just looking for new riding areas in these states.looking in the north east area of indianna & northern part to mid ohio,to ride theres four of us.looking any help would be appreciated .has any one been to bull gap in michigan & if so can you tell me how you liked it?thanks!!!!

 

Madman

You are in the same boat I am in as I am from northwest Ohio. If you want to ride decent trails, you have to head north to the northern Michigan trails or south to the Wayne National Forest. I do not know of any public trails in Northwest Ohio or Southern Michigan. Hope this helps.

 

There's the Maumee State Forest near Delta, OH. (http://www.hcs.ohio-state.edu/ODNR/F...sts/maumee.htm) It's not very big but it's close to home. Don't be afraid to try some of the smaller trails. That's were the best riding is there.

 

moto93

I live about 5 miles from the Maumee State Forest and hardly ever ride there. The place is generally overcrowded for the 5 miles of trails that are there. The trails are horribly bumpy and just plain stink to ride on. I have talked to the forest rangers about improving the trails and they just say that the rough trails keep people from going fast. The only time that we ride there is in the Spring when the trails have not been used much and we can play in the mud. I would not recommend driving very far to ride at the Maumee State forest or you will be very disappointed!!

 

I must say but this part of the country SUCKS... N. Indiana, S. Michigan, N.W. Ohio.... it is WAY too flat and there doesn't seem to be anyplace to ride! I grew up not 10 minutes from Haspins, so that is still my favorite and most frequented riding spot. If you haven't been there it is awesome and you can ride for days w/o hitting the same spot twice. Other than that, I don't know what to tell y'all. If anyone comes up w/ something, please let me know... Lord knows I need all the riding spots I can find, cause driving 3 hours everytime I want to really ride is get old FAST.

 

Try the trails in White Cloud, north west of Grand Rapids, MI. I found them to be very tight for a big 4x4 quad. We had one guy's wife who hit a tree and also rolled it over going down a hill. I personally bounced off of so many trees, my arms were killing me the next day. Other than the first section ( very tight, I won't be taking my wife), it is mostly trails with hills and banked corners. There were some areas you can open up the throttle and go through some whoops. I saw motor cycles go through w/out problems, one even had a kid on a little 50 or 60.
Ingoldx1
95'Sportsman
99' Trail Boss [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif[/img]

 

Well, when you "boyz" have had enough, you'll let me know Eh? Me and DJ425 are heading to the Great White North the week of July 25 (was up there 5/13/01 too). Planning on heading up to the Timmons/Cockran and ride east into Queerbeck. Then possibly head west over by Hearst/Longlac/Beardmore. Maybe even try riding up to Moosonee a ways and probably turn around. That "trail" is quite mucky and 180 miles long. BUT it's right beside the railroad. I'm sure that succes would be relevant to the preceding weather for sure on that trail. I have taken that train trip aboot 4 years ago. That much is basically tundra area.

I have never wheeled (other than Suburban 5 (6?) years ago) in this area. It looked to be very flat and sandy. West over by Hearst/Longlac it gets rolly. Beardmore is s'posed to be hilly. I have sledded much of this area, but haven't wheeled that far north yet as the trails don't link up that way due to rivers yet. We're just gunna trailer up there. It's aboot 12 hours to Timmons. The trail from Cockran west is a natural gas pipeline (underground).

The trails that I have rode and posted info on before is quite rugged and somewhat challanging at times. But this is all DOWN around Lake Superior.

Bring your fly dope!

 

Ox,

Really appreciate the detailed information you've shared about this area. Hope we can get a recap when you get back as the Sault/N.Superior is more accessible than some people think. Remember reading in a mag awhile back(Newfoundland excursion?) that plans were in motion for a Trans-Canadian Multi-use Trail. Whew, what a project if this is true and was wondering if you might have some insight. Imagine you're right, strap a set on boyz if you really want to see 'big country'

 

Michimaniac, we are from the same town. What type of riding do you do? I am always looking to add to the group people that I enjoy the outdoors with. Maybe we could do a ride together some time.
I ride any type of trail, but I am limited to what type of quad I ride. I don't have a sport/race quad, I have a 2 stroke Polaris Sportsman 400 and my wife has a 2 stroke Trail Boss. I have some land that I ride on locally that is all friends and family owned. We have good mud trails in the spring and fall, plus one heck of a good place to ride after hunting season is over, if you like snow. I have many friends who have quads of the same type and I would love to get a group together and go on a trail ride, I thinking of going to the Badlands in Indiana some time in the future.
INGOLDX1

 

Michi;

That really isn't as big'a feat as you may think. The skidoo (sled) trails already go all the way across. Mostly on logging roads and hydroline (powerline) access roads. All that really stands in the way is cutting around the swamps and lakes that the sleds go over. Even to more benefit, the ski-doo clubs are needing to go around these too as they keep dumping their groomers in the swamps. This can be a problem when you have a groomer broke through the ice in January. But amaisingly enough, they get'm out.

The biggest obsticals are really the bigger rivers. The ski-doo clubs solve this by making them their territorial boundries and just turn the groomers around at the river. It's not really a problem for the sleds by Jan first. They are trying to figure a good may to get the wheels across with a low investment eh.

There is one river in particular that would be nice if they could cross and that is the Kabinakigami River between Dubreuiville and Hornpayne. Currently they are thinking of a cable and raft settup. Can you say Tom and Huck? LOL! This will really open up the northern half with access all they way down to the Soo. Heck of a ride!

As far as going all the way to BC? I think they will get into trouble from the Rocky's on the BC/Alberta border all the way to Lake Winnipeg as this is mostly all farm ground. They have permission to run sleds through there, but I'm doubtin' they will get a warm fuzzy feeling aboot the wheels throw'in mud across their wheat fields. But from Winnipeg to Nova Scotia shouldn't be that big'a feat.

One thing is that the two clubs have to work together. But as far as the north goes, I'm thinking these are pretty much the same people, different season. It should all boil down to the local resturant/motel owners running these clubs. THEY are the ones to benefit.

So boyz, pick up yourselves some of them big strap-ons and drop me a line. LOL!