GLDS, as part of our ORV Grant, performs summer-season grading for the Atlanta ORV Route and also other Routes as the DNR sees suitable. We have graded the Indian River ORV Route (now done by local club) as well as the Frederic and North Branch ORV Routes. 2026 has Atlanta on weekly grading, as needed, and monthly grading on Frederic and North Branch, with discussion ongoing for other area ORV Routes not already served by another Club.
Atlanta has 62 miles of ORV Routes, approximately 50 of those are also designated snowmobile trails and receive most of the traffic. Routes are road-width and open to any size ORV. Designated parking areas are at the DNR station on M33 just north of Atlanta and off Pine Oaks road near Hillman, north of Pleasant Valley rd. The Route connects to Clear Lake State Park and also Jackson Lake State Forest Campground; both allow ORVs from the campsite; the Route also connects directly to the El Bo Inn (food) and the CCR Trading Post (gas) which are on M33.
The high traffic sections are graded weekly or as needed and the other sections are graded as needed. A different club handles the summer brushing/signing; GLDS handles the fall/winter brushing/signing as part of our Snowmobile grant.
8/2/26 Atlanta Route Update
Regular grading has continued. We’ve had a lot of water this year, there are some areas holding more water in the middle of summer than typical. We’ve been able to take care of the worse of these with our special maintenance projects and expect to be improving more of these yet this summer – same tune as last update.
7/13/26 Atlanta Route Update
Regular weekly grading continues on Atlanta. Trails are in great shape, though there are some hanging trees/branches from the holiday weekend storm (club that does the brushing has been notified). We’ve hauled in some gravel to fix up one of the persistent wet spots that developed this spring. Crews have been stump grinding on the routes, removing the stumps along the edge of the trail that can catch our equipment (especially when grooming for snowmobiles in the winter) as well as riders that drift a bit too close to the edge. More on the stump grinding project.
6/25/26 Frederic, North Branch and Atlanta ORV Routes update
This week we did a full grade on the Frederic and North Branch ORV Routes. The spur on North Branch to the northwest on Arrowhead Road was not graded (our equipment used on this pass won’t fit on that section). Frederic required a pretty deep cut to get under the deeper whoops that loose sand develops. hopefully we’ll be able to grade these two monthly to keep them in better shape. Photo from Frederic Route below.
Atlanta continues regular grading and are in great shape. Our schedule changed for this week to fit in the other Routes.
6/4/26 Atlanta ORV Route Update
Weekly grading continues and trails are in great shape. Dried up enough to fix a couple of the wet/muddy areas (if you caught a particular group’s recent FB video, below is afterwards spending some time on that section, now that things are drier). Next pict is just another section of great trail.
5/22/26 Atlanta ORV Route Update
Regular weekly grading on the Routes continue. Over 2″ of rain came down earlier this week soaking the trails. Be cautious with the wet areas, they may be deeper than they look. We continue to shape and drain those areas, however some are in saturated areas with nowhere for the water to go. Trails should otherwise be in great shape.
5/12/26 Atlanta ORV Route Update
Significant fire over the weekend, “Tomahawk Lake Fire”, which the DNR put in major effort & resources to contain. About 190 acres affected. None of the Designated Routes or Trails in the area were negatively affected. The fire was north of Snowmobile Trail 492 (the Route that connects to the El Bo Inn) and west of Snowmobile Trail 9. More info from DNR: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/MIDNR/bulletins/416d043
Regular Grading continues, trails are in great shape with only minor wet areas. Much needed rain today, though that will dissipate quickly and bring the dust back.
5/6/26 Atlanta ORV Route update
Regular grading continues. Trails are in great shape. The spring thaw and rains are receding, drying up the few spots that were holding water. Traffic continues to be steady.
4/26/26 Atlanta ORV Route update
Route grading started in April and is continuing weekly. We are seeing excessively high traffic for this time of year, so we’re happy to be out there grading and keeping the trails (Routes) in great shape. An excessively wet spring has high water in some areas, though things are starting to dry up now.
