Winter Fat Bike

All states / Michigan

Fat biking in Michigan

Groomed fat bike trails, passes and live grooming reports

The Upper Peninsula is Michigan's winter riding capital: Marquette, Ishpeming and the Keweenaw all have big volunteer-groomed networks. Downstate, the DNR lists groomed fat bike trails in state recreation areas near Grand Rapids and Detroit.

  • 28 trail systems
  • 210+ groomed miles listed
  • 5 regions

Checked November 12, 2026

GroomedPartly groomedPackedPlowedUngroomedOpen to bikes28 of 28 mapped · faded pins are approximate (town center)

Central U.P.: Marquette, Ishpeming, Munising & Iron Mountain 5

NTN South Trails

Marquette · Noquemanon Trail Network

20mi

about 20 mi groomed for fat bikes and snowshoes, out of 45+ mi of summer trail

Surface
Groomed
Pass
None listed
Source

Valley Spur Snow Bike Loop (Wyman Pines)

Munising · Munising Bay Trail Network

3mi

loop just under 3 mi from the Valley Spur North lot; fat bikes, skis and snowshoes only, dogs allowed (older report, 2024–25 winter)

Surface
Groomed
Pass
None listed
Source

Fumee Lake Natural Area

Norway / Iron Mountain · Dickinson Trail Network

mileage
not listed

mileage not listed; groomed for skiing, snowshoes and fat bikes (about 14 mi of trail in total)

Surface
Groomed
Pass
None listed
Source

Western U.P.: Keweenaw & Porcupine Mountains 5

Michigan Tech Trails

Houghton · Michigan Tech University

14.9mi

14.9 mi groomed for fat tires on the Isle Royale, Superior, Tolkien and River loops; pass info from an older 2017 post

Surface
Groomed
Pass
Day pass or annual trail membership
Source

Maasto Hiihto Trails

Hancock · Hancock Trails Club

9.9mi

9.9 mi groomed for fat tires; the club says it grooms over 10 mi of singletrack

Surface
Groomed
Pass
None listed
Source

End of the Road Winter Trail Network

Copper Harbor · Copper Harbor Trails Club

mileage
not listed

mileage not listed; groomed routes for classic, skate and fat biking, but fresh grooming isn't guaranteed every day. The summer singletrack isn't groomed for bikes

Surface
Groomed
Pass
Day-use pass or annual membership
Source

Porcupine Mountains Winter Trails

Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park (Ontonagon County) · Michigan DNR

17mi

17 mi groomed for fat bikes, per the DNR list; more than 20 mi of shared ski, snowshoe and fat bike trail

Surface
Groomed
Pass
Recreation Passport (vehicle entry)
Source

Northern Lower: Traverse City, Cadillac, Grayling & Boyne 5

Winter Sports Singletrack (Vasa)

Traverse City · NMMBA (DNR trail)

9mi

15 km (about 9 mi) of non-directional loops, groomed December through March

Surface
Groomed
Pass
Recreation Passport (vehicle at trailhead)
Source

Cadillac Pathway Winter Sports Trail

Cadillac · Michigan DNR

11mi

11 mi on the DNR fat bike list; fat bikes use the adjacent Winter Sports Trail (Dec. 1–March 31, snow permitting), not the ski pathway

Surface
Groomed
Pass
None listed
Source

Betsie River Pathway

Thompsonville · Michigan DNR

9mi

9 mi on the DNR fat bike list; narrow, moderately technical loops also groomed for skiing, so stay off the ski tracks

Surface
Groomed
Pass
None listed
Source

Hanson Hills Winter Fat Bike Trail

Grayling · Grayling Recreation Authority

6mi

6 mi groomed on the yellow main loop, about 3 more in progress

Surface
Groomed
Pass
Trail fee (pay at trailhead)
Source

Boyne School Forest Trails

Boyne City · TOMMBA

10mi

about 10 mi (3.5 beginner, 6.5 intermediate), groomed often, usually at night (older report, Jan. 2024)

Surface
Groomed
Pass
None listed
Trail info ↗
Source

West Michigan: Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo & the Lakeshore 6

Merrell Trail

Rockford · WMMBA

6.4mi

6.4 mi of winter singletrack (Pure Michigan says about 6 mi); free to ride

Surface
Groomed
Pass
None listed
Trail info ↗
Source

Cannonsburg Ski Area

Cannonsburg (near Grand Rapids) · Cannonsburg Ski Area

5mi

5 mi of hilly winter trail; tires 3.8" or wider required

Surface
Groomed
Pass
Day or season trail pass
Source

Yankee Springs Recreation Area (Deep Lake Trail)

Middleville / Gun Lake · Michigan DNR + WMMBA

6.5mi

6.5 mi groomed, with more ungroomed miles

Surface
Groomed
Pass
Recreation Passport (vehicle entry)
Source

Fort Custer Recreation Area

Augusta · Michigan DNR

5mi

5 mi groomed on the Yellow, Red and Green trails

Surface
Groomed
Pass
Recreation Passport (vehicle entry)
Source

Bass River Recreation Area

Ottawa County (along the Grand River) · Michigan DNR

5mi

5 mi groomed on the multi-use trail

Surface
Groomed
Pass
Recreation Passport (vehicle entry)
Source

Silver Lake State Park Dunes

Mears · Michigan DNR

mileage
not listed

mileage not listed; 450 acres of open dunes, Dec. 15–March 15, 8 a.m. to dusk; no e-bikes

Surface
Open to bikes
Pass
Recreation Passport (vehicle entry)
Source

Southeast: Detroit Metro, Brighton & Ann Arbor 7

Waterloo Recreation Area (DTE Energy Foundation Trail)

Chelsea · Michigan DNR

8mi

8 mi groomed

Surface
Groomed
Pass
Recreation Passport (vehicle entry)
Source

Pinckney Recreation Area

Pinckney / Gregory · Michigan DNR

5mi

5 mi groomed

Surface
Groomed
Pass
Recreation Passport (vehicle entry)
Source

Island Lake Recreation Area (Purple Trail / Badlands)

Brighton · Michigan DNR

3.25mi

3.25 mi; the DNR lists it as not groomed, but the Badlands is well known for fat biking

Surface
Ungroomed
Pass
Recreation Passport (vehicle entry)
Source

Maybury State Park

Northville · Michigan DNR

5mi

5 mi groomed on the mountain bike trail

Surface
Groomed
Pass
Recreation Passport (vehicle entry)
Source

Holly Recreation Area (Holdridge Trails)

Holly · Michigan DNR

5mi

5 mi groomed on the Holdridge mountain bike network

Surface
Groomed
Pass
Recreation Passport (vehicle entry)
Source

Bald Mountain Recreation Area (South Unit)

Orion Township · Michigan DNR

7mi

7 mi groomed on the South Unit trail

Surface
Groomed
Pass
Recreation Passport (vehicle entry)
Source

River Bends Park

Shelby Township · CRAMBA

mileage
not listed

mileage not listed; CRAMBA grooms a snow bike route once 4–5 in. of snow is down (older report, 2022)

Surface
Groomed
Pass
None listed
Source

Before you ride in Michigan

  • Fat bikes are allowed on DNR trails that allow bicycles, and volunteer groups groom many of them for winter riding. Stay off groomed cross-country ski tracks.
  • State parks and recreation areas need a Recreation Passport for vehicle entry. You don't need one if you arrive on foot or by bike. Club trails may ask for their own pass or donation.
  • DNR etiquette: run tires at least 3.7" wide at no more than 4 psi, and stay off the trails when it's above 30 degrees, because soft snow turns to mud and damages the base.
  • At Silver Lake State Park, fat bikes may ride only the 450-acre dune scramble area, Dec. 15 to March 15, 8 a.m. to dusk. No e-bikes.
Source

Fat bike rentals

  • Noquemanon Trail Network (Forestville Trailhead chalet)Marquette · source
  • West End Ski & BikeIshpeming · source
  • Cross Country SportsCalumet · source
  • Downwind SportsHoughton · source
  • Latitude 45 Bicycles and FitnessPetoskey · source
  • Boyne Mountain Adventure Center (incl. e-fat bikes)Boyne Falls · source
  • Cannonsburg Ski AreaCannonsburg (near Grand Rapids) · source
  • Indian Trails Golf CourseGrand Rapids · source

Call ahead: fleets are small and sell out on powder weekends.

Sources