Bay de Noc Grand Island (BDNGI)
miles
40
Trail features
Other trail users
Bay de Noc Grand Island (BDNGI)
Location: Rapid River (Delta County), Munising (Alger County)
Terrain: Sand, Dirt, Fairly level ground
Trail Rating: Easy
Manure: Scatter in woods, take with you from trailheads
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40 linear miles + 37 miles of loops = endless possibilities of sights, sounds, and relaxation!
Hold your horses!
did you know...
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40 miles of linear trails, 37 miles of looped trails.
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You'll travel through pines and open fields, nature is abundant with the trees and water that surround you!
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Riders will experience typical glacial terrain characterized by short, rounded hills scattered in a random fashion. These hilly stretches are occasionally separated by one to five mile stretches of flat land.
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Managed by: USFS
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Cared for by: Upper Peninsula Trail Horse Association volunteers
Bay de Noc Grand Island Starting Points and Paths
The Northern Trailhead is located on 94 which is a busy highway and is not suitable for camping for that reason. However, you can day ride the BDNGI trail from here. Highly recommended for riding this area is following others tracks on Ramblr for the extra loops and using the Avenza Map “Hiawatha National Forest Visitor Map West”.
Travel 6 miles north on the BDNGI trail to the Meadow, perfect for day riding or dispersed camping. Alternatively, go 4.1 miles north on the 509/R River Truck Trail. Look for the Adopt an Area USFS sign and the Pink/Black ribbon the left. This level area, mowed by volunteers, offers grass for horses and trees for picketing; portable corrals are recommended for larger groups.
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From the Meadow, you will immediately see a sign for the meadow loop leading you across the 509 and onto the trails on the east side of the road. The Meadow Loop is 4.5 miles long and you can add Ruby’s Ridge which will take you 6.5 miles. If you ride 3.5 miles north from the Meadow on the GIBDN trail, you will come to the Haymeadow Loop markers. If you get to the Haymeadow Creek Crossing, you have gone too far, but it’s worth it to ride to this crossing, enjoy the water and then head back to the Haymeadow loop. The GIBDN trail leading up to it is especially beautiful and scenic, a memorable ride.
Bill's Creek Loop
Bill's Creek loop is a 9-mile ride North from the South Trailhead. Once you cross the bridge, look for the sign and ribbons about a quarter mile to the right. This delightful trail highlights the area's natural beauty. Alternatively, you can ride the Bay de Noc Grand Island trail as far north as you wish, with numerous two-track options available to create loops and allow your horses to enjoy long, relaxed canters.
Middle camp is 10 miles north up the 509 just past the paved road 440. If you are heading straight to Middle Camp, take Highway 13 to 440 West to 509 North. Middle camp is deep in the woods between mile markers 22 and 23 on the GIBDN trail with the miles starting from the south. The sites here are mostly level and well thought out with wide entrances for easy access. Most are back in but some pull throughs which are level or not so. It is a very nice camp with a hand pump, clean vault toilet and fire ring. There is a south loop that is marked on the GIBDN trail, and this is an especially gorgeous loop with tons of Hemlocks lining your ride and a watering spot at the Whitefish River for your horses.
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Just south of the Middle Trailhead, you will find the Trapper’s Cabin loop marked with a “TC” and those familiar ribbons and dots. You do have to enter and exit on a bridge, you can open the gate to access this trail, but please be sure to close it behind you. This loop will take you out to a historic Trapper’s Cabin on the gorgeous Whitefish River, the area is truly stunning. Enter the Cabin and sign the logbook to become part of the history here.
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Riding north from Middle Camp, there are a few loops you can do. You can ride up to Trout Lake for watering on Trout Lake Rd. You can ride up to the Basin which has another watering spot within a campground. And don’t forget to head into the Walleye Rearing Pond for watering and wildflowers galore. It’s the old asphalt road that you can barely tell is asphalt as you head north from Middle Camp which goes to the west of the trail.
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4 miles north of camp, you will come to the Northern loop which is 14 miles and marked counterclockwise. Look for the markings after you ride through a pine stand and to the east. This loop is marked with blue dots. When you see two dots with the top dot offset, that indicates your turn direction. Entry from the south is just past mile marker 27. Entry from the north is just past mile marker 33. Blue X’s means the GI trail is bisecting the trail at that spot. Spur trails to water are marked with yellow dots. It’s a 22-mile ride from middle camp.
The Trailhead is accessible via US 2 and north 509/Rapid River Truck Trail/Y Road. The campground offers pull-through and back-in sites, with horses allowed to be tied to pine trees. The trail begins on the southeastern side, marked by a sign inviting exploration of Midge’s Ridge. Loop trails are indicated by pink/black ribbons and painted dots on trees.