Biking

There are many tantalizing mountain biking opportunities in the western Upper Peninsula [1]. Two hundred miles of trails in three networks with routes ranging from tame gravel roads to single-track trails deep in the woods. As a bonus, many link up with waterfalls, remote lakes, and historical features.

Near Marenisco in Gogebic County, the Pomeroy/Henry Lake network offers 100 miles of gentle rides on wide gravel roads around a national forest area peppered with small lakes. It’s a good choice for families. The Ehlco network, just south of the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park [2], includes more single-track deep in the forest, on grass or dirt paths.

Arguably the best of the three is the one located outside the national forest: the Iron County system. Trails radiating out of Hurley lead you past waterfalls, large flowages, and old mining relics like the Plummer headframe near Pence. Good interpretive signs help make sense of historic sites. Routes in this system range from gravel roads to terrific single-track, though it’s not clear from the map which is which.