Michigan atv trails St Helen to Mio, and everwhere in between!

[4tracker]

Good place to start out is at St Helen Mi. campground or Trails inn motel, both on the trail head across the street from one another, with all the amenities needed in town there for your stay like an atv parts dealership, gas. restaurants, liquor store, drug store, hardware all within a blocks distance away. From here you can head E. towards Houghton lake Mi. trail system or West to West branch or N. through Clear lake then onto city of Mio trail system. So many great places to check out along the way heading north fro there, like Clear Lake, with their Bar and grill, corner store, gas, lodging, Ambrose lk. atv campground near by, and with so many surrounding trails there too, with hill climbs! Then after leaving Clear lk. head up to wagon Wheel N. of Rose city rd. with dozens of trails scattering the hill side there called the Rose city oil fields. Then on up N. to the gravel pit for a little play time, before crossing M33 at the Pink store for gas and snacks. Leaving there to head up to Mio's Bull gap, either on the west side (shortest rout) or you can do the half Bull Gap trip through Mac lk. Campground heading  N. to Bull Gap or the long way around from the Pink store traveling on the 50 mile loop that passes Bull gap on its way back to the Pink store. Make sure you take along the printable Mi. DNR atv trail maps with you, to help guide the way, along with the other areas I just mentioned, maps. 

If your looking for a friend to ride with and show the way with , over 50 nearer my age and interests, contact Email:  [email protected]   for more info. I'll be more than happy to ride with you!   Thanks Steve

[4tracker]

Just got back from a great trip up north Mi. with my son, and some terrific weather, too!
Started the trip out on day one from St Helen's campground and rode, round trip through Clear lake with store,gas,bar restaurant, onto Rose City for gas fill up, then north of West Branch, up to Wagon Wheel area then back, close to 50 miles. Make sure if taking this route its advisable to take a GPS, flash light, spare gas, compass, emergency tools, waters, snacks, jacket in case your stranded after dark for some reason, gets pretty cold up north, after sun go down! and tow strap just in case you happen to get stuck in the muck like we did, then ''stunk'' from the muck the rest of the trip back lol, but fortunately we were near camp heading back, hitting the showers and tossing clothes away lol Mosquitoes were eating us up alive all the way back after getting swamped too! Might also be a good idea to pack a can of mosquito spray as well! Their no joke, back in swampy areas!
Rode for 4 days, riding hard every day, from early dawn till dark, and not exactly the way I prefered it, but my son said, that he had been waiting all year to finally get up there (while also on his vacation) and he was going to RIDE!!! 
Made it to places, way back in areas we've never been before, and rode into heavily forested/wooded places with foliage so thick, growing over the trails, which seemed like no one had been back in there for quite some time! Not sure if we'll ever head back in there again, because of the way we were scratched, hit/poked by branches, and those pesky mosquitoes, following us all the way back after getting swamped! Definitely worth the ''trip/view''! Real easy to get disoriented/lost back in there too!
St Helens area also has 5 greata rock climbs, 3 different sand climbs, lakes and tons of trails with so much sand you can leave the sand paddles on the entire time there! Close to 20 sq. miles. 
Still looking for a friend/buddy over 50, to ride with ''anytime''!! Is a good time for me! Just let me know. Thanks Steve

[4tracker]

Here's a map of the area St Helen, mi.

[Dravkracing]

We run the Baldwin area. Lincoln hills. Little o,big O, carrieville, tin cup

[4tracker]

Made it up to the ''ST HELEN ORV JAM'' 8/10 -12. Got there w/ grandson on his 450 dirt bike, his friend, on my sons TRX450r (fortunately for him since my son had to work) and my ''r''....rrrrr! Got there early in order to grab one of the last camp sites, since they were going fast, and filling up quickly! On Sat was the sand drags, and Sun the mud bogs. We fortunately had time to ride Thur. for a while, out on the trails, to get that out of the way, before the events started. We headed way out, towards N. of West Branch area, to show the kids the trails, quite a ways out from town. We were in the deepest/furthest part of the trail, when my sons ''r'' popped a rod, through the case....OUCH!! Had to leave his buddy there, while we headed back and drove grandsons pickup back in there, thinking we would never get to it,with bald tires spinning, w/ little traction, in deep, powder fine, like sand, but with a lot of luck, some engine revving & some swerving n swaying, finally made it! Needles to say that was the end of his buddies riding for the weekend!   It didn't get much better after that, when grandsons bike blew a head gasket, way, way back in there, on the trails, but fortunately he was able to make it back to camp, by letting it cool down, on the way! Ever have a day like this, before?...err! That left me to ride alone, but gave me some time to explore some of the many trails, we've passed by in the past, but never took the time to investigate and kids admitted the trip was not a total washout, since we all cover miles of trails, they also were with ea other, having a blast, and not alone!! atv hill climbing, plenty of great sandy, orv play areas, riding through town checking out the babes lol, St Helen's beach, great camp fire cook'in w/ also some fantastic food in town! great weather too, finally! after the  many past weeks, in the 90's! Way toooo ''HOT'' to enjoy a trip out on the trails, for over a month! along with the main reason for going, the drag races, and the many festivities they had to offer! Great time for sure, and hope to do it again next year, but hopefully with much better luck lol Not many places in the country where you can do so much in such a small town, that welcomes every type of orv, for kids as well adults! Almost like handing us the key to the town, like we owned it! lol Such an extremely friendly Town, as well as the many other cities, through our great state of Michigan!!....

 

''Still looking'' for buddy/friend to ride with, preferably over 50, to have more in common, but I keep up with the grand kids, too! lol  I can buddy up with the slowest guy in a pack, or pass anything on the trails, and everything in between, as long as I'm up north camping, cooking on open fire, trail riding, eating out at local diners, etc. etc. doesn't matter as long as i'm out of dodge here in the city, and eating great northern sand, is fine with me!! I'm an early riser, but ok w/ your schedule to sleep in, is OK too! If this ain't you, tell a friend just sitting around starring at the walls, giving up on ever riding again, and have him get in touch, asap!! still a few great weeks ahead, but time is definitely not on our side!! We can sit on our duffs all winter, but not now!!
  Gladly share equally with the entire trip, as always!   thanks Steve

[House]

My buddy's dad has a cabin in clear lake. we are up there several times a year. I love the trails around ambrose lake, they are a blast

[4tracker]

we'll be up there Aug. 14,15 With group that have never been there before and their going to return after riding so many trail types!!

  If You know anyone thats in need of a trail buddy over 50 let em know! Thanks Steve

[4tracker]

Just got back from great 5 days up north w/ my buddy/friend/neighbor and new found friends from Indiana, all riding 4x4's and me on my little Honda quad (as they laughed along w/ me) in comparison, even though I kept up pretty good, but under great duress/suffering with the rough whooped out trails and long rides!! at St Helen MI. area! After returning and after seeing how many of my friends are riding larger 4x4 quads and sxs, (convened me to invest in a bigger quad that could handle longer trips on a tank full, on rougher trails, proven to hold up under very rigorous terrain, also giving a much more comfortable ride, especially over them rough sharp whoops which are even worse, even on sandy trails) so I bought a new 4x4 King Quad 750 on sale for $5,999, Black. Plus adding a few extras, new plow, wench, power steering for $1,200. Ready for winter! lol Hoping to get in a few more trips up north while the season is still above freezing, during day rides to test her out and also get in a few hundred miles for break in procedure at the same time!. I'm still keeping my little Honda trx450r quad, still the fastest quad on the planet, bar none! Dare you to take me on!! Bring it on!! Come on with your bad self!! lol Look out northern Michigan! here I come!! 🛴
  Ride safe! steve

[4tracker]

Made it back, from one last time/trip from up north w/ my buddy from Toledo, Ohio area, putting on my break in miles, on new KQ 750. We covered 170 great trail miles w/ some terrific peek fall colors for long weekend! Everything went well w/ no mishaps! My new ride handled better than expected with this my first 4x4 that I've ever ridden on, and comparing it to 19 different atv's. It seemed like I was driving a monster military tank with the way it handled everything I put it through, yet extremely comfortable, especially with the storage boxes I had installed with a back rest against them, with thick foam fill, reminded me of setting on a comfortable recliner on a fire-breathing tank lol Just the opposite of what I thought a 4x4 should feel like! I still have my Honda TRX 450r for some quick, fast action on the trails, but it has to take a back seat when it comes to a comfortable cushy ride! Just installed new hand grip mitts, plus there heated! I'm not canceling out a possible one more trip up (its going to be 54 and sunny up there today) if we can have the weather cooperate with a few warm dry days, but if not I'll be pulling it out during the winter for plowing snow for myself and neighbors with plow, sold with the quad. Cant wait!! I also ordered and installed handlebar heated mitts that will help while out on colder days and waiting on shipment of more aggressive/wider tires to hopefully help with the plowing of heavy snow and for next season's sand/mud/hilly trails.