23 WINTER 2026 VOL. 07 / ISSUE 01 SNOWGOER. COM

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BY JOHN T. PRUSAK

Rugged Terrain, Great Trails & A Lively Surrounding

early 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