Michigan Tacomas

What was the issue?

 

Brought it in for the timing cover leak and they also found the water pump and head gaskets were leaking. It must've been pretty minor because I had no lights on, no drips in the parking lot, and no noticable drivability issues.

 

Glad they caught it. I’ve heard they had the issue with the coolant pipe on the 16/17’s that’s along the firewall and impossible to reach. Hopefully they upgraded that while they were in there.?

 

I haven't actually heard of any issues with it. I've just heard people replace it out of fear. They didn't mention anything about it so I don't believe they did.

 

Trying to decide on a vacation early next summer for my wife and I, it's between Colorado or Michigan.
I've always wanted to take the ferry across Lake Michigan, go to Mackinac Island, and drive Silver Lake dunes.
I was thinking about staying in Muskogen area for a few days and then a few days in the peninsula. No camping, staying at either a hotel or airbnb.

What are some good scenic (easy/medium) off road trails/forest roads for a Tacoma around Muskogen or Baldwin and in the peninsula?
Anything else that is worth checking out? Cool historic buildings, restaurants, breweries, museums?
We will be bringing gravel bikes to do some pavement/easy dirt riding too.

 

It's way cheaper to go through the UP and avoid the ferry. Plus, the UP is probably the best part of the state, in my opinion.

I don't have any specific trails for you in the Muskegon/Baldwin area, but I can tell you there are no shortage of them. The US Forest Service has an office in Baldwin where you can pick up maps as well. Lots of Forest Roads and Lake County (Baldwin area) has the most ORV trails in the state. I believe most are easily doable in a stock Tacoma.

 

The Ferry ride is kind of boring. It can be relaxing if you have already done a lot of driving, but no real time savings vs just driving around lake Michigan thru the Upper Peninsula. Besides if you go up and around the lake, you will be coming down thru St. Ignace. You can grab a ferry to take you to Mackinac Island. No cars are on the Island but you can take your bikes on the boat.

 

I plan on returning through the UP but the ferry is one of the things I've wanted to ride for years so it's worth the price (at least once) for me.

Taking our bikes to Mackinac Island is on the list of wants.

 

Just remember, you don't drive your truck onto the Badger. The porters do that. Access to your car during the boat ride is difficult as well. Think about what you will have strangers exposed to in your truck and what you need for the 4-6 hours you won't have access to the truck.

 

I am planning on taking the Lake Express out of Milwaukee.

 

The only thing I know is that one is faster than the Badger.

I assumed since you wanted run the dunes you were gonna come into Ludington. My mistake.

 

Hi Everyone! I live down in Cincinnati (actually just across the river in KY) but have good friends up in the Rochester Hills area. I will likely be spending some time up there with him and wheeling together. He's a Jeep guy but I don't hold that against him. Anyways just got my '23 Pro MT and building for adventures with my wife and two kids. Hope to get to meet up with some of you in the future.

 

Personally, if I were to do a ferry, it would have to be the Badger just to say I've ridden on the Badger.

 

Nice! It's ok, we prefer if you are from Kentucky and not Cincinnati

 

Oh yeah I forgot Ohio is basically a bad word up there. Don't worry I'm not from Ohio

 

Saw a guy wearing a T-shirt that said "Keep Michigan Clean. Throw Your Trash In Ohio."

 

Couple of thoughts. What kind of time do you have. If you're looking at a week, do Michigan. You've probably got a solid two days of driving to get to Colorado, arriving on day two. Two more back and you have three days to explore Colorado. That's a two week trip if you don't want to spend it all driving.

MI UP: Pictured Rocks, lake cruise or kayak; Tahquamenon Falls (upper and lower), Sault Ste. Marie (locks for raising / lowering ships). We did a cool little two track drive from Munising to Paradise MI once. Started as a wide maintained gravel road and became a two track that went passed some fishing holes.

Lower Peninsula, Michigan has a certified dark sky park in the Grayling area if you want to stargaze. Traverse City area is nice, but it can be a little pricy. They used to do a "tall ship" cruise out of the harbor.

 

Skip TC unless you want bad traffic. It's horrible in the summer!

About the only thing I like anymore is walking the "abandoned" state mental hospital grounds.

The hotel from the movie the Shining was based on the architectural style of the mental hospital dorms. There is some neat history about the grounds and hospital that is worth researching.

Presently they are rehabbing the the hospital/dorms, so its losing its spooky image that we loved only a few years ago.

 

Denver is less than 14 hours drive time, easy 1 day drive for me. But you are right, if we pick Colorado I'd want it to be a longer trip.

Those UP areas will be added to my list.
I was thinking of a day in Harbor Springs to drive the tunnel of trees and do some hiking or biking along the coast.

 

Tunnel of Trees would be cool. Never got to it before we moved to VA.