Hurley: A Northwoods Snowmobiling Wonderland
Rugged Terrain, Great Trails & A Lively Surrounding
By John T. Prusak
Nearly 30 years ago, on my first in-season assignment as the “new guy” at Snow Goer, I was thrust into the spotlight in Hurley, Wisconsin. My days were filled with riding some of the most beautiful, majestic trails I had ever ridden. My nights, after the sleds were parked, were dominated by Hurley’s infamous wild side.
I was there in December of 1993 at the annual Red Light Rally season-opening festival to present the Hurley Chamber with an award for being voted by Snow Goer readers as the snowmobiling area with the “Best Nightlife.” And what a nightlife it was. The locals dragged that younger version of me to as many of the town’s 31 bars as I could handle, and back then, I could handle a lot – the whiskey flowed and the beer followed. I remember most of the stops, but the most lasting memory was the world’s worst hangover while trailering home on Sunday!
I’ve grown up quite a bit since then, but so has Hurley. Don’t get me wrong, there’s still fun to be had and late-night carousing to enjoy at the many fine (and a few not-so-fine) establishments in the area. If you’re looking for trouble, you can find it.
But ultimately, the marvelous trails and gorgeous terrain are the stars of this show. From the wide main corridors that connect to neighboring towns to the snaky trails that lead through the rugged terrain that first attracted settlers to this area, there’s much to see and do.
And if you happen to enjoy a great meal while finding your way to the bottom of a few pint glasses after the sleds are put away? All the better.
Chasing Snow
Tucked up against the Wisconsin/Michigan Upper Peninsula border and in the shadows of Lake Superior, the Hurley area has the most consistent snow cover in Wisconsin and typically the longest riding season. The drive on our most recent visit took about an hour more than usual thanks to blowing fresh snow that glossed the twisting highways and county roads on our route.
We arrived in Hurley after midnight in blizzard-like conditions. After dropping off the trailer at the wonderfully snowmobile-centric Days Inn on the edge of town, we scrambled downtown for last-call. (See sidebar on page 28.)
When we rose the next morning and ventured downstairs for breakfast, the lobby was abuzz with activity. At least 80 percent of the people there were snowmobilers, along with a couple of bewildered business travelers mixed in who were curiously watching all the people in branded sled gear boxing out one another for access to the coffee machine. The parking lot was also chaotic. Trucks and trailers were everywhere, with people in brightly colored jackets unloading or warming their sleds. One of the major local trails goes right through the hotel’s parking lot, so it’s a popular place for riders.
Our day started with a trip down Trail 17, a converted rail line that departs Hurley to the southeast and connects it to Mercer, a neighboring snowmobiling hotbed. Frankly, with the overnight snow and traffic already building, the trail surface was a bit choppy – something that veteran snowmobilers might expect on a main trail in an ultra-popular riding area.
We soon opted off that corridor and onto Trail 15A, which offered a more traditional Northwoods feel. It cut a more interesting, winding path between the tall trees, and it had a freshly groomed surface. It led us to our first stop: the trailside clubhouse for the White Thunder Riders snowmobile club. Members of that legendary club would be our hosts and unofficial guides.
When we pulled up, six club members were inside sheltering from the gusty winds while one of the club’s big Tucker Sno Cats with drag attached was idling in the yard. We were warmly greeted by enthusiastic members who were eager to share stories of the club’s 52-year history. The tales were interesting, but we think they sensed our desire to pile on miles and cut some stories short.
Our leader on day one was Bill Lewis, a relatively new but very active club member, with his nephew Lee White as a sweeper. Following Lewis’ Arctic Cat ZR, we doubled back to Trail 17 but left it as soon as we could, taking the more twisting Trail 8 south and east. It was a marvelously meandering route, with short straightaways centered between lefts and rights that had us sliding our rumps back and forth across the seat while enjoying the tree-lined scenery.
We stopped for an early lunch at the woodsy Pine Lake Lodge, which was already teeming with snowmobilers, then continued in the general direction of Mercer to briefly test the trails of the Mercer Area Sno-Goers. We then ran a broad loop to the west, enjoying traditional Upper Midwestern snowmobiling at its finest.
The best part about riding in this part of Wisconsin is its hyper-rural nature. Once riders get west of Highway 51, road crossings are very rare, and the trees outnumber the population by about a billion to one. The mix of hardwood trees and pines were holding on to the falling snow as best they could on this breezy day, while the trail surface had an interesting roll.
The path takes riders in and out of the 175,000-acre Iron County Forest, past cottage-lined lakes and over well-maintained bridges that cross creeks and narrow rivers. The trails were in immaculate shape and traffic was surprisingly light given all the sleds we saw in town. That allowed for a full mental and physical escape as we absorbed the scenery and enjoyed the outing.
We started with the twisting and turning trails 12 and 8, which reflected a true deep-woods experience. Lewis then led us up the more north-south Trail 15, an unplowed forest service road that was wide and mostly straight, allowing us to cover terrain in a hurry. A few curious white tail deer watched us as we hustled down the trail, but they stayed in the neighboring clearings.
A kink to the east allowed us to skirt the aptly named Island Lake before shifting north again. This deep in the woods, it’s almost surprising to find pitstops with gas and food, but they’re out there – this is Wisconsin, after all. We weren’t seeing many sleds when riding, but the Bear Chasers Lodge must have had close to 100 snowmobiles parked outside, and the tiny Willy’s Still just to the north was similarly jumping. With no need for fuel or food, we kept rolling.
Surprise Visit
Eventually Lewis led us to a glorious surprise seemingly hidden in a hilly and densely wooded area locals refer to as Hogsback, directly south of the 3,100-acre Gile Flowage. Near the intersection of trails 13 and 13C is a professional memorial, recognizing the site of two tragic military training crashes 61 years earlier.
According to accounts, a B-47 Strato-Jet based out of Topeka, Kansas, was flying a low-altitude training mission to Ironwood, Michigan, and crashed into the woods at about 11 p.m. on February 24, 1961, killing all four Air Force service members aboard. Then, on May 2 of the same year, another B-47 crashed nearby at 2:45 a.m. while conducting the same high-risk exercise, which was designed to simulate under-the-radar, nighttime bombing runs. Two of the four Air Force members on that plane were able to eject just before impact, but two others perished.
The memorial – which includes a pergola, informative placards, plastic flowers, flag stands and more – almost has a religious feel to it. Out there in the woods, far separated from any city or town, it offered a calm silence and allowed us to focus our mind on the brave soldiers who gave their lives. It was also a reminder that sacrifices aren’t always just made overseas in active battle. The memorial is an absolute must-see for visiting riders.
We snaked our way back to the White Thunder Riders clubhouse, bid adieu to Lewis and White, and then made it back to our Hurley hotel at sunset. After a bit of time to clean up, we hustled back downtown for a night of… research?
Snowmobiling Paradise
Saturday morning came early after our night of low-level carousing, but we were greeted with a stunningly beautiful morning. About 4 inches of snow had fallen overnight, draping white fluff on top of the sleds and trailers that filled every inch of the Days Inn’s massive lot. A cold front was moving in, which took away a few degrees but started clearing the skies.
We were to meet our new, unofficial guide that morning in front of the hotel. The self-deprecating Bob Stuhr had joked over text that we’d be able to pick him out in the parking lot because he’d be “the only 400-pound guy there in a bright yellow jacket.” Sure enough, we spotted Stuhr and his imposing figure right away. Hidden behind the imposing façade is an eminently friendly snowmobiler who is well versed on local trails. In fact, his family lineage is tied to the founding of the White Thunder club.
We followed Stuhr’s Ski-Doo Renegade southwest out of town on a different rail trail, past the historic Iron Range towns of Montreal and Pence, to our first scenic stop of the day: the Plummer Mine Interpretive Park. Its towering, 80-foot-tall steel headframe is the last such structure found on the Gogebic Range, making it worthy of National Register of Historic Places recognition. The curious can learn more about the area’s mining history via park signage.
A turn to the north took us to the highlight of this riding adventure. Sandwiched between Wisconsin State Highway 77 to the south and U.S. Highway 2 on the north is rocky, rugged terrain that brought back fabulous memories from my 1993 visit.
The trails don’t just twist and turn here, they also rise and descend dramatically, leading riders around huge boulders and past trees with exposed roots clinging to rocky outcroppings. It felt akin to riding in South Dakota’s Black Hills at times as we weaved through the spectacular backdrop.
Further accentuating the scene, remnants of the previous night’s fresh snow hung from every branch and the north-facing side of tree trunks, decorating the landscape into a marvelous winter wonderland. The trails here were notable tighter than those experienced the previous day, but top speed was not our goal as we soaked in our surroundings.
At one point, Stuhr stopped before giving us a hearty “follow me” wave. He broke trail up a rather steep slope, twisting between the trees before stopping at a magnificent overlook high above Pat’s Meadow. From this high, cliff-like perch we could see Alder Creek snaking through the valley below. Across that valley were more towering, tree-covered hills. We later learned we were riding in the ancient Penokee Range, one of the Earth’s oldest mountain ranges. It certainly didn’t rival the Rockies, but it was “Midwest rugged.”
Soon we wound our way down off of the ridge and into farmland as we approached Highway 2. At Saxon, we stopped at the Frontier Bar. From the outside, this snowmobiling destination merely looks like a convenience store at a Mobil station. Inside, though, we found dozens of sledders enjoying lunch and swapping stories before venturing back out on the trail.
Stuhr asked if we wanted to ride up to “the lake,” meaning Superior, to which we replied, “Of course!” This led to the trip’s worst trail conditions. As is the case around any Great Lake, the snow gets thinner as you approach the big snow maker. The red-stained snow on the trail indicated we were still riding in an area with much iron in the soil.
Despite dulling our carbide runners, the ride out to the big lake was worth the trip. Looking down the shoreline, a seemingly unending series of bluffs protected the mainland from Gitche Gumee’s sometimes furious, wave-throwing anger. On this day, though, all was calm, with snow-covered ice in front of us and a closed Saxon Harbor to the east.
After picture taking, we doubled back – on a mission. Many members of the White Thunder Riders club, including Lewis, were on a big vintage ride and we wanted to find them and their classic iron along the trail. After much searching, we finally spotted them at the North Pole Tavern near Highway 51 south of Hurley.
The parking lot was filled with Johnsons and John Deeres, a Mercury and an Ariens, plus a mix of older sleds from current brands. All participants were having a great time – there’s truly something special about the social side of vintage rides.
With some light left in the sky, we asked Stuhr if there was one more scenic site nearby that he thought we should see. “Well, there’s a waterfall, but I think it’s froze-up, but we can try anyway,” he said. Sure enough, when we got to Spring Camp Falls, there wasn’t much to see. With many larger waterfalls and overlooks in the area, we now have a reason to return.
Like An Old Friend
There are many reasons why the Hurley and Mercer areas have been top snowmobiling destinations since the founding of the sport.
With dependable snow, great local support from clubs and businesses, fun places to visit and warm up, plus an interesting and varied terrain, it has every ingredient needed for memorable snowmobiling adventures, with or without the late-night carousing.