It has been a fun and busy summer so far, full of new adventures and sight seeing! This weekend is Michigan’s FREE ORV weekend (August 21 & 22 – michigan.gov/orvinfo) and so exploring Cadillac’s motorized trail systems were next on my list of things to do. But first, I had to find out what trail riding is all about.
Before I hit the trails, I stopped by Martin’s Powersports on M-115 to learn the basics. Turns out, ORV stands for Off Road Vehicle! While ATV stands for All Terrain Vehicle. ATV’s are referred to as 3-wheelers, 4-wheelers and “quads”. They are rarely street legal. ORV’s can be 4X4 trucks, Jeeps or SxS (Side by Side UTV’s) that can handle rough terrain. Some may be street legal, others may not. Three big rules to remember are to follow the signage to stay on public trails (and off private lands), register your vehicles and wear the proper safety equipment, and as always, LEAVE NO TRACE!
Now that I know more about ORV/ATV, I’m ready to hit the trails.
Don’t forget to check out places like Coyote Crossing Resort, Econolodge or Caberfae Peaks for a place to stay that has direct access to many of these trails!
The Cadillac area has several trail systems, some of which become snowmobile trails in the winter as well. You can legally drive on the side of all county roads in Wexford county:
- M-55 to 20 Road, MCCCT (26 miles)
- Missaukee Junction (18 miles)
- Long Lake Motorcycle Trail (27 miles)
- 20 Rd to Grand Traverse County MCCCT (18+miles)
- US-131 to North Missaukee Rail MCCCT to (32 miles)
I think the jeep was my favorite type of ride – love the open top! I was disappointed to find a little bit of trash on the trail but I was sure to pick it up and leave the trail better than I found it!
If you want to learn more about Cadillac trails and ORV/ATV information, click here to check out the ORV trails page on our website.
If you’d like to register or license your vehicle for these trails, or if you’d like more information about the regulations, visit michigan.gov/dnr.
