I have been heading up to the Western U.P. for over 20 years and absolutely love the area and the people we have met, that being said a group of us are looking at heading to the Minnesota north shore for a ride late Feb or the 1st week of March. Any suggestions on what the trail system is like compared to the Yooper, places to stay , favorite stops etc. would be much appreciated. We usually ride Monday - Thursday. Thanks in advance
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- Thread starter Guzlair
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POLARISDAN
New member
couple guys here ride it hard..im sure ull get info shortly
Carbide
Member
A few off the top of my head.
North shore trail gets groomed regularly but is pretty popular.
The Tomahawk trail is great if groomed. More technical/twisty than the NS trail.
The Yukon trail is lesser known but is very fun.
Tressel Inn is a staple for lunch. Very interesting place. They have rustic cabins you can rent.
Sky port lodge on Devils Track lake is a good place to stay with several trail options including the Gunflint trail.
Several good places to stay on the Gunflint as well including the famous Hungry Jack.
North shore trail gets groomed regularly but is pretty popular.
The Tomahawk trail is great if groomed. More technical/twisty than the NS trail.
The Yukon trail is lesser known but is very fun.
Tressel Inn is a staple for lunch. Very interesting place. They have rustic cabins you can rent.
Sky port lodge on Devils Track lake is a good place to stay with several trail options including the Gunflint trail.
Several good places to stay on the Gunflint as well including the famous Hungry Jack.
Better trails , food , lodging , scenery plus the casinos , can't get any better than that.
We have a cabin up near Finland and ride the shore every other weekend or more. I think you'll find much less traffic than you are used to in the UP, especially during the week. Even on the weeekends traffic up there is minimal. What you will find though is fantastic trails, just not as many. The NSST is an awesome high speed cruiser trail. You can run it hard and its awesome. The Tomahawk is fun, the trails up around Grand Marais and Lutsen are awesome. There aren't as many spots to stop and eat or drink though and the trails into those spots do get beat up on weekends. The off trail/forest road riding is fantastic. Any questions just shoot them at me and I'll try to answer.
ICT Sledder
Active member
Beautiful area and nice trails, just not many of them. Imagine trail 3 in the Keweenaw, minus grade riding, with far less loops and off-shoots. Similar to that. A single main corridor trail.
Mid-week you should be fine, but the weekend or close to it the area gets pounded pretty good. Grooming isn't up to the same standards/frequency as most of the western UP, in my opinion and experience. Could also be a factor of less trail volume and the traffic they see.
Like others have said, WAY, way less places to stop for food and gas. Definitely feel like you are right next to a wilderness area (which you are).
It is definitely a place any midwest/central US sledder should see and ride at least once, even if you don't ever go back.
Mid-week you should be fine, but the weekend or close to it the area gets pounded pretty good. Grooming isn't up to the same standards/frequency as most of the western UP, in my opinion and experience. Could also be a factor of less trail volume and the traffic they see.
Like others have said, WAY, way less places to stop for food and gas. Definitely feel like you are right next to a wilderness area (which you are).
It is definitely a place any midwest/central US sledder should see and ride at least once, even if you don't ever go back.
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I have been riding the UP for 20 plus years also. I am from MN and have ridden almost every area in the state. I love the NS. I make at least one trip a year up there, even if it is a day trip(3 hours to Two Harbors from my house). We usually stay in Two Harbors at one of the hotels and trailer up to the parking area off the NSST north of Two Harbors. From there we have rode the NSST to Grand Marais with a stop for gas and a bite to eat in Tofte. Ride the NSST trail back. You can do a couple Lutsen and Tofte spurs along this ride. It is absolutely beautiful. We also ride from the parking area and do a nice loop on the NSST to the Trestle Inn then up to Isabella and back down to the parking area via the Yukon trail. This is a nice easy loop. We also have rode up the NSST and hit some of the Beaver Bay and Silver Bay trails then onto Finland, have a lunch then hit the Moose Walk and Moose Run then head over to the Timberwolf trail and take that to Isabella and then scamper back down the Yukon. A great last day ride is do the Pequaywan loop. About 80 miles and very enjoyable.
There are limited gas stops but there is gas available. Same with food stops. We stop at Our Place Café in Finland, Trestle Inn, Knotted Pine in Isabella. Tofte has the Blue Fin Bay Inn. On the Pequaywan trail there is the Pequaywan Inn. There is gas in these areas also.
Another nice area is up by Tower and Orr. From Orr you can have about 3-4 days of riding on beautiful trails. Grand Rapids is another beautiful area to ride with trails in every direction. There is virtually no traffic weekdays on the NS or anywhere else for that matter. You would be better off hitting the trails Tuesday to Friday since the clubs are catching up from the weekend warriors.
I much rather ride the trails in MN than the UP. If I am off trail riding I rather ride in the UP. Just my 2 cents.
There are limited gas stops but there is gas available. Same with food stops. We stop at Our Place Café in Finland, Trestle Inn, Knotted Pine in Isabella. Tofte has the Blue Fin Bay Inn. On the Pequaywan trail there is the Pequaywan Inn. There is gas in these areas also.
Another nice area is up by Tower and Orr. From Orr you can have about 3-4 days of riding on beautiful trails. Grand Rapids is another beautiful area to ride with trails in every direction. There is virtually no traffic weekdays on the NS or anywhere else for that matter. You would be better off hitting the trails Tuesday to Friday since the clubs are catching up from the weekend warriors.
I much rather ride the trails in MN than the UP. If I am off trail riding I rather ride in the UP. Just my 2 cents.
D
Deleted member 10829
Guest
I used to ride up there but haven't in many years. I'm no speed demon anymore, but 50 MPH speed limit during the day is nuts!!
POLARISDAN
New member
yea mark..crazy huh..thats why sleds dont leave MI anymore
The north shore doesn't have railroad grades to run wide open on. If you are running 50 MPH on the NSST you are hauling and probably not completely in control and a danger to others. Too many corners, etc.. Theres some forest roads and things you can open it up on that aren't designated trails but I really don't think the speed limit is a issue. Also in 15 yrs of riding here we've seen DNR on trails twice.
Personally, I don't mind it - and as elf said, if you are bookin 50+ in most areas on the NSST, you are really pushing it. Yukon, there are stretches where you can open it up to 70-80+ if that's your thing, just don't be following in the leaders dust coming into the next ~25mph corner.
I've seen the DNR up there a hand full of times, and all but one time, they were sitting at a trail stop sign making sure you stop, and that you have a valid registration.
If a 50mph limit is keeping you from riding in MN, you really are missing out.
The 50 mph speed limit has never hindered my riding in MN. I have very rarely seen law enforcement on the trails. I do ride fast and on most trails 50 is plenty fast. I do scoot along at 80 to 90 quite a bit. Never been stopped. Besides don’t you want to see some of the scenery? Those that complain about the speed limit have seem to have either never or rarely rode in MN.
When there is snow in MN we have some of the nicest trails around and a lot more than the UP. My favorite areas are the NS, Grand Rapids/Hill City area, Orr, Baudette and north of Detroit Lakes.
When there is snow in MN we have some of the nicest trails around and a lot more than the UP. My favorite areas are the NS, Grand Rapids/Hill City area, Orr, Baudette and north of Detroit Lakes.
Michigan would probably get more riders in the UP if they had a speed limit , it's getting too crazy out there , I would be all for it , anybody else?
A great loop would be to run the NSST north to the Tomahawk and up to the Trestle Inn. Follow the Tomahawk then to the Junction with the Yukon Trail, then follow that back down to the NSST and back north to Silver Bay. Another great run in south down the NSST to Gooseberry Falls, north to the Lutsen area. Don't forget to ride the Moosewalk trails and the trails thru Tettagouchee State Park between Silver Bay and Finland. Georges Gorge trail in Tettagouchee is one of my favorites.
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You're correct, the area down by Gooseberry State Park you can get booking on the NSST and short spots you can wick it up but overall its a curvy thing. The Yukon south of the Knotted Pine is fast and straight also. But if people don't want to ride up there because of the speed limit I say stay away. You don't know what you're missing and we won't miss you!
ICT Sledder
Active member
No. With the amount of grade trails in the UP, enforcing a speed limit would be like doing the same thing on the German Autobahn. People aren’t typically hauling in the UP on the tight stuff, so I guess I don’t see the problem.