Camp-and-ride trails within 5 hrs of TC?

[Trevize1138]

Anybody got some good recommendations of MTB trails with nearby camping faqcilities no further than a 5 hr drive from the twin cities and prefferably one with trails that will be open mid-May or so?

Sugarbottom in IA?
Levis-Trow in WI?
9 Mile Forest in WI?
Up north on da lake (Superior, that is ... too much far north and I fear we run the risk of trails not thawed/dried completely)?

Got a friend who's idea of a bachelor party is biking and camping some weekend. We're probably just gonna stay one Saturday night or something. So, drive out Saturday, bike some, camp, bike Sunday, drive back to the cities.

Ideas?

[manual63]

Anybody got some good recommendations of MTB trails with nearby camping faqcilities no further than a 5 hr drive from the twin cities and prefferably one with trails that will be open mid-May or so?

Sugarbottom in IA?
Levis-Trow in WI?
9 Mile Forest in WI?
Up north on da lake (Superior, that is ... too much far north and I fear we run the risk of trails not thawed/dried completely)?

Got a friend who's idea of a bachelor party is biking and camping some weekend. We're probably just gonna stay one Saturday night or something. So, drive out Saturday, bike some, camp, bike Sunday, drive back to the cities.

Ideas?

Hmmmm, beer.......oh, and will we invite some women.......:)

[BrightYellow]

You should check out CAMBA! Lots of great trails up there and camping.
http://www.cambatrails.org/

When we used to go, we'd cram into a room at the Bon Nuit L'Hotel for like $40/night - if you decide not to camp.

Info on the Bon Nuit:
http://local.google.com/local?q=nuit&near=Cable,+WI+54821&latlng=46208056,-91291944,17417603069414689104

[SuperClydesdale]

Anybody got some good recommendations of MTB trails with nearby camping faqcilities no further than a 5 hr drive from the twin cities and prefferably one with trails that will be open mid-May or so?

Sugarbottom in IA?
Levis-Trow in WI?
9 Mile Forest in WI?
Up north on da lake (Superior, that is ... too much far north and I fear we run the risk of trails not thawed/dried completely)?



Chris

Of the trails you list, I'd say that 9 Mile and Sugar Bottom are your best bet. The only potential problem with Sugar Bottom is that ICORR (http://www.icorrmtb.org/) is very protective of the trails and you just can't guarantee that they'll be open on the weekend you pick. Otherwise SB and 9 Mile offer fantastic riding....

If you put the hammer down just a little -more like 6 hours- this place rocks for a weekend getaway: http://www.mostateparks.com/crowder.htm. I think they are up to over 20 miles of singletrack. Of course, it is located in John Ashcroft country....

Mark

[nigel]

9 Mile is a great weekend trail system. Camp out at Rib Mountain. Oh yeah and bring me with!

[Trevize1138]

Hmmmm, beer.......oh, and will we invite some women.......:)

What makes you think you're invited?

[Trevize1138]

9 Mile is a great weekend trail system. Camp out at Rib Mountain. Oh yeah and bring me with!

Why not? :banana:

As long as we don't have Shad with us. ;)

[Trevize1138]

9 Mile is a great weekend trail system. Camp out at Rib Mountain. Oh yeah and bring me with!

Oh, and I was just at Rib Mountain snowboarding two weekends ago! It was my birthday snowboarding weekend with dear old Dad at Granite Peak. Wausau's a pretty little town.

Yeah, I'm familiar with the area, then, so I suppose it's a good option. How's the camping at Rib Mountain? Why not camp at 9 Mile? Wait, I suppose there is no camping at 9 Mile, eh? :)

[SuperClydesdale]

Oh, and I was just at Rib Mountain snowboarding two weekends ago! It was my birthday snowboarding weekend with dear old Dad at Granite Peak. Wausau's a pretty little town.

Yeah, I'm familiar with the area, then, so I suppose it's a good option. How's the camping at Rib Mountain? Why not camp at 9 Mile? Wait, I suppose there is no camping at 9 Mile, eh? :)

Chris

On second thought, you should hold off on 9 Mile until GnomeFest:
http://www.illinoismtb.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=7&pos=12
http://www.illinoismtb.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=7&pos=0
http://www.illinoismtb.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=7&pos=33

Mark
http://www.gnome-fest.net/

[GearDaddy]

Wisconsin:
1) Second the CAMBA. Lots of camping, and you can actually camp anywhere within Chequemegon National Forest.
2) Just down the road from Levis-Trow is a public campground outside of the town of Hatfield. There's a lake with a beach and other facilities. There's also Black River State Park not far away.
3) I think there is camping right next to Razorback Ridges in Sayner, WI (near Eagle River). It's a great little trail system, but not sure it's enough for a whole weekend. There are other trails not far away though.

Minnesota:
1) Split Rock State Park on the north shore. There are trails right there, and you can day trip to other points on the north shore. Lots of other great camping spots on the north shore of course (Cascade may actually have MTB trails too).
2) Paul Bunyan State Forest by Walker/Akeley MN. There are a ton of trails there (a.k.a. "Martineau trails"), although not marked very well.
3) Washburn Trails near Outing, MN (north of Aitkin). There are some pretty tame trails right there to ride. But there are better trails not far away such as Sugar Hills by Grand Rapids (including a huge network of trails just south - totally unmarked), some by Deer River, and possibly you can still ride trails at Quadna Mt.?

[Steeds82]

[QUOTE=GearDaddy]Wisconsin:
1) Second the CAMBA. Lots of camping, and you can actually camp anywhere within Chequemegon National Forest.
2) Just down the road from Levis-Trow is a public campground outside of the town of Hatfield. There's a lake with a beach and other facilities. There's also Black River State Park not far away.


i went to 2) this past fall....actually not a bad camp site, run by an old couple who i made friends with and got some extra firewood:) ....when we went, there were 3 other people in the whole campground, so we had free reign to do whatever we wanted and we did just about....goodtime, i would suggest it. and its not that far away.

[thebionicman]

3) I think there is camping right next to Razorback Ridges in Sayner, WI (near Eagle River). It's a great little trail system, but not sure it's enough for a whole weekend. There are other trails not far away though.


And there is a great establishment by Eagle River that caters to Bachelor parties. Actually I have ridden here, the trails are fun, but it would take that long to ride them all. But you could ride here and 9 Mile in the same day, they are only about an hours drive apart.