Eastern UP Riding

[hardcoregirl]

My husband and I have been going to the UP every winter since I can remember. This year we want to do something different. We have never traveled far into the Eastern UP. I mapped it out possible overnight stopping points but I'm looking for trail mileage and if anyone has traveled the same path. We will start in Rockland and looking into doing overnight stops in Gwin, Newberry, and Sault Ste Marie then back to Rockland. Suggestions? Alternatives? Can you get into Canada on snowmobile from Sault Ste Marie.

 

[sweeperguy]

Sounds like a great trip. Have wanted to do similar overnight/backpack trip for years. Just never pulled the trigger on it. When in Newberry, make sure to visit Tahquamenon Falls, on way to the Soo. Once in the Soo you CANNOT ride into Canada. Unless maybe you could take ferry over to Sugar Island and then cross into Canada, but not sure if possible or a legal border crossing in place.

 

[Go Fast or Go Home]

We sometimes base in St. Ignace. If the Ice Bridge freezes you can ride over to Mackinac Island.

You can ride to Drummond Island and take the ferry across (runs all year). From the Island you can ride across the ice to St. Joseph, Island Canada. On your way to Drummond you can stop in Cedarville and ride across the ice to the Les Chennaux Islands.

You can also ride to the Soo and back easily. As the other poster has said---You can not ride to Canada from the U.S. side. You can however trailer across and ride the trails in Ontario to the North.

You may want to consider the Big Bay area, LAnse, Mount Arvon.

Hope some of this helps as alternatives. The only back pack our group ever took was from Minocqua Wisconsin to Copper Harbor.

Good resource for the Eastern U.P would be Wink from this site. Maybe he will see this and chime in.

Don~

 

[xpr800]

The shortest way from Rockland t Gwinn is Trail 3 to 12 to 8 & its about 80 to 90 miles, Gwinn to Newberry Trail 8 to 9 about 120 to 140 miles, & Newberry to the Soo is Trail 45 to 8 & about 90 to 100 miles. These are the shortest routes I have taken including some short cuts, some seasonal roads & secret trails but mostly trail system. Depending on snow cover, if possible I would do a clockwise North loop route on the way there & a South loop on the way back then you could see lots of attractions along the way & not travel the same trail twice on the trip. Personally I would not venture into Canada, you would need to buy an Ontario trail pass, Gas is about $1.25 a L. so that's about $5 a gallon & the passport thing is a pain, Just my opinion on that thought. There are lots of sights in the Central & Eastern side of the U.P. I would try to see Miners Tower, Tahquamenon Falls & Big Springs, all very cool to see in the winter. Here is a link to maps & conditions, http://www.fishweb.com/recreation/snowmobile/trails/index.html
Ride far Ride safe, RP.

 

[Leadwing72]

Being an eastern yooper, if you're coming from Rockland you should stick to the north route (closest to Lake Superior) and ride into Marquette and then to Munising. Head east via Grand Marais and then over to Paradise, with a mandatory stop at Taquamenon Falls (and the brewery). If you still have time after that, it's a quick shot into the Soo. But you'd have to go all the way to Drummond Island to get into Cananda but if you had the time, even a day trip over to St. Joseph's island is sooooooo worth it. You don't need to buy an Ontario trail permit for a day if you stay on St. Joe's and stay off the mainland. Great ride plan if you can make it all happen. Good luck and cheers!

 

[hardcoregirl]

Ledwig72 - Do you have any mileage on these stops? Wonderful information.

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Thanks for the feedback! Sounds like Tahqaumenon is a MUST STOP! This will be our first UP backpack trip. Excited!

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Thank for your feedback. Will see if I hear from Wink! Thanks!

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xpr800-These mileages seem very doable! We usually ride 100-150 a days. Thanks for the link also.

 

[Leadwing72]

If you go all the way to Drummond, you're looking at 4 days, 3 if you really haul. You would need a full week, plus, to go from Rockland to the Island and back. It's about 140 miles from Paradise to the ferry dock in DeTour. We've done it many times, but you need to skip the Soo and ride south from Raco into Kinross, and then follow signage to Pickford, Cedarville and DeTour. Also, this ride is usually not suggested until after mid-January, unless we have unusually high snowfall and continued cold. Hope that helps. http://www.snowmobiletrail.com/us/mi/ I found this link recently and love the fact you can look at it in satellite mode!!

 

[hardcoregirl]

Leadwing72 - Thanks! We usually come up the 1st or 2nd weekends in February. Have no problem skipping the Soo and we thought we could get into Canada, so we are scratching that. Yes, that is a great link. Do you have a route you have taken before that is a must ride? I am going to look into your route - "Rockland you should stick to the north route (closest to Lake Superior) and ride into Marquette and then to Munising. Head east via Grand Marais and then over to Paradise, with a mandatory stop at Taquamenon Falls (and the brewery)." This weekend and make sure the mileage in between towns is feasible for us. Maybe we should start in Iron River or Sidnaw (farther east)? Thanks again for all your wonderful knowledge.

 

[bladeguy]

Be sure to show up hungry to T Falls. Is it the upper falls? Anyway at the brewery is some of the best food along the trail in the Eastern U.P.!

 

[zrt600lc]

I live in Lower Michigan and have always went west from Munising. I have rode around Seney, Grand Marais and Paradise. Mileage from Baraga to Munising is right around 150. Mileage from Munising to Paradise is right around 140. This was a few years ago. Hope this info helps.

 

[Leadwing72]

One of my favorite stretches is between Munising and Grand Marais, it's a mix of really old railroad and fire roads. It's usually well groomed and has the right mix of technical riding and open stretches to kick back and fly. The ride east from Grand Marais over to Pine Stump and the Falls is also impressive. Just east of Pine Stump junction, you'll encounter "The Great Burn." In August of 2007, a massive fire ravaged the area. Awesome riding through there. Oh man, I'm getting myself super stoked. Anyway, the Central and Eastern UP have a ton of great trails and folks along the way that bust their butts to provide great trails and food and accommodations. You folks are going to love it. And, btw, I think driving an extra hour or two further east will pay huge dividends. It's always been my experience that, psychologically, you'll get further the first day and you'll appreciate having your rig closer on the way back!!

 

[snipes517]

speaking from experience, try to avoid the "great burn" area during a blizzard, probably the scariest most nerve racking stretch of miles ive been on, 10mph and can barley see the next trail marker ahead made me a little nervous. heard stories of people getting lost on the stretch in similar situations.

 

[Deleted member 10829]

I would like to go more east someday too, but haven't been any further east than Big Bay. I would spend a night in Big Bay and stay at the Thunder Bay Inn where the movie Anatomy of a Murder was filmed and where Henry Ford used to vacation. It's a very neat old place and has a nice bar with very good food! No TV's in the room, but it's like going back in time a bit.

 

[sweeperguy]

..

 

[Mtkaboater]

My buds come from MN and it is a drive from Mpls to Lanse but worth it. We ride the trail to Marquette via Big Bay and it is a fine piece of trail. Always well taken care of. And we just love trail 5 going south out of Big Bay which is a very twisty technical beauty to give you a "long way" to Marquette. Either way, the Holiday Inn in Marquette is right on the spur trail and is a good place to stay. Most times we ride back the same way as we came as the trail and snow conditions are generally better than the southern route which more or less follows US 41. Stop at Finns bar (2 miles down a fire road) 15 miles or so outside of Lanse. Skip the little side trail up to Mt. Arvon unless it is a clear day out.