UP day trip advice needed

A

azandy

New member
I'm wondering if any could advise a good place to drop for a day trip.
Taking my 14 year old first time riding in the UP.
Like to be half hour ish from Iron Mountain. Republic, etc???
Someplace where could make a nice loop. 100 miles might be a max day for him.
Just want him to enjoy the day so he will come back.
We are in Pembine WI and just not enough snow here right now.
 
M

mikes99ss

Well-known member
azandy said:
I'm wondering if any could advise a good place to drop for a day trip.
Taking my 14 year old first time riding in the UP.
Like to be half hour ish from Iron Mountain. Republic, etc???
Someplace where could make a nice loop. 100 miles might be a max day for him.
Just want him to enjoy the day so he will come back.
We are in Pembine WI and just not enough snow here right now.
Click to expand...

Drop at koskis corners and ride to big bay, eat lunch there then down to Marquette and back across.
 
A

azandy

New member
That does look like a nice loop. I'm guessing I can just park at the truck stop on the corner on 95???
 
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rmk4ever

New member
Koskis corner, or junction 95, or the road to the trail access just west of the tracks on 41. The road runs to the north only.
There is a park n ride lot on the west side of 95 across from koskis corner you can park in there also. So many options. Enjoy.
 
W

WorkHardPlayHrd

Active member
rmk4ever said:
Koskis corner, or junction 95, or the road to the trail access just west of the tracks on 41. The road runs to the north only.
There is a park n ride lot on the west side of 95 across from koskis corner you can park in there also. So many options. Enjoy.
Click to expand...

When are you looking to go up?
 
A

azandy

New member
Planning on going tomorrow or Friday. Didn't realize that there may be low snow. Thought LE lately would have hit that area.
 
D

doodave

New member
azandy said:
I'm wondering if any could advise a good place to drop for a day trip.
Taking my 14 year old first time riding in the UP.
Like to be half hour ish from Iron Mountain. Republic, etc???
Someplace where could make a nice loop. 100 miles might be a max day for him.
Just want him to enjoy the day so he will come back.
We are in Pembine WI and just not enough snow here right now.
Click to expand...

Houghton is a great place to hub out of, though there is some traffic here. Lot's of options in south and north directions. It's a bit over an hour from Iron Mountain (80 miles) however.
 
A

azandy

New member
Wondering then if we should drive to munising, Houghton, or???
More windshield time with less riding but maybe better???
 
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WorkHardPlayHrd

Active member
New berry, trout lake, and Curtis are all still thin. Manistique has the Haywire going up to Munising, but the western swamps weren't ready yet and questionable. I would not base out of there with an inexperienced rider yet, great with the right conditions. With the fact that your looking at soon I would head for Houghton. There will be a lot of riders, and currently some major connecting loop trails on the east side of the thumb are closed, but with the snow they have gotten in the last few days if the groomers are running it will be probably the best experience for a newer rider. If this is your best opportunity to go for the year I would head there. Lots of places to eat and fuel up if you get cold to. Best to you and thank you for bringing new people into the sport.
 
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M

mikes99ss

Well-known member
azandy said:
Wondering then if we should drive to munising, Houghton, or???
More windshield time with less riding but maybe better???
Click to expand...

My 2 cents, stick with plan A and just manage it the best you can. Other areas will have more snow but Waaaaay more people. I don't ever post this but the central U.P. is the best kept secret in our sport.
 
dfattack

dfattack

Well-known member
mikes99ss said:
My 2 cents, stick with plan A and just manage it the best you can. Other areas will have more snow but Waaaaay more people. I don't ever post this but the central U.P. is the best kept secret in our sport.
Click to expand...

I can't comment on the current snow conditions as I am not there right now, but I agree with your suggested loop starting out at Koski, then up to big bay, etc. I even like to cut across to L'Anse after that instead of heading down to Marquette. I either double back on 14 to 5 then back down to Koski or take 15 south out of L'Anse down to 8 then east back to Koski. I ONLY ride 8 when there is plenty of snow, but it looks like that might not be the case right now.
 
A

azandy

New member
Sounds like some great options to take him. I think we will wait a week or two for this first time trip. Maybe a little more snow, less people, and hopefully a little warmer than the minus 20 it is here right now.
Really wanted to do this week as no school but I think we will wait just a little. Thanks for all your great suggestions.
 
dfattack

dfattack

Well-known member
I personally don’t think it would be a good idea to take a first timer out when it’s so cold. For safety reasons and you don’t want to make the first trip cause them to not come back with you.
 
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WorkHardPlayHrd

Active member
I am glad you changed your plans. I thought about saying something before, but didn't want you to get mad. Have 5 kids of my own ages 10 to 16. Took them all up last year and they loved it. I bet the 14 year old is raring to go, but 3 weekends from now looks way better. Plus they should really have a handle on the trails by then. I hope the experience is great.
 
wiharley02

wiharley02

Active member
Keep in mind that if your planning a loop in that part of the central UP, that there is a section of trail 8 that is closed right now due to a bridge issue (wooden support beam cracked). That bridge is located a couple miles west of Koski's Corners (west of 5N/5S junctions), and east of Michigamme (Van Riper State Park). A loop from Koski's to Big Bay to Lanse to Nestoria back to Koski's won't be possible. If you go in that order, right before you get back to Koski's Corners you would encounter closed trail 8. First (and last) report from MI DNR is they are trying to have the bridge repaired and re-opened by mid-January. There are no legal/legitimate short ways (via marked trail) around the closure.
 
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