Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Auburn, Michigan

Wildlife Drive, located in Schiawasse National Wildlife Refuge, is a scenic, flat dirt road designed for a leisurely drive in a clockwise direction. Take your time to enjoy the stunning views, hiking trails, and beautiful…
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This narrow and scratchy trail will leave a mark. This sandy trail is off a longer trail in the Gladwin Forest. This trail can be run either direction, but we found the overhead branches favored…
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A simple sandy trail in the Gladwin ORV area with the most beautiful wetland views. This trail has thick sand, many turns and curves, and is relatively flat, but the various wetland views along it…
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Center Fireline Trail is a part of the Gladwin Scramble, a mixed-use riding area in the Gladwin Forest Management Unit. This trail is a two-lane dirt trail with mixed access and cross-traffic. You can expect…
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Michigan DNR ORV Route is open to full-size, 50-inch, and motorcycles with ORV permits and Trail permit stickers. This is a small ORV Route but is surrounded by many more miles of 50-inch trails. The…
Learn more about Gladwin ORV Route

This stretch of Wildwood Road is a narrow, sandy, and unmaintained road. It is easy in difficulty, and its only obstacle during the summer season is some whoops. The surrounding scenery varies between dense woods…
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Mosquito Alley Truck Trail is a flat and sandy trail that parallels the Molasses River. It is a wide trail that easily accommodates both directions of traffic, and it is an easy, non-technical trail during…
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Sterling Truck Trail is a seasonal road that is a great connector trail for many of the trails in the Gladwin area. The terrain is sandy and flat, and it is easily wide enough for…
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This connector trail runs north and south between Lame Duck Truck Trail and Sterling Truck Trail. It can drastically vary in difficulty depending on trail conditions. On a dry summer day after the groomer has…
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Lame Duck Truck Trail is a seasonal road that borders the north edge of the Lame Duck wetland area. The terrain is sandy and flat. It is very easy in difficulty, but it is unmaintained…
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Hilly adventure awaits on this unmapped trail in the Roscommon Forest. This trail is South off of Sandy Trail, and is just West of the St. Helen's South ORV Route. There is a loop off…
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Dow Road is a 2-ish vehicle-wide hard-packed road that will take you through older forest. This trail will take you to the West Branch area or the Clear Lake area for food and fuel. Plenty…
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Aginaw Loop to Knoch is part of multiple trail systems in the area of the checkerboard. This trail is made up of pines and hardwood and starts as double-lane dirt and then drops to single-lane…
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This Michigan DNR ORV Route is open to full-size, 50-inch, and motorcycles with ORV permits and trail permit stickers. This area connects with St. Helen ORV Route on the west side. The west side of…
Learn more about Ogemaw Hills ORV Route

St Helen Trail is a 3ish-wide vehicle sandy trail that will take you through new growth forest and older forest. This trail will take you to the St. Helen area or the West Branch area…
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Michigan DNR ORV Route is open to full-size vehicles, 50 inch, and 24 inch with ORV and trail permits. The route is mostly soft sand. This section of the route is a connector between St.…
Learn more about St. Helen ORV Route - West

This trail runs from north to south. At the south end, it starts off Sage Lake Road and dead ends right before Rose City Road. While traveling the trail, the width alternates between one and…
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This route runs through mature woods and recent clear-cut areas. The route runs from the Ambrose Lake area to the south along the YMCA camp. The route has everything from hard pack to mud holes…
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FS 2630 is a two-lane well-maintained dirt road made up of pine hardwood mix that will take you by multiple trails. This is an easy dirt road/trail that can be run in either direction. The…
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Beaver Lake Trail is a 3 or so vehicle-wide sandy trail that will take you through new growth forest, older forest, and recently clear-cut areas. This trail will take you to the St. Helen area…
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This 50" trail is a loop leaving from Ambrose Lake trailhead. You will find hard-packed and soft sand with some decent elevation changes, mature trees, and recent clear-cut areas. While running this trail you will…
Learn more about Ambrose Lake Trail East Loop

FS 4685 is a two-track that is not maintained and is made up of pine hardwood mix. During winter and spring, you can run into mud and snow, so make sure you assess the trail…
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This trail is a point-to-point section of DNR Trail 6, which is part of extensive off-road vehicle trails that branch out from the ORV-friendly community of St. Helen, Michigan. This short but popular section of…
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This trail runs east to west, at the west end of the trail is Ambrose Lake State Campground, along with the Ambrose Lake ORV trailhead. The east end of the trail runs dead-end into another…
Learn more about Hougton Creek Trail

This 50" trail is a loop leaving from Ambrose Lake trailhead. You will find hard-packed and soft sand with some decent elevation changes, mature trees, and recent clear-cut areas. While running this trail you will…
Learn more about Ambrose Lake Trail West Loop

FS 4404 is a wide single-lane maintained dirt road made up of pine hardwood mix. It will connect with FS 4403 and FS 4514, either making a nice loop or running the trails individually. The…
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This is a scenic ORV route near the St. Helen Motorsport Area. The trail features sandy terrain with occasional deep ruts (from ATVs and razors) but nothing a Jeep couldn't manage. When going around the…
Learn more about Denton Creek Trail

Sand trails, mild hill climbs, and great views; what more could you ask for? This route will take you through an area that is a little overgrown and could use trimming, but if you don't…
Learn more about Rose City Lookout

FS 3180 is a wide single-lane maintained dirt road made up of Pine hardwood mix and is an in-and-out trail. You can jump on 3181 taking you to Vaughn Road. this will allow you to…
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Heavily wooded trail in the middle of the Gladwin State Forest. The trail runs north and south and is dirt and sand. On the north section, trees hang over the trail, making for difficult passing.…
Learn more about Markey Road