Mountain bikers, have you heard of Ishpeming, Negaunee, Big Bay, or Harbor Springs? Even my fellow Michiganders might be scratching their helmet right now. These new Michigan trail towns are all at the top of northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula. Pull out the Google map and find them because I've got a hip sack full of reasons to add them to your MTB destination list.
The Ish and Negaunee, MI
Ishpeming and Negaunee, sister cities 15 miles west of Marquette, are home to the expansive RAMBA Trail network (Range Area Mountain Bike Association). 80 miles of twisted and techy singletrack await your attempts to tackle classic UP terrain. The stunning iron range features dramatic ridgelines, inland lake vistas, and an equal mix of dirt and ore through pristine forests. Polished flow trail seekers… this is probably not your jam. Adventurous and experienced riders, Marji or Polar Roll racers who dig hand-cut, punchy single track, push go.
In between rides (you'll need the rest), stop at the Ski & Snowboard Hall of Fame and the Michigan Iron Industry Museum. Mining history oozes through the historic downtowns that have must-stops like WEST End Ski & Trail and Velodrome Coffee. In the Ish, WEST is your go-to local shop full of gear, bikes, and advice on ride routes. Plus, they have several stay-and-play rentals just blocks away, which provides more time to explore, rest, and repeat. Just a few miles away (connected by the Iron Ore Heritage Trail), Negaunee's UPBC (Upper Peninsula Brewing Co.) has every biker's favorite recovery drink, craft BEER!
RAMBA Trails
More Michigan trail towns. Josh and I have been happily humbled by RAMBA on several recent visits. Park at the HOB, warm up on The Wood, then launch into one of the loops. The Epic Loop is aptly named, and if you add in Sissy Pants, most bikers become hikers. I know my limits, so I stashed my bike next to a Poplar tree and walked the giant rock slabs to an incredible view across the expansive range. We earned a techy and rocky downhill that launched into the Epic Loop toward Negaunee's Jackson Park, past the Luge track, and a return to the trailhead next to the UP Nordic SKi Complex.
My Garmin said 13 miles, but my legs felt like 30. For more chill routes, start with the SBT (Snow Bike) or the Malton Loop, not as demanding as the Epic.
RAMBA Trails, Sissy Pants view
Big Bay, MI
Use Marquette a Michigan trail town as your MTB epicenter; it's always a good choice because the NTN Trail Network is named a Silver IMBA Ride Center for good reason. Not far from Marquette's 300 miles of trail, head north about 40 minutes to Big Bay's new Powell Trails. This gem is recently built (Thanks NTN and sponsors) with three main trail sections. Start on the Sweet Pine loop and warm up the legs on some gentle, flowy rollers, then tighten your helmet for the Powell Peak section and technical slab rock riding. Be sure to dismount at the top for a deep breath and to absorb spectacular views of Lake Superior, flanked by Lake Independence.
There are several ways down, all of which are either all-black or double-black rated, so we used the mantra ‘Pre-Ride, Re-Ride, Free-Ride' to get the hang of the route through the rock gallery. Josh had a blast bombing down the steep rock chutes. Technical downhill sections can undoubtedly be found in Michigan's UP: here, in Marquette, at RAMBA, and in Copper Harbor.
Powell Trails in Big Bay, overlooking Lake Superior
We finished up riding around Holy Moses with a bonus run on Gobbler's Knob jump line. There's a quick spur with a path to walk out on Thomas Rock, again with Superior views. Overall, Powell gets an A with 10 miles of trail, sweet views, a good mix of approachable flow, and a hefty dose of rock-n-roll for a more advanced rider (rocker). Hit the beach in Big Bay to cool off, or stop in for a bite and beer at the infamous Lumberjack Tavern.
Harbor Springs, MI
Next, let's head south on the mighty Mackinaw Bridge for some top-of-Michigan riding. TOMMBA, to be exact (Top of Michigan Mountain Bike Assoc.). This organization maintains Michigan trail towns in Boyne County, Petoskey, and now Harbor Springs. There are more new trails in the works in cahoots with Little Traverse Conservancy. The Offield Family Viewlands Trails showcases an initial five miles (built in 2024) that meanders around the former Little Traverse Bay Golf Club. The steep cart paths are now ribbons of singletrack dirt ready for mountain bikers and hikers to tackle. The terrain is hilly and scenic, offering expansive views of Little Traverse Bay and Lake Michigan.
TOMMBA Trails
There's plenty more to ride in TOMMBA country, including Avalanche Preserve in Boyne City and Boyne Forest Trails on the way to Petoskey. I had the opportunity to experience both at the TOMMBA women's clinic, held annually in May. 30 women gathered on a challenging weather weekend in mid-May, but we still pedaled our way to all smiles through sun and plenty of rain. By check-in at noon on Friday, it was a scorcher, with mid-80s temperatures marking the first day of heat and humidity so far. The clinic was split into four groups based on a rider survey and skill/experience levels. There's a beginner skills group, a mid-level group, and a group for women who want to work on drops and jumps.
Avalanche Preserve Trails, group ride
The camp is led by a group of all-women coaches, all BICP Level 2 certified with loads of experience. Big shout-out to Lynn, Jen, Sarah, and Karyn, who dished out and displayed bike wisdom all weekend. The level of fun and camaraderie was high.
TOMMBA Women's Clinic
I road-tripped with my local dirt sisters Lauren, Jill, and Anna the night before. Jill hooked us up with a place to stay at her Boyne Mountain condo, a quick 10-minute drive to Avalanche Preserve in Boyne City. We checked into the clinic at noon on Friday, hydrated, and made our name badges for our bikes. We did a quick get-to-know session and shared some goals and our favorite places to ride. At the Avalanche base area, we spent the first afternoon working on basic skills in the cone zone, including body position (high and low ready), bike/body separation, cornering, and some front-wheel lifts. Like any sport, repetition and fundamentals are essential, building confidence as you go. Bonus, we fit in a short trail ride in the afternoon to apply what we learned.
Boyne Forest Trails, feature practice
On day two, angry skies and rain forced us into the Boyne Middle School gym for the morning session. Weird, it was my first time riding a mountain bike in a gymnasium. It was not ideal and a little cramped, though smiles persevered. We worked on fundamentals and repeated loading skills, as well as the footwork required for front wheel, rear wheel, and total bike lifts. My Kryptonite is that damn rear wheel lift, “donkey kicking” is not easy, and I still have some work to do. Thankfully, the lunch bell rang, so I put that skill aside for a sandwich and salty chips with the girls. The coaches suggested we hustle back over to Avalanche at 1 to take advantage of a short rain reprieve.
The rain briefly stopped, the ramps were set up, so it was time to fly. Coach Jen demonstrated first on flat ground and then on the ramp for an intro-level jumping exercise. Our group of seven cycled through many reps, becoming comfortable with the wheels off the ground, loading (the takeoff), and maintaining control of the bike during the landing. After many reps, we cheered when it was time to get in the woods. The wet leaves were a neon green as we pedaled up for a session on cornering a berm with Lynn, and then we split off with Jen to rip a few small jumps on the trail. We found some logs and naturally placed launchers on the trail; everybody cheered and applauded each air affair. After 5-6 miles and some practical applications, the rain and mist began again.
My foursome agreed we needed fuel and recovery drinks. After a quick spiff, we landed at Red Mesa for Mexican food and oversized margaritas. I realized when I lifted the giant mug to my lips how sore my forearms and shoulders were. We spent the rest of the evening lounging on the couch, gabbing about what we learned. More rain arrived for the final day. Sunday was an optional ride with your group at Boyne Forest. The coaches confirmed to skip the jump line due to very wet conditions on the features. Lauren and I bundled and joined our groups for some final miles and smiles. As a bonus, we found a patch of morel mushrooms on a climb right next to the trail. After loops on Double Dog and Hog Wild, we said goodbyes and exchanged pics and numbers.
TOMMBA Women's clinic, coaches and participants
Thinking about signing up for a clinic and learning new skills, I'd highly recommend adding it to your summer to-dos! I built confidence, and ultimately, practicing the basics made me a better and safer rider all around. Oh, and hanging out with other rad dirt sisters, well, that's just plain ole good dirty fun!
Michigan trail towns, there's a theme, Great Lakes, great riding. Michigan has a pile of new trails with some sweet views. Old trails or new, get outside and visit trail towns near you.
