View Full Version : Mtn Biking Location: Long weekend...
Danimal
03-16-2007, 06:46 PM
Where is a good place (outside of the local metro trails). Where one can experience nice long technical singletrack and camp out. I don't want to drive a gazillion miles, I also don't want to get flipping lost either. Somewhere a guy can take a long weekend with his bro's and ride, camp, and not be bored with the scenery.
Post up please your suggestions, anyone know the Wisconsin area well?
Thanks in advance.
Levis - Trow (http://www.morcmtb.org/trailreviews/outofstate/Wisconsin/levis.shtml)is easily the best I've ridden in Wisconsin.
Although the course for the Chewamigan fat tire sounds like a golf course I'm told there is good stuff that doesn't get raced on.
I've never been there though.
mtnbykr
03-16-2007, 07:31 PM
www.cambatrails.org/ (http://www.cambatrails.org/)
bigwheel
03-16-2007, 08:13 PM
Levis Trow (near Black River Falls)
9 Mile (Wausau)
Rock Lake (Cable)
DmacBmac
03-16-2007, 08:19 PM
My vote would be for Nine Mile.
Danimal
03-16-2007, 08:23 PM
I do the Chequamegon thing every year with the Patrol so i'm looking for something else. Where is Levis and how lost will I get? Camping info???
hockeynut
03-16-2007, 08:30 PM
Rock Lake (and surrounding area) is the bizzomb. Not a ton of climbing, but rocks galore. Plus I think there are like 800 mini-golf courses to screw around on after riding just a few minutes down the road.
Some places up in the U.P. might also be worth looking at (though no experience with them at all).
Danimal
03-16-2007, 10:01 PM
Do I listen to a guy who wears a skirt in his avatar??? hmmm? I must research.
Where is Nine Mile?
DmacBmac
03-16-2007, 11:24 PM
Nine Mile is near Wausau. The best way to get directions is to go to the gnome fest website. ;)
www.gnome-fest.net
mtnbykr
03-17-2007, 08:32 AM
I do the Chequamegon thing every year with the Patrol so i'm looking for something else.
if all you're doing is patrolling the race course you're missing all the best riding.
Nine Mile is a lot of fun with technical rocky sections and not an excessive amount of climbing.
The CAMBA trails are a blast -- Kurt is right. The trail riding experience is nothing like patrolling the fire roads at Chequamegon.
Rock Lake (and surrounding area) is the bizzomb. Not a ton of climbing, but rocks galore. Plus I think there are like 800 mini-golf courses to screw around on after riding just a few minutes down the road.
Some places up in the U.P. might also be worth looking at (though no experience with them at all).
how is the new rock lake trail??
i've ridden the old trail, but i haven't been back since they did it a new.
Peace,
Joe
CAMBA would probably be at the top of my list as well for filling a long weekend and only driving a few hours away.
9 Mile and Levis are also great options.
I'd highly recommend the U.P. but it doesn't sound like you want to drive quite that far. Save that for later on. James and I have talked about getting a group together to hit that up on a long weekend sometime this summer.
how is the new rock lake trail??
i've ridden the old trail, but i haven't been back since they did it a new.
Peace,
Joe
It is awesome! We rode it last Fall a couple of times. You must do the Namakagon Cluster http://www.cambatrails.org/namakagoncluster.html and the new Hildebrand Loop.
Also, Nine Mile has a lot to offer and a great campground with hot showers.
I'd highly recommend the U.P. but it doesn't sound like you want to drive quite that far. Save that for later on. James and I have talked about getting a group together to hit that up on a long weekend sometime this summer.
Mini - hijack: I'm thinking of doing the Chain Drive again this year and spending the next day playing on the tech trails. I had a lot of fun there a couple years ago and the drive, while long, isn't that bad.
GearDaddy
03-21-2007, 10:59 AM
The new Rock Lake is pretty sweet, especially the Hildebrand Lake section that was finally completed last year. Also, don't forget to hit some other great singletrack like:
- Ojibwe Trail at Telemark (fun in either direction - good singlespeed stuff)
- Esker Trail at Telemark (it's back with some reroutes)
- West Fork Trail from the Delta trailhead
- New singletrack sections at the Namekagon town hall trailhead
- Seeley Hills ski trails (tight, technical, and fun with short steep climbs, but
not marked very well. Maybe you can find a map).
And still one of the best singletrack trails in all of Wisconsin is the North Country Trail. Jump on at the trail access on Hwy D just 5 miles north the Namekagon town hall trailhead and go out and back to the east. I've ridden out to the Beaver Lake Campground and back, which was a 4 hour ride. Beautiful, remote, and challenging. :banana:
soupboy
03-21-2007, 02:14 PM
Another alternative - the Crowder trails in northern MO are also very good. About a 6 hour drive from the Shiddies. Justifiable for a long weekend. Good campgrounds and (but?) not much of anything else going on. They have a decent bunkhouse with hot showers if you have a large enough group to justify the cost/convenience.
I'd vote 9 Mile over the Cable area just because I've ridden 9 Mile less.
manual63
03-21-2007, 02:29 PM
and spending the next day playing on the tech trails.
Does this mean I should bring my catchers mit? :)
soupboy
03-21-2007, 04:08 PM
You're a catcher?
Does this mean I should bring my catchers mit? :)
manual63
03-21-2007, 05:04 PM
You're a catcher?
Only for mara.
Okay, so I would offer to catch you too.....but you would probably crush me....:p
Mini - hijack: I'm thinking of doing the Chain Drive again this year and spending the next day playing on the tech trails. I had a lot of fun there a couple years ago and the drive, while long, isn't that bad.
Might consider that again this year as well, if we're up there for fathers day this year. It was a hoot!
TrailPatrol
03-21-2007, 06:35 PM
I do the Chequamegon thing every year with the Patrol so i'm looking for something else. Where is Levis and how lost will I get? Camping info???
Dan,
Kurt is right. (At least this time.)
When you patrol CFTF, you ride at the most 40 miles, a lot of which is actually the Birkie ski trail, not the CAMBA system. There are 300-plus miles of marked, mapped, no-conflict trails for every taste and difficulty up there, and you might never even cross the race trails, plus USFS campgrounds and backcountry camping.
Steve E. and Martin G. from the Barmy Dogs know the trails up there really well. I can get their e-mails to you if you are interested.
Ride safe,
:banana:
Hans
Danimal
03-21-2007, 06:50 PM
Interested, thanks again Hans. Aside from all of the harassment we give each other, your a pretty cool dude. :)
mtnbykr
03-21-2007, 07:44 PM
Only for mara.
Okay, so I would offer to catch you too.....but you would probably crush me....:p
ummm, i dont think he got the joke, soupy....
TrailPatrol
03-21-2007, 08:37 PM
The new Rock Lake is pretty sweet, ...Jump on at the trail access on Hwy D just 5 miles north the Namekagon town hall trailhead and go out and back to the east. I've ridden out to the Beaver Lake Campground and back, which was a 4 hour ride. Beautiful, remote, and challenging. :banana:
Ooooh, you're gonna get the hikers mad about that one!:mad: Officially, the position of CAMBA is that the North Country National Scenic Trail (NCT) is a hiking path, and to avoid conflicts with the NCTA and the National Park Service, which oversees the trail from Lake Champlain in NYS to Lake Sacagawea in ND (It's about 40% complete.), they do not encourage riding on it. Other than in federally designated wilderness areas, (2 in Cheqaumegon N.F., both on the NCT.) it is not officially closed to bikes, just not encouraged.
That being said, I have ridden into the Marengo River (Marengo Non-motorized Primitive Area) for some great fly-fishing a number of times. It is a beautiful trail, and the fight goes on to make it the world's longest single-track.
There is also newly finished singletrack in the Hayward/Mosquito Brook area that you might enjoy. Backcountry's Scott and Jodi have a cabin near there.
The CAMBA trails usually open up around May 1st.
Levis is cool, too. I learned to ride singletrack there. (My mother-in-law lived in Merillan the last few years of her life, only 4 miles from the main trailhead) It is 17 miles straight east of the Alma Center exit off I-94. Camping at the north trailhead and at the county park 3 miles to the south.
Hans
GearDaddy
03-21-2007, 10:40 PM
Ooooh, you're gonna get the hikers mad about that one!:mad: Officially, the position of CAMBA is that the North Country National Scenic Trail (NCT) is a hiking path, and to avoid conflicts with the NCTA and the National Park Service, which oversees the trail from Lake Champlain in NYS to Lake Sacagawea in ND (It's about 40% complete.), they do not encourage riding on it. Other than in federally designated wilderness areas, (2 in Cheqaumegon N.F., both on the NCT.) it is not officially closed to bikes, just not encouraged.
That being said, I have ridden into the Marengo River (Marengo Non-motorized Primitive Area) for some great fly-fishing a number of times. It is a beautiful trail, and the fight goes on to make it the world's longest single-track.
Hmmm. I have never seen nor heard that CAMBA had an official stance on the NCT anywhere. I am well aware that bikes are not allowed in Wilderness areas and I respect that. I searched on their www.cambatrails.org (http://www.cambatrails.org) site and the only thing that I found was the following blurb on their PDF map of the overall area:
"The North Country Trail runs through sections
of the Drummond and Delta Clusters. Where
the North Country Trail traverses designated
wilderness areas, off road biking is not allowed.
Other sections of the trail are not marked as
part of the CAMBA system and riding is not
expressly forbidden. If you chose to ride on the
North Country Trail please exercise low impact
riding."
The section of the NCT trail that I described is also documented in Cindy Storm and Cindy Bijold's book "The North Country Guide to Mountain Biking". I have seen it in other mountain bike trail guides too.
I am also aware of NCTA's desire to make the NCT a hiking only trail. I have also seen all of the "discussions" on their message board at www.northcountrytrail.org (http://www.northcountrytrail.org). There's been a lot of bantor back and forth particularly in Michigan, where the MMBA is positively pushing for sections of the NCT to remain multi-use.
As it stands right now the NCT is still multi-use in non-designated wilderness sections, so I ride without guilt. I'll certainly respect any rule changes put forth in the future.
The last thing I'll say is that by and large this section of the NCT is pristine, and hardly gets any bike traffic. I've ridden it occasionally for over 10 years and have seen about 10 people the whole time. Easily the most damaged area of the trail that I have seen is the section leading to the Marengo valley overlook from the nearest fire road to the west. It's not bikers that are responsible for that, rather it's because of heavier hiker traffic. Hikers don't occupy any higher moral standard here.
ryno lite
03-22-2007, 12:11 AM
I ride the Short and Fat race every year and the fire roads and Birkie trail we follow for that sucks enough where I would never ride it for fun without the race being held there. Rock Lake and Ojibwe are pretty cool and are nothing like the race course.
My votes are CAMBA and Levis. Both are a great camping/riding weekend.
TrailPatrol
03-22-2007, 05:02 AM
Hmmm. I have never seen nor heard that CAMBA had an official stance on the NCT anywhere. ...As it stands right now the NCT is still multi-use in non-designated wilderness sections, so I ride without guilt. I'll certainly respect any rule changes put forth in the future.
The last thing I'll say is that by and large this section of the NCT is pristine, and hardly gets any bike traffic.
Actually, part of the NCT's overall problem is that in too many places it gets very little traffic of any sort. The US Forest Service suggested we patrol the NCT in the Chippewa National Forest, (MN) and we started to do so, but some areas west of Remer were so overgrown that it was hard to walk a bike through, let alone ride. We gave up, and went back up to Simpson Creek.
You are preaching to the choir here. A dozen years ago or more, CAMBA approached the NCTA and NPS and asked to adopt the NCT section north of Drummond, with the provison that it could be part of the Delta Trail Cluster. To say the offer was "turned down" would be putting it mildly. Ever since then, the policy, never written down, has been not to encourage riding there, nor to discourage it officially. :confused: This coincides with policy in other areas. Cass County's (MN) tourism website actively encourages biking on the NCT. On both the Chippewa and Chequamegon National Forests, rangers have told me the same thing; "The NCT is not closed to MTB use. Just don't make a big deal of it." Oddly, that parallels the opinion of the late chairman of the NTCA in MN, Rod MacRae, who told me on more than one occaision with a twinkle in his eye, "Sure, you can ride on the trail. Just don't tell anyone about it!"
In New York, some sections are closed and other are open. In Letchworth State Park, it is open to bikes only in the summer. In Allegany State Park it is not open to bikes at all. Some state forests yes, (like Shindagin Hollow, touted in "Bike" magazine as one of the best riding venues in the country) and others, no. Michigan, home of the NTCA, is politically the worst area. Some of the hikers there are militant.
Personally...Dan, since this is your thread, make note of this...I would love to see a 4,000 mile-long singletrack trail from NY to ND. If you want to push on through, there are campsites every 10-15 miles and you can do it, even today, in both the Chequamegon and Chippewa. (Note: There are no wilderness areas in the Chippewa NF) Just stay off the closed sections, and be nice to any hikers who try to confront you and it can be a great ride! Can you say "Maah Dah Hey-to-the 40th-power"?
Ride safe,
:banana:
Hans
toasthaiku
03-22-2007, 11:50 AM
I ride the Short and Fat race every year and the fire roads and Birkie trail we follow for that sucks enough where I would never ride it for fun without the race being held there.
True. You can drive a pickup over the roads and XC trails.
There are lots of snowshoe / singletracks snaking through there. I rode Fat Tire's Rough Stuff Rendezvous race last year and had a great time on those trails.
Rough Stuff was so much fun I applied for my first Short & Fat this year. Hope I get in.
TrailPatrol
03-22-2007, 01:14 PM
I rode Fat Tire's Rough Stuff Rendezvous race last year and had a great time on those trails.
And you are only just scratching the surface of the greatest trail system in the the Midwest. The Rough-Stuff takes place on just a portion of the Cable Cluster. There are well over 300 more miles of marked, mapped trails set up in six "clusters" for biking up there. Join CAMBA (www.cambatrails.org (http://www.cambatrails.org)) and you get a set of maps fpr the whole system. (Or you can just buy them at the tourist info centers up there.)
The Ojibwe, new Rock Lake and the Hatchery Creek trails are the result of a new development emphasis on creating challenging singletrack. There is more planned, starting in the Hayward area.
Ride safe,
:banana:
Hans
AndrewMay
03-29-2007, 04:16 PM
I've been lurking in this thread looking for an idea for a weekend getaway but havent seen many destinations south of here. I'd be up for about 6 hrs of driving, any ideas. Has anyone ridden in Missouri, Arkansas, Indiana? Cant really do much riding around here this time of year without messing up the trails...
Rocky Mountain
03-30-2007, 01:39 PM
The southern states have there share of rain this time of year, also.
I was in the heart of Kentucky a couple of Feb. ago and got rained out trying to ride the famous Canal Loop. Cheap hotels down there along with alot of other cheap(er)things.
http://www.dirtworld.com/trails/trail.asp?id=1120&trail_name=Canal%20Loop%20Mountain%20Bike%20Trail
I've been lurking in this thread looking for an idea for a weekend getaway but havent seen many destinations south of here. I'd be up for about 6 hrs of driving, any ideas. Has anyone ridden in Missouri, Arkansas, Indiana? Cant really do much riding around here this time of year without messing up the trails...
Andrew,
You might want to check out the Kansas City (7hr drive) area. Lots of good stuff within a short drive of that metro area. Landahl is a great ride.
Clinton Reservoir on the Kansas side is also a fun ride.
www.earthriders.com (http://www.morcmtb.org/forums/www.earthriders.com)
I've not ridden the area but I've also heard a lot of good stuff about the riding near St. Louis. Info on those trails can be found on this site:
www.gorctrails.com (http://www.morcmtb.org/forums/www.gorctrails.com)
Danimal
03-30-2007, 03:02 PM
Don't mention KC in any of my threads. My company is moving there and I have a sore spot regarding KC :)
Lezgo Cycling
03-30-2007, 03:33 PM
9 mile WAUSAU for sure...I used to live there and is pretty much where I went from BMX to mtn. I still do ti all but that was really my first taste of mtn biking. Snowboarding in the wintert here is really cool too (used to work there when i lived out there)
Lezgo Cycling
03-30-2007, 03:35 PM
I've been lurking in this thread looking for an idea for a weekend getaway but havent seen many destinations south of here. I'd be up for about 6 hrs of driving, any ideas. Has anyone ridden in Missouri, Arkansas, Indiana? Cant really do much riding around here this time of year without messing up the trails...
Landahl park KC MO about 6 hours depending ont raffic and driving conditions but great ride, I ahve been a couple times for the midwest bike expo but I dont think there doing that anymore......but a great trail non the less
AndrewMay
03-30-2007, 03:36 PM
Thanks for all the ideas. I guess I hadnt thought that it would be rainy down South too...
I'm thinking I might hold out until May and take a couple days at Levi's or 9 mile... Or just give in and haul a%* back out to Moab.
TrailPatrol
03-30-2007, 05:07 PM
I guess I hadnt thought that it would be rainy down South too...
Rainy is easy to deal with. 65 tornados in a day is probably not. Remember the witch on the bicycle in "The Wizard of Oz".
I don't think we're in Kansas any more, Toto.
Hans
mtnbykr
03-30-2007, 06:07 PM
My company is moving there and I have a sore spot regarding KC
you might want to look into going with. the riding down there rocks. much better than what you're used to.
stoneage
03-30-2007, 06:41 PM
Missouri, Arkansas
See this thread (http://www.morcmtb.org/forums/showthread.php?p=207144#post207144).
It is awesome! We rode it last Fall a couple of times. You must do the Namakagon Cluster http://www.cambatrails.org/namakagoncluster.html and the new Hildebrand Loop.
Also, Nine Mile has a lot to offer and a great campground with hot showers.
thanks Nita,:banana:
some of my buddies and i will be hitting this area, this summer some time!!
thanks again!
Peace,
Joe
krazykatie
04-04-2007, 06:19 PM
thanks Nita,:banana:
some of my buddies and i will be hitting this area, this summer some time!!
thanks again!
Peace,
Joe
am I included as one of your buddies :p
Stonehenge
04-04-2007, 07:18 PM
Here you go. http://www.bhfattirefestival.com/index.html they dry out faster than we do. You can scope out the trails there and report. Sounds like some good riding and a bit like Levis or maybe a little more like out west.
Stonehenge
04-04-2007, 07:33 PM
Another alternative - the Crowder trails in northern MO are also very good. About a 6 hour drive from the Shiddies. Justifiable for a long weekend. Good campgrounds and (but?) not much of anything else going on. They have a decent bunkhouse with hot showers if you have a large enough group to justify the cost/convenience.
I'd vote 9 Mile over the Cable area just because I've ridden 9 Mile less.
Are you sure! ridden 9 mile less or not at all. True it depends on what you like but. I rode 9 mile - all of it, with a group. All of us were wondering where the secret trail is. The sections accross the road (3?) with rock garden was the best with only a few very short others. Other wise most of it was not notable by andy means (to much granite gravel). We were dissapointed and glad we went there first as Levis was next 2 days and hands down more enjoyable.
If its not the 24 hr race or big event - then Monopoly rules apply - do not pass go, do not collect 200.00, go directly to LEVIS.
Previosly mentioned CAMBA trails rank far above 9 mile in my little book
am I included as one of your buddies :p
well K,
i have to think about that one:eyeroll: ???
thought about it......
you have a bike and two legs.....................yeah i'd say sure thing!!!:banana:
even if you had a third arm out you back, i'd still call you a buddy??!!:sick:
Peace,
Joe
FarmerBEN
04-05-2007, 12:49 PM
well K,
i have to think about that one:eyeroll: ???
thought about it......
you have a bike and two legs.....................yeah i'd say sure thing!!!:banana:
even if you had a third arm out you back, i'd still call you a buddy??!!:sick:
Peace,
Joe
the other day one of myeggbeaters came off while on a road ride, after riding about a mile and a half on one leg I would have much more respect for her if she only had one leg.
also more on topic, I have heard that the upper penisula has alot of nice riding, and has no one mentioned mah de hey yet? or prehaps a combination of winona and lacrosse, both have very nice trails systems and better night life than northern wisconsin, (just beware of the river).
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