Hey there, wondering if any of you UP / Michigan riders can help out. Some buddies and myself are planning to do some sledding in the UP in February and I would like to know of some places to ride. I have a bunch of trail maps already of the area. We are planning on riding the area between Marquette and up the penninsula to copper harbour (maybe even do a day of skiing at Mt Bohemia)

What I am looking for is information about off trail riding for boondocking..... Is there any? Areas that are crown (or state) owned that you can ride or areas you can ride without pissing off land owners.
Also, if anyone wants to chime in on a prefered trail you'd hit if you wanna get the best ridin in for the short time we'll be there.

I hear you guys get a ton of snow and very hilly...so we are looking forward to visiting. Any info you can post would be helpful. Also, maybe we are we out to lunch and there is no riding like this around there, should we be looking in a different area?
Thanks in advance.

No, you are not "out-to-lunch" on this one...I'd have to say its probably the best, most scenic area in the state.
We've got a group going there first week in March, staying in Twin Lakes. As far as off-trail goes...unplowed
country/forestry roads (and there are lots of them) are fair game in that area. Local/regional trail and road
maps will show them. Also ask around at the place you're staying...they may help you with some "sweet" spots.
The three "must-do" areas for us will be: Lake of the Clouds/Porcupine Mtns., Eagle/Copper Harbor area, and Big Bay.
Just do it...it will be a good trip!

Thanks for the info edge...looking forward to it. Now... I just hope the UP gets hit with a big dump of snow before the end of FEB....Later

I'll have to agree. It doesn't get any better than the Keweenaw for scenery, hills, boondocking and everything else you can do on a sled. Every else is pale in comparison.

If your staying in marquette there are some powerlines between marquette and big bay where we usually do some powder riding i believe the trail is 310. really simple to get to if your staying in town. let me know when your in town and maybe ill be able to show you around to some of the good spots. only bad thing is that we havent had a good powder for about a week and a half. hopefully ill get out there this weekend and let you know.

you gotta check out Big Spring... near marquette.... 45 ft deep crystal clear spring pumping 10 tho gals a min.. monster trout... 1/2 size of a football field... very nice cutout raft you can look thru.. see the bottom perfectly... go out to the middle of the spring nice natrual wonder of the up

wheres big spring at. have heard about it but can never seem to find it even though i have been up here for 4 years

Big Spring is down by Manistique, really neat place if you've never seen it before.

http://www.exploringthenorth.com/bigspring/spring.html

Thanks sledrider44... when we figure out an exact time etc, I'll PM ya. Due to some logistics, we may end up pushing it until the first week of march, but thanks for the info,

Also, thanks to everyone for responding. I will check out that big springs (if not in the winter, then then in the summer) I also wanna come back out that way in the summer. I hear there is some great mountain biking around Marquette. Trying to figure out how long the drive will be from winnipeg. I'm counting on about 10 hours.

It really depends on what you want to do and what thw weather is like just before your get there and while you are there.
If you are starting in Marquette then you can spend a long time running up by Big Bay, that is fun in that area, but just past that is Lanse and for some reason, by where it is situtatuated they never have snow in town and getting through there can be rough.
Big springs is a different direction than the keewenaw, it is way south from Marquette but it is very cool to see.

The Keewenaw is the best riding for what you said you wanted to do. There are pleanty of places to go down unplowed roads and other places off trail.

If you head to the Porky's and lake of the clouds that is very fun as well, but not as cool as the Keewenaw

Hopefully you have a bunch of snow, if you do it is one of the best places to ride anywhere.

Have fun

So is off trail riding on state land legal in MI? Does anyone know the law?

OMG ! my BAD i meant manistique...... i donno what i was thinking...... you asked for places near marquette... sorry ....

Baraga and especially L'Anse tend to get pimped on snow. But it is usually just in town. There is a spot on trail 15 out of Baraga on the way down to Sidnaw that is sweet, if you like to get air. I believe it is part of a pipeline, but it is basically a series of hills in a straight shot that you can catch some major air off of, if you hit it hot.

There is another set down by Republic, but there a bit rocky and not as straight. I've got a Souviner trailing arm off a '96 Ultra from that stretch.

We were just up there last week. The area with the best Snow and Best playground has to be between Mass City and South Range! Trail #3 from Rockland down to Trail#8 was fun once down there Bond Falls is a nice stop just south of Bruce Crossing. Copper Harbor is kool, but it's mostly Railroad grades so you can cover a lot of ground in a short time. Should you make it up there stop by Fitsgeralds in Eagle River they a have a scenic view of The Big Lake, a wonderful restaraunt and a hotel with sauna, and whirrlpool. If you need gas late at night they'll call down to Phoenix to have their gas pumps turned on for you. They did for us...great people! Gas up there is expensive $3.60 per gallon, every North of Hancock, but once you get there you might as well fill up, cause your going to need it to get back. In Copper Harbor you gotta go to Brockway Mountain on a clear day...what a view! Be sure to SLOW down near the top so your not the first to go over the Cliff! It's a loooong way down! Take trail # 134 out of town around toward the town of La Belle then to Trail# 122 toward the town of Gay. They hold one of the Oldest liquer Licenses in the state...so I am told. Hope you have fun...We sure did! SeeYa