Northern WI Minocqua area

In August, I am headed a little bit farther north to Presque Isle. I have just started my search for trails, but I understand that the Ottawa Nat'l Forest in the upper Penisula of MI is essentially open to off-road bikes except where indicated as wilderness. There is also supposed to be 400 miles of trail in the county to the west, Iron?. There is a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources website that has some info. I hope to check out Chequamegon and Nicolet National Forest for more info too.

Let me know if you find anything and I'll pass on what I get.

Where are you in Illinois? I am in suburban Chicago and there is essentially no where to ride here any more. Have any ideas?

Not sure if you guys have found any of these contacts, but this link might help in the search... http://www.atvsource.com/clubs/state/wisconsin.htm
Email some of these guys and see what you get, I'll do the same and see if I get anything back.


I'm always up for heading to WI or even MI cause like you said mx175 there is nothing here in the chicago suburbs!!! As I find more I'll pass it on.

The Minoqua area (Vilas county) is the greatest place to ride in northern Wis and Upper Michigan, in my opinion.

However, dirt bikes and quads are not welcome there. I've ridden there since I was a kid, when the logging and fire trails belonged to everyone.

Now, mostly because the snowmobile organizations maintain the trails, and think they own them (and the DNR not arguing the fact, because they are subsidised by the fees and the free maintenance), they are closed to dirt bikes and quads. The State Forests there had reorganization plans recently, and I was involved in that process, but they still voted dirt bikes and quads out. There is also some private land that touch the two-tracks, and these owners will only allow snowmobiles and hikers. (Don't tell anyone, but I still ride there and feel like native American Indian robbed of his rights--but I stay out of sight of everyone.)

Iron County, to the west and right next store, is almost completely open to dirt riding. But it does not have the beautiful trails and the many lakes of Vilas County.

I used to ride the Nicolet and the Cheq. too. But in most places, I don't think you're welcome there either. Lately I've been riding the fringes of the Nicolet on some private land and paper company land. I've been staying out of the Nicolet. Heard of riders getting big fines.