Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Kalkaska, Michigan

Kalkaska South Mountain Bike Trail is a fun bidirectional trail within the Traverse City Forest Management Unit. Located just west of Kalkaska near highway US-131 & M-72, this trail is easily accessible. Starting from the eastern end of W Kalkaska Road, you'll start on a thick section of the forest ...
Learn more about Kalkaska South Mountain Bike Trail

Oil Pump Trail is a unique and scenic short out-and-back trail within the Traverse City Forest Management Unit. Located just north of highway M-72, this trail is easily accessible. Starting from Rice Rd NW, you'll start on a sandy gravel road that leads into the thicker section of the forest. As you...
Learn more about Oil Pump Trail

LP 55 Trail is a unique 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 eastern end of Smith Lake Rd, you'll start on a gravel/rocky portion of the trail. Immediately upon start...
Learn more about LP 55 Trail

Rapid River Camp Trail is an exciting and fun bidirectional seasonal road within the Traverse City Forest Management Unit. Located just north of Kalkaska near highway US-131 & M-72, this trail is easily accessible. Starting from the northern end of Seeley Rd NW, you'll start on a thick section of th...
Learn more about Rapid River Camp Trail

This seasonal road was a gem to discover. It is a combination of groomed gravel wide enough for two vehicles, and a seasonal road that has been unmaintained. The road runs through mature forest and rolling hills and takes a sharp turn in the middle of the route, but it also connects with another sea...
Learn more about Mitchell Road Southeast

Smith Lake Trail is an exciting and fun bidirectional trail within the Traverse City Forest Management Unit. Located just west of Kalkaska near highway US-131 & M-72, this trail is easily accessible. Starting from the western end of LP 55 Trail, you'll start on a thick section of the forest with lus...
Learn more about Smith Lake Trail

Leetsville ORV Trail is a beginner-friendly ride. As a 50-inch trail, it stays consistently wide throughout, making it accessible and easy to navigate. There aren't many elevation changes, and the terrain remains fairly consistent along the entire route. You'll encounter a mix of deep sand and more ...
Learn more about Leetsville ORV Trail

Brown Farm Trail is an easy bidirectional seasonal 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 southern end of Island Lake Rd NW, you'll start on a gravel road with thick and lush vegetat...
Learn more about Brown Farm Trail

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

Kalkaska North Mountain Bike Trail is a fun bidirectional trail within the Traverse City Forest Management Unit. Located just west of Kalkaska near highway US-131 & M-72, this trail is easily accessible. Starting from the western end of Brown Fire Lane Northwest, you'll start on a thick section of t...
Learn more about Kalkaska North Mountain Bike Trail

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

Crofton Road Southwest Trail is an easy and scenic bidirectional seasonal road within the Traverse City Forest Management Unit. Located right in Crofton off highway US-131, this trail is easily accessible. Starting from the SE end of the trail, you'll start on a bumpy, sandy, dirt two-track alongsid...
Learn more about Crofton Road Southwest Trail

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

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

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

Deadwood Trail is an easy and overgrown bidirectional trail, yet scenic in its way. Located within the Traverse City Forest Management Unit near highway US-131 in Crofton, this trail is easily accessible. Starting from the southern end at the intersection of Vroom Rd, you'll start on a bumpy, sandy,...
Learn more about Deadwood Trail

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

Hardwood Lane is less than a mile long, but it ties into the seasonal Road, Mitchell Road Southeast. This road is part gravel and runs through a residential area, but becomes a seasonal Road shortly after. It is very typical of the Michigan seasonal roads in the sense that is rolling hills and matur...
Learn more about Hardwood Lane

South River Road Trail is an awesome 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 southwestern end of Boardman River Road, you'll start on an open dirt/sandy portion of the t...
Learn more about South River Road Trail

Kalkaska South Mountain Bike Trail is a fun bidirectional trail within the Traverse City Forest Management Unit. Located just west of Kalkaska near highway US-131 & M-72, this trail is easily accessible. Starting from the eastern end of W Kalkaska Road, you'll start on a thick section of the forest ...
Learn more about Kalkaska South Mountain Bike Trail

Oil Pump Trail is a unique and scenic short out-and-back trail within the Traverse City Forest Management Unit. Located just north of highway M-72, this trail is easily accessible. Starting from Rice Rd NW, you'll start on a sandy gravel road that leads into the thicker section of the forest. As you...
Learn more about Oil Pump Trail

LP 55 Trail is a unique 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 eastern end of Smith Lake Rd, you'll start on a gravel/rocky portion of the trail. Immediately upon start...
Learn more about LP 55 Trail

This seasonal road was a gem to discover. It is a combination of groomed gravel wide enough for two vehicles, and a seasonal road that has been unmaintained. The road runs through mature forest and rolling hills and takes a sharp turn in the middle of the route, but it also connects with another sea...
Learn more about Mitchell Road Southeast

Kalkaska South Mountain Bike Trail is a fun bidirectional trail within the Traverse City Forest Management Unit. Located just west of Kalkaska near highway US-131 & M-72, this trail is easily accessible. Starting from the eastern end of W Kalkaska Road, you'll start on a thick section of the forest ...
Learn more about Kalkaska South Mountain Bike Trail

Oil Pump Trail is a unique and scenic short out-and-back trail within the Traverse City Forest Management Unit. Located just north of highway M-72, this trail is easily accessible. Starting from Rice Rd NW, you'll start on a sandy gravel road that leads into the thicker section of the forest. As you...
Learn more about Oil Pump Trail

LP 55 Trail is a unique 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 eastern end of Smith Lake Rd, you'll start on a gravel/rocky portion of the trail. Immediately upon start...
Learn more about LP 55 Trail

This seasonal road was a gem to discover. It is a combination of groomed gravel wide enough for two vehicles, and a seasonal road that has been unmaintained. The road runs through mature forest and rolling hills and takes a sharp turn in the middle of the route, but it also connects with another sea...
Learn more about Mitchell Road Southeast