Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Elk Rapids, Michigan

Vinton Trail South is a classic Michigan two-track out-and-back trail within the Traverse City Forest Management Unit. Located off Vinton Road just less than 2 miles south of highway M-72 and Williamsburg, you'll find the north end of the trail, making it easily accessible. Starting from the norther...
Learn more about Vinton Trail South

Samels Trail is a classical Michigan bidirectional two-track loop trail within the Traverse City Forest Management Unit. Located off Samels Road, just less than 2 miles south of highway M-72 and Williamsburg, makes this track easily accessible. Starting from the southern end, you'll start on a dirt ...
Learn more about Samels Trail

Vinton Trail West is a unique and scenic bidirectional trail within the Traverse City Forest Management Unit. Located directly off Williamsburg Road, only 2 miles south of highway M-72, this trail is easily accessible. Starting from the western end, you'll start on a gravel and sandy two-track. Abou...
Learn more about Vinton Trail West

Richardson Road Northwest is a tighter two-track that traverses rolling hills littered with beautiful views of the surrounding forest. There are a couple of mud holes and some sandy washes, but most vehicles equipped with 4WD will be just fine. With 139 feet of elevation gain and 174 feet of elevati...
Learn more about Richardson Road Northwest

Dockery Road East begins off State Highway 72 and is a well-maintained two-lane gravel road that provides access to many great trails. This is a great road to use to begin your adventure for the day. The north end has private land, but that quickly falls away to sprawling state land and other great ...
Learn more about Dockery Road East

Kalverse Trail North is a unique and scenic out-and-back trail within the Traverse City Forest Management Unit. Located just south of highway M-72 between Williamsburg and Kalkaska, you'll find the trail off Lackey Road, making it easily accessible. Starting on the trail is very grassy and overgrown...
Learn more about Kalverse Trail North

Townline Trail is a really fun and exciting bidirectional trail within the Traverse City Forest Management Unit. Located directly off Highway M-72 between Kalkaska and Williamsburg, this trail is easily accessible. Starting from the eastern end, you'll start on a gravel road for the first half mile....
Learn more about Townline Trail

Haynes Lake Trail is a beautiful route that loops around Haynes Lake, connecting Haynes Road Northwest and Dockery Road Northwest. This trail has a very fun elevation change with a couple of hills, and one section of this route you will be driving along a ridge on the northwest corner of Haynes Lake...
Learn more about Haynes Lake Trail

Broomhead Trail South is an easy bidirectional two-track trail within the Traverse City Forest Management Unit. Located off Broomhead Road, less than 2 miles south of highway M-72 and Williamsburg, you'll find the north end of the trail, making it easily accessible. Starting from the northern end, y...
Learn more about Broomhead Trail South

Roots Lake Trail is an easy bidirectional two-track trail within the Traverse City Forest Management Unit. Located off Broomhead Road, less than 2 miles south of highway M-72 and Williamsburg, you'll find the west end of the trail, making it easily accessible. Starting from the western end, you'll b...
Learn more about Roots Lake Trail

Lackey Trail South is an exciting and scenic bidirectional trail within the Traverse City Forest Management Unit. Located just south of highway M-72 between Williamsburg and Kalkaska, this trail is easily accessible. Starting from the southern end of Bowman Trail W, you'll start on a very thick sect...
Learn more about Lackey Trail South

Bowman Trail West is an exciting, short, and scenic bidirectional trail within the Traverse City Forest Management Unit. Located just south of highway M-72 between Williamsburg and Kalkaska, this trail is easily accessible. Starting from the east end of the power line row, you'll start on a sandy, g...
Learn more about Bowman Trail West

Strombolis is a classic Michigan dirt road that provides great views of the surrounding timbered forest. This trail is two vehicles wide and can be traveled at a decent pace due to it being well maintained. Be aware of other trail riders as this is a busy area. Offline maps would be recommended for ...
Learn more about Strombolis

Old 72 Trail is a neat bidirectional trail within the Traverse City Forest Management Unit. Located just northwest of Kalkaska near highway M-72, this trail is easily accessible. Starting from the southern end of Old M-72 Rd, you'll start on a thick section of the forest with lush vegetation edging ...
Learn more about Old 72 Trail

Traverse Trail is a small part of the LP55 snowmobile route. This trail is a great ride to see beautiful stretches of timbered forest. This trail has a good mix of sand, dirt, and a couple of small mud holes. There is a good amount of elevation changes that makes this a very fun trail to drive. Most...
Learn more about Traverse Trail- LP55

Guernsey Lake Rd NW travels north and south through Traverse City State Forest Land. This road provides a bit more of a challenge than Guernsey Lake Rd to the south. This route is mostly one vehicle wide with places to pass. This trail also has some steeper sandy hill climbs where 4WD will be helpfu...
Learn more about Guernsey Lake Rd NW

This excellent two-lane dirt road winds through Traverse City Forest Management Land. Offering spectacular views of the rolling Oak and Pine forest. Along the route, you will find smooth, well-graded roads that will steer you right by Darby Lake and Little Guernsey Lake. You can also access the Guer...
Learn more about Guernsey Lake Rd

This route starts off State Highway 72 on the north end and begins as a well-graded two-lane gravel road with some private property on both sides. As you continue into Traverse City Forest Management Land, you will notice the road becomes tighter and less maintained. This route is still a nice drive...
Learn more about Brown Fire Lane Northwest

Island Lake North Trail is a classical Michigan two-track bidirectional trail within the Traverse City Forest Management Unit. Located just west of Kalkaska near highway US-131, this trail is easily accessible. Starting from the northern end of Brown Fire Lane Northwest, you'll start on a thick sect...
Learn more about Island Lake North Trail

Dockery Rd NW is mostly an unmaintained two-lane gravel road that offers scenic views of the surrounding state land. If you follow state forest guidelines, you can hike along this route and do dispersed camping. As you travel across the rolling wooded hills, you can also access other great trails th...
Learn more about Dockery Rd NW

Vinton Trail South is a classic Michigan two-track out-and-back trail within the Traverse City Forest Management Unit. Located off Vinton Road just less than 2 miles south of highway M-72 and Williamsburg, you'll find the north end of the trail, making it easily accessible. Starting from the norther...
Learn more about Vinton Trail South

Samels Trail is a classical Michigan bidirectional two-track loop trail within the Traverse City Forest Management Unit. Located off Samels Road, just less than 2 miles south of highway M-72 and Williamsburg, makes this track easily accessible. Starting from the southern end, you'll start on a dirt ...
Learn more about Samels Trail

Vinton Trail West is a unique and scenic bidirectional trail within the Traverse City Forest Management Unit. Located directly off Williamsburg Road, only 2 miles south of highway M-72, this trail is easily accessible. Starting from the western end, you'll start on a gravel and sandy two-track. Abou...
Learn more about Vinton Trail West

Richardson Road Northwest is a tighter two-track that traverses rolling hills littered with beautiful views of the surrounding forest. There are a couple of mud holes and some sandy washes, but most vehicles equipped with 4WD will be just fine. With 139 feet of elevation gain and 174 feet of elevati...
Learn more about Richardson Road Northwest

Vinton Trail South is a classic Michigan two-track out-and-back trail within the Traverse City Forest Management Unit. Located off Vinton Road just less than 2 miles south of highway M-72 and Williamsburg, you'll find the north end of the trail, making it easily accessible. Starting from the norther...
Learn more about Vinton Trail South

Samels Trail is a classical Michigan bidirectional two-track loop trail within the Traverse City Forest Management Unit. Located off Samels Road, just less than 2 miles south of highway M-72 and Williamsburg, makes this track easily accessible. Starting from the southern end, you'll start on a dirt ...
Learn more about Samels Trail

Vinton Trail West is a unique and scenic bidirectional trail within the Traverse City Forest Management Unit. Located directly off Williamsburg Road, only 2 miles south of highway M-72, this trail is easily accessible. Starting from the western end, you'll start on a gravel and sandy two-track. Abou...
Learn more about Vinton Trail West

Richardson Road Northwest is a tighter two-track that traverses rolling hills littered with beautiful views of the surrounding forest. There are a couple of mud holes and some sandy washes, but most vehicles equipped with 4WD will be just fine. With 139 feet of elevation gain and 174 feet of elevati...
Learn more about Richardson Road Northwest