Michigan Tacomas

1100 sounds good!

I am currently in Grayling doing some "recon". There is section of trails to the north of Grayling going into Frederic that look pretty decent.
They are "ORV Routes" (dashed double red lines) meaning all vehicles are allowed on them and you don't need an ORV sticker if your vehicle is registered for normal road use.

Anyone else have some suggestions on where they'd like to go?



Gas station meet up spot to trail head directions



Also, is this still the current list?

 

I'll be In Copper harbor shredding trails on my bike that weekend. Bummed I'll miss it, but have fun!

 

11am at marathon works. I’ll be there

 

Anybody staying in Grayling Saturday night and wheeling the following day on 24th?

 

I’d like to but the girlfriend and I are staying with her family in Gaylord over the weekend. She’s supportive and understanding of my Tacoma problem but if I skate out all weekend I may never have sex again.

 

There are a few spots we would usually hit that are closer to the base (but not inside the actual closed off base area). Not sure if anyone is interested - one is known as engineer valley (off of Howe Rd, west of the base); its a sandy/rutted out area with a bunch of hill climbs; I believe this was also near the mock village they have setup, can't go in, but kind of cool to see from the road. The other is a big bowl area (south of the base near S Military Rd and 4 Mile rd), with a few small climbs, and one big long gradual climb. There were also some good trails around the bowl area... some of them used to be a little tight, but I think that whole area has been largely clear cut now (and seems to be supported by current google satellite image maps). The area I marked with the yellow star I believe is the bombing range; I don't remember exactly where, but somewhere around the area of it are a couple of observation hills that give you a good scenic view of the area... also a really cool place to watch from if they happen to be using the range (if interested, I'll find the spots and mark them on the map as well).

 

Negitive, i have not been updating it

 

Can't make the 23rd, but I'll be in town this weekend if anyone is planning on wheelin.

 

Saw a nice white GEN2 Double Cab with an ARB Bumper and winch headed east on 94 around 2:15, who was it??

 

I don't have a ton of photos, but there are a few decent look-outs that are marked. Take a look at this map I took with MyTracks last year while I was out in the area with my Jeep.

http://rg.513gs.com/?d=297342&l=en

The area marked "Sandy Hill Climb" with this photo attached is one you don't want to be caught in with a Tacoma... If you guys are feeling adventurous, feel free to give it a shot. I'll warn you though, I dug in pretty deep with my 40s and locked axles while trying to climb it, so its fairly rutted.

 

This whole area in green is a massive artillery range. You may see people out there and in the surrounding north-west areas of it.



The other area where you might find people would be here...

 

This is the same location. It's not me, sadly I have a habit of not filming while I drive and my better half was too busy chatting to capture the climb.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Gc4ikXPKJ3Fwke1R8

The 35 second clip with the orange and maroon jeeps really give you an idea of how bad it is on the right side for that orange one.

Also the clips with the yellow jeep... lots of loose sand.

 

Oh yeah, I’m familiar with that hill! I’ve heard it referred to as bounty hill, and it’s a tough one. Very soft, very rutted, and the last time we were there (in jeeps), there was almost a ledge you have to make it up right at the very end, and it instantly kills whatever momentum you might have had left. I like a good challenge, but I think I’m content without taking the taco to that one, lol. (I think it was pretty tight to get back to it too? There were some downed trees we had to drive over, and were high centering in smaller jeeps on some).

 

Yeah there was a ledge that stopped me fairly well. Also, it's really tight near the top and I'd be worried about putting a truck slightly on its side enough to dent or scrape fenders on the dirt wall. It's funny, my jeep is only a year apart from my truck and only has 20k more miles, so its not like its a pile of rusted garbage yet... but I still don't like the idea of putting my truck through that, even though I've been through it all in a Jeep worth just as much.

 

Do you guys have a planned route?

 

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I'm not sure if there has been a planned route agreed on yet. I have looked at some of the orv routes in the area. I would say that a to complete an approximately 30 mile route would be the maximum distance for a day. This route starting off of M-72 would be worth trying I think. Has anyone been on that section of the route before?

 

I'm with Snowman, I'd personally like to avoid any off-road "badging" to my mall-crawler Tacoma...which is my baby . If that means sticking to the milder trails and hills, I'm okay with that.

 

Great weekend in the Taco. Took the girlfriend for her first trip to Silver Lake(she loved it), then went and did some trail riding and camping in the Manistee National Forest. Got the truck good and dirty. Hope you all had a good weekend.

 

Been wanting to go while im station in MI, pretty far drive for me though 4+ hours. Is it worth it?

 

It's certainly worth a trip if you've never been; if even just for the scenic value (the view from atop test hills is great, especially at sunset). Best to go on a weekday if you can though, it can get crazy busy on the weekends.

You need something fast and long travel to have a really, really, good time - once got a ride in a 740hp rail around it, and it pretty much ruined driving anything else out there for me, lol.