Does anyone know what atv trails open the earliest? I have read that alot of them open on May 1st, just wondering if there are any open sooner and if so where? Also do I need a Michigan trail pass for my atv as I do for my snowmobile and if so how much? Thanks for the help.
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Wisconsin / Upper Michigan ATV trails
- Thread starter dragon_07
- Start date
Running Bear
New member
http://www.mdnr-elicense.com/welcome.asp
the licenses are 16.25 and this is a link.....we have a poker run in april up here.....the trails are really open all year...but theres another post from skip schulz (MI-trale)that says may 15 it the date they perfer people to start riding. About 200 atv that run in the poker run in april reat time and I think its the first one of the season.
the licenses are 16.25 and this is a link.....we have a poker run in april up here.....the trails are really open all year...but theres another post from skip schulz (MI-trale)that says may 15 it the date they perfer people to start riding. About 200 atv that run in the poker run in april reat time and I think its the first one of the season.
Thanks for the info and the link, still a little confusing though. I have read posts stating both open all year round and prefer you wait until may, just wondering what is correct. Just seems strange that it is preferred to wait until may but in April over 200 ATVs will be on the trails. I am looking for the location where I can go to ride the soonest but don't want to damage property or get in trouble.
Running Bear
New member
It is confusing.....I think because of not really having a group allocated to care for the trails that’s receives funding it always falls on volunteers and early spring riding can really mess up the trails...which is kinda of a duh... but this is why they say out of courtesy to wait till until may....but the bottom line is they are open all year....come on up and ride, just be kind to the trails.
alchippewa
New member
Iron County Trails
Here in Iron County, Mi. we have a trail loop that connects Crystal Falls to Iron River then east toward Florence, Wis and back north to Crystal Falls. This is a loop of apx. 56 miles with places to stop along the way. It is a groomed snowmobile trail in the winter and we do advocate staying off the trail when it is being groomed. It is, though, a multi-use trail that is open to A.T.V. use. It is open right now and it is being used by A.T.V. riders. This year with the early spring, all snow is gone and riding is Great! This trail is very soon to be added to the state A.T.V./O.R.V. program and will be called The State Line A.T.V. Trail. This trail has 3 connecting locations to trails in Wisconsin and also connects with the Mi-Trale trail that goes from Iron River all the way to Marenisco. All County roads are also open to A.T.V. use. Here at The Chippewa Resort we have all of the information you need on where you can and cannnot ride in Iron County. So whenyou are in the area stop in, located 5 miles west of Crystal Falls right on Hwy. U.S. 2 and Trail #16. Or you can call at (906) 875-3117. and remember, when you are on the trails, Ride Smart, Ride Safe!
Here in Iron County, Mi. we have a trail loop that connects Crystal Falls to Iron River then east toward Florence, Wis and back north to Crystal Falls. This is a loop of apx. 56 miles with places to stop along the way. It is a groomed snowmobile trail in the winter and we do advocate staying off the trail when it is being groomed. It is, though, a multi-use trail that is open to A.T.V. use. It is open right now and it is being used by A.T.V. riders. This year with the early spring, all snow is gone and riding is Great! This trail is very soon to be added to the state A.T.V./O.R.V. program and will be called The State Line A.T.V. Trail. This trail has 3 connecting locations to trails in Wisconsin and also connects with the Mi-Trale trail that goes from Iron River all the way to Marenisco. All County roads are also open to A.T.V. use. Here at The Chippewa Resort we have all of the information you need on where you can and cannnot ride in Iron County. So whenyou are in the area stop in, located 5 miles west of Crystal Falls right on Hwy. U.S. 2 and Trail #16. Or you can call at (906) 875-3117. and remember, when you are on the trails, Ride Smart, Ride Safe!
P
PANKRATZ
Guest
Hi Al,Hope all is well and we had a great time at your resort for the couple hours we stopped in to say hi on our way to greenland.Brogan and I just picked up a new polaris rzr the orange madness version side by side.Are we able to ride that by you or not.Wisconsin signed into law last week that side by sides are now legal on our atv trails thats the reason I purchased one.Rode around our yard over the weekend and I might put this machine above all our new sleds.The fun factor is really high.Have a great one Al.GregHere in Iron County, Mi. we have a trail loop that connects Crystal Falls to Iron River then east toward Florence, Wis and back north to Crystal Falls. This is a loop of apx. 56 miles with places to stop along the way. It is a groomed snowmobile trail in the winter and we do advocate staying off the trail when it is being groomed. It is, though, a multi-use trail that is open to A.T.V. use. It is open right now and it is being used by A.T.V. riders. This year with the early spring, all snow is gone and riding is Great! This trail is very soon to be added to the state A.T.V./O.R.V. program and will be called The State Line A.T.V. Trail. This trail has 3 connecting locations to trails in Wisconsin and also connects with the Mi-Trale trail that goes from Iron River all the way to Marenisco. All County roads are also open to A.T.V. use. Here at The Chippewa Resort we have all of the information you need on where you can and cannnot ride in Iron County. So whenyou are in the area stop in, located 5 miles west of Crystal Falls right on Hwy. U.S. 2 and Trail #16. Or you can call at (906) 875-3117. and remember, when you are on the trails, Ride Smart, Ride Safe!
Dragon_7: The trails are open here in Lake County and we have been riding since the 1st of March, when the snow melted. The ORV trails are open all year long, but some of the ORV trails are snowmobile trails in the winter and wish people would stay off of them in the winter, but don't have to. Some of the ORV trails are not snowmobile trails and of course you can ride them at any time. The ORV routes are groomed in the summer months, much like they do for the snowmobile, but with that new Razor, a little bumpy would be fun too. April 1st to Nov 30 you can ride the shoulders of the county roads too, to get fuel, food or ride from our Resort.
alchippewa
New member
Side by Side
Hey Greg! Good to hear from you! Yes, side by sides are legal here in the U.P. Now that the snow left so early we are seeing A.T.V.s comming out steadily. So, bring Brogie up and let's go for a ride! Hope all is good! And remember when you are on the trail, Ride Smart, Ride Safe!
Hey Greg! Good to hear from you! Yes, side by sides are legal here in the U.P. Now that the snow left so early we are seeing A.T.V.s comming out steadily. So, bring Brogie up and let's go for a ride! Hope all is good! And remember when you are on the trail, Ride Smart, Ride Safe!
skipschulz
New member
The issue of ORV Trails being open year 'round has been talked about on many blogs.
Even though the law in Michigan is very clear, it seems like people are still confused.
The ONLY ORV Trails that are open year round in Michigan, are those on State Owned land and designated as a Mi DNRE ORV Trail or MiDNRE ORV Route. On the 5 counties that Mi-TRALE has MiDNRE ORV Trails and or Routes, the ONLY trails that are open to ORV's year 'round is the BN, IRM, and SB. No OTHER TRAIL is open year round.
Mi-TRALE has not taken an official position as to whether we advocate the use of ORV's on those trails, other then from May 15th to November 30th. On other threads I have stated my personal opinion on this.
Now on the hundreds of miles of trails on the Ottawa NF, including the popular P Trail, that trail is NOT OPEN to ORV's until AT LEAST May 15th. The Ottawa NF can change the opening date of those trails depending upon potential damage to the trail created by an ORV. Mi-TRALE keeps people posted on this either through our website or my weekly updates.
Now on the many miles of LOCALLY maintained ORV Trails by Mi-TRALE, we do not open them until May 15th...as we do not get ANY funding for these trails and many of them are on PRIVATE Property. It has taken Mi-TRALE years to be one of the first ORV Organizations to get a legal Trail Agreement on Private Property for ORV Owners. All it will take is for one of these landowners to rip up the agreement and we will lose important connecting trails.
I know that with this economy that many in the Tourism business are hurting and looking for ways to sustain their business by getting some ORV riders to come up during this 'shoulder' season. However, remember, when ORV Riders come up and ride and create 'ruts' and damage the trail by riding early in the year...you are putting our ORV Trail System at risk. In other words, is it worth getting a few dollars this spring then having NO TRAILS to ride next spring or for years to come.
As far as riding an ORV on Snowmobile trails, Mi-TRALE has worked hard in getting an ORV Trail Signing Program that lets the ORV Riders know where they can ride. If the ORV Rider does not see a Mi-TRALE ORV Trail Sign, then DO NOT RIDE THAT SNOWMOBILE TRAIL.
While Michigan still does not have an ORV Trail Signing program, Mi-TRALE has a representative on the Mi DNR ORV Trail Signing Committee. We will push hard to get a consistant ORV Trail Signing program so that ORV Riders will know where they can and cannot ride, and area clubs/chambers will be able to put out a good ORV Trail Map.
If any ORV Group in the UP is working on getting new trails designated, you can help this committee out by designating a trail like the Mi-TRALE ORV Trail Signing program to SHOW the DNR that we are UNITED and consistant. If we go to a system that gives a trail a name, then tell me how in the world are we going to put this whole trail 'name' on a small ORV Trail Sign?
I know this is just a 'pipe dream' of mine, but I sure hope that the day will come when ORV Groups will work together, when ORV Riders and business's trying to attract ORV riders will JOIN an ORV Club, and the day will come when people will understand that riding too early only hampers the efforts of volunteers in getting more ORV Trails.
As far as the Pre-Season ride that has been mentioned. This is done on a gravel based Multi-Use abandoned rail grade, where no damage is done riding this early. This is a unique and rare trail where riding early actually does no damage to the trail. This is also a non Mi-TRALE ride.
Sorry for the long post...
Skip Schulz
Mi-TRALE President
Even though the law in Michigan is very clear, it seems like people are still confused.
The ONLY ORV Trails that are open year round in Michigan, are those on State Owned land and designated as a Mi DNRE ORV Trail or MiDNRE ORV Route. On the 5 counties that Mi-TRALE has MiDNRE ORV Trails and or Routes, the ONLY trails that are open to ORV's year 'round is the BN, IRM, and SB. No OTHER TRAIL is open year round.
Mi-TRALE has not taken an official position as to whether we advocate the use of ORV's on those trails, other then from May 15th to November 30th. On other threads I have stated my personal opinion on this.
Now on the hundreds of miles of trails on the Ottawa NF, including the popular P Trail, that trail is NOT OPEN to ORV's until AT LEAST May 15th. The Ottawa NF can change the opening date of those trails depending upon potential damage to the trail created by an ORV. Mi-TRALE keeps people posted on this either through our website or my weekly updates.
Now on the many miles of LOCALLY maintained ORV Trails by Mi-TRALE, we do not open them until May 15th...as we do not get ANY funding for these trails and many of them are on PRIVATE Property. It has taken Mi-TRALE years to be one of the first ORV Organizations to get a legal Trail Agreement on Private Property for ORV Owners. All it will take is for one of these landowners to rip up the agreement and we will lose important connecting trails.
I know that with this economy that many in the Tourism business are hurting and looking for ways to sustain their business by getting some ORV riders to come up during this 'shoulder' season. However, remember, when ORV Riders come up and ride and create 'ruts' and damage the trail by riding early in the year...you are putting our ORV Trail System at risk. In other words, is it worth getting a few dollars this spring then having NO TRAILS to ride next spring or for years to come.
As far as riding an ORV on Snowmobile trails, Mi-TRALE has worked hard in getting an ORV Trail Signing Program that lets the ORV Riders know where they can ride. If the ORV Rider does not see a Mi-TRALE ORV Trail Sign, then DO NOT RIDE THAT SNOWMOBILE TRAIL.
While Michigan still does not have an ORV Trail Signing program, Mi-TRALE has a representative on the Mi DNR ORV Trail Signing Committee. We will push hard to get a consistant ORV Trail Signing program so that ORV Riders will know where they can and cannot ride, and area clubs/chambers will be able to put out a good ORV Trail Map.
If any ORV Group in the UP is working on getting new trails designated, you can help this committee out by designating a trail like the Mi-TRALE ORV Trail Signing program to SHOW the DNR that we are UNITED and consistant. If we go to a system that gives a trail a name, then tell me how in the world are we going to put this whole trail 'name' on a small ORV Trail Sign?
I know this is just a 'pipe dream' of mine, but I sure hope that the day will come when ORV Groups will work together, when ORV Riders and business's trying to attract ORV riders will JOIN an ORV Club, and the day will come when people will understand that riding too early only hampers the efforts of volunteers in getting more ORV Trails.
As far as the Pre-Season ride that has been mentioned. This is done on a gravel based Multi-Use abandoned rail grade, where no damage is done riding this early. This is a unique and rare trail where riding early actually does no damage to the trail. This is also a non Mi-TRALE ride.
Sorry for the long post...
Skip Schulz
Mi-TRALE President