Off-Road Trails Near Empire, Michigan

This is a wonderful drive through Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The trail is accessed off of South Dune Highway or off of North Bar Lake Road. The terrain is quite hilly and is primarily a beech-maple forest. Starting the trail off of North Bar Lake, you will start with ascending 368 feet ...
Learn more about Shauger Hill Road

Aral Hills Road is a very fun two-lane gravel road that travels north and south. The south end of the trail starts off of Esch Road and you will start by driving up Aral hill until you get to an open area at the top. After a short drive on top of the hill, you will begin to descend down towards an i...
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Burnham Road is yet another beautiful drive through a small part of the national lakeshore land. This road cuts between West Macfarlane Road on the east side and South Leelanau Highway on the west. The east side of the trail is more of a two-track while the west side opens up a bit to a gravel road ...
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Aral Road is a wonderful two-track that winds alongside Otter Creek. Right at the beginning you will traverse a very cool wooden bridge that crosses the creek. This will provide wonderful scenery of the amazingly clear water as well as the wide open watershed area of the creek. Most of the route wil...
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Oviatt Road is a one-lane seasonal road. This trail is managed by the Traverse City Forest MGMT unit. The trail is a good solid road but as always things can change with bad weather. This trail was great for a spring ride but with the canopy, I could see this being an amazing ride in the fall.
Learn more about Oviatt Road

Deer Track Trail gets its name from the immense amount of deer signs in the area. This is definitely a great trail to take if you want to see some incredible wildlife. This route is mostly a dirt/sand mix. Most of the trail is tight and will require some slower careful driving. This trail loops thro...
Learn more about Deer Track Trail

Beeman Road Spur starts out as a single-lane two-track. The trail is mostly dirt and has spots of soft sand. The trail is narrow, making it easy to spot raspberry bushes. The trail ends at South Plowman Road. This trail is managed by the Traverse City Forest Management Unit. It's great for a spring ...
Learn more about Beeman Road Spur

Oviatt Spur is also known as Trail 3 in the winter. The trail has very soft sand in some areas. The raspberry bushes grow wild with a mixture of hardwoods and pine. The trail ends at CR 610. This trail is managed by the Traverse City Forest MGMT unit. It's great for a spring ride but with the canopy...
Learn more about Oviatt Spur/Trail 3

Haze Road is a one-lane two-track seasonal road. This trail is managed by the Traverse City Forest MGMT unit. The trail is a good solid road but as always things can change with bad weather. This trail was great for a spring ride but with the canopy, I could see this being an amazing ride in the fal...
Learn more about Haze Road

Deer Lake is considerably different than other trails in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. There are multiple tree roots that will need to be traversed as well as areas that are tight and careful driving will need to be done so you don't side-swipe trees. There are washouts that will test cert...
Learn more about Deer Lake Road

This is a moderate route that cuts through the Traverse City Forest Management Unit. The trail is primarily sandy with some areas that have a rocky base. There isn't any specific obstacles other then some deep sandy corners. It would be advisable to air the tires down to give you a more enjoyable ri...
Learn more about Fortine Road

Peterson Road is a fantastic two-lane gravel dirt road that winds through amazing views of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Along the route, there are a couple of turnouts and hiking trails that spur off this road. There is also campground access off of this road as well as Lasso Road. Cell s...
Learn more about Peterson Road

Lasso Road is a two-mile two track that winds along some marshland within the National Lakeshore boundary. There is lots of terrain diversity along this route from wooded lakes, sandy areas, and thick groves of pines. The trail terrain is mostly sand/dirt with some areas that have some rocks. The tr...
Learn more about Lasso Road

North Haze Road Part 4 is another trail managed by the Traverse City Forest Management Unit. This trail is a narrow single-lane trail made up of dirt and sand that is well-maintained with some minor washouts. Brush lines both sides of the trail in some areas. Starting the trail at Hooker Road will l...
Learn more about North Haze Road Part 4/48461

Rayle Road Part 2 is a seasonal road. It starts out as a single-lane two-track. The trail is mostly dirt and sand mixed and runs along the Pearl Lake area. This trail is managed by the Traverse City Forest Management Unit. It's great for a spring ride but with the canopy, it could be an amazing ride...
Learn more about Rayle Road Part 2

Spear Road/48062 is another trail managed by the Traverse City Forest MGMT unit. This trail is a narrow single-lane trail made up of dirt and sand with some minor washouts. Brush lines on both sides of the trail in some areas. Starting the trail at 610 Road it will lead you to Rayle Road making this...
Learn more about Spear Road/48062

Fortine Loop is a sand and dirt mix single-lane two-track. The trail had some washouts/ruts and overgrowth making the trail tight in some areas. The trail looped us back around to Fortine Road making for a great ride not only in the spring but summer and fall as well.
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Brozofsky Road is a single lane trail made up of dirt and sand. Brush lines both sides of the trail in some areas. This trail does take you back to Fortine road making a nice easy ride through Hardwoods and Pines. This should make for a beautiful rid in the fall. This trail is managed by the Travers...
Learn more about Brozofsky Road

Fortine Spur is a sand and dirt mix single-lane two-track. The trail is lined with thick brush and ferns. The trail takes you to North Haze Road, making for a nice easy ride not only in the spring but in summer and fall as well. This trail is managed by the Traverse City Forest Management Unit. This...
Learn more about Fortine Spur

Eliza Lake Trail is another trail managed by the Traverse City Forest MGMT unit. This trail is a single lane trail made up of dirt and sand. Brush lines both sides of the trail in some areas. By starting the trail at Brozofsky Road it will lead you to Rayle Road making this a nice easy ride through ...
Learn more about Eliza Lake Trail

This is a wonderful drive through Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The trail is accessed off of South Dune Highway or off of North Bar Lake Road. The terrain is quite hilly and is primarily a beech-maple forest. Starting the trail off of North Bar Lake, you will start with ascending 368 feet ...
Learn more about Shauger Hill Road

Deer Track Trail gets its name from the immense amount of deer signs in the area. This is definitely a great trail to take if you want to see some incredible wildlife. This route is mostly a dirt/sand mix. Most of the trail is tight and will require some slower careful driving. This trail loops thro...
Learn more about Deer Track Trail

This is a moderate route that cuts through the Traverse City Forest Management Unit. The trail is primarily sandy with some areas that have a rocky base. There isn't any specific obstacles other then some deep sandy corners. It would be advisable to air the tires down to give you a more enjoyable ri...
Learn more about Fortine Road

Miller Hill Road is a dirt base trail that travels up to a scenic vista looking over Glen Lake and the surrounding forest. This is one of the best overlooks in all of the Lower Peninsula. This route is slightly wider than one vehicle wide. There is cell service on top of the hill by the lookout. Som...
Learn more about West Miller Hill Road

This is a wonderful drive through Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The trail is accessed off of South Dune Highway or off of North Bar Lake Road. The terrain is quite hilly and is primarily a beech-maple forest. Starting the trail off of North Bar Lake, you will start with ascending 368 feet ...
Learn more about Shauger Hill Road

Deer Track Trail gets its name from the immense amount of deer signs in the area. This is definitely a great trail to take if you want to see some incredible wildlife. This route is mostly a dirt/sand mix. Most of the trail is tight and will require some slower careful driving. This trail loops thro...
Learn more about Deer Track Trail

This is a moderate route that cuts through the Traverse City Forest Management Unit. The trail is primarily sandy with some areas that have a rocky base. There isn't any specific obstacles other then some deep sandy corners. It would be advisable to air the tires down to give you a more enjoyable ri...
Learn more about Fortine Road

North Haze Road Part 4 is another trail managed by the Traverse City Forest Management Unit. This trail is a narrow single-lane trail made up of dirt and sand that is well-maintained with some minor washouts. Brush lines both sides of the trail in some areas. Starting the trail at Hooker Road will l...
Learn more about North Haze Road Part 4/48461