Michigan trail questions

K

krupps_resort

New member
Will Try to answer your questions: Officially snowmobile season in Michigan is Dec 1st thru Mar 31st.
The Bill Nichols trail #3 from Mass City/Greenland area to just outside the south side of Houghton is Multi-Use which means open year round.
The rest of the trails in the area cross some private land. Gates may be closed or a CLOSED sign may be placed at any time. If you encounter a closed sign or closed gate, turn around.
Grooming season ended March 31st.
Hope this helps.
Richard
 
C

chevytaHOE5674

New member
There does NOT need to be a closed sign for the trail to be closed, just being after 3/31 means that if its private land it is a no go. I know some landowners that are already complaining and that is never good.
 
Admin

Admin

Administrator
Staff member
I will also add to the above that I was told by the DNR first hand that all trails north of the bridge that are part of the Keweenaw ATV Club system are also legal to ride a sled on after March 31. Just about all the snowmobile trails north of the bridge are also designated ATV trails, so a ton of options if you head up that way, but it would be best to get an Keweenaw ATV Trail map. I know M&M has them, would think Houghton Power Sports does as well. Some gas stations do too.

-John
 
K

krupps_resort

New member
ChevytaHoe-We did not refer to your area- just Mass City/Greenland to South Edge of Houghton. Some pivate property owners are concerned and some don't care.
 
C

chevytaHOE5674

New member
Location doesn't matter if its private land the lease and insurance has expired no matter if there is a gate or sign. Riding on private property without written permission is trespassing.
 
Admin

Admin

Administrator
Staff member
chevytaHOE5674 said:
Location doesn't matter if its private land the lease and insurance has expired no matter if there is a gate or sign. Riding on private property without written permission is trespassing.
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I specifically brought this up to the DNR in my conversation on the 1st of April and they told me easements and insurance were not an issue for the areas I spoke of above. So, either the lawmen have the law wrong, or ???

-John
 
R

radsrh

New member
Administrator said:
I specifically brought this up to the DNR in my conversation on the 1st of April and they told me easements and insurance were not an issue for the areas I spoke of above. So, either the lawmen have the law wrong, or ???

-John
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I think what he is referring too is the insurance and easements for snowmobile only trails not the multi-use trails north of the bridge. I know people have made reference on area conditions that they rode lac la belle-gay and TRAIL 133 is snowmobile only and thus they have been trespassing. Unless that changed on the 2013 ATV maps in the 2012 map it's still snowmobile only.
 
Admin

Admin

Administrator
Staff member
Well he wrote: "Location doesn't matter if its private land the lease and insurance has expired no matter if there is a gate or sign." I took that to mean no riding on ANY private land. My apologies if I misunderstood things.

I realize that some are hyper sensitive to the issues of riding on private property and respect that. I just wanted to make the point clear that I was told by the law men that some private land is OK to ride on, even after March 31. I also tried to made it clear in my post to say one needs to cross reference with the ATV trail map to be sure they are on the dual-use trails.

The issue of snowmobile trails that are not also used by ATV's is a bit of a grey matter and opens up lots more questions and complications than it is worth with regards to easements and insurance, so the DNR told me to just keep it simple and state any snowmobile trails that are also used as ATV trails.

-John
 
mrsrunningbear

mrsrunningbear

Active member
chevytaHOE5674 said:
If they are also ATV trails then there is a year around easement for access.
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To make it clear I am not talking about the Keweenaw. I just need to say that just because a trail is an ATV trail doesn't mean year round easement access. There are private land owners that don't want people riding ATVs on their property in the winter or early spring.
 
C

chevytaHOE5674

New member
Administrator said:
Well he wrote: "Location doesn't matter if its private land the lease and insurance has expired no matter if there is a gate or sign." I took that to mean no riding on ANY private land. My apologies if I misunderstood things.
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Sorry I ment riding "snowmobile only" trails that cross private land. Trails that are multi-use are a go. Riding on a "snowmobile only" trail across private land is trespassing at this point in the season. I have talked to my buddy who is a CO and he said tickets have been and will continue to be handed out in those cases.

mrsrunningbear said:
There are private land owners that don't want people riding ATVs on their property in the winter or early spring.
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True, and generally that isn't an issue as the snow is too deep for ATV's in those seasons.
 
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R

radsrh

New member
Well said by both of you. I think what we all need is for the snow to be gone! At least me I am SOOOOOO ready for spring lots of warm weather things to get done!
 
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