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Certain iconic locations spring to mind when we think about epic mountain biking destinations. Places like the technically diverse desert rock of Moab, Utah. Or even the hundreds of miles of high alpine trails in Crested Butte, Colorado.
Oh yeah, and Michigan's Upper Peninsula, too.
You heard that right… Michigan
The American Midwest might not conjure the same legendary outdoor appeal as some of the national parks in Western states. Maybe for you the Midwest evokes images of industrial cities or sailing on the Great Lakes, but Michigan's Upper Peninsula is quietly home to some of the country's best singletrack trails.
Copper Harbor is a 100-resident town tucked away on the quiet Keweenaw Peninsula in northern Michigan. Keweenaw is home to parks and nature preserves. A healthy network of local supporters have developed trail systems for many types of recreation. Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are popular in the winter. Many of those same trails have both natural and manmade terrain features for summer mountain biking.
Community supported singletrack
The Copper Harbor Trails Club is a donation-based local operation that maintains what are rated as the best mountain biking trails in the Midwest. Copper Harbor is free to the public with over 32 miles of singletrack, downhill and technical trails.
If your locum tenens assignment has you on Michigan's Upper Peninsula, Copper Harbor is perfect for a mountain biking day trip. However, it's worth considering a longer stay if you have to travel from farther away. The entire Keweenaw area is worthy of exploration, boasting its own unique, rural style with a number of resorts, brew houses and eateries. If you're in the Midwest, get your bike tuned up and hit the trails.