Winter Sports

With average winter temperatures of around 20 degrees Fahrenheit, and average snowfall of about seven feet, Presque Isle County offers the visitor numerous opportunities for outdoor recreation.

Whether your preference is snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, ice fishing or small game hunting, there are plenty of opportunities to pursue your winter sports interests in Presque Isle County.

Snowmobiling

Presque Isle Sno-Trails maintains over 130 miles of groomed snowmobile trails in the county, and these trails connect with regional trails that allow travel throughout the entire Northern Michigan area. The Alpena – Cheboygan trail bisects the county and intersects with several other trails that allow the snowmobiler to access virtually the entire county. For trail maps and conditions, go to the following sites:

http://www.msasnow.org/trail_conditions/traildetail.asp?Key=2256
http://www.fishweb.com/recreation/snowmobile/trails/nel.html
http://www.michigantrails.us/presque-isle-county-michigan/presque-isle-county-michigan-trails.html

Cross-Country Skiing

There are several miles of groomed cross-country ski trails located in the county. The Ocqueoc Bicentennial trail offers loops of three, five and six miles through mixed upland and river bottom woodlands. The Herman Vogler Recreation Area offers seven miles of trails and is within a five minute drive of the P.H. Hoeft State Park trail. Other groomed trails are located at the Black Mountain Recreational Area. For a listing of all Presque Isle County trails, go to:

http://www.michigantrails.us/presque-isle-county-michigan/presque-isle-county-michigan-trails.html

Ice Fishing

Most of Presque Isle County’s lakes that are accessible during the warm weather months are also available to the “hard water” fisherman. Grand Lake and Long Lake in the southeast corner of the county are large lakes that contain pike, perch and walleye. Tomahawk floodwaters, which straddles the Presque Isle, Montmorency County line south of Onaway, is a popular lake for pursuing pike and pan fish. Black Lake, north of Onaway, which straddles the Cheboygan County line offers pike, perch and walleye, and is home to the only Sturgeon season in the State. http://www.michigan.gov/som/0,1607,7-192-45414-230180--,00.html

For additional information on ice conditions, lake accessibility, etc, contact:
Parrott’s Outpost in Onaway, http://www.parrottsoutpost.com/,
Adrian’s Sports Shop in Rogers City, (989) 734-2303,
Hawks Mini Mart, (989) 734-3428,
Dry Dock in Rogers City, http://click2connect.com/p/the-dry-dock/52081502 or
Manitou Shores Resort in Rogers City, http://www.oweb.com/UPNORTH/MANITOU/

Hunting

The only open seasons during the winter months are rabbit and hare, and predator hunting. While rabbit and hare populations are presently at low levels, the local predator population supports a popular hunting season, and that popularity has been steadily increasing. There are at least three hunting clubs in the area that specialize in predator hunting, and due to their impact upon other species, several private landowners allow predator hunting on their property. For additional information, go to the sites located in the Ice Fishing section above, or contact:
Nettie Bay Lodge: http://www.nettiebay.com/ or
Manitou Shores Resort: http://www.oweb.com/UPNORTH/MANITOU/