Route questions - Pictured Rocks to Grand Marais

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srobak

New member
Greetings all - almost time for my annual trip bringing fellow Chicagoland motorcyclists to the UP for some sanity. Have several repeat attendees this year - so I am wanting to change things up from our regular MQT-KI-PR-MUN-MQT loop, and want to make sure I have some bases covered.

1> Fuel. Once we ride in from Marquette, we are planning to fuel up in Wetmore and then take 422 north to Pictured Rocks. From there we want to come back down 422 and head east on 8 & 89 to Grand Marais. On one trail map (http://www.munisingsnow.com/UserFiles/File/munisingsnowmap.pdf) there appears to be a northern spur on 8 heading to Melstrand with a fuel stop. Is this indeed the case? The trail maps at fishweb don't show 422 to PR or the 8 spur and the DNR map doesn't show the spur either - so I don't know what is really out there. I am thinking it would be smart to fuel again after leaving PR as that is a pretty lengthy run to GM and I don't want to get any of our sleds too light on fuel. So if there is no fuel available in Melstrand - I was going to double-back to Wetmore and top off again before making the long push to Grand Marais. Thoughts?

2> Route. Having never been east of Pictured Rocked on 8 or 89 in the winter - and only having ridden CR 58 in the summer on motorcycle - I know it was paved a couple years ago (yay - goldwing accessible! and a beautiful ride). Prior to that I hear it was an un-plowed, gravel road and that was used as the trail in past years. Looking at Munising Snow trail map linked above - Both 8 and 89 appear to run directly on parts of CR 58 - is this road still un-plowed even though it is now paved? Also is Sable Falls accessible from the trail?

3> Grand Marais. In the summer you can head north from the gas station a couple blocks on Lake Ave and end up at the beach with a couple of scenic overlooks for some beautiful sunsets over Lake Superior. Is this area sled accessible as well?

Anything else I should know or be concerned with on this route?

Thanks in advance, all!
 
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Pizza Man

New member
Gas up in Wetmore and then continue up to Picture Rocks. From there you can ride the shoulder on H-58 to the Bear Trap.
From Beartrap, go into the woods on the trail and run Trail 8 north up to where you hit H-58. It's paved and it's still snowmobile trail 8 and groomed. It goes right along the lake and has some lookouts built for summer travelers with outlooks over the lake.
At Grand Marairs, gas up and eat if your hungry, the continue your trip back the same way. If you want a break, turn back into the Beartrap. When you leave, cut back over to the trail you came on and ride through the woods to Shingleton.
There you can follow the signs through town and run Trail 8 back to Wetmore.
You can make GM easy on your gas. Fill up there for the ride home. Both ways are about the same distance 65 to 70 miles one way.
Hope this helps, if not, get back to me.
 
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megan600

New member
Ditto to PizzaMan above...the gas station in Melstrand was open this past summer when we were up there, but in the winter its spuratic and I wouldnt count on it. But its definitely not worth the drive back to wetmore to get gas. Take the way mentioned above by jumping into the woods by the bear trap and you will have plenty of fuel to make it to Grand Marais. This will save quite a good distance vs going back down 422 then east through shingleton and back to north to Trail 8.
H-58 is still paved, but where it is the trail they do not plow it, instead it is groomed as the snowmobile trail and you would never know its a nice paved road in the off season. I know the log slide hill is accessible off of the trail as well as some other look out points. I think there is signs to Sable Falls as well.

Yes you can also still go a few blocks through town in Grand Marais down to the beach for some good photo ops. Have a great trip!
Megan
 
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Polarice

New member
It is illegal to ride on H58 to Melstrand from the Miner's trail. You will see the signs that say no snowmobiles. A kid waiting for a school bus was hit by a snowmobile years ago so that's why it's illegal. There are some people that still ride along the shoulder though. I wouldn't do it.

I would shoot back down to 8 and get gas in Shingleton. They should have fuel now although around New Years they didn't have premium.
 
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srobak

New member
Thanks for the info guys.... I wasn't aware that Shingleton had fuel - the station across from the post office was shut down completely when I went through on the bike in the summer. If indeed that is open - that would probably make the most sense for fuel.

I do know that H-15 between Adam's Trail (H-58) and Shingleton has signage indicating no sleds - see that every summer on the bike as well. I didn't know the back story, and never noticed (paid attention) to any signage on H-58 heading east of H-15 towards GM - so that is good to know as well. That being said - with (some) newbies in tow - I would probably prefer sticking to the marked trails vs. riding shoulders, praying for unplowed roads and such. One year I took a group to Laughing Whitefish Falls and Sundell Rd was a little too well plowed and without any rideable banks. With some sleds being 2-up that resulted in some pretty toasty slides, even at snails pace. I'd rather avoid doing that again :)

Thanks all!
 
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homan

Member
I disagree with what Polarice stated. You are right Srobak. It is H-15 that is closed to snowmobiles between the Bear Trap and Shingleton. H-58 is open to riding all the way from Munising to Grand Marais.
If you ride up to the Miner's Castle overlook you come back South to H-58. run the side of H-58 East to the Bear Trap and get on the trail. If you gas up in Wetmore you have plenty to get to Grand Marais unless you have some kind of gas hog for a sled.
 
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Polarice

New member
homan said:
I disagree with what Polarice stated. You are right Srobak. It is H-15 that is closed to snowmobiles between the Bear Trap and Shingleton. H-58 is open to riding all the way from Munising to Grand Marais.
If you ride up to the Miner's Castle overlook you come back South to H-58. run the side of H-58 East to the Bear Trap and get on the trail. If you gas up in Wetmore you have plenty to get to Grand Marais unless you have some kind of gas hog for a sled.
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Wrong. It is not. Next time you're up look at the signs. It is one of the only sections of road that is closed to sleds. Sounds like H-15 is also.
 
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homan

Member
I don't mean to argue but please explain how sleds are supposed to legally get from where the trail that comes out on H-58 to the Miner's Castle trail? It runs down H-58 for about a mile or so between Miners Castle Road and the Bear Trap.
 
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Polarice

New member
homan said:
I don't mean to argue but please explain how sleds are supposed to legally get from where the trail that comes out on H-58 to the Miner's Castle trail? It runs down H-58 for about a mile or so between Miners Castle Road and the Bear Trap.
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No problem. I just know that you cannot head east on h58 when the trail going to miners castle intersects h58 when going north. Technically you have to go back south or go through the woods.
 
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