The Copper Harbor Trails Club has transformed the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula into a mountain biking paradise, featuring 70 miles of trails that attract riders from across the globe.
Recent work at the East Bluff Bike Park has created curated experiences for beginner, intermediate and expert level riders. Visitors travel past the end of US-41 on Mandan Road to reach the gravity trails at the East Bluff Bike Park and Campground.
“We’ve got six kind of gravity trails that start from this hub, and then I believe two more that kind of span off farther down,” said Nick Ryan, trails coordinator for the Copper Harbor Trails Club. “We’ve got another one under construction this year that’ll start from down lower and big plans for the future as well.”
Ryan emphasized the dual purpose of the trail system.
“First and foremost, we want to curate this as a community asset,” Ryan said. “These are trails that allow people to get outside and explore their natural resources. But we’re also really fortunate that we’ve done a pretty solid job that we get people from all over the country, from out west, out east, Canada, Mexico, you name it. They’ve probably come here to ride.”
Over Memorial Day weekend, the club welcomed bikers to ride the Keweenaw, kicking off the mountain biking season. Throughout the summer and fall, the club will host other keystone events.
As snow settles into the region, Copper Harbor Trails Club hopes to expand its recreation opportunities to include cross-country skiing and fat tire biking. Learn more about the Copper Harbor Trails Club here.
