Snowmobile ride in the lower peninsula of Michigan

Michigan was having the best year it had seen in quite some time, in terms of snowfall. Some areas had received more than double the average amount and the Lower Peninsula was calling us for a snowmobile ride.

Our group of three transported the snowmobiles to Frank Alley Memorial Park, near West Branch, Michigan. We downloaded there for a couple of reasons. Traveling north on I-75 from the southeast corner of the lower peninsula, it is the closest place to catch the trail system. Once on the snowmobile trails, you can go anywhere you want, even to the upper peninsula. Second, the Ogemaw Hills Snowmobile Club usually has its trails in tip-top shape.

We left Alley Park in the late morning. Our plan was to get to Cheboygan, located on the shores of Lake Huron, that night.

We took snowmobile trails north to Luzerne; home of Ma Deeter’s. You shouldn’t pass through Luzerne without stopping at the iconic restaurant. From Luzerne we continued north through Red Oak and entered Lewiston. The terrain included a wide variety of topography. Hills, narrow forests, not so narrow forests, swamps, meadows, forest roads, two tracks, and frozen lake tops were included. From Lewiston we headed north through Atlanta and up to Millersburg.

When the sun went down, the sky changed from bright blue to a vivid mix of pink, orange, and blue with a few clouds mixed in to make a stunning sunset. That gave way to a clear, moonlit night, perfect for riding snowmobiles.

After our fuel stop in Millersburg, we took a route through the Black Mountain Recreation Area to Cheboygan. We could have taken a railroad incline, but with the trails still in good shape, the moon shining bright, and no schedule to stick to, the Black Mountain route was an obvious choice.

In the heart of the Black Mountain area is a snowmobile pit stop called The Bluffs. It sits on a cliff and overlooks Black Lake. We take a long and late dinner break before the short drive to our hotel in Cheboygan.

We arrived at the North Country Inn 12 hours after our trailer departure. It was the kind of day I didn’t want to end. A bright sun, pleasant temperatures, lots of snow, and wonderfully gentle trails gave way to a moonlit night. But like all good things, the day had to come to an end. We parked the snowmobiles overnight with 203 miles on the day trip meter.