Later this fall I'll be moving from New Hampsire to Wisconsin...my wife and I are big into snowmobiling and don't miss a weekend come the winter. We ride the New Hampshire, Maine and Canadian trail systems. I've never been riding in the mid-west but hear it is incredible. What we are used to in the north-east are very wide open trails that are typically old logging roads that the states maintain in the winter for snowmobiling, rail beds, fields, etc.

I know nothing about Wisconsin riding but we really looking forward to moving out there and experiencing it! I've read it is some of the best in the country! What we are wondering is where is the best riding in Wisconsin where the trails are wide open and well groomed? Also, we are in our mid to low 30's and staying in an area that has nice accomodations and some nightlife is important to us just the same. We are the type that will ride 200 miles in a day, stay up and have fun at night! Then do it all over again the next day. We started doing lodge-to-lodge rides last year as well and love doing those. Hopefully this give you some idea of what type of riding we like to do.

Looking forward to hearing back to see what people think! Any suggestions on clubs to join, places to stay, counties to ride, website links you send will will be much appreciated as we would love to be pointed in the right direction!

Thanks,

Where are you moving too? There are plenty of Excellent trails in this state, but for us to recommend something especially nightlife it would help if we knew what area of the state you're going to be in. That might help to determine a start place for you and a destination. It's hard to just recommend something without this info since there is so much good riding to be had all over the state. Let us know.

Good point, and not 100% sure of the exact town but will most likely be a suburb of Milwaukee...we are not at all concerned with trailering to the best of the best. We are used to driving 4-6 hours one way depending on where we are going if that helps. Thanks by the way!

Iron County has the most trails to ride anywhere in WI and its right on the boarder of the UP and porcipine mountains (more like hills) which is good riding. If you go here, I suggest visiting Lake-of-the-Clouds on a sled, its about a 250mi round trip from Hurley. As well, Hurley offers a night-life like no other and the red-light rally(cant tell what kind of entertainment is offered in hurley ) now called sled-fest is held the second FULL weekend of Dec. is a good time.

Mid season, I like to spend alot of time around Eagle River and St Germain. Eagle River has a week of sled events including the national ice oval championships. Only problem here is the DNR, its like they are on a mission to get sledders, I dont drink+drive, so I dont worry, but a lot of friends have been stopped for absolutely nothing.

Late season, I will go into the UP near Houghton or Marquette. After Feburary, its is the only place you can find snow.

I live 30 miles north of Milwaukee and have a place in northeast WI, just south of Iron Mountian MI. My place is 2 1/2 hrs from my house. I can ride from there to anywhere in northern WI and the UP. The UP, Upper Penninsula Michigan, has the BEST riding 200-300 inches of snow annually well groomed and in most places wide trails. We have done week long backpack rides we're not much into the night life but check out the MI forum they'll let you know there.

I moved to NE wisconsin for a reason-great snowmobile area. Eagle River is a good place to make base camp with-allows easy acess to most wi and mi trails. St. Germain and Minocqua are also good base points. Any of those areas have good places to stay and good food/stops. If you want more snow could go to big snow country-hurley which is 45 min north of minocqua.

Hey Steve,

A lot of sweet places to ride in northern wi, basically the northern third of the state has something for everyone. I live in the minocqua area and in my opinion the whole lakeland area i.e. minocqua,boulder jct.,st.germain,eagle river,phelps etc is tough to beat. Trails are really well marked and groomed, lots of places to stop and eat as well as some real nice scenery. If you are fast and loud, a word to the wise, the DNR is really cracking down on that type of thing and it will get worse. It sounds like you and I enjoy the same type of riding and in that case the western U.P. of Michigan is the place to ride. Long sweeping turns and lots of old forest service roads and railroad beds. Check out My you tube page for some U.P. riding vids. If there is a drawback to the U.P. it is a lot fewer places stop and sit down indoors. That doesnt bother me because I would rather ride and then relax at the end of the day. Midweek riding is the best if you can pull it off. What Milwaukee suburb are you looking at?

DS

Hey guys...thanks for all the great tips and info! DS, I checked out your videos on youtube and those are the kinds of trails we are used to riding! Looks great and I'll keep in touch with the move. Are there any places you would recommend staying at in any of these areas?

Steve, where are you comming from in NH? I know the Keene area and sled out there when I go to my companys headquarters.

John

We live in New Boston which is an hour west of Keene....where in NH do you ride when you come out here? We ride Pittsburg which is in the norther tip of NH, if not in NH we will ride in Maine which is incredible riding, very low traffic and the grooming is top notch...it's easy to put in a 300 mile day and not be tired. By the sounds of it the riding in Wisconsin is world class though!

Correction....an hour east of Keene...sorry my mind is thinking west at the momemnt!

Sawyer County, (N.W.) has 100 miles more snowmobile trails than Iron County, but Iron gets more snow.
There are 228 lakes in Sawyer County.

Hey Steve,

Glad you liked the vids, I am spoiled because I can ride to the U.P from my door but if I were going to trailer I personally would stay in the western half of the U.P.. Dont get me wrong, the whole U.P. is nice but the west half gets most of the snow. Copper Harbor is my favorite place to ride, brockway mountain is great for catching a sunset and then ride into town to stay at the Mariner for some food and a cabin with a hot tub. Copper harbor gets about 250-300+ inches of snow per season so your chance of hitting fresh powder is pretty good. The resort owners up in the yoop ( what the locals call it ) are pretty cool about leaving your rig at their property even though you dont stay there everyday. Depending on how much distance you want to cover and how many days you have, you could base somewhere around lake gogebic ( pronounced go-gib-ick ) which is almost a destination in and of itself and is pretty reasonable to stay on. The first day you could take the bill nichols trail up to copper harbor ( about 150 miles ) and then on the second day you could go from copper harbor to ishpeming by way of the huron mountains ( about 225 ish )and then the third day is a cakewalk back to gogebic from ishpeming simply due to so much railroad bed, you can do 70mph for 15-20 miles at a clip. On that trip you will see everything from virtual ghost towns to areas with so much snow they look like they are covered in marshmallow to the firesteel bridges, brockway mountain, lake of the clouds, south boundary trail, canyon falls state park, sturgeon river gorge etc. etc. PM me with your mailing address and I will see if I can dig up a map or two for you to peruse.

DS

I would try the Upper Peninsula of michigan like others said. Copper Harbor is cool. Stay away from the town of Eagle River but the The trails in the area are great.

Nice videos! Makes me want to skip right over summer and get right to winter! Those trails are similar to the infamous TUG HILL in Upstate NY where I'm from.

Having just moved here myself, I too will be in the market for riding partners this winter.

Carl

Pffft, Bayfield County is gooder...


Click me >>>

Why stay away from ER? Can get cluttered with people getting onto the trails-not worse than any of the other hubs IMO. Good places to stop and stay at. Derby weekend gets crazy. I live there and have been riding in that area for years and haven't had any issues if any thing I have found that with the heavy traffic times(aka weekends)the trails hold up better than the minocqua area. Maybe due to the grooming schedules.

Weekends in ER, especially durby weekend are horrible. Not so much trail conditions, but I cant count how many times I've been stuck behind groups of 30+ sleds that refuse to go over 40mph or pull over at stop signs and allow others to pass. As a joke, I rode my sled on the seat backwards for 30 mins while we were force to follow a group doing about 30mph from sanyer to St. Germain.

I'm gonna have to try more of Bayfield County father up, been in Southern Bayfield many times, great trails.

Yeah weekends can be a PITA(pretty much any where due to the high traffic near the big hubs)-guess that is why I haven't rode weekends since I moved unless family comes up for the weekend.

The trail system is great. I always hated comming back into Eagle River at night the trails were beat up pretty bad. For some reason everyone wants to ride thru Eagle River. .

Hey Carl,

What town you in?

DS

West Allis for two more weeks then moving up to Kiel. I can't wait to move out of the city!

I've got a truck and two place enclosed trailer with currently one sled in it...so I've got room for one more...*hint* *hint*


AND BECAUSE EVERYONE LOVES THEM SOME SLED PORN!












The Dragon has also been known to ride "bitch" to make room for more friends...

Hey Carl,

Nice scenery in those pics, is that the famed tug hill?

DS

Actually the mountain pictures are from Indian Lake which is in the Adirondack Mountains. The Adirondack park is just northeast from Tug Hill. If you do map search for Hooker, NY (that's pretty much center of Tug Hill) then "zoom" out you will see the green boundary of the ADK Park.


Tug Hill Info and Facts
Towns on "The Hill" hold records for snowfall..."On February 10, 2007 the National Weather Service reported that the Town of Parish had received 100 inches (more than 2.5 meters) of snow over a seven day span, while the village of Redfield received 141 inches (more than 3.5 meters) of snow over a ten day span of February 3-February 12, 2007. In 1977 a huge blizzard struck the Tug Hill Plateau and dumped 97 inches in the small village of Carthage."


Montague Inn and snow piles out front. Also, in my post above, the picture of the sleds and snow depth isn't on a plowed road, that's how deep the snow was in the woods...not to mention the trail probably had a good 2' base.

This year was a low year for snowfall in NY...The NWS here only recorded 235" this year...

MORE PICTURES






This is taken from March 4th from my buddy - Snow Pack on a bridge.

A few more before bed...

*Sorry for hijacking your thread*

Five sleds in a "4 Place V-Nose"

My Dragon, 09 Gade, 2 F6/7's, and XC 700, Plus some gas cans and spares.













Camp:

Steve,

You will like Wis. Many great trail systems. The snow load seems to be coming back and if not the UP of Mich. offers great riding. Drop me a PM when your settled in and when the snow starts flying. You are welcome to tag along when we go. Many times we leave Green Bay(80 miles N. of Milw.) and do a 200 mile loop and come back same day. Talk to you later.....Ron

The northern part of WI has great trails for sure. I have a place in NE WI and it is great but if you are looking for weekday riding than Milwaukee county have almost no trail system as you would expect. I live in SE WI about 20 minuts south of Milwaukee, we do get some good snow making for some great riding. It is mostly fields and small wooded areas but big fast trails that are well maintained. let us know where you move to so we can get you hooked up with some nice local trails.

I don't mean to hijack this thread either, but I too may be moving from the Grand Rapids, MI area to Waunakee in the next month or so. I reviewed the states snowmobile trail system and was just amazed by how many there are. It looks more like a highway map. I wish Michigan would have a more dedicated trail system; it is more broken up here. You can ride all day in one area, but have to trailer or break laws to get to a different trail system.

I'll have to hook up with some of you this year and show me the ropes. I've only ridden into Hurley, WI, but that's about it.

You will see we love our trails. People will be more than happy to show you around.