 7 less so). Continue on Trail 8 to Gwinn. From Gwinn head to Republic. Now at Republic you would overlap back to Land O.

Tell me the kind of miles you can put down in a day and I can gauge gas stops for you in the central UP.

This sounds interesting. We plan on heading out Sunday or Monday morning to miss the weekend traffic. We have done +200 mile days in good conditions with just fuel/food stops but if there are great views/stops that are recommended we would be good with hitting those as well even if we miss making it all the way to SSM. Sounds like fuel stops are not much of an issue? We are on two stroke machines so 125 miles we would be looking for fuel, esp if driving harder on the grades to make time. Thanks all that chimed in. Can't wait - hopefully the snow comes back... we lost almost 2+ feet last several days at the cabin in LOL.

 

[WorkHardPlayHrd]

CR436 runs into the Seney Wildlife Refuge. To my knowledge this is off limits to snowmobilers.

Trail 43 has a few small stretches along roads, but not bad. Biggest issues we had on it were long stretches on logging access roads, but that might not be happening this year.

I was on the Michigan interactive map and noticed 2 trails missing in the Manistique Lake area that completely run roads. The 1 trail used to run the entire length of the road on the north side of main Manistique Lake. It connects with 43 to head north to Seney. If the lake is safe you would ride the lake though.

The other trail ran straight north of McMillan on the plowed fire road to connect with the trails that go up to Pine Stump. There used to be a staging area where it hooked with the trails at UP 498.

 

[chiefcheese]

So am I biting off too much expecting to go from Land O Lakes to Munising in a day? @heckler56 You mentioned some trails and anticipated fuel stops. It looks to me one could do 8 most of the way @ 185 miles a day. I would rather leave enough time though. Having not traveled some of these areas it's hard to tell how much time it takes. Like for instance trail 18 to Republic. We could take 2 to 15 to 111 to 18 into Republic. Looks like about 60 miles perhaps... but that could take us hours more than simply running up to 8. Seems like we may just have to do it and experience it.