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TRaverse City

8K views 34 replies 14 participants last post by  66stingray 
#1 ·
anyone in the Traverse city area? if so i would like to get together and wheel (or find some new "non-private land" areas to wheel.:2thumbsup:
 
#29 ·
CDW, can you explain where Eagle Lake Overlook is of 72. I'm not from the TC area, but may be up there this summer.

Just a little advice on what may be legal or not from your first picture. The trail in the center going up the hill and the one running along the bottom of the hill maybe considered legal. The one on the left going up the hill, plus the one your driving on may not be. I've talked to 2 different DNR officers at the Jeep Blessing the last 2 years and was given the same advice. If on state land to play it safe most DNR officers will not ticket you if the trail is well used, sand or stone driving area. If the trail is just a two track with growth (like the 3 in the left of the 3rd picture) in the two track area it could be illegal and a ticket given.

In the National Forest you must know what trails are opened since they now have MVUM map done. Even if the trail has a posted number sign it may not be open.

Most of the time the DNR/National Forest officers are easy to work with if you play it nice. They will ticket groups out tearing up the illegal/closed trails. Even flying through mud holes in the trail or bypassing them can be cause for a ticket.
 
#30 ·
sdault said:
CDW, can you explain where Eagle Lake Overlook is of 72. I'm not from the TC area, but may be up there this summer.

Just a little advice on what may be legal or not from your first picture. The trail in the center going up the hill and the one running along the bottom of the hill maybe considered legal. The one on the left going up the hill, plus the one your driving on may not be. I've talked to 2 different DNR officers at the Jeep Blessing the last 2 years and was given the same advice. If on state land to play it safe most DNR officers will not ticket you if the trail is well used, sand or stone driving area. If the trail is just a two track with growth (like the 3 in the left of the 3rd picture) in the two track area it could be illegal and a ticket given.

In the National Forest you must know what trails are opened since they now have MVUM map done. Even if the trail has a posted number sign it may not be open.

Most of the time the DNR/National Forest officers are easy to work with if you play it nice. They will ticket groups out tearing up the illegal/closed trails. Even flying through mud holes in the trail or bypassing them can be cause for a ticket.
It's the Elk lake over look, it's about 10 miles west of Kalkaska, it's on the left if your going toward Acme. There's a nice paved half circle parking lot and then a vey steep foot trail that goes straight up about 1000 feet. The trail is off to the side of the parking lot you can't miss it. It's called Towerline Rd, you can GPS it. If you go make sure you have someone with you because if oh to town one hill into a valley you might not make it back up the other side or a winch. Make sure also have a GPS with my because there are so many trails that cross over each other it's really easy to get lost. Most the trails in that area will put you out on Supply Rd which is a good 30 miles in spots so just make sure you don't get lost or break if your alone.

The pic I posted that you are talking about is on my 40 acre property. I just posted it to show there is some challenging wheeling in the area but that is the type of terrain you will see on Towerline Rd it's just in the woods and really tight.

This video isn't mine but it someone wheeling Towerline Rd. They start right from M72 and the over look parking lot but they only run about a mile of it and turn around. At least it gives ya an idea if what's there.


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#33 ·
phittie1100 said:
I don't write the laws and I don't enforce them, I just help connect people with information. "I've never gotten in trouble doing it" is certainly not a legal defence, especially for some newb who is looking for reliable information before heading out the first time. The ORV handbook has good information, if you like reading MCL (yawn) those are available online too. There are also groups like GLFWDA with websites full of information WWW.GLFWDA.org
I know you don't, I was just saying I've never had any problems with what is apparently "illegal", but all the trails that I recommended are legal and in no way could you get In trouble for running them as long as you stay on trail. I grew up in that area and have been there my whole life, I'm not going to just stop wheeling the trails I love because someone says it could be illegal, if the time comes that I'm out wheeling and I am told to stop or get ticked by an officer or DNR person then I will have to go somewhere else but in the mean time I'm going to run the trails I know and love. Would I recommended anyone else to do that? No but from my experience, I'm not going to have a problem as long as I use common sense.

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