Where to Snowmobile in The Upper Peninsula

The Upper Peninsula (UP) of Michigan attracts snowmobilers throughout North America. This remote region of forests, mountains, and lakes routinely appears on lists of the best places to snowmobile in magazines like American Snowmobiler and SnowGoer.

Abundant snowfall makes the UP an ideal place for your snowmobiling getaway. The northern location along the shores of Lake Superior ensures cold weather and moisture to produce plenty of snow. It’s not an exaggeration to say that towns in the Upper Peninsula receive hundreds of inches of snow every year.

Thousands of miles of groomed and marked trails crisscross the UP’s glorious natural environment. Towns in the Upper Peninsula cater to snowmobilers seeking clear air and winter vistas that will make you forget the rest of the world.

From Ironwood to Sault Ste. Marie, the entire peninsula welcomes snowmobilers with fantastic trails.

Ironwood
Once the cold and snow arrive, snowmobiling, or sledding as some call it, is definitely on the list of things to do in Ironwood, MI. Located on the UP’s western border with Wisconsin, Ironwood is the gateway to trails managed by the Gogebic Range Trail Authority.

Northward on Trail 160, you can travel through forests and reach Superior Falls. You’ll pass over the Gogebic Range on your way to Lake Superior.

Eastward from Ironwood, you can snowmobile by the Upper Peninsula towns of Bessemer and Wakefield on your way to Lake Gogebic. For diehard snowmobilers, Ironwood is connected to the Iron County, Wisconsin’s extensive trail network. The town is centrally located in the middle of the network for those looking for longer treks between the Western U.P and Northern Wisconsin.

Lake Gogebic
Lake Gogebic State Park occupies the western shore of Lake Gogebic. Access the 20-square-mile lake by snowmobile on Trail 1 or Trail 13.

Friendly local taverns and shops offer places near the trail to stop and warm up in between your excursions through the snowy wilderness.

Porcupine Mountains
North of Lake Gogebic, you have a choice of trails to snowmobile into the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. There are also trails to access the state park from the Lake Superior shore if you’re entering the area from the east. Together with Ontonagon County, the park includes over 350 miles of groomed trails.

Snowmobiling around the Porkies, as they’re fondly called, presents you with many opportunities to view Lake Superior and visit the Lake of the Clouds.

Being a mountainous area, you’ll get to test yourself on trails that go up and down in elevation as you journey through forests where the troubles of the world rarely reach.

Ontonagon
East of the Porcupine Mountains, you enter the groomed trails of Ontonagon County. When you’re not admiring lovely forests and the lake, you can refresh yourself with food, drinks, and lodging at many locations near the trails. Some trails use historical railroad bridges to access areas far off the roads.

Along the Ontonagon River, you can visit Bond Falls. Trail 3, east of Paulding, guides you to the falls. Freezing temperatures transform the falls into sparkling ice.

Keweenaw Peninsula
As a peninsula on a peninsula, Keweenaw is a rare geographical gem. The vastness of Lake Superior on three sides makes the night skies exceptionally dark and great for star gazing.

Keweenaw has so many trails that you might not make it to the tip at Copper Harbor due to the plethora of spectacular public and private snowmobiling paths you can take. There are over 230 miles of trails with plentiful choices for lodging and dining out when you need to warm up your feet.

On this peninsula, you can visit many towns in the Upper Peninsula, such as Houghton, Lake Linden, and Copper Harbor.

Keweenaw is home to ancient forests. Near Copper Harbor, you can snowmobile on Trail 135 near Estivant Pines. At one point, the trail is within half a mile of the trailhead to this protected area of Old Growth white pine trees that have prevailed for centuries in view of the Northern Lights.

Marquette County
Marquette County is another shoreline county featuring the Upper Peninsula towns of Marquette, Powel, and Ishpeming, a bit inland. Historically, the area was a mining hub, and you can snowmobile through the old mining country of the Marquette Iron Range. Trails 8 and 82 take you to the Iron Ore Heritage Trail.

Many people choose to stay in Marquette due to its central location for snowmobiling in the county. While you’re out in the wilds, you can count on the towns in the Upper Peninsula of Negaunee and Ishpeming to keep you supplied and offer warm hospitality.

If you can, plan to ride on Trail 14, where you can take in many panoramic views from the scenic overlooks. When navigating the forest, curves will challenge you and make for exciting snowmobiling. Trail 417 takes you up to Mount Marquette, where you can look down on Presque Isle.

You can head farther inland toward the Gwinn State Forest Area and explore the scenery on hundreds of miles of trail. Altogether, Marquette County has over 500 miles of trails.

Munising
East of Marquette County, you enter Alger County and its coastal town of Munising. An extensive 300-mile trail system links the Upper Peninsula towns of Munising, Shingleton, Manistique, and Grand Marais.

The Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is the primary attraction in the area. Sandstone cliffs up to 200 feet high keep vigil over Lake Superior in this place. You can snowmobile through this breathtaking natural treasure on over 100 miles of trails.

Sault Ste. Marie
On the eastern tip of the UP at the Canadian border, you reach Sault Ste. Marie affectionately called the Soo. The city has hosted the snowmobile race known as the Soo International 500 for over 50 years, so you can imagine that the area has plenty of public trails.

You can take a snowmobile trip to Tahquamenon Falls from Sault Ste. Marie. As one of the state’s top tourist attractions, this secluded location embodies the spirit of a northern wilderness.

Tips for Planning Your Snowmobile Adventure in the UP
As you can see, the choices of where to snowmobile in the UP are nearly overwhelming. Any location from Ironwood to Sault Ste. Marie gives you access to incredible forests, shorelines, and remote inland lakes.

To plan your trip, choose a central location where you can park your trailer. Due to the interconnectedness of many trails, you can plan loops of any length.

Before you head out, take note of where you can get gas on food on the trails. You want to know where you can stop and stay well-supplied.

The UP is a remote place, and you can’t count on cell phone service everywhere. Be sure to download or print your trail maps. You want to have fun instead of getting lost.

As a premier place to snowmobile in North America, you’ll have no shortage of accommodations and outfitters catering to your snowmobiling adventure. Many lodging areas are close to the trails so you can get a warm place to sleep at night.

Use the resources at Travel Ironwood to find things to do in Ironwood, MI, and make winter the most thrilling season of them all.