A winter destination can’t earn the title of “Snowmobiling Capital of the Midwest” without doing something right, and Munising, Michigan’s best spot to get out and ride, checks all the boxes.
Wide open groomed trails – got ‘em, more than 330 miles of smooth travel.
Picture perfect settings – just look around the trails with hardwood forests, water views and rolling hills that add interest to the riding perspective.
Snow – there’s winter average of more than 200 inches every year.
Add in 54 inches of snow that fell between Nov. 28 and Dec. 5, and the snowmobiling season is off to a roaring start and a bounceback from a lower-than-normal accumulation in 2023-24.
In Munising, unlike other areas, riders can hop on their sleds and spend an entire day on an outdoor adventure. Then they can wake up and do it all over again, only on a different trail for a different experience.
Here’s where to find an up to the day trail report.
Grooming the 300+ miles of trails begins once there’s enough snow on or after Dec. 1 when the members of the Snowmobile & O.R.V. Association of Alger County get out and maintain the paths for as long as the snow lasts, which is usually into April.
DOWNLOAD A TRAIL MAP: Plan your route before you arrive in Munising.
The system provides access from Au Train to Shingleton and all trails and points between. The terrain matches any snowmobiler’s taste for adventure, or an easy day on the packed surfaces to visit Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and Miner’s Castle. There are also opportunities for off-trail excursions for a more rugged ride.
Travel between towns, through magical woods and to majestic ice caves and ice structures that daring climbers scale daily. The wide berths and stress-relieving scenery are the perfect tonic to the frenzy of everyday life.
Because of the volume of miles and the distance between stops, snowmobilers often feel that they are in nature with only their group, not hemmed in by crowds. And when riders seeking solitude do encounter others, it’s a safe and friendly interaction among enthusiasts who cherish the winter sport.
Here are three suggested outings touted by veteran riders in and around Munising:
Munising to Grand Marais
This 120-mile round trip comes with a bonus excursion that takes riders to Miner’s Castle on the only legal access trail in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore via trails U.P. 8 and U.P 422. Miner’s Castle is famous year-round for its dramatic views of the cliffs, Lake Superior and Grand Island. Ice formations on the sandstone cliffs are an amazing sight. Get back out on the primary trail and you’re treated to a smooth ride. The trail takes operators in and out of hardwoods and open terrain, where they can get off the trail and play around in fields.
Visit Kitch-iti-kipi and Manistique
Heading out of Munising and hopping on to U.P. 41, riders can enjoy a roughly 100-mile round trip that takes them to the shores of Lake Michigan in Manistique and the famous Kitchi-iti-kipi freshwater spring. Long known for the summer views, the cold spring is equally visually impressive with snow-topped trees and the crystal clear water. The trail system offers riders options to head through the Hiawatha National Forest on U.P. 413 and U.P. 7, or groups can take more of a straight shot on U.P. 2.
Check out Gwinn
Two primary options to get to Gwinn will give riders between 95 and 114 miles on their sleds, either following U.P. 417 west along Lake Superior and then going south on U.P. 8, or taking a direct shot on U.P. 8. Riders will experience varying, rolling terrain. The Hiawatha National Forest is again a trail highlight as the routes take travelers through old-growth hardwoods.
