Boondocking in central/eastern UP

[TurboMatt]

I have been boondocking in the UP for several years now, but all of my riding has been in the weatern UP. Mainly, White Pine/Silver City/Rockland area. I mainly ride forests & logging roads in the Ottawa National Forest. Some gas and power lines.

It always seems that towards the later part of the season the central part of the UP starts getting more snow. I see there is a rather large National forest in the central part of the state. The Hiawatha National Forest I think. How is the riding around here? Is the whole Hiawatha Na. forest open to snowmobiling or is there a lot of private land that you need to stay away from? Is there a lot of logging roads and open forests to ride like the western UP? How hard are they to find? I was thinking of riding out of Munising. Which direction should I go from there. I think it would be fun to explore some new area.

I'm not looking for anyone to give away their "secret spot", just looking for general ideas & spots that I can't go because it would be trespassing.

thanks in advance.

 

[darocketman]

riding is awesome right now in the central up, up until this last thaw you needed a long track to get anywhere off the trail. I run a 144x2x16 and I was having a hard time getting on top of the snow earlier last week. chatham-sundell got around 30-32" of powder in some areas, trenary-rumely was 24-36" hiawatha national forest was awesome this previous weekend and pretty everywhere we went had no complaints of not enough snow. I am always looking for ppl or groups to ride with. contact me at Ncurry@tds.net we may be plannign a boon dock ride next weekend with the wives if you want to tag along, it looks like we will get another melt thurs and more snow friday. so riding should be good on saturday for short tracks but im sure we will; find some technical/deep for the long guys.

 

[sleddheadd]

We will be in Munising at the comfort inn on the 12th. there are tons of places to go! anywhere you see you can ride and if they don't want you in there you'll know! that is the great thing about muni area is the exploring! if you head a little north and east you will see an area called Kingston Plains, also a great area to ride. there are forest rode and trail maps incase you need them but just use your gps and start riding, that is the fun part!

 

[sleddheadd]

I see you are form Watertown. My wife was born and raised there. I think she was the class of '92. We still visit a few times a year to see her family. It's a nice little town, I like it!

 

[pat93fox]

Went to Munising this last weekend with no idea of how the land lays. Found tons of meadows and logging trails heading NE of town off trail 8 and cutting off. Sunday we went down to Chatham and there is pow everywhere around the town. I would recomend the Chatham area if the weather doesn't get to warm. Mainly open fields and rolling hills, no-go areas are posted clearly.

 

[TurboMatt]

Well I was up riding on Mon/tues/wed. We found some great spots & tons of snow. baisically the areas that were spelled out already. We found some get logging roads south of Shingleton/Wetmore. And like you said, If they don't want you riding they sign it pretty good. the small lakes around the area have good snow on them too.

 

[CuzzinOlaf]

Well I was up riding on Mon/tues/wed. We found some great spots & tons of snow. baisically the areas that were spelled out already. We found some get logging roads south of Shingleton/Wetmore. And like you said, If they don't want you riding they sign it pretty good. the small lakes around the area have good snow on them too.

Heading to Seney next week. I noticed there are a lot of small lakes. Frozen solid? I'm meeting up with a guy who knows the area for a few days of riding but wanted to know your overall impression of the area compared to Rockland/Twin Lakes?

 

[darocketman]

I know its a little close to the weekend but I am letting you all know. that the snow around here is poor now. pow all melted off. real hollow underneath. it looks like the good powder riding for the year is over around here. And for the guy that posted that you can ride anywhere, dont believe that. Talk to the locals most of the time you will find someone to ride with. munising area is pretty good if you are around town but when you get off on private areas people tend to get pretty mad. I have lived and rode the chatham/munising/trenary area for 13+ years and know the area like the back of my hand. We are getting lots of problem from ppl thinking they can ride anywhere. It is kind of ruining the riding around here since the locals are starting to not let anyone on there property. Kingston plains is a good place to ride if you like flat but if you want some hills you really need to get ahold of locals early in the season make some friends and maybe they will take you into there local holes. Once again, Please do not just go ride anywhere. Atleast get a plat book or ORV trail guide. the trail guide will tell you everywhere in the state that is open for riding and includes all forest and logging trails and CFR land. Hopefully next year we will have another year like this over 40 days of good powder riding with at least 18"+

 

[Stack]

Keep an eye out this week, possibility of a little storm moving in Tuesday-Wednesday time frame that will help some areas a lot. Next weekend it looking cold, so we definitely need some fluff before the concrete forms again! I know where we are at there will be snow for quite some time!