MI UP With the Family

[TomN]

OK, always looking for a way to combine a bike trip with a family trip. We did Lake George last year and that worked ok. Want to do MI UP next year, any thoughts on a good area with family stuff and good riding, good loaction for a base camp? Wanted to do the dual sport loop but I don't think she will go for that.

[Cannonshot]

I have a ton of info about riding in the UP that I am willing to share -
including some GPS tracks.

Here is some info to look over. Contact me for more details if you like.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=234516

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=258833

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=167401

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=164626

[TomN]

Wow great stuff thanks, anyone know if there are any beaches or resort towns near the lake that have good riding around them?

[Cannonshot]

Originally Posted by TomN

Wow great stuff thanks, anyone know if there are any beaches or resort towns near the lake that have good riding around them?

Internet searches about the following towns or places
will reveal some tourist stuff. There is riding nearby.

St Ignace
Sault Ste Marie
Two Hearted River
Marquette
L'Anse/Baraga
Houghton/Hancock
Keewenaw Peninsula
Copper Harbor
(others)

Once you pick out some tourist places you are interested in, folks will be able to hook you up with some riding local to that area.

[Yooper_Bob]

Munising would be a great point to start with....lots of really nice beaches along Lake Superior, plus a ton of really nice swimming lakes south of town in the Hiawatha National forest.

Another neat little town is Curtis in the east/central UP....little resort town on a couple of really nice lakes...of course, I am a bit biased as I grew up there.

For tons of really great info, check out www.exploringthenorth.com

As far as riding....there are no bad places to ride in 'da UP!

[Askel]

What does the rest of the family want to do and what level of camping are you looking to for? (full hookups? rustic?)

Cannonshot's probably got the UP riding mapped out better than any of us who actually live here, follow his advice and you can't go wrong.

[Skinner]

Winter, spring, summer or fall?

[TomN]

Camping with a bathroom and shower, when school is out so summer

[jgunsett]

I'm not sure about the camping, but I spent 2 weeks this Summer in the UP. The 1st week I was in Saint Ignace - plenty of flat riding opportunities, and lots of touristy things to do. The second week I spent in Munising - less touristy, but more mountainous, so the riding was better. Both places were great. We'll be back up there this winter for some sleding, and next Summer for more riding.

[Askel]

Originally Posted by TomN

Camping with a bathroom and shower, when school is out so summer

That's mostly going to limit you to state parks. There's a few city campground and mom and pop operations that might fit the bill.

http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7...365---,00.html

Last time I camped at Pictured Rocks near Munising, I don't remember seeing any facilities, but they have a couple of campgrounds. Maybe I was just in the rustic one. I know there's a couple of those mom and pop type places in Munising though.

If I had to pick one state park though, I'd say Ft. Wilkins in Copper Harbor. Access to miles and miles of two track is just down the road a mile or two and if your family can't find something they like to do between there and Houghton, they're just going to hate the UP and there's nothing you can do about it.

[trailuser]

I normally stay at the city park campground in Marquette; Additionally this past sept. also stayed at the city park in Munising, very nice, right on the big lake

I really enjoyed H58 that runs along the lake toward Grand Marais, it can very sandy at times, and alot of fun

[Yooper_Bob]

Originally Posted by runner

I really enjoyed H58 that runs along the lake toward Grand Marais, it can very sandy at times, and alot of fun

Enjoy it while you can....they're gonna have it completely paved in the next year or two

[Yooper_Bob]

Originally Posted by TomN

Camping with a bathroom and shower, when school is out so summer

Another good option is the little town of Grand Marais north of Seney, right on the shore of Lake Superior....they have a very nice campground right in town that has full facilities.

Tons of beautiful beaches/rivers/lakes/riding right out your tent flap.

http://www.grandmaraismichigan.com/W...ark/index.html

[ktrjc]

Originally Posted by yooper_drz

Enjoy it while you can....they're gonna have it completely paved in the next year or two

WHAT??? I guess too many RVs were having troubles.

I agree with yooper_drz, on the places he mentioned. Best bet for those types of camping facilities is probably the State (DNR) camp sites.

[Yooper_Bob]

Originally Posted by ktrjc

WHAT??? I guess too many RVs were having troubles.

Yep....last winter they had it paved from Grand Marais past the log slide, and they were supposed to have it paved all the way to Kingston Lake by this fall....I haven't been over that way since last winter.

Sure is sad to see such a beautiful area paved over.