Mountain Biking Trails and Expert Tips

TOMMBA and TOMTC share their favorite places to ride

There are more than 460 miles of dedicated mountain bike trails in the region, according to the Northern Michigan Mountain Bike Association—and more trails are in the works. Luckily, finding the right trail is getting easier than ever thanks to several volunteer organizations that are clearing the way for cyclists of all levels. Let’s check in with a few of them and get their recommendations.

Top of Michigan Mountain Bike Association

Top of Michigan Mountain Bike Association (TOMMBA) board chair Lynn Wolf tells us there is a range of trails in NoMi from flat beginner trails to expert level with features like jumps, drops, and obstacles.

“We have a theme, especially when you’re getting into trails that have features. Pre-ride, re-ride, free ride,” Wolf says. “That means pre-ride it, inspect it and know what you’re getting into. Re-ride it to ingrain it into your brain, then let it fly.”

One of the more recent trails to officially open up to the public is an older trail system on the backside of Boyne Highlands off Bigfoot Road. It was legitimized last year and includes about 16 miles of trails that lead to the top of Boyne Highlands with more than 1,400 feet of climbing.

“We had to bring all the players together so that we could get permission to do everything,” Wolf says. “We just got the Memorandum of Understanding signed by everybody. It’s a sore spot for some, because it’s been their hidden trail system for years. But as more people are finding it now, we can do a better job of signage and a better job of safety.”

Currently, there is no signage and Wolf warns unless you have a guide, you will get lost.

“It is a fun one to ride, but I’ve gone out and I can get to the top of Boyne Highlands and I can get back, but there’s no guarantee I take the same route twice,” she says.

Wolf says collaboration is the most important thing when it comes to developing and maintaining trails. TOMMBA often works with the Top of Michigan Trails Council and the Little Traverse Conservancy.

“I have never had the privilege of being with three different organizations that collaborate together so well,” Wolf says. She adds the trio are on the same page when it comes to funding and developing public land for recreational use.

For example, most trail maintenance is volunteer-based and relies on donations for upkeep.

“Mountain biking in northern Michigan is a grassroots effort building a sense of community,” says Wolf. “As we are all volunteer-based associations, be kind and always leave a little in the donation tubes.”

Top of Michigan Trails Council

Like TOMMBA, Top of Michigan Trails Council organization oversees various trail systems in the region.

“We are all eight counties at the tip of the mitt,” Executive Director Brent Bolin says. “You can actually ride from Charlevoix to Alpena in our trail network. We’re more like linear trails—rails to trails.”

Bolin highlighted the 77-mile North Central State trail that starts at the Otsego and Crawford county line near the town of Waters. The trail then heads to Cheboygan and Mackinaw City for about 77 miles.

“We have a bunch of long trails, like the Little Traverse Wheelway and the Boyne Valley Trail,” Bolin says. “And then we do have a couple areas, Black Mountain and Wildwood, that are DNR properties that are primarily for winter cross-country skiing use, but in the summer it’s a single track where some people do mountain biking there.”

He added that the 80-mile High Country Pathway through the Pigeon River State Forest is an option for mountain bikers looking for a longer, secluded and scenic ride. The loop can take two to three days to complete.

“It’s not like a traditional mountain biking loop, but if you want to get out and do a long ride in the woods, that’s really an amazing place,” Bolin says. “The High Country Pathway is pretty rugged. There’s a very small group of volunteers that work very hard to maintain it. It’s a long trail system, so it’s going to be a different kind of experience. It’s much more like biking on a hiking trail than it is like riding your typical mountain bike loop.”

The Shingle Mill loop is a shorter option on the High Country Pathway. It is about 12 miles and is a popular scenic section that starts at the Pigeon Bridge Campground.

“Pigeon River [Country State Forest] has beautiful trees and a little bit of rolling hills,” Bolin says. “There are kettle lakes and there’s lots of DNR roads so you can figure out different places to go in and out. If you really want to get out in the woods by yourself on your bike, it’s a great place for it.”

Hit the Trails

Here are a few mountain bike venues that are worth checking out this summer.

Glacial Hills near Bellaire has more than 30 miles of trails that are mostly family-friendly. Expect loops of various lengths and difficulties with elevation changes. “It probably made me fall in love with mountain biking more than I’d ever had anticipated,” says Wolf. “And you have Shorts Brewery right in town after you get done.”

Vasa Pathway near Traverse City features a variety of rides to choose from depending on where you park. There are 14 miles of groomed trails that do not include any grueling terrain. The trail is an old school single-track system.

Palmer Woods between Glen Arbor and Maple City has green, blue, and black trails—á la skiing—with black being more advanced due to features like jumps and drops. The reserve has a newly completed 42-mile network of trails split into 15 miles of hiking and skiing trails and 27 miles of mountain biking loops. The reserve is managed by the Leelanau Conservancy.

Hanson Hills in Grayling is a user-friendly trail system. The park is 1,500 acres with more than 20 miles of fast single-track and two-track trails. Riders pedal through oak and pine forests up and down rolling hills. A $2 donation is suggested at the trailhead.

Forbush Corner Nordic in Frederic features a professionally-built mountain bike trail system alongside its cross-country skiing loops. The single-track trail network is built to International Mountain Bike Association standards, featuring modern flow trail mechanics, custom berms, and dedicated jump lines. Trails may be limited at the moment due to a multi-phase development of eight miles of dedicated dirt single track.

Aspen Park in Gaylord features 5 to 6.2 miles on a bi-directional dirt single-track mountain bike trail in a 100-acre park filled with pines and hemlocks. Riders will experience continuous short hill climbs and switchbacks with no roots or log jams, making for smooth rides.

Boyne Forest Trail System in Charlevoix County has two different parking lots, one on Erickson Road and another on Old Horton Bay Road. Old Horton Bay Road requires some climbing up to a service road before reaching the main trail. Younger and beginner riders should start from the Erickson Rd. parking lot where there are shorter loops of 1 to 3 miles without all of the climbing. From the Old Horton Bay Road parking lot, there is a hub with three different expert level trails with jumps, drops, and an expert cross-country ride.

Avalanche Mountain Preserve in Boyne City is guaranteed to deliver the best views of Lake Charlevoix if you make it to the top. The preserve has 12 miles of winding trails that includes 8.6 miles of interconnected mountain biking trails and about 2.8 miles of hiking and snowshoeing paths. There is also a disc golf course. The trail features a lot of elevation and is geared more towards intermediate to advanced riders.

Boyne Highlands in Harbor Springs has 22 miles of lift-served downhill trails and cross-country routes. It is the only lift-served, gravity-fed bike park in Michigan. There are green, blue, and black trails. There is a little bit of everything, but know your skillset first. A purchased-lift pass is required. Once at the top, riders are treated to views of Little Traverse Bay, and on a clear day from the North Trail section, the towers of the Mackinac Bridge are visible.

Offield Family Viewlands in Harbor Springs is a user-friendly trail system on 280 acres of a former golf course turned conservancy. There are currently more than 5 miles of trails with uphill climbs. Signage is in place. The mountain biking trails wind through the hilliest and most wooded portions of the property. All told, there is about 500 feet of elevation change with views of Little Traverse Bay.

The Melvin Family Hiking and Biking Trails in Topinabee has a variety of trails. The 150-acre preserve has about 8 miles of mountain biking trails from beginner to advanced with jumps and other features. During the right time of year, riders will get views of the nearby lakes.

Photo courtesy of TOMMBA

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