NEARBY LODGING
Wetmore and nearby Munising serve as the primary lodging hubs for this riding area. In Munising, larger hotels such as Roam Inn and AmericInn by Wyndham provide reliable winter accommodations with sled parking access. Wetmore itself offers smaller motels and cabins that cater directly to snowmobile groups.
The Pictured Rocks Inn is another common staging point for riders entering or exiting the Munising area. Most lodging options in this region are geared toward winter recreation, meaning early check-ins, gear storage, and cold-weather parking are typically well accommodated. Advance booking is strongly recommended.
POINTS OF INTEREST
Lake Superior shoreline views along Trail 89 Miners Castle Miners Falls Lakenenland Sculpture Park Tahquamenon Falls State Park Carp River Furnace ruins near Marquette approach“ Undergarment tree” on Trail 431 near Seney Grand Marais harbor and Lake Superior ice shelf views Marquette Mountain scenic crossings along Trail 8
IF YOU HAVE MORE TIME
The Upper Peninsula opens up into even more interconnected riding options. Riders can push west toward Marquette for additional fuel stops, lake vistas, and access to deeper inland forest routes in the Hiawatha National Forest region. Heading east, the trail system expands toward Newberry and the Tahquamenon Falls corridor, offering longer uninterrupted stretches of wilderness riding.
Seney is another key connector hub. Many riders use Munising as a base camp, then build 200-300 mile day loops. With enough time, it’ s possible to string together Lake Superior shoreline riding, inland forest trails, and small-town stops into a multiday circuit.
Christmas, Michigan
incredible scenery, and eventually we connected with Trail 14 into Marquette for gas and lunch.
Before leaving town, we stopped at the Carp River Furnace ruins and took time to look out across mighty Lake Superior. No matter how many times you see it, the lake never stops impressing you.
The ride back east on Trail 417 included another must-see stop: Lakenenland. The quirky sculpture park has become a favorite trailside attraction for snowmobilers traveling through the area. Once back near Wetmore, we squeezed in one more short ride up Trail 422 to Miners Castle and Miners Falls.
A word of advice: If you decide to hike down to Miners Falls in full snowmobile gear, leave your helmet behind. Trudging through more than a foot of snow while wearing riding gear is no joke. By the time we climbed back to the sleds, everyone was exhausted— but the view made it worth every step.
WHITEOUT CONDITIONS
Monday brought fresh snow and our biggest ride of the trip: 250 miles to Tahquamenon Falls and back. We woke to find three inches of fresh powder and it quickly became obvious the snow dust would make visibility challenging.
We headed east on Trail 8 toward Grand Marais before jumping onto Trail 89 along Lake Superior. After fueling in Grand Marais, we continued east toward Tahquamenon Falls. Unfortunately, the ride took another unexpected turn north of Pine Stump Junction.
After we stopped for a regroup, Roger got caught in heavy snow dust— what riders often call the“ white ghost.” Visibility disappeared, he missed a corner, and suddenly found himself tangled up with a small tree. Thankfully he walked away unhurt, but his brand new Ski-Doo Enduro 900 Turbo got a little twisted. We picked up some shattered plastic and took a few minutes to assess the sled. Although it ran just fine, the handlebar was bent. So we decided to reroute and shorten our distance for the day.
Instead of continuing to the Falls, we turned southwest toward Seney. Along the way we passed the famous“ undergarment tree” on Trail 431, one of those uniquely U. P. landmarks every rider seems to know about. We fueled up at Mater’ s Stop-N-Go before heading next door to Andy’ s Seney Bar for wings and pizza. No matter how many times we visit the U. P., Andy’ s always feels like a required stop.
RIDING BETWEEN TWO GREAT LAKES
By Tuesday, Roger, Chad, and Nick had already started the trip home, leaving Lance, Andy, and me with one final goal: seeing Lake Michigan and Lake Superior on the same ride. Previous trips hadn’ t offered enough snow in the southern U. P. to make that happen, but this year conditions finally cooperated.
We headed east to Shingleton before dropping south on Trail 41 all the way to Manistique and Lake Michigan. After fueling up, we worked west on Trail 2 around Indian Lake before turning north on Trail 7 toward Christmas. Lunch at the casino in Christmas has become another annual tradition. Good food, a warm fire, and Santa Claus himself greeting riders in the parking lot always brings smiles to our faces.
From Christmas, it was only a short ride back to Wetmore and the reality of packing up for home.
Looking back, this may have been the best combination of snow and trail conditions we’ ve experienced in 10 years of riding together. The Munising and Wetmore area contin-
32 NOVEMBER 2026 | SNOWGOER. COM