N. Michigan: St Helen, Mio, Rose City, West Brabch
 

Looking for friend/buddy over 50 closer to my age and interests to trail ride with. I've been riding since 86 with my kids yet their pretty busy now. I have a van and trailer for hauling and camping equipment if needed and always share in expenses. I have a TRX450R and like to camp at 3 different campgrounds up there some on lakes that are set up for atv's. If you or someone you know would like to try a trip for 2 days or more and more info. Thanks Steve
Email: steve.grinke@gmail.com

What campgrounds do you stay at? I spent a night at Mack Lake last summer with 2 of my friends. We took everything with us on our ATVs and camped one night at a place we found in the woods, and the second night at the campground. The place out in the woods was set up with an outhouse, and a table/countertop with shelves all made of lumber. I guess it was used by a group of deer hunters who built it on public land. It was totally illegal but we didn't complain. We could have made it straight back to the cabin from there if we tried but we needed a break. I've done a lot of camping out in the woods in my lifetime but Mack Lake was the first campground I can recall staying at in the last 40 years. After we pitched our tents the other guys went for a swim while I sat and relaxed.

We did the same thing staying at Mac lk then found a place closer to Bull Gap where we camped for 3 days just off dirt road. It didn't look like anyone had ever camped there before but made a good area for everything needed for a good camp site and from there we could head out in every direction around Bull Gaps 50 mile trail all around Mac lake with way too many whoops so I don't think we'll be doing that trip again, any time soon! There's one monster hill climb just south of Bull Gap that we found 3 years ago where we struggled to get down from and always wished we had tried to climb back up it but was running late to get back to camp so I'm now trying to find that hill again on my maps and using google earth with no luck. I'll try again when we get to that area this weekend. I know of about 5 real challenging steep hills between West Branch and Mio that are almost impossible to climb, be we managed on a few of them....barely! Love a good challenge but trying to be safe too! This weekend were hoping to head over to Clear lk for a early breakfast behind party store from St Helens campground then heading over to Wagon Wheel N of Rose City rd, then up to Pink store for gas then up to Bull Gap, then reversing the trip back taking a bit of a short cut from wagon wheel W to St Helen. Weather looking much better for this week up there, finally! Hope we run into ya up there!

There are always a lot of whoops on the A loop between M-33 and Bull Gap Hill. I'm glad the Pink Store opened up again. We used to start on the north end of Bull Gap Trail, all the way down the east side of the loop, back and forth on the side trails, then over to the Pink Store to gas up, head up the west side of the loop, over to the hill, and back around to the parking lot. We quit doing the whole loop when we couldn't get gas anymore. West of there the county opened up the roads to ATVs, and we usually ride from my friends' cabin to The Meadows Trail, or just take a quick ride on Mio Trail. They're really close to Muskrat Lake and go there a lot. The north loop of Mio Trails sucks. I wouldn't be surprised if there are still trees down from the tornado that laid waste to Comins Township east of there back in '99. We don't cross M-33 to Bull Gap much anymore, but we may start if we can get gas. In the past, even when the Pink Store was open they didn't always have gas, so you may want to take some with you.

I was thinking about the gas situation there myself, near the pink store, and will need fresh gas, mid grade or better for the 450's at this point on our trip, from Clear lk. to Bull Gap. We've done something before, when the pink store was closed for awhile, where we would hide gas near there, and since we will be driving right by there, heading up hauling the quads, going to Bull Gap, it wouldn't be out of the way to try it again. Not sure what they have at the pink store now, since they haven't answered their phone, when I've called, and I'm pretty sure the price of premium there would be through the roof, even more so, than everywhere else!
Got a question. Trying to remember, and hoping to find a place we used to ride to, nearly 25 yrs ago, called Snuffys Hill, where there was a cross staked in the ground, with this kids name carved into it, and from what I can remember, about what someone there said, is that the kid died there, when he tried riding down the hill, and hit a tree. We could climb up the hill on the side, but would never try climbing straight up the face or try going down the way he did from what I recall! I believe it was near Wagon Wheel, W. of Rose City, N. of Rose City rd.
Got a new set of paddles, and I am so anxious to try them out at Bull Gap, and as soon as were ready for the trails, I'll put back on the new Hole Shot style Boss Racing tires. We have been steadily getting everything together, through out this past winter, for this seasons ride! Got some rubber to burn! lol Here's pics of the Boss tires, w/rims, bought off eBay for $229 set, from a powersports dealer in California. Light weight, nearly 12'' wide, and 6 ply. Used them a couple of times at Bundy Hill, over the winter, and hooked up real well, even in the snow!
s-l640.jpg
Don't know about you, but I sure miss the old Bull Gap's free style climb there, from back in the day! Don't care for the way they have redirected the way they want us to climb it now, where before we could climb from many places around the hill, and now once you head up and over to the back of the hill there's a long one way trail leading away from there with no shortcut back! I'm sure its for safety purposes, but I really miss the old Bull gap ways!
They did the same thing just W. of Rose City on Rose City rd. near Stony ridge rd., not far from Ambrose lk camp, where we could park off on the side of the road, onto a parking lot like area, and was very popular in the 80's, with great hill climbs, all over the hill, and over around to the back side, to Wagon wheel, with trails heading off in so many directions, you could get all mixed up quickly, if you weren't extremely familiar with the area! Great place, but now its all closed off with logs across every run, causing no activity there for many years, with it overrun now, with foliage hiding, this once great place! There's so many other places like this, that are closed off now, sadly forgotten! Good ol' days back then, with many great memories, gone bye-bye! lol :(
But heading back ''in spite of it all'' and can't wait :nod:

Sometimes the Pink Store used to have gas cheaper than in town and they sold out. That's why they didn't have any gas a couple of times we checked there. We used to climb all the trails on the sides at Bull Gap until they were blocked off. That was a lot more fun for me than the main hill. I remember going up a trail on the left side of the hill and when you're more than halfway up you could suddenly see a couple of trees across the trail. IIRC I got off my ATV and walked it under. The handlebars just cleared it but I couldn't duck down low enough to ride under them. If I didn't have 4x4 Low I'd have to back down and hope no one followed me. I have backed down on those trails before and the sand was so loose I skidded part way down the hill. On Huron Trail there was a hill climb on one side of the trail, and the DNR was waiting up there giving people tickets for leaving the trail. I think it was $70 back then, probably a lot more now.

Yeah I miss that left side of the Bull Gap hill, having to duck, while the climb took a dog leg turn under that log, and if you lost your momentum, you were dead in the sand, like you said. That happened to me the first time I tried it, but after that it was a fun challenge to do it, over and over again, and that right side was no joke either, just as challenging!
I'm still trying to find the hill almost straight south of Bull Gap, not far from Bull Gap, where leaving we had a steep drop, down to a graveled road, but we were in such a hurry, that I didn't stop to figure out exactly where we were. Do you know where I'm referring to? I'm determined to at least try to muscle up that monster slope, once I ever find it again lol
You mentioned being ticketed, and reminded me of the time we rode into Mio for gas, at the station across from the police dept, when a Mio police officer stopped me as I was leaving, saying I didn't cross 33 to the street next to the police station. I asked him where the markers were, for directing us out of town, and he looked around in every direction, finally pointing up to an arrow about 4'' long, way at the top of a telephone pole, that had nothing to do with our atv's! Then my brother, who had already left the area, came back to see what the problem was, when the officer/cop wrote us both up for $150 ea. Then he told us not to worry about it, and if we called the number on the ticket, when the city offices opened that next Monday morning, that they would understand, since there were no visible signs posted, and would forgive the offence....wrong!! they still stuck it to us, and would need for us to drive all the way back there, to try and fight it. The next time we were up there, a few weeks later, all the signs were up, and very visible! Crooks!
Well it looks like the trip up north, this weekend has just been called off ''again'' due to the weather until next weekend! So I guess we'll fill in that time slot heading back to Bundy Hill, south of Jackson, but not too far from where we live, near Metro airport, about 90 min away. Very dangerous place Bundy, with expensive rigs being pulled/dragged/haled out every weekend! My buddy broke his hip in 6 places there, 3 yrs ago, while we were heading down devils hole there, when his 4x4 rolled up the side of this gorge sending his wheeler up in the air, flipping upside down, throwing him off, then pounding down on him, while he was struggling to scoot out of its path! Fitting name, Devils Hole! Not nearly enough caution signs there, and with little kids riding along with adults, driving their little scooters! I'm not crazy about going there, but my son needs to get away, and where else is there to ride, on this side of the state. Need more safe riding areas here with so many atv's in this southern part of the state. Bundy is charging $20 a head, and the place is packed, with hundreds of vehicles, almost every weekend, during the warmer months!
This year is starting out way too wet!

I have no idea where the hill you're talking about is. I liked going up the right side of the hill on a trail that went left onto the main part of the hill. If no one was coming I would keep on going and cross over to the left side of the hill onto another trail by the top. When I said the DNR was giving people tickets on Huron Trail I was wrong. I realized that's National Forest land so it would have been forest rangers up there, but I don't think it makes any difference. If you're a repeat offender they'll confiscate your ATV and you can't buy a trail permit for a new one.

Have you ever been to The Mounds in Mt. Morris Township? It's not far from me and I went there once about 20 years ago, and most of it was fenced off. I haven't been back but one of my brothers plays in the mud there a lot. Google Maps says it's 90 miles from Taylor. It looks like ATVs are allowed in a scramble area, maybe one of the rock crawls, one of the pits, some mud holes, and ATV trails. The rest is for trucks and 4x4s. The Mounds Off Road ORV Park, Flint MI Genesee County

Yes, have been to the mounds many times back in 80's and 90's, but like you, not since then. I hear its much improved now. I wouldn't mind spending a day there if It were closer, but I figure by the time I get up there, that far north, I might as well just keep on going a little further, especially having the time now for 2 or more day trips, and then once there, being able to do so much more, as you know! Were so lucky to have this playground right here in our back yards, with so much sand, hills, lakes and gazillions of trails, once this pesky rain gets out of here, that is! lol
Its also ok to Email a reply steve.grinke@gmail.com
thanks Steve

The Mounds is a 25 minute drive from my house and the M-33 parking lot for Bull Gap Trail is 1 hour 45 minutes away. I'd rather drive the extra 100 miles to ride the trails instead of going to an ATV park. It takes over 2 hours to get to my friends' cabin and even longer than that to unload the truck and set up my tent.

You'er so lucky to be that close to our northern trails. I'm sure I would be tempted to go more often, if I lived closer! I guess the good thing about being so far away, is the thrill we get once there, not being able to go that often. We've had many different quads with the kids growing up and could hardly wait, for nearly every weekend during the summer months, to head up there, and we would be so excited, there was no way we could just go right to sleep once there, even though after working that Friday, then driving up going to Glens grocery store, putting camp together and by then it would be way after midnight, we all would jump on the wheelers, doing a hard ride before finally turning in, then up before daybreak getting ready to head out until late again that night, and always doing a night ride (best part of the trip!) getting in every second, day and night, until heading back home, sometimes waiting it out until real early Monday morning, just in time to go to work, exhausted, but would be already making plans for the next trip! lol Don't do that anymore, but the thrill still exists and with all the great memories we had! Its really killing me with all this time just thinking of getting there and this rain wont turn off and now we just canceled the Bundy trip for this weekend with 80% chance of rain, plus I just got these new paddles on, without having a chance to tear the ground up!! lol Next weekend, again their forecasting beautiful weather up there, but this has happened for a month now, canceling trips each time, where always towards the end of the week, rain again shows up, up there!
Well if I cant go to natures retreat I'll bring it to me, since I now have more time on my hands to do so. I'm building a Gazebo for our aquatic turtles and a quiet place for us to sit out under, watching the waterfall flowing down into the pond. We've had one there for years, but its time to rebuild because of the age, and while I'm at it might as well make it bigger where my 4' iguana can climb up into and join us lol I'll post some pictures once its all done.

I used to ride by myself a lot but quit doing that. Now I normally go to my friend's place Memorial Day weekend, a couple of weeks for the 4th of July, Labor Day weekend, and a couple of other weekends. I can't go this Memorial Day weekend. I need to do more physical therapy for my shoulder before I can pitch my tent and ride my quad. Plus my brothers are both going to their cabin in the U.P. and someone has to be home to give my mom her pills on the weekend so I'm doing it. She has dementia so we all take care of her. I just have to give her a 7-day pill box Saturday and change her hearing aid batteries, plus the regular things like taking her to the store.

Knowing my friend, he'll have Friday and Tuesday off if at all possible. When he gets out of work Thursday night he'll head up north. If they have to haul a lot of stuff his wife and the dogs will be up there before him. Wednesday they'll leave and he'll drive 135+ miles home, drop her off, then drive another 15 miles across town to work, or they drive separately and cut 20 minutes off his drive.

My favorite places to ride since 86 spending years discovering, exploring and mapping these areas for future use.
Good place to start out is at St Helen Mi. campground with modern restroom facilities and hot showers or Trails inn motel, both on the trail head across the street from one another, with all the amenities needed in town there too, right on the corner less than 1/4 mi. away, like an atv parts dealership, gas. restaurants, liquor store, drug store, hardware and so much more, all within a blocks distance away from one another. From here you can head E. towards Houghton lake Mi. trail system or S. W. to West branch or N. through Clear lake, then onto city of Mio trail system. So many great places to check out along the way! My favorite trip from St Helen is to head north to Clear Lake, with their great rustic Bar and grill (with great food and cold beer), corner store (with restaurant in the rear of the store, where we stop in normally for a quick breakfast), also gas next to the store, lodging, Ambrose lk. atv campground near by, and with so many surrounding trails there too, with hill climbs! You could spend weeks just right here and never see everything! Then after leaving Clear lakes area head up to wagon Wheel N. of Rose city rd. with dozens of trails scattering the hill side there called the Rose city oil fields. Then on up N. to the gravel pit for a little play time, before crossing M33 at the Pink store for gas and snacks. Leaving there to head up to Mio's Bull gap, either on the west side (shortest rout) or you can do the half Bull Gap trip through Mac lk. Campground heading N. to Bull Gap or the long way around from the Pink store traveling on the 50 mile loop that passes Bull gap on its way back to the Pink store where there's a atv parking lot near bye. Make sure you take along the printable Mi. DNR atv trail maps with you, to help guide the way, along with the maps of the other areas I mentioned.

If your looking for a friend to ride with, and show the way, over 50 nearer my age and interests, Email me for more info. I'll be more than happy to do a trip with you!
steve.grinke@gmail.com
Thanks Steve

I live Near Grand Rapids and really wish I had more tails around here. Sounds like you and Jumbo are hitting it off:lmao:.

Quick question, how well does your Trx 450 go in trails and snow. I currently have a 2007 Trx 400ex but I'm interested in the 450.

Thanks

I just bought the Honda 450 in February and was lucky to find Bundy Hill open, but just that one weekend, since their closed much of the winter and it had just snowed with a nice amount of fresh fallen snow, along with a decent amount that had fallen during that week! It was just the right blend of sand, mud, pond water, and tons of fine pea gravel to test it out in. I have owned 2 Quadzilla 500's, 3 TRX250r's all 3 years and my son has ridden all of them and then with him buying the 660 raptor to compare the 450 to and we both agree the trx450r is lighter than the 500 and 660 which really felt good plus in our minds the power was very good as well. No regrets so far, and hopefully after next weekend I'll be able to report even more positive things, like going a longer distance, with it being 4 stroke vs 2 stroke, plus my son and I bought the same model within 2 weeks of ea other, same year 04, color, Price and from close to the same area near Adradin Mi. Whats the odds? lol I've never ridden the 400 but from what I've read their close in so many ways, but for the little difference in price, i'm glad I went with the extra horses, being closer to the power were used to.

When me and my friends rode from Mio to Ambrose Lake Campground last summer there was big sign at the entrance saying you couldn't ride ATVs past that point. If we could ride in we would have camped there instead of finding such a great place to camp out in the woods. I'm glad we didn't camp there. No ATV riding in the campground also means you can't take them off your trailer and start riding the trails from there too. I just looked at a bunch of websites that say you can, but the sign there said otherwise. Most of those websites said the same thing word for word like they were all copied from one place.

AFAIK all forest roads in the Lower Peninsula were closed to ATVs unless marked otherwise, until January 1st this year. It sounds like most of the riding you've done has been illegal, unless you've been riding the shoulder of regular roads in counties that allowed it. And the only decent hill I know of that you can legally climb is Bull Gap. If there are other legal hills I'd appreciate links to those trail maps because I love a good hill climb. The one little hill I know of at St. Helen is fun for 15-20 minutes in the winter, but no challenge at all the rest of the year, unless you go up backward, which I've done.

Cool, thanks for replying. Would you consider them very hight maintenance? And what is your favorite trail systems within 2 hours of Grand Rapids for ATV's?

Yeah, I'm right here working in and out the house, building a pond hut and checking my pc for materials, and good thing, I found your mail. Being semi retired, self employed gives me the freedom to do just about anything I please, as long as i don't get too lazy, with so much time on my hands. That happens quite a bit, especially in the winter months lol
The only maintenance, Is like on most atv's, watching the fluid levels, air filter cleaning, chain tightening but I found out, one of the most important thing on all atv's are the lug nuts loosening without much warning! I've been lucky a couple of times, after a very long and dangerous ride through hilly, rocky terrain, when returning to camp and having my buddy noticing my front tire leaning, and while getting closer, saw the lugs were almost off with one missing, and never noticed it at all during the ride. That could have been disastrous, to say the least! I've got to say that the lugs and a loose chain are the most important things I can think of, plus keeping the chain taught will save the life of your sprockets for years to come plus your case possibly getting cracked if you only have the plastic chain guard instead of a metal case saver! These things can creep up on you real easily, when your all geeked to get out there and ride, not taking the time to thoroughly check things out. My grandmother always said a stitch in time saves nine lol So true!

Lol. And I wish I had that much time on my hands. I'm a high school student, get around 3 hours of homework per night, and raise pigs at our house, pretty busy.

I know all that of checking fluids regularly, and always check the chain but I've never heard of Lug nuts falling off! That could have been bad. I heard the Trx 450 needs an oil change very regularly (around every 12 hours) and the main thing I wasn't sure about was the valve adjustment. I know a fair amount about ATV's but I would have known idea how to go into the Engine and adjust valves inside. I heard this needs to be done every 15 hours. Is this true?

One time I took my ATV to the dealer for an oil change and told them to check everything. After they replaced the front brake pads they didn't tighten the lug nuts all the way. I started hearing a clunk when going around curves. Left, right, clunk, clunk. I stopped and looked and found out all 4 lug nuts on my left front wheel had backed off, and some of the threads on all 4 lugs were gone. What I heard was my wheel flopping around. I tightened the nuts but they were in bad shape, so I took the nuts off one at a time and replaced them with one nut off each of the other 3 wheels, until all 4 wheels had 3 good nuts holding them on. After I got home I had to buy 4 new studs for that wheel. Instead of buying new lug nuts from the dealer, which were just flange nuts, I bought 4 whiz nuts from the hardware store. The only difference is that the OEM lug nuts had a smooth face and whiz nuts are serrated. I put one of them on each wheel, and I put blue Loctite on all 16 studs before putting the nuts back on. Losing a front wheel during a ride would have really sucked.

That is a great idea! I'll head over to the hardware today and put a set on both our wheelers. That could be a life saver, or prevent a very serious injury, like when the tire gives way, when flying down a tight trail, crashing you into a tree or about to head down a steep hill flipping you and the quad over on its side tumbelling you both down the hill. Happened to my buddy 3 years ago, busting his pelvis in 6 places, when his heavy sportsman 4x4 flipped over, heading down a steep hill, sending them both up in the air throwing him off, then the 4x4 tumbled and bounced 2 times before pounding down on him as he was struggling to scoot down the hill, trying to get away from its path. It was like the machine was possessed because after it finally got to the bottom of the hill, it ended up right, still running, then came at all of us with the accelerator stuck on, chasing all of us like a fire breathing monster, until my son caught a quick moment to flip the key off! That's one thought I'll never get out of my head! Sorry about being so graphic, but that's just how fast things can go very wrong, and sometimes it could be something as simple as that little nut, that could cause all sorts of havoc!

Sorry I missed your question country rider, about the maintenance for the 450. I have researched this machine to death, after I bought it, and my other quads as well. The 4 strokes including the 450's, I have read many times where their neglected for years and still with no issues. I replace the oil and oil filter every other hard ride. Shell ROTELLA T 15W-40 Motor Oil, 1 gal. White bottle jug. Is dirt cheap, and everyone sells it, walmarts $12 gal., Sams, gas stations, hardwares. You can get about 3 changes out of a gal. jug. You can read, like me for days researching this oil and always gets 5 star ratings! Never any neg. stuff at all! Its used in almost all vehicles, including diesels. You can change it more often this way, and everyone says its just as clean coming out, as it was going in! I buy the filters, 6 at at time on Ebay and keep them on hand.
As far as valve adjustments for the 450. Many have said they have ridden theirs for years without needing to do them. It's not a hard thing to do when needed. I've done a few, and even had to pull the valves for cleaning when the bike started smoking from the exhaust, and I'm glad I tried it myself, since the dealer wanted $600, and only took me a few hrs., plus now when I need it done again, It will be even easier. Don't be afraid to get your feet wet, the more you do to your quad the easier it gets, and you'll be proud to know you did it yourself! Good maintenance pays off in the long run!

Thanks for the reply and I completely agree. Thats why I have been learning how to fix this stuff and watching a lot of youtube videos on fixing ATV's:nod:. Do you mind giving me a brief explanation on how to adjust the valves and were exactly they are?

Thanks

You can download the manual for free, or buy a used manual off ebay, to save money. You might want to wait until after you buy your next ride to save yourself time and money. I havent had to do valves on the 450 yet, so until I ever need to, I would hate to give any advice on this model other than for anyone to wait until repairs are needed, but it wouldn't hurt to read up on every part of a vehicle before and after buying one. A good place to start if your really interested is the TRX450r.com forum. I have learned so much about this quad through them, and It's only, just about the Honda 450r's! You can't read enough. I've always said the more you read the less you know lol or at least it seems. Just kidding. :search:

I've heard about people using Shell Rotella T6 Full Synthetic Diesel Oil in a lot of different ATVs, but not the Rotella T4 dinosaur oil. They come in completely different weights. What weight is a TRX450r supposed to have?

These comments are directly from Honda TRX450r owners that have used the shell t4 white bottle for years with no bad reviews or results that i've found, and like many have said if changed regularly it comes out as clean as going in. I copied the comments below.

There have been a ton of threads on this topic as of late. You can find them by doing a search through the search engine. Most all the guys that have been on here for a while, will say to go with the Rotella oil. Way cheap compared to the honda oil, and seems to work just as good, if not better. I use the honda oil now, but plan on making the switch.
Look up in the search directory.... see any negative response? I don't see any.

You can find the rotella oil at sam's! 50 bucks for approx 5 gallon! Just bought 2x of them and i just made a big saving. I'm all set on oil now :) ooohhh such a good feeling!

I just switched to the white bottle in both sides and i pretty happy with it.

My friends run the rotella and they swear by it.

Running white bottle in both sides of mine, have not had any issues.

White bottle 15w-40 in mine. Changed after every 2 rides no matter how long they were and it's just as clear coming out as it was going in!

I've used white 15-40 both sides for a year or more with no issues... i change my engine side every 8-10 hours and trans every 15 hours or so and the old oil still looks good when i take it out, on both

If you like piece of mind you should def switch off of the honda oil unless you are overpaying for the synthetic stuff. The regular honda oil is complete trash, breaks down super quick and is cheap crappy oil, for about the same price as the cheap honda oil you can get the white bottle shell and be set. Remember, just because you ride a honda, it doesn't need honda oil- honda isnt the company making the oil, it isn't designed specially for a honda engine or anything like that.

These are just a very few of the good reviews I researched before switching over. You can give your views as well, i'm all ears plus your never too old to learn a new trick lol Everyone has their own special connexions and views, that's why I spent days on just this subject. Very important indeed!

No doubt it's good oil. I was just wondering what weight the owner's manual said to use.

My ATV is completely different so it takes different oil. 5W-50 all year at any temperature I'll ever see, but full synthetic 0W-40 would probably work just as well. When I rode an average of 1,000 miles or so a year, my oil got changed twice a year. Roughly 50 hours between oil changes, and I never had any engine problems. It would suck to have to change it every 8-10 hours when some rides last longer than that. Now I don't ride as much and it's only changed once a year.

Another great place to camp/ride is W. of Rose City near Clear lk. at Ambrose lk. atv campground. From here you can head out in every direction to many places.This is the first place we started out at, with our first trx200sx in 86. We have camped here every year since. The camp lake is crystal clear, with a small sandy beach area, with many campsites right on the lake. You can ride from here out S. on piper lk rd. 1 mi. to a real ''extremely challenging'' hill climb. Head N. 3 mi. to Wagon Wheel area with a good mix of sand, trails, hills. Then N from there 3 mi. up to the gravel pits with good climbs there. Leaving out of camp 3 mi. W to city of Clear lk. for gas, food, restaurant, store. Heading S.W. from camp, 12 mi. to St Helens trail system or S.E. out of camp to West Branch 12 mi. away. You'll never get bored here! Great place to wake up to, with a fresh cup of coffee in hand, with a terrific view of your surroundings! Heading there soon, hope to see you all there!

Did you see post #16? When we went there last summer the sign at the entrance said ATVs weren't allowed to ride into Ambrose Lake Campground. So you can't ride out of the campground to the trail either. Not if you want back in anyway.

I don't know of any campground in michigan where you can ride inside the campground area. The campground is connected to some ORV trails so you can drive your four wheeler or bike to the trails.

Ambrose Lake State Forest Campground Professional Review and Guide

"Situated on the eastern shore of Ambrose Lake, the campground has a boat ramp. The best sites, of course, are the ones located right along the lake, roughly a third of the total sites. Some sites are on a back loop deeper in the forest and offer more privacy. All of them have decent shade. Anglers will find panfish and bass. Nine miles of ATV trail have a trail- head on-site and connect to the Michigan Cross Country Cycle Trail. Ogemaw Hills and Rose City offer other off-road opportunities."

I do know of 2 campgrounds that I just thought of, where you can ride in and out of camp, for anyone needing to ride right from their campsite.

Saint Helen Campground
Located in Roscommon County, the heart of northern lower Michigan. From I-75 exit at mile marker 222 - Go north on North St. Helen Road (Old M-76) five miles to the stop light at Airport Road and turn right (east). The campground is located on the left, 1/4 mile east on Airport Road next to the airport and park building.

Sites are available for camping at the Township Park with easy access to Lake Saint Helen, restaurants, party stores and gasoline. Currently 30 sites have electricity and water and 30 additional camp sites are rustic. A dump station is available. ORVs have direct access to the trail system from individual camp sites.

Also available are showers and bathroom facilities, two ball fields, tennis court, basketball court, covered pavilion, playground and playscape.

The other campground where you can ride in and out of camp is Bundy Hill, Located on US-12 approximately two miles north of Jerome in Somerset Township. The campground is inside the park. 350 Acres of all terrain for all off road vehicles.

Well, like I already said about Ambrose Lake Campground, there was big sign at the entrance saying NO ORVS PAST THIS POINT. And as I also said, I looked at a bunch of websites that say you can ride in and out to the trails and back, but the sign there said otherwise. And it didn't say no ORVs except for registered campers either, it said no ORVs. NO ORVS PAST THIS POINT means you can't go in or out on an ATV, just like a NO ORVS PAST THIS POINT sign any other place the trail or route ends means you can't go past that point on an ATV.

As far as campgrounds in Michigan you can ride inside the campground area of, you can ride your ATV through Mack Lake Campground no faster than 15 MPH just like the sign there says you can. Even if you aren't camped there you can park across from the lake and go swimming if you want to. Mio Trail leads right into Muskrat Lake Campground and you can ride inside it too. If you don't have a campsite, you can park right in front of the lake. I couldn't count the number of times I parked by the lake and rode inside the campground. You can ride inside The Meadows Campground too. I rode inside all 3 of those campgrounds several times, but only camped at one of them, and only one time. The Luzerne Express Campground not only allows people to ride inside it, they rent ATVs and RZRs so you ride those from the campground to The Meadows Trail. I didn't ride inside that one many times. Campers there are always going in and out to the store and gas station in front of it. All 4 have of those campgrounds I rode inside of had one thing in common, there aren't any signs saying NO ORVS PAST THIS POINT! I've only camped in a few campgrounds in my whole life and don't know which other ones in Michigan you can or can't ride into.

I was riding up at Tin Cup this past weekend and visited the campground that is a couple miles from tin cup and connects to little O. It looks like a rustic campground, and a bad bathroom but it connects to the trails and has nice spots. Have you ever ben to that one?

I have never ridden on the west side over that way, except for silver lake, which we've done many times since 86, and I'm hoping on doing a trip in 3 weeks there, really looking forward to it! I had plans on a trip this weekend to Mio area but had to cancel because of a wrist injury, so hopefully we can reschedule for next weekend. Sure wish we could do trips during the week instead, but my son can only do long weekends, unless I can find someone that has those days off.

No, I haven't been that far west in the Lower Peninsula. In the U.P. I rode the Iron River-Marenisco Route and turned around at Watersmeet. I think it was November. It was pouring rain and I thought I would have hypothermia by the time I got back to Iron River.

Finally got out of dodge and up to God's country in Ogemaw co. after waiting out rainy weekends (6 of em) up there, since winter's thaw! Camped at St Helens campground. Trip went great with only one glitch on the trail, being cut off between St Helen to West branch, because of flooded area at carter lk. rd/meridian rd where it enters knoch rd. Spent an hour trying to find a way around it, but that didn't happen, until we came back from clear lk. heading back from the other way, where we found a way around it. There's so many trails intersecting that area, I'm not sure If I can find that way around again. Hopefully that flooded area will have dried up some, before our next trip up there! About a dozen riders were stuck there trying to cross, with one guy, using his winch pulling them out ''slowly'' one at a time lol We were joking, go around don't drown lol
We went through 25 gal. of gas in 3 days of riding HARD, non stop! until we dropped! late in the day! When you only get away a few times a year, you half to take advantage of every minute when you finally get out! lol Its funny your sore as hell! the next morning, but surprisingly you loosen up quickly, after just jumping back on and heading out for awhile, then doing it all over again the next day! The hot showers there at St Helens campground, helped too!
If your looking for a great 50 mi. loop Start out at St Helen to clear lk. up to Wagon Wheel area (Wagon Wheel is marked on most maps, n. of Rose City rd, w of Wangler rd.) then head w. back on Heath rd to Clear lk's trail head to St Helen. Most of the way is wide open, but after crossing over the tracks/St helen trail
from camp, heading e. it gets real rough and tight where your barely squeezing in between trees, and with the really thick overgrowth of foliage/tree limbs! You'll definitely want long sleeves, save cutting your arms up! But back in there, is really the most magnificent part of any where up there! Definitely worth the pain lol Expect to get thrown off, away from the trail markers now and then, so make sure the gas tank is full before you head out, plus the only gas at clear lake is reg. so plan on heading into Rose city halfway back to camp to fill up if needed. WE BARELY MADE IT TO ROSE CITY, ''COASTING IN ON FUMES''! I told my son we might half to coast down into town, heading down hill from the top of rose city rd. lol You'll be fine as long as you don't fart around like we did trying to find wagon wheel, plus the flooded detour.
If you think about it, it's good that we don't live so close to the northern part of the state, so we don't lose that great enthusiasm/thrill for the trip/ride!
Planning on our next trip to Silver lk in 2 weeks. Got new sand paddles and also ordered yesterday, axle hubs for quick tire change, back to hole shots, by only having to remove one hub nut! I'm taking the bathing suit so we'll be ready for a quick dip while tackling mt. Baldy! Cuts down on some of the boredom, being in such a tight riding area, all day! Once a year is plenty enough for me! Then gladly heading back up north for the rest of the year, then Bundy Hill again and again for the winter months since its just an hours ride for us!
Still looking for an older dude like myself that's just doing nothing much, but is just sitting around, thinking of those good ol days instead of riding for a few days or so, and not necessarily a hard ride, but mainly just getting out there!! What you waiting for? Lets GO!!

The place where all the trails intersect would have been a good place for a GPS. All you need to do is follow the trail you left the first time through. My antique of a GPS lets me change how often it drops a breadcrumb. I think once every 42 seconds gives it over 8 hours before it erases the oldest breadcrumb every time it makes a new one, unless I set it not to. The memory isn't very big but if I shut it off when I take a break it lasts longer than the ride does. It sounds like you need to carry a can of gas. They make little racks that bolt on to your bumper to hold a 2.5 gallon or 2 gallon can.

You got that right! And I even had a new Garman that I took up there for the first time, but didn't bother taking it that day because we had taken that trail many times before, and didn't figure we would need it....WRONG!! I went on google earth after we got back home, and has helped on figuring out the detour we had to take, and we'll use that way around again next trip, if its still impassable, but you better believe we'll take the GPS next trip, and keep it tracking our entire trip!! I also have 2 extra batteries to keep it charged longer. Another crazy place, where GPS would have really helped, is around Wagon wheel hill! It gets really nuts back in there, with trails crossing trails, mixed in the hills, and woods for miles! Also heard it referred to as the Rose City Oil Field Hills! You could spend a week there and still be confused after leaving this place! That's why we keep going back ever since 87, for the challenge, mystery and occasional hill climbs, peppered throughout the area! Our compass really helps too, especially when the sun is now straight up, hardly leaving shadows on the ground for heading/direction! The extra gas cans are a great Idea too, and have gone that rout many times and even made up heavy straps that could be removed quickly when not needed on the 2 stroke quadzillas. Held a gal. on each side, center of the vehicle, next to the motor, took a lot of the bounce out. I think we'll be alright next time, going from St Helen to mio, as long as we don't hang around sightseeing along the way lol Our TRX450r's can cover twice the distance than our 2 stroke ever did on a tank full!
Does anyone know of a good reasonable place, in this neck of the woods, to store orv's. That would save hauling our quads, trailer, plus gas expense for ea trip?

No idea about storage, except I saw a place on M-33 somewhere south of Mio. I can't remember if it was near the Pink Store or closer to Rose City or ???

You can stick your GPS in your pocket if you don't have or want a mount for it. My first GPS mount was a RAM Mount way back when they were called Round-A-Mount. When I bought my second GPS mount I didn't even consider buying a different brand. I highly recommend them and so do other people. A U-bolt type of handlebar base with the mount of your choice would be a great option.

https://www.rammount.com/device/gps/garmin

They still make a cradle for my antique Garmin GPS 12, and it has R-A-M molded into it. GPS 12. Ha! It can get a signal from up to 12 satellites at a time. Ooooh!