Houghton Lake Michigan ORV Trail Maps & Reports

Houghton Lake Area has over 100 miles of O.R.V. trails.

We are members of the Cycle Conservation club of  Michigan

ORV RENTAL PRICES BELOW

 

Click on the picture above for the live webcam in Houghton Lake.

Click for Houghton Lake, Michigan Forecast

   WE HAVE SEVERAL CABIN/FOUR WHEELER RENTAL PACKAGES............CLICK ON THE LINKS AT THE LEFT OF THIS PAGE FOR MORE INFORMATION...............

Michigan ORV Trails, Michigan ORV Maps, ORV Trail conditions, Michigan ORV trail conditions, Michigam ORV trail reports, CCC, cycle Concervation Club of Michigan      

NEW!!!! 

TRAIL MAP LINKS ARE BELOW

THESE LINKS ARE IMMEDIATE HOUGHTON LAKE AREA

THESE LINKS ARE GRAYLING & KALKASKA AREA

THESE LINKS ARE LUZURNE, MIO, LEWISTON & ATLANTA AREA

 

ORV RENTAL PRICES

Honda TRX250ex 4 wheelers (4 stroke)

300.00 Weekend (Trailer additional)

Childrens 49cc dirt bikes (4 stroke)

100.00 Weekend

We can drop you off and pick you up at the trailhead.

Toll Free 1-888-863-1262

WE HAVE CABIN SPECIAL STARTING AT 49.00 PER NIGHT FOR UP TO 6 PERSONS!!!!! GREAT TIME TO COME UP WITH A GROUP. WE ARE 5 MINUTES FROM THE WACO ROAD TRAIL

WARNING!!!!!!

WATCH FOR A WHITE CONVERSION VAN, WITH A KTM STICKER ON ONE REAR WINDOW, AND A HARLEY DAVIDSON ON THE OTHER REAR WINDOW. IT HAD A SELF MADE ALUMINUM BIKE RACK IN THE REAR HITCH. IT ALSO HAD ALUMINUM WHEELS, PROBABLY CUSTOM.

Last weekend there were several reports from riders that claimed persons driving a van described above, were in the vicinity of other riers, and believed to be stealing gasoline, tie down straps, and bike stands from vehicles on Waco Rd. They also placed trees and other debris across the trails in this area. At this time no-one has witnessed the theft of the items, but people did wintess them moving debris across the trails, and parking areas used by volunteers that are helping the CCC clean up this area. If you see this vehicle parked in any ORV lot, please get the License Plate number and e-mail to me HERE.

A PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS IS HERE....PLEASE DISTRIBUTE.

Update 05/06/08 :   Houghton Lake Michigan ORV Trail Conditions

Update 05/01/08 :   Houghton Lake Michigan ORV Trail Conditions

Update 04/24/08 :   Houghton Lake Michigan ORV Trail Conditions

 

Update 04/18/08 :   Houghton Lake Michigan ORV Trail Conditions

Update 04/11/08 :   Houghton Lake Michigan ORV Trail Conditions

Update 04/10/08 :   Houghton Lake Michigan ORV Trail Conditions

Update 04/10/08 :   Houghton Lake Michigan ORV Trail Conditions

Apr 10  Today
Cloudy. High 48F. Winds ENE at 15 to 25 mph.
Apr 10  Tonight
Windy with periods of rain. Low 36F. Winds E at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall near a half an inch.
Apr 11  Tomorrow
Thundershowers following a period of rain early. A few storms may be severe. High 44F. Winds E at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall near a half an inch.
Apr 11  Tomorrow night
Cloudy with occasional rain showers. Low 33F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%.
Apr 12  Saturday
Mix of rain and snow showers. Highs in the upper 30s and lows in the low 20s.
Apr 13  Sunday
A few snow showers. Highs in the low 40s and lows in the mid 20s.
Apr 14  Monday
A few clouds. Highs in the mid 40s and lows in the upper 20s.
Apr 15  Tuesday
More sun than clouds. Highs in the low 50s and lows in the mid 30s.
Apr 16  Wednesday
Few showers. Highs in the upper 50s and lows in the upper 30s.
Apr 17  Thursday
Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 50s and lows in the upper 30s.
Apr 18  Friday
Mix of sun and clouds. Highs in the mid 50s and lows in the upper 30s.
Apr 19  Saturday
More clouds than sun. Highs in the mid 50s and lows in the upper 30s.

Update 04/07/08 :   Houghton Lake Michigan ORV Trail Conditions

Update 04/06/08 :   Houghton Lake Michigan ORV Trail Conditions

Update 04/04/08 :   Houghton Lake Michigan ORV Trail Conditions

Update 04/04/08 :   Houghton Lake Michigan ORV Trail Conditions

Update 04/02/08 :   Houghton Lake Michigan ORV Trail Conditions

Update 04/1/08 :   Houghton Lake Michigan ORV Trail Conditions

Update 10/1/07 :   Houghton Lake Michigan ORV Trail Conditions

In addition to restrictions on state-owned lands and other violations previously noted, the following acts are unlawful anywhere in the state except as noted. ORV operation is prohibited:

    

Update 9/24/06 :   Houghton Lake Michigan ORV Trail Conditions

8:20PM  The trails got a lot of use this weekend, especially near St. Helen from the St Helen classic group. A lot of rain has fallen, so there are some wet muddy areas.

Update 9/14/06 :   Houghton Lake Michigan ORV Trail Conditions

8:20PM  With all the rain we have gotten, the trails are in decent shape, but there are some wet areas.The North Loop from Canoe Camp RD. and Ol 27 has so fairly deep water holes. You can make your way thru, but expect to get muddy. The big ride in St. Helen, the St. Helenclassic, is the 22-24 of September.

Update 9/1/06 :   Houghton Lake Michigan ORV Trail Conditions

8:20PM  The trails are in decent shape, so recent rains are keeping the dust down. With daytime temps in the 60-70's, its a great time to come up and ride. Make sure you have a Michigan ORV sticker, and a US Forrestry approved spark arrestor. 

Update 7/14/06 :   Houghton Lake Michigan ORV Trail Conditions

8:20PM  The trasil are getting a fair amount of traffic, and they are dusty and dry. I rode the Denton Loops, to St. Helen, and Leota from the ORV parking lot on Waco RD.  

Update 6/1/06 :   Houghton Lake Michigan ORV Trail Conditions

6:20PM  I rode the Denton Loop today and the North side of the loop from Canoe Camp to Waco has some deep water holes. I drove thru all of them, but you have to pick your route carefully. The south side of that loop is ok. All the rain the past couple of weeks has water in places that are usually fairly dry this time of year, but it makes for some interesting challenges. We have some cabin specials for the weekend from 70.00 per night. 

Update 5/7/06 :   Houghton Lake Michigan ORV Trail Conditions

6:20PM  I rode the Denton Loop again today and came across some fellow CCC members clearing the trails. They were from the lansing area. Greg Yager was with a woman (I forgort her name...he gave me his card) and they were on a bike and a quad. The were carrying a pole saw and a chain saw, doing some pretty tough work for two people. I am going to organize a trail cleanup in our area and am looking for more volunteers. E-mail us at mail@americanoakresort if you can help. If you can ride and help cleanup at least one day, we can comp your cabin for one night...that will save you 50.00.

Update 5/3/06 :   Houghton Lake Michigan ORV Trail Conditions

6:20PM  I rode the Denton Loops from the trailhead, 1/2 Mile west of M-18 on Waco Rd. We rode 1/2 the loop on Monday and there were no spots of deep water. Today I rode the full loop, out to old 27 and back to the trailhead. The north side of that loop, from canoe camp rd and Old 27 has some water holes. Three of them have some spots that are quite deep, but you can go around all three, with a quad or a bike. I chose to go thru them. All of the wood bridges seem to be in good shape. A few trees are down , but the ones that haven't been cleared have paths around them. Great time to get up and ride, before it gets too hot. We have some cabins specials for 50.00 per night that sleep up to 6.

Update 4/3/06 :   Houghton Lake Michigan ORV Trail Conditions

6:20PM  Some guys were out riding orv's this past weekend....their report is below. The snow and ice are gone from the woods.

ORV Report from 4/2/06

Art

Yes we did get a ride in.  Losing the hour to daylight savings meant we got
a late start on Sunday, but we put on 50 miles.  Mainly on Leota, with a few
of the miles on Denton Creek.

We started from Canoe Camp and Cambridge roads.  We rode down to the
Jonesville Bridge, then up the middle of the loop and back down the west
side.  After a little break we went a few miles into Denton Creek and back.

We were a bit skeptical when we woke up to a mainly frozen East Bay, but the
ice/snow was not a factor on the trails.  The moisture kept the dust down so
the trails were excellent.  A few downed trees to deal with, but other than
that it was a great first ride of the season.  When we got back to the lake
there was no more ice, at least on the East Bay.  We timed it perfectly,
when we finished unloading, the rain started.

Thanks, talk to you later.

Mark

 

 

Update 9/8/05 7:30 am. 

 Took the Denton loop from the parking lot yesterday, it was in gecent shape, but very dry. We got a good soaking rain yesterday evening, so today would be a good day for riding. Not a cloud in the sky at this time. Weather looks to stay dry through the weekend, with highs in the low 80's. It hasen't been humid so now is the time to get up here and enjoy the trails. 

Update 5/16/05 4:00 pm. 

 We got some more rain the last couple of days, and things are looking much greener around here. This weather will keep the dust down and lower the fire danger, both good things. We are working to open up access to town for ORV's so if you have any input on this, please e-mail us here. Also e-mail us if you know of any problems on the loops located in Roscommon County, so we can get them taken care of. This includes bridges and planks that span low areas. If you see a broken or missing plank, e-mail us and let us know where it is so we can fix it. We have been in contact with the CCC and will be having a meeting with them soon to discuss a plan for gaining better ORV access to food and fuel in Roscommon County. We will also work with the Michigan Recreational Vehicle Riders association in St Helen as they have been a driving force in getting trails connected from Leota-Mio. We need everyone's support on this, and if you can't help, join the CCC. Your money will be well spent. I just received my Map Book from them today, and the entire book is in color. All of the trails in the book are from actual GPS coordinates, so they are very accurate. That alone is worth the 30 bucks in my opinion. 

Update 5/11/05 4:00 pm. 

 We got some much needed rain today, and it looks like maybe more for the weekend. Temps going into the weekend look to be in the 50-60's. A good weekend to ride if it doesn't rain too much. My bike is now street legal with plates and insurance, so no more carting gas around for me. I have about 400.00 into the conversion, plus my time. I have a battery on the bike, so a charging coil is not necessary. I can get 3-4 hours of riding with the lights on. I will only run them when I am not on a ORV trail. Cheap way to go to avoiding the problems of getting into towns to get gas. Please join the CCC if you are not a member. They work hard to get us more ORV routes opened up. They are also a major driving force in getting access into towns opened up and helping entire counties become ORV friendly. You can visit their site here. It's 30.00 for a year and you get a great map book with all of the orv trails in Michigan. They have offered to help us get more access to ORV's in Roscommon County.  PLEASE DON'T GO OUT THERE WITHOUT A US FORREST APPROVED SPARK ARRESTOR AND BE SMART IF YOU HAVE A CAMPFIRE. 

Update 5/01/05 1:00 pm. 

 Its drying out once again so be especially careful out in the woods. most of the trails are dry  at this point but there is still a little water in the low lying areas. New pictures will be posted soon. PLEASE DON'T GO OUT THERE WITHOUT A US FORREST APPROVED SPARK ARRESTOR. 

Update 4/18/05 1:00 pm. 

 I guess I should not have mentioned forest fires. We had one on the Southeast side of Houghton Lake over the weekend. It burned almost 1 1/2 miles along M-18 south of Waco Rd. Last report I saw said 1500 acres. Along the road it didn't take out the tress, just burned everthing on the ground. Be extremely careful if you are out in the woods for any reason. PLEASE DON'T GO OUT THERE WITHOUT A US FORREST APPROVED SPARK ARRESTOR. 

Update 4/16/05 8:00 am. 

 We rode from the Waco Rd staging area over to trail 28 on Canoe Camp Rd. and US-27. There are two ways to get there, but the North section is usually the wettest of the trails in the spring. There were some water spots, but very minor compared to previous years. Then we rode to the Leota staging area next to Jonesville Bridge. That was dry and dusty most of the way. We came back and completed the Denton loop by riding the south trail off of Canoe Camp Rd. That trail was much dryer than the north section. We rode all the way east and came back to the parking lot on Waco from the east side. It was 52 miles. The FIRE DANGER is very high right now from the lack of rain. PLEASE DON'T GO OUT THERE WITHOUT A US FORREST APPROVED SPARK ARRESTOR. WE ARE LOSING ENOUGH OF THE WOODS TO THE LOGGERS, WE DON'T NEED ANY FIRES. 

Update 4/10/05 8:00 am. 

 I took a look in the woods the last couple of days, and I didn't see any snow. I will probably go out riding over the next couple of days so I will post some updates with pictures then. We have some cabin specials 49.95 per night, so come up and enjoy some early season riding. We can also print copies of any of the maps on this webpage in 11x17 size. 

Update 4/2/05 12:00 pm. 

 Most of the snow in the woods has melted, so it's time to get out our bikes and quads. Low lying areas are very wet and muddy. We are in the process of trying to help get the ORV's more access on county roads. If you can help or know anyone that can help our Local government down this path, please e-mail us. 

Update 11/16/04 5:00 pm. 

 The trails are all in decent shape but are covered with leaves in many areas. This weeks warm spell still makes it a good time to get out and get your last ride in for the season. The mist in the air has the dust under control on the trails.

Update 10/26/04 5:00 pm. 

 The trails are all in decent shape and with the recent rain we had there are a few wet spots, but minimal dust. The fall colors are in full swing so if you want to get out and ride and take a look at colors, now is the time.

Update 9/14/04 5:00 pm. 

 Here is a copy of some information posted at the Cycle Conservation Club of Michigan's website. To access their page directly click here the link below. Please join this club if you ride as they are one of the few driving forces in Michigan promoting our sport. 

Click Here for their website!!!!

Ogemaw county is on the verge of approving an ordinance that will allow ORV use on county roads. We need people at this meeting to support the ordinance by at least 2 to 1 because of what happened in Oscoda County when they recently had a public meeting regarding this same issue (some local opposition).
Please make an effort to attend this meeting and be prepared to make a brief statement because they keep track of positive and negative comments from the audience. Presenting something as simple as "I support this ordinance" will suffice. If you want to elaborate, that's great.

The Cycle Conservation Club of Michigan supports this ordinance and looks forward to other counties implementing similar legislation to better our sport. Ogemaw county, if this passes, will join Montmorency, Presque Isle and Cheboygan counties who have similar laws already in effect. Dr Kendall Paulson from Rose City has formed the Ogemaw County ORV Economic Development Committee to drive this ordinance and Ron Sape, one of our members from Rose City has acted as our laision during the meetings to date. This ordinance has County and police support now we need to add the ORV community support.

The meeting is at the West Branch courthouse September 22nd at 6:30 p.m. It is a big grey building on the corner of M-55 and M-30 officially called the Ogemaw County Building. >From the south take exit 212 off I-75, turn right go approximately 3 miles through town, the building is on the left. The meeting is in the commissioners chambers on the 1st floor.

If you can't make the meeting, you can email the county clerk with your supportive comments for the ordinance. Send emails to ogemawcoclerk@m33access.com <mailto:ogemawcoclerk@m33access.com> (subject: ORV ordinance)

Here's a copy of the ordinance as it currently stands:

State of Michigan - County of OgemawORV Ordinance

An ordinance for the regulation of operation of ORV's in Ogemaw County on roadways.

Sec. 1. As used in this ordinance, the following definitions shall apply:

a) "Public Road" means that portion of a county road that is improved, maintained and used by the public for vehicular travel, including any improved shoulders.
b) "Operate" means to rid in or on, and be in actual physical control of the operation of an ORV.
c) An ORV is defined as a motor vehicle with forward movement made possible by the use of two, three, four or six wheels with surface contact made by rubber tires. The vehicle must have a measurement from the ground surface to the base of seat height greater than eight-teen inches. On three, four or six wheeled vehicles the wheel rim diameter may not exceed thirteen inches.
d) "Road Surface" means that portion of a roadway improved, designated, or ordinarily used for vehicular travel and does not include within its meaning the shoulder or right-of way.

Sec. 2 An ORV may not be operated on the road surface of any roadway, with the exception of sections of roadways that do not have an adequate shoulder of roadway or bridge crossing allowing the ORV to avoid contact with the road surface. In these cases the ORV must remain to the far right of the roadway contacting the least amount of road surface as possible.

Sec. 3 An ORV may be operated on the roadway surface of any roadway for the purpose of crossing the roadway. The operator must bring the ORV to a complete stop and cross at a right angle to the roadway.

Sec 4 An Orv may not be operated on the road surface, roadway, shoulder or right-of-way of highways M-55 or M-33 except:
a) In a life-threatening emergency.
b) For the purpose of getting from one area to another, and operator may cross such roadway at right angles. The operator shall bring the ORV to a complete stop prior to crossing a roadway and shall yield the right-of-way to incoming traffic.

Sec. 5 An Orv may be operated on the shoulder of the roadway, in the direction of traffic in a single file manner, of all public roadways in Ogemaw County with the exception of roadways prohibited by sec. 4.

Sec. 6 An ORV may not be operated on a public roadway at a rate of speed higher than a posted or greater that 30 mph.

Sec. 7 An ORV must yield to all pedestrian and automobile vehicular traffic.

Sec. 8 An ORV must operate outside and not within the city limits of West Branch and Rose City unless designated routes are established by a city ordinance.

Sec. 9 An ORV may not be operated on a public roadway between the hours of 11:00 pm and 6:00 am.

Sec. 10 An ORV wit a width greater than 50 inches, must have a orange or red flag on a pole that measures at least six feet height and properly secured to the rear left hand side.

Sec. 11 Any person who violates this ordinance is guilty of a civil infraction, punishable by a fine of $60.00 upon the first conviction and a $100.00 for any subsequent conviction.

Sec. 12 Any person convicted of causing destruction to the road surface of the roadway or shoulder of the roadway will be held responsible for full restitution to repair the roadway to its original condition and will be guilty of a misdemeanor with an additional fine of $250.00

Update 9/14/04 5:00 pm. 

 With the cooler temps approaching, there are a lot more riders on the trails. The trails around the Houghton Lake area are all in decent shape. As far as we know the south loop of the Gladwin trail is open, but the north loop remains closed. 

Update 8/28/04 5:00 pm. 

 We rode from the parking lot on Waco Rd near M-18 down the St. Helen connector. We then went under I-75 to the parking lot next to the St. Helen motorsports area.  We then rode down the connector to the Ogemaw Hills loops. Although some of the maps do not show it, this used to be MCCT only. It is now marked for ORV's also. This is a fairly new connector and it still has the pink ribbons along it. I think we will post a section on this page that deals with trail maps that are not up to date. There are a lot morre MCCT connectors that are marked for ORV's than the maps show. You will find them while riding, but when planning a trip most people count on up to date maps. 

Update 8/21/04 5:00 pm. 

 We rode from the parking lot on Waco Rd near M-18. Many people are asking where this lot is. You take M-18 south from M-55 in Prudenville (East side of Houghton Lake) about 4 miles. Turn right on Waco (dirt road) and the lot is about 1/4 mile down on the left.

Update 8/11/04 2:00 pm. 

 Not much new but conditions are still very dry and dusty.  

Update 7/28/04 3:00 pm. 

 Not much new but conditions are still very dry and dusty.  

Update 7/21/04 12:50 pm. 

 We rode the Denton loop and the connector to St. Helen on the snowmobile trail. This connector is great for kids just learning as it is very wide and almost 17 miles long before it tightens back up near St. Helen. 

Update 7/14/04 12:50 pm. 

 We rode the Denton Leota and St Helen loops over the weekend. All of the trails are in decent with a few wet spots in the low lying areas. There is still a small water hole at the bottom of the large sand hills in the st Helen motorsports area. 

Update 7/7/04 12:50 pm. 

 Rode the denton Loops, Leota and St Helen this week. Also a road trip up to the Kalkaska trails. Theres still a decent water hole at the bottom of the big sandhills in the St Helen motorsports area. 

Update 7/1/04 12:50 pm. 

 We rode the Denton loop and then to St Helen. Also rode the w Higgins trails. All were in decent shape with little areas of water. It's starting to dry up around and the trouble spots have dried up.. 

Update 6/24/04 12:50 pm. 

 We rode part of then Denton loop and then to St Helen. Very little water left on the trails, things are starting to get dusty. Watch for logging trucks as there is a lot of logging going on in this area.  

 Nothing good to write about here. The State has been doing a lot of clear-cutting in this area. There have been several articles written in the Resorter with a lot of people being upset. If you vacation here, have a place here, or just visit the area for recreation, please take the time to write in and voice your opinion on all this clear-cutting. They are calling it forest management, but clearly this is about money, not management. They are leaving a mess behind, and I have yet to see a new tree planted in any of these areas. It looks like a bomb went off when they are done. Michigan will soon look like Ohio if this trend continues. Surely this is just another quick buck scheme by our very short-sited Governor. If that is not the case then someone needs to control this clear-cutting, and force these loggers to re-plant. With Michigans Industries dying out, the last thing we need to mess up is our tourism and wildlife for a few bucks. We will post some pictures of this soon. Funny how than close off all of these two tracks to ORV's because of the so-called damage they cause. I'm sure anyone would rather look a few few bumps in the road, while driving through the forest than look as this devastation. THINK TREES!!!!!

Update 6/11/04 12:50 pm. 

 We rode the Denton Loop and then to St. Helen. The trails are in decent shape, with water only in the most low lying areas. We will begin posting pictures again soon. Please write to Governor Grandholm and voice you opinion about all of the clear-cutting going on in this area. 

Update 6/4/04 12:50 pm. 

 It's finally starting to dry up around here. We rode to St Helen and it was a decent ride, the north loop from Denton to Leota is still very wet.

Update 5/28/04 1:50 pm. 

 We broke a 50yo record for rain this month, 7.34 inches. The trails are strating to dry out but there is a lot of water in the low lying areas in the woods. This is true for almost all of MI. The Denton & St-Helen Loops are fairly dry, but the northen toop from Denton to Leota is flooded pretty bad. 

Update 5/21/04 1:50 pm. 

 The rain continues. So far this month weatherunderground is reporting that it has rained 14 of the 21 days this month. I am going to look at the trails later today. If you are looking for mud, this is the time to ride.

Update 5/7/04 9:50 am. 

 More rain this week still has things pretty wet around here. The low lying areas are really muddy. 

Update 5/1/04 11:50 am. 

 The rain has been coming down for much of the past week. things around here are very wet with a lot of standing water in the low lying areas. Not much in the way of rain today, we will take a look at some of the trails and update this report, probably on Sunday.

Update 4/21/04 11:50 am. 

 The last couple of day's have brought a little rain, but today is a little warmer and dryer. The link's to all the surrounding ORV trail maps are up. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view them. You can zoom in and out and also print them. The weather looks good for riding this weekend, with temp's in the 50's and not much chance for rain. Happy Trails!! 

Update 4/19/04 11:50 am. 

 High winds have brought down a lot of trees in the surrounding areas and a large fire burned about 200 acres just north and west of Canoe Camp Rd and 127. They got most of the fire out last night, they are mopping up some hot-spots today. We got a fairly good amount of rain over the weekend and more is expected for this week. Many of the low lying areas are very wet so expect some muddy trails, especially if you head from Houghton Lake on Waco Rd, to the trail head on Canoe Camp. There are two routes, with the more southern one much dryer than the northern loop. If you are looking for mud the North Loop is the one you want. 

Update 4/9/04 2:50 pm. 

 Some guys rolled in from down state looking for a place to stay for the night. They rented a cabin for 60.00, there were four of them. They were heading to St. Helen in the morning to ride. I told them they could ride to St. Helen by parking at the trailhead on Waco Rd., just 5 minutes from the resort. They got up about 9:00am and I loaded up my bike and took them to the trail head. We rode to St. Helen, played around in the sand hills and then rode back. About 60 miles in all. There were very few water spots on the trail, and a few downed trees. Overall it was a good ride. There were a lot of bikes and quads out, way more than I expected to see. But then again it is good Friday so a lot of people were probably off today.  I took some pictures and will post them soon. the maps should be up soon, showing all the trails around the Houghton Lake area. We have some good deals on cabins for the next several weeks, so if you are coming to ride stop by. Four people can stay in a cabin for 60.00 and they have TV/VCR/DVD with surround sound and full kitchens. 

Update 4/7/04 11:00 am. 

 All of the ice is gone from the lake, and very few spots in the woods have any snow on them. It is pretty wet pout there right now, but many of the trails are ready for riding. 

Update 3/30/04 11:00 am. 

 They are riding dirt bikes and quads already so the ORV season has begun. We will go out and take some pictures of the trails and check out the low lying areas within the next week.  

Update 10/03/03 11:00 am. 

 We have been getting rain all day. Doesn't look like very good riding weather with the high's only expected to be in the mid 40's through the weekend. Sunday may be the best day. The trails are wet with water spots showing up in the low lying areas. 

Update 9/30/03 11:00 am. 

 We have been getting light rain all day off and on. These cooler temps are making it a little brisk for O.R.V. riding. Over the weekend the trails were great. There were several large groups over near St. Helen, and I was impressed how well they cleaned up after they left on Sunday. This week is supposed to bring warmer temps by Friday, so riding this weekend might not be too bad. With all the rain the trails will not be dusty for sure. I will update this again by Friday morning. 

Update 9/22/03 11:00 am. 

 We have been getting light rain since early this morning. This will surely keep the dust down for riding during the week. If you are looking for parts and accessories for you snowmobile season, we have many items, below retail prices. Sliders, tracks, studs etc. Send us an e-mail and we will send you a price. We also do studding and snowmobile repair at our resort. 

Update 9/18/03 5:00 pm. 

 The ORV Trails are still very dry and dusty due to little or no rain. Riding in the mornings is good due to the dampness on the trails from the morning dew. Trails from Leota-Denton  Loop and on to St Helen are all in decent shape. 

Update 9/11/03 5:00 pm. 

 The ORV Trails are still very dry and dusty due to little or no rain. The trail from St Helen, through Prudenville and into Leota are all in great condition. The end of summer ride in St Helen is the last weekend in September.

Update 9/4/03 5:00 pm. 

 The ORV Trails are in excellent shape with few areas of standing water. The trail from St Helen, through Prudenville and into Leota are all in great condition. The trails from West Higgins lake are also in good shape was the 29 mile loop just West of Grayling on M-72. There are two parking areas along M-72, the first one just outside of Grayling was great, the second loop with the parking about 10 miles further along M-72 was rough. That trail heads towards Starvation Lake. This report will be updated every couple days now, with a good report on Thursday nights heading into the weekends.

Update 6/13/03 10:00 am. 

 The ORV Trails are in decent shape with a few areas of standing water. We rode from Waco Rd trailhead, all the way to St. Helen on the new connector. The trails are not to bad, with all of the rain the weren't too dusty. The loops around Canoe Camp Rd. are likely to be a little wet, as the trails that are flat still have some standing water on them. The low lying areas will be the worst.  there is also a new connector from the St Helen Motorsports area heading Southeast towards West Branch. This trail is very new and it is tight.

Update 4/28/03 10:00 am. 

 The ORV Trails are in much better shape than we thought, with very few areas of standing water. We rode from Waco Rd trailhead, all the way to St. Helen on the new connector. The St. Helen motorsports area was quite busy Sunday, with many four-wheelers, bikes, sand rails and quads. Also rode from Waco Rd to the trailhead at Canoe Camp Rd.  Both loops on that trail are clear and dry for the most part. the North trail back from Canoe Camp has a few water spots, but nothing very deep. The loops from Canoe Camp West towards Leota are all in fairly good shape with little or no water areas. The ride to Jonesville Bridge was excellent. If you are thinking of riding, all of the local trails are in good shape, and with the new connector, you can ride from Leota to St. Helen on bikes or quads.

Update 4/20/03 10:00 am. 

 Now that winter is over, this page will bring reports of ORV trails during the spring/summer. Pretty much all of the snow has melted off the trails, and we will update with some pictures soon. We have gotten a decent amount of rain over the last couple of days, so the trails will likely be on the muddy side. Maps will also be posted soon. Also the connector between the Prudenville loop and the St. Helen motorsports area opened last fall. You can now ride from St. Helen thru Prudenville onto the Leoto loops. Happy Riding!

Call American Oak Resort for more weather information 1-989-366-6464

or toll free 1-888-863-1262

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