450 Acres of Michigan Sand Dunes Open for Fat Tire Biking This Winter

I’ll be honest. I didn’t even know fat tire biking on sand dunes in the winter was a thing until now. But once I found out Michigan lets you ride bikes straight up and down massive dunes in the middle of winter, I was immediately intrigued.

What Is Fat Tire Biking at Silver Lake Sand Dunes?

Fat tire biking is pretty much what it sounds like. Bikes with huge tires built to handle stuff like snow and sand. And at Silver Lake Sand Dunes in Mears, that means grinding your way up soft, sugar sand hills and then ripping back down toward Lake Michigan.

See Also: Michigan May Get a New Trail Leading to Its Tallest Waterfall

When DoesFat Tire Biking at Silver Lake Sand Dunes Start?

Starting today, Dec. 15, the state park opens about 450 acres of open dunes to fat tire riders. It’s not easy. Your legs will hate you big time.

According to MLive, this only runs through March 15 before ORVs take the dunes back over in April. You can ride daily from 8 a.m. to dusk. No reservation needed, but you do need a Recreation Passport to get into the park.

One important thing you should know before you go. You can’t ride everywhere. Bikes are limited to the ORV scramble area only.

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Also worth knowing. Winter dunes change really fast. Drifting sand and freezing conditions can completely reshape the terrain overnight. The gates open no matter what, so deciding whether it’s safe is totally on you.