Any of you been to Fingerlakes State Park near Columbia, MO lately? When I lived in the St.Louis area I used to go there and it was the best place that I have ever been. Am wondering if it is still open, and what if any changes have been made in the past 5 or 6 years.

 

I haven't rode Finger Lakes yet, but checked it out last November on the way home from deer camp. Looks great. I have herd it can be pretty extreme in some areas. I don't know what they had when you were last there, but they have campgrounds, a professional MX track complete with grandstands and announcers tower. Also there are fishing lakes, and a shooting range adjacent to Finger Lakes. We're going to try to get up there some weekend this summer. Where is "the cliffs " in Marseilles Ill you spoke of on another post. Might get the gang to try that sometime if it isn't too far from St.Louis. We all live SW of s
St.Louis around High Ridge, House Springs, and Cedar Hill.

 

Hello and thanks for the update on Fingerlakes. The Cliffs is a nice place but small compared to the places that you are close to. It is located in Marseilles, IL which is just south of I-80 in the center of Illinois. It is extreme riding and has something for almost everyone. The mud is bad after a rain, as is Fingerlakes and it is just as extreme as fingerlakes. Both fingerlakes and the cliffs are better than park hills in my opinion. I have ridden Park Hills many times and I will pay to ride at Fingerlakes before I would ride PH for free. There is another small place SE of Belleville, IL around Coulterville that you may want to try that isn't so far but it is small too, around 300 acres. I just found out about a place not too far from you called leerjak ranch. IDK if you have heard of it or not but it looks decent from what i have seen on their website. According to their website, they have nearly 3000 acres so that has potential to be an awesome place. They have a google map on their contact us tab so check it out. I think it is leerjak.com to their website. I would check it out if it weren't so far but that is a long haul for me. I have ridden Fingerlakes 3 times I think and I believe they have about 80 miles of trails, or at least they did have. They have the potential to add a whole bunch more acres if they had access to the land. I would go there every weekend if it were close enough.

 

Leerjaks grand opening is the weekend of April 2nd and
should be a great success,they sound like great folks!

 

I have been to St. Joe State Park (Park Hills) a few times. Being new at ATV's it has been good for me. Getting a little practice and gaining confidence in myself and the quad. I have also ridden at Sutton's Bluff in South East Missouri. Just been on the easiest trails there so far. My son tells me that there is nothing there harder than St. Joe, just a few hills that "look" more scary. His father-in-law and he were commenting on the way home from St.Joe last Sunday how much better I was getting. Not hesitating so much, and trying a lot tougher trails. It might be like when I first started riding dirt bikes back in my misspent youth (1975). After my riding buddy watched me get used to the bike he said "the big one's commin' " It did a short time later when I endoed my brand new Kawasaki 350 Bighorn! Although, I might have already have had the "big one" when I rolled my son's KFX 700 the first time I rode it.

 

Planning to take our first trip to Fingerlakes next weekend. Did someone mention that it is a pay to ride park? How much does it cost? Anyone ever been to Deepwater MO. We go there every couple weeks and have a blast but my friend says fingerlakes is way beter.

 

I have ridden several places including the Badlands in Indiana and for my part Fingerlakes is the best place ever. The last time I was there it was only $3 each all day!!!! Yes, $3.00. I am sure that it has gone up but it is so worth it. It has something for everyone. They have a professional MotoX track, complete with bleachers, running water in the bathrooms, a place to wash off your quad, and all the beautiful scenery you want. It is an old Peabody Coal Co. strip mine that was mined in the 50's and 60's and still has the tall mounds of dirt piled up that they aren't allowed to do today. There are lakes to fish or swim in, and camping. It is only about 8 or 10 miles from Columbia with all the amenities you could ask for. Again, the last time I was there they had approximately 80 miles of trails in 1000 acres of property. I think the best thing about it is that there is really tough areas for the 4X4 utility quads as well as plenty for the sport quads. The hare scramble trail that I rode that day was plenty tough and I had a blast on my old Warrior. Now that I have my Griz I will be checking out all the places that I didn't want to try with the Warrior. I don't know how crowded it is on the weekends because I always went during the week and had a blast. For any of you that do go be sure to let us all know how it is today. I can't say enough about how good it is.

 

it's a Missouri State Park, still $3.00!!!!! Same as St.Joe in Park Hills

 

So did you make the trip? I am anxious to hear how it was for you. Let us all know.

 

Has anyone found a legal place to ride in the Kansas City area?

Trails? I know there is a track but im not a racer.