What do you need to ride one Silver Lake? I live in pennslvania and i plan on going there this summer. What is the best time to go? Does anyone know of where i can get information? Do I need sand tires? I have a 400ex.

www.geocities.com/cory_14/
00 400ex

 

To ride at Silver Lake you need: State Park permit (annual is $20.00), ORV permit (also an annual, $16.25) and a park 'spec' flag, which is 10' tall with certain size 'blaze orange' flag at the top.
These flags are available around the Silver Lake area for about $20.00. Helmets and goggles are required, along with an exhaust system not exceeding 94 dB (MI state law) although every time I've been there they have checked sound with their ears, not a meter. You can try the dunes on your dirt tires and if you want paddles & rims you can probably get some at David Allen Racing, a store right at the dunes entry point. They have tires, parts, riding gear, race gas, flags, etc. The best time to go, especially during the summer, is during the week, Monday thru Friday, from opening to about 1:30pm. Weekends and holidays are usually very busy, thus the new 'voucher system' this year which is like the 'take a number' thing for a chance to get in. This was put in place for the Year 2000 season because last year the line to get in stretched 7 miles (according to the DNR). Hope this info answers your questions. Silver Lake is a blast, and well worth the trip.

 

A group of us went out from NY last year and are going again in a couple of weeks. Definitely give yourself a couple of mid-week days but the weekends are alot more action packed as far as drag racing and stuff goes. The week is nice for exploring but the weekend can be alot more fun.

 

Weekends in the fall are awesome also. I've had the whole dunes to myself on beautiful Sunday mornings in late September and October. The weather can be touchy, but if you get a good weekend it can be awesome. The wind at this time of year usually makes the sand virgin smooth in the mornings also. Excellent riding!

Jeff

 

Johnr,
your from ny? Thats cool. How much does it usually cost for your trip?

 

Well, that's hard to say. Lat year we had to rent a motor home so it added $200 to the bill for each of us (six of us went). I figure it will cost about $500 for each of us this year and there are only five of us this time. That includes food, fuel, and the site for the camper (one of us owns one now and we don't have to rent now). We brought food that we could microwave and/or grill so we didn't eat out once. It is really not too expensive for a nine day vacation.

 

coryatver
Made this trip from Rochester, NY 5 yrs in a row when I had my Warrior. Stock tires worked pretty good made it up TEST hill no problem (the tallest dune). Since we went every year I got paddles the next. They were a noticable difference. You will have fun with the stock but if you go again and again (sand is adicting) a set of paddles would be a worth while investment.

We have gone about every month of the season. First time we went in May the opening weekend we were the only people there for Sat & Sun it was cold needed carharts. Have been in Oct weather was good not to many people and it is windy which changes things overnite. The other times were summer weekends they can be busi but we had no problems getting in however we were waiting in line 1 hr before it even opened (you will be there early too cant sleep). We avoided holiday weekends because of the possibility of not getting in after driving so far. I would recommend a non holiday summer weekend for the best experience.

There were 3 guys Suburban & trailer we stayed at hotels in Ludington (45 minutes north) brought coolers and a grill filled coolers in Ludington the night we arrived ate lunch & dinner at the dunes. We drive on friday ride sat & sun drive back mon. total cost per person $300 + or - everything split 3 ways. 600 miles and 10 hrs from my house going through canada.

Bring lots of extra gas to the dunes you use more than would think its mostly full throttle riding.

Hopes the info helps

 

I just went to Silver Lake for the first time last weekend and would highly recommend it. It was a blast. Do yourself a favor and spend the money for paddles. I tried to be cheap and buy a set of Relators to run backwards so I could use them in non sand rides but I will get the paddles next time I go. I rode a guy's 400ex that went with us that had Skat Trak Haulers and shark fins on the front and it turned like it was on rails compared to mine. They also sell them there. I should have some awesome pictures when they are developed.

jad
2000 Scambler 400

 

Glad you had fun...i cant wait to get out there soon..hopefully my banshee will be ready to ride by july 7th!!!

 

I live about an hour and a half from silver lake and we go there often, Me(400ex) and a friend(scrambler500), Just got back from there today, was anyone there today(6/10/00), It was a great day for jumping, it was extremly windy(strong enough to make you feel like your on the wrong end of a sand blaster) so the dunes always have a nice freash peak on them, which makes big air possible on the 400 (if you got the nuts to keep it pegged all the way up) It was also in the 90's today, so out on the sand it feels like about 130. The way to go is bring your quad in a 4x4 pickup(decked out monster truck prefereally, it gets rough out there on busy weekends) and take your truck and quad both on the dunes, then you don't have to mess around with the four hour wait to get a parking spot, then you can drive out on the dunes, park down on lake michigan beach and unload. You better have your bike in top running condition, because the sand, high temps., and constant wide open riding is brutal to your machine, many quads, buggys and trucks leave the dunes on the end of a tow strap. Then all the shops right outside the dunes are very overpriced and will over charge you for simple part. But I think the weekends are the best time to go, you get to see alot of action from dune buggys, dirt bikes, trucks, jeeps, hummers, home made sand machines and plus you get a killer time riding, we all are a little braver when there are a bunch of people perched atop the dune watching you. The dunes is a good time, its one of MI treasures, but if you come from out of state, please obey the rules(no beers), and pay attention when you ride, alot of the area is open dunes, people have been killed or seriously injured in collisions and crashes. There are people out there who would love to shut it down, already a good portion of the dunes is no orvs allowwed. As for tires I use my stock tires, let so air out and they work good.Paddles would be nice but they cost some bucks.