Watersmeet - Kenton - L'Anse - Big Bay

[Kmrobb]

Heading up via sled from Minocqua area tonight. Planning to ride up to Watersmeet and then eventually to Big Bay and back via 107, 8, 14 and then back on 8 from Marquette. Haven't been up to Big Bay in a few years, any suggestions on places to stop for lunch/dinner?

Anyone been on those trails in the past few days that can share any reports? I'm particularly interested in trail conditions of 14 from L'Anse to Big Bay. Also trying to remember the 'type' of trail that 14 is there. Will I be riding a twisty/curvey wooded trail, or is this more of a Forest Road 'sledding highway'?

Thanks for any insight you can provide!

 

[rakins800]

Just got back on Tuesday. L'Anse area can be rough and thin on snow, but I saw more snow there this trip than usual. You should be good. 14 is a great trail from L'Anse, although it does get considerably"tighter" the closer you get to Big Bay.
Happy trails!!!

 

[dieselguymike]

We stopped at the hilltop restaurant in L'anse 2 weekends ago and they had great food, right on the trail too. Trail 14 is awesome, one of my favorites. It does get tighter towards Big Bay. Trail 8 is also a fast fun trail i really like.

 

[apex_shug]

stayed in Paulding Thursday - Sunday at running bear (great people / great place). rode that direction Saturday to avoid the traffic and we did. Trails were great up (mt arvon) and back (190 miles). 107 and 3 were starting to show the traffic Saturday afternoon (4ish) . only rough patch but it wasn't even that bad.

 

[phil4snow]

Fathers/son trip this weekend. We are most likely starting in Bruce Crossing but didn't know how far we could get in a day. We plan to stay overnight somewhere. We would like to see L'Anse/Mt Arvon/Big Bay/Marquette. Wasn't sure if we could make it all the way to Munising/Pictured Rocks in just an out and back trip? We have done Western UP several times but haven't seen this area. Good stops along the way?...recommend a good 1/2 point at end of first night for dinner/lodging? One direction better than the other. Planning 14 headed east then 8 headed back west.

 

[EXCESSIVE FORCE]

Fathers/son trip this weekend. We are most likely starting in Bruce Crossing but didn't know how far we could get in a day. We plan to stay overnight somewhere. We would like to see L'Anse/Mt Arvon/Big Bay/Marquette. Wasn't sure if we could make it all the way to Munising/Pictured Rocks in just an out and back trip? We have done Western UP several times but haven't seen this area. Good stops along the way?...recommend a good 1/2 point at end of first night for dinner/lodging? One direction better than the other. Planning 14 headed east then 8 headed back west.

Bruce crossing to Munising is easily done in a day.....

 

[venturenorth]

BC 8E to Sidnaw, 15N to L'Anse, lunch at Hilltop cafe, then 14E Arvon and Big Bay Motel,,,nice place...eat at Thunder Bay Hotel or Lumberjack,

day 2 ....310S to Marquette/ Munising, stop at Lakenenland sculpture park on trail 417, and back on 8E....

awesome trails, about 200 mi per day

 

[skidoo mxz]

Does anyone know how many miles it is from Watersmeet to Sidnaw and then from Sidnaw to Big Bay? Can you do Watersmeet to Big Bay and back in a day?

 

[goofy600]

Watersmeet to sidnaw is about 40-45 miles, can't help on the rest but I would think it has to be over 100 one way just don't know how much over. Mapquest by car is about 120-130 one way if that helps.

 

[pyroking]

Northern route is around 120 miles southern route through Nestoria is around 130 miles.

 

[firefighter1]

Earlier this season I went from Watersmeet to Big Bay and if I remember right it's about 120-140 miles, so just like the post above stated. We went thru L'Anse, Huron mountains over to Big Bay. Hope this helps, very easy as we didn't leave until 2 in the afternoon.

 

[skidoo mxz]

Thanks for the info

 

[just_ride]

Does anyone know how many miles it is from Watersmeet to Sidnaw and then from Sidnaw to Big Bay? Can you do Watersmeet to Big Bay and back in a day?

should be around 275 miles round trip
yes can be done in 1 day
left Watersmeet at 8am and back by 530pm

 

[dogflog]

skidoo mxz,

We rode from Greenland, across the Silver Mtn area towards Sidnaw, then up to L'anse and across to Big Bay (and back) on Tuesday. It was 230 miles round trip, with lots of twistys. Everything was groomed and firm. They got about 6" of snow in the Huron Mtns. The snow depth there is about 6'. I would highly recommend this trip.

Happy Trails, Glenn

 

[Kmrobb]

We ended up doing the Watersmeet back to Watersmeet trip during the day on 2/27. Took trail 107 to Kenton, 8 to Sidnaw, 8/15 to L'Anse, 14 to Big Bay and to Marquette, 8 back towards L'Anse before hooking back up to 107. I took full GPS recordings of Gas/Food stops summarized here:
Watersmeet to L'Anse: 69.5 miles
L'Anse to Big Bay: 54.9 miles
Big Bay to Ispeming: 58.9 miles
Ispeming to Sidnaw: 64.9 miles
Sidnaw to Watersmeet: 42.5 miles

For a grand total of 290 miles for this loop. We left the Watersmeet area late Friday morning at about 9:30 (it was -30 temp at 7 am), and arrived by 7:00 pm Friday night. Stopped to eat in Big Bay in addition to a few other 'breaks' and gas stops. Trails were great overall. The 107 trail was a bit choppy on the way back, but nothing that that noticeable.

It was an amazing trip.

 

[skidoo mxz]

Thanks for the GPS mileage! That is exactly what I was looking for. Planning to do the trip next weekend if it doesn't get too warm.

 

[longtrack]

You may be mudding in Watersmeet and Lanse next weekend. You will be able to ride in the UP but it may be limited without a Storm.

 

[phil4snow]

We did the Watersmeet/L'Anse/Big Bay back through Marquette/Ishpeming/Republic/Iron River/Watersmeet. 2 days and spent the night at Big bay (Thank you venturenorth). 360 miles. PERFECTION this past weekend. We definitally have a new favorite area in the UP. 2 days allowed for all the off trail fun and more one can have. Not even close to the traffic as the western UP. Snow around big bay was WOW.