Snowmobile Trip Plan

[Pres.]

Hello-I am brand new to this website and hoping to get some help in our planning a snowmobile trip to the UP. I am President of our local snowmobile club here in Pa. and each year we plan weeklong trips to various areas. This trip we would like to come to the UP because of reading many articles in various magazines on how nice the UP is. We are thinking about January 11th thru the 18th and starting somewhere on the eastern end perhaps Sault Ste Marie and then heading west for about 3 days staying somewhere each night and then heading back to Sault Ste Marie on a different route for about 3 days again staying somewhere each night. I contacted John Dee and his suggestion was to post and surely I would get some feedback on where to ride/stay/eat. I would appreciate any help I receive. Think snow !!Paul

 

[ezra]

if driving to sault st di u look in to the snow train?
on my bucket list 4 sure
http://www.snowcombo.com/
but cant help u with anything east of Mt Huron

 

[indy_500]

Not sure how many miles you look to put on in a day. If it were me I'd stay in the wetmore/munising area first night, houghton area second night, and ishpeming/marquette area third night. Not everyone wants to hear this but last year January 11-18 there was green grass on the ground across the UP. Usually NEVER happens but its possible Started snowing around January 20th last winter and NEVER stopped until late April!

 

[Deleted member 10829]

Welcome to the site and your first post! I'm more familiar with the Western UP, so won't be much help, but you should get lots of help here. My only suggestion would be to try and spend a night in Copper Harbor at The Mariner North if you get that far west. Good luck, sounds like a wonderful trip!!

 

[Admin]

I believe Pres. said that they typically average around 200 miles a day. I have never ridden in the E. UP, but did suggest things like Miners Castle at Pictured Rocks and Tahquamanon Falls. I forget if the trail uses the road that goes by the dunes and log slide at Au Sable just west of Grand Marais or not, but would be a cool thing to see while in the eastern UP. If they do make it as far west as the Keweenaw, then Brockway and High Rock Pt are a must.

-John

 

[jr37]

If you are traveling that far to SEE the U.P., I would suggest you back off from the 200 mile days and enjoy the scenery. If you are just out to put miles on, you can do that at home. Get all the info you can, and enjoy the ride.

 

[snowhawg]

I agree with all of the suggestions on here so far. As another rider more familiar with the western U.P., I'll make a few other suggestions for you to consider. From Marquette, you could ride north to the small town of Big Bay. There's a great old, historic place to stay there, the Thunder Bay Inn: http://www.thunderbayinn.net/index.php

I'd suggest riding west from there on Trail 14 toward L'Anse/Baraga. Houghton is a great place to stay. I'd recommend the Ramada across the bridge in Hancock. It's right on the water, is very nice with good food and a nice bar. Copper Harbor and the Mariner is always a good place, too.

Depending on your time, you could ride south to the Wisconsin/UP border. There's another great old lodge in Land O' Lakes, WI, on the border called the Gateway Lodge: http://www.gateway-lodge.com/

If you ride the Bill Nichols Trail (#3) while you're there, make a stop at the Mosquito Inn, about 20 miles south of Houghton, great food and friendly folks.

So many other places come to mind. I'd just digest all the feedback you get here and make your plans.

Have a great time.

 

[polarisrider1]

The eastern UP has tons of trails to ride and plenty to see. You can actually start south of the Mackinaw bridge and shuttle sleds across or start in St. Ignace, they have a very large parking lot in town to park your trucks and ride from there. Drumond Island, Cedarville, Trout Lake, Paradise/Tehquaminon Falls area, Munising, Grand Marais are all good riding.

 

[whitedust]

Not many of us start so far east in the UP but very doable. Looks like you have 7 days to ride & should be able to see all of the UP in that time at least the snow belts. How may riders in your group? Timing early January should be a good timing but check back here for conditions. Going thu town in L'Anse/Baraga will SUCK but don't worry scaby trails turn very good out of town. Try & work your route to Copper Harbor & ride all the loops in the Keewee then work west to Silver City & Lake Of The Clouds continue west to Ironwood MI/WI border town Hurly WI full of strip clubs if that floats your boat. Watersmeet & Bond Falls is a must see Running Bear Resort right there close to the Falls & very good owners. UP has many railroad grades for groomed trails so you can haul balls & miles go on easy. I would loop thru Amasa on way back nice Twistys thru there but very remote have to know where to get gas. For your reference off the top of my head trail #2,#3 #8 are railroad grades most other trails are groomed FRs like #107 so very wide & not many goat paths. I hope this helps & you will need to propose a route outline plan for best places to stay & sights to see or you will just contuinue to get broad brush stroke sugestions.

 

[Bradzoo]

If you get a route figured why not contact the clubs along that route to give you folks a day by day guided tour, that way you could see the best of the best along your route. If you get a route I'm sure everyone on here would help get you in touch with the clubs. Just a suggestion

Bradzooooo

 

[bobsledder]

Last year was my first trip to the Eastern U P, and it was great. If there is no snow keep trucking West however there is plenty to see in the East. Some of what is above is just too much for 6 days. The ferry to Drummond Island is a fun time and there is about 60 miles of trails on the island. Don't over plan it (we never do) go to good snow unload and do the rest on the fly. Local maps will have lots of the info you will need. (call ahead on the weekends) The little group I ride with have done this for several years in the U P and MN. 800 - 1000 miles in 5.5 days is plenty of riding for me 2 days of rain or -20 will screw up a plan and cause stress, no plan no stress just ride good luck!

 

[dmsrx]

6 days to Marquette and back from the eastern UP should be fairly easy. Me and my riding bud did Paradise to Marquette and back in a day so in three days they should be able to hit all spots those above mentioned. We were on a mission to meet with friends who were doing the Cat Demo rides in Marquette that weekend but even at that we didn't have to ride that hard.

 

[ragex2]

some of the sights in the eup to see are tequomonen falls between paradise and newberry, miners castle and log slide in pictured rocks between munising and grand marais, the fish at big spring near manistique, lakenenland iron sculpture park near sand river. have a great trip, theres alot of great riding in the east

 

[Bradzoo]

Since we never know what the snow will be like on any given year or even when it will start I would plan your route along the lake shore as much as possible to get the best riding, you can always alter it if there is good snow but early to mid January can be iffy.

Bradzoo

 

[momoney2123]

Last year was my first trip to the Eastern U P, and it was great. If there is no snow keep trucking West however there is plenty to see in the East. Some of what is above is just too much for 6 days. The ferry to Drummond Island is a fun time and there is about 60 miles of trails on the island. Don't over plan it (we never do) go to good snow unload and do the rest on the fly. Local maps will have lots of the info you will need. (call ahead on the weekends) The little group I ride with have done this for several years in the U P and MN. 800 - 1000 miles in 5.5 days is plenty of riding for me 2 days of rain or -20 will screw up a plan and cause stress, no plan no stress just ride good luck!

I agree I wouldnt make too detailed of plan just go with the flow. We do it every year and have no problem, we take off from our cabin and just go without knowing where we are even staying that night, and its always worked out. I wouldnt worry about snow in january, we come up the same time frame as you are planning and last year was the only year in the past 30 there wasnt good snow.

 

[cooksend]

Get some trail maps and start to do some studying! If you are dead set to pack the miles on the U.P. is the place to do it and guys that can ride all day long and play up around the C-Note can pack 300 - 400 on in a day (with good conditions). 200 mile days in the U.P. are fairly easy if the groomer has shown a presence. Keep an eye on the snow fall reports page and start a new post a couple weeks before you leave so people in those area's can keep you up to date on current conditions! I agree that making a solid plan can be disappointing if each goal is not met! Unload and run as hard as you feel fit and stop as needed! Pick some hopeful spots to see and make what you can!

Maybe we can post some single direction day trips that we know are in your route and possible to do in a day.
Example: Marquette to Copper Harbor - Can be done in a day. I do believe depending on route that this is a 200 mile give or take day. Some awesome riding and varying terrain

 

[Hoosier]

We never plan out our UP trips all that much until a couple weeks before we go (or sometimes a couple days). Just look at a map, pick a destination for each night, and head that general direction and try to avoid railroad grades and main drags as much as we can. Lots of excellent trails and forest roads without as much traffic.

 

[HardwaterHoosier]

#1 rule of the yooper, be prepared for the unexpected. Be flexible!

How many are looking to go from your group?

If your date is set in stone (which is common because of vacation time), I'd think about staying further west(newberry, grand Marais). Then about 10-14 days prior check the weather, snow depth charts and adjust your plans from there.
Trail 8 will get you there fast or kick your *** trying.

 

[cmharcou]

I've road the entire upper peninsula of Michigan. If your going to drive there continue to drive a few more hours to the western UP. Its 100% worth it. The central UP is a lot of swamp land south of Newberry. Stay north of Newberry if you decide to go there. However, to get your moneys worth you need to drive straight to the keeweenaw and get your lodging at the Ramada. From the Ramada you can go anywhere in the western UP. Head north to copper harbour or south to lake of the clouds. Those two sites alone is far more than you could ever see in the Central UP. Good luck and have fun!

 

[maddog24]

I have riding the UP for over 20 years. There is great riding east and west. I would start out in Newberry. North of M 28 will have more snow.I would head north thru Grand Marais and west thru Munising and continue to Gwinn or Michigamme . ( Day 1) Then through or around L'anse ( depending on snow) and head to Twin Lakes or Houghton. Day 3 To Copper Harbor. On the return trip head further south to Lake in the Clouds Lake Gogebic. And continue east. There will almost always be more snow north and west. ( LES) Western UP has more elevation change is more scenic and usually gets more snow earlier in the season IMO. Enjoy!!