Beginner Off-Road Trails
Near Sterling, Michigan

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 two vehicles. It is very easy in difficulty, but it is unmaintained during rain or snow. During dry summer months, this ...
Learn more about Sterling Truck Trail

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 passed through, it is very easy. But in the spring or after heavy rain, this trail can get ...
Learn more about North Sterling Truck Trail

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 will catch your attention. Take your time along this trail to enjoy the views and the nature. It is unm...
Learn more about East Fireline Trail

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 the dry summer season; however, this trail is known to become more difficult during the spring...
Learn more about Mosquito Alley Truck Trail

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 a graded dirt road with sand and mud. This trail will lead you into the historical town of H...
Learn more about Center Fireline Trail

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 trail itself is fairly flat, with rolling whoops through a wooded area.
Learn more about Gladwin ORV Route

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 during rain and snow, which could make it more challenging at times. During the dry summer months, this trail is ve...
Learn more about Lame Duck Truck Trail

This is a fun, sandy trail with multiple whoops providing the opportunity to test out your high-speed suspension. The trail is two vehicles wide when entering from Grim Road, but narrows to just over one vehicle wide as the trail winds through a clear-cut forest. There are opportunities for other sa...
Learn more about Gladwin Forest Baja

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 and wetlands. It crosses Mosquito Alley Truck Trail and dead ends at the Molasses River...
Learn more about North Wildwood Road

This Trail is a typical Michigan two-track. Dirt track, wide enough for one vehicle. The trail does not lead to any other trails, but there are quite a few grassy spots to pull off for dispersed camping. The west side of the loop portion is definitely a much tighter, less-traveled trail. The south s...
Learn more about South Eddy Creek Trail

This trail runs from Spenser Trail to South Morrison Road. The east side of the trail, once crossed over the creek, becomes very tight and banked, weaving back and forth through the trees. It was a fun trail to drive, but it definitely needs some trimming for full-size vehicles.
Learn more about Emerson Trail

This trail is typical of the Michigan two-track style trail. Sandy with little elevation change. It begins at the end of a dirt road and goes all the way back to a creek. Spencer's Trail intersects with a couple of other trails. There is a large tree down on the trail just past the intersection, lim...
Learn more about Spencers Trail

This seasonal road begins at the end of Boehm Road. The road is wide at the entrance, but it does become narrower or less travelled on the north and west sides of the loop. The east side of the trail runs along an easement for power lines. There is not much elevation change on the trail, and it does...
Learn more about West Boehm Road

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 of other trails branch off this trail for more areas to explore the area. This road is a winding road that is a...
Learn more about Dow Road

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 dirt. If you're looking for a nice ride, this is the trail for you. The trail does cross the Ogemaw Hills O...
Learn more about Aginaw Loop

This challenging two-track begins with a short stretch of soft sand before quickly transitioning to hard-packed sandy terrain. From there, the trail takes on a rollercoaster-like character, over a series of steep hills, sharp descents, and constant elevation changes. The route becomes increasingly r...
Learn more about Hippie Circle Trail

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 two vehicles wide. The trail is a mix of loose sand and hard pack while traveling through older forest and cl...
Learn more about Lentz Trail

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 of this trail midway South. This trail is one lane and is sand and dirt. Trees hang over the trail, creating a canop...
Learn more about Hilly Trail

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 before you explore. This trail can be run in either direction. The trails in the area are all part of the Huron National Fores...
Learn more about FS 4685

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. Helen Route and Denton Hills Route. It's mostly very wide and flat. The trail becomes washboard quickly with the ...
Learn more about St. Helen ORV Route - West

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 trail itself is fairly flat, with rolling whoops through a wooded area.
Learn more about Gladwin ORV Route

This is a fun, sandy trail with multiple whoops providing the opportunity to test out your high-speed suspension. The trail is two vehicles wide when entering from Grim Road, but narrows to just over one vehicle wide as the trail winds through a clear-cut forest. There are opportunities for other sa...
Learn more about Gladwin Forest Baja

This Trail is a typical Michigan two-track. Dirt track, wide enough for one vehicle. The trail does not lead to any other trails, but there are quite a few grassy spots to pull off for dispersed camping. The west side of the loop portion is definitely a much tighter, less-traveled trail. The south s...
Learn more about South Eddy Creek Trail

This trail runs from Spenser Trail to South Morrison Road. The east side of the trail, once crossed over the creek, becomes very tight and banked, weaving back and forth through the trees. It was a fun trail to drive, but it definitely needs some trimming for full-size vehicles.
Learn more about Emerson Trail

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 trail itself is fairly flat, with rolling whoops through a wooded area.
Learn more about Gladwin ORV Route

This is a fun, sandy trail with multiple whoops providing the opportunity to test out your high-speed suspension. The trail is two vehicles wide when entering from Grim Road, but narrows to just over one vehicle wide as the trail winds through a clear-cut forest. There are opportunities for other sa...
Learn more about Gladwin Forest Baja

This Trail is a typical Michigan two-track. Dirt track, wide enough for one vehicle. The trail does not lead to any other trails, but there are quite a few grassy spots to pull off for dispersed camping. The west side of the loop portion is definitely a much tighter, less-traveled trail. The south s...
Learn more about South Eddy Creek Trail

This trail runs from Spenser Trail to South Morrison Road. The east side of the trail, once crossed over the creek, becomes very tight and banked, weaving back and forth through the trees. It was a fun trail to drive, but it definitely needs some trimming for full-size vehicles.
Learn more about Emerson Trail