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That Time I...

Hiked the Gogebic Ridge Trail (and Biked Home)

The Gogebic Ridge Trail is an odd little spur that connects the relatively empty community of Merriweather on Lake Gogebic with the North Country Trail, a little ways north of Bergland.  It crosses what looks like some rugged country but otherwise doesn't have a lot of information out there about it.  I decided to find out for myself what was out there in the only way I knew how: a classic self shuttle.


My plan was simple.  I dropped a bike off in Merriweather at the finish line, then began my one-way hike from M-64 on the NCT.  Once at the end, I'd bike back to my truck.  Easy!


Well, sorta.  The NCT immediately climbs an immense hill, at the top of which is an old lookout tower covered in antennas and other fun stuff you shouldn't touch.  The climb is brutal!  From there, the trail goes up and down some beautiful bluffs and hills with many views along the way.  It's classic hiking in the Ottawa National Forest and why I love this area as much as I do.


In an otherwise nondescript part of the forest, the Gogebic Ridge Trail spurs off of the NCT.  From here, things got a little interesting.  Traffic on the Gogebic Ridge Trail is much lighter than the NCT, and at least when I hiked through in the fall of 2019 it was significantly harder to follow.  At times there was no trail tread at all, leaving me to simply bushwhack through maple whips for a few hundred yards.  Other times there would be like seven blazes on trees spanning a width of 100'... again, with no clear trail corridor!  It was maddening.


The terrain and forests the trail passed through were superb though, and more than made up for the confusion.  Old growth hemlocks, rocky gullies, and more made this feel like a true adventure.  The views of Lake Gogebic from the Gogebic Ledge was beautiful!  Weary Lake at the end was a nice touch.


All told, it was about 14 miles of hiking.  Once at the finish, I had just one thing left to do, which was to bike 12 miles back to my truck.  Not the easiest task on sore legs and wearing hiking boots, but I made it work.  It beats waiting around for a coordinated ride!

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