We’re anxiously awaiting a big snowfall so that we can get out and enjoy our favorite winter pursuits! Are you as excited as we are to hit the Cadillac Pathway?
This winter, we’re offering an equally ambitious grooming program to cater to the unique needs of a diverse population of winter enthusiasts! Fat bikers, Nordic skiers, and snowshoers all have a place to step away from screens and reconnect with nature, rather than WiFi. It’s pretty to tough to use a smartphone with mittens on, and that’s just one of the best perks of making the most of the Cadillac Pathway all winter long.
We’re unique among NMMBA trails in offering two separate loops at the Pathway, allowing us to use different implements for different uses. That’s a perk to many, and gives folks ideal conditions more often, something that’s no small feat when skiing, riding, or walking are so heavily influenced by weather.
The Winter Sports Trail is the go-to place to fat bike. The WST is a ‘floating trail’, meaning it only exists in winter when there are six inches of snow or more to groom. It’s a unique chance to experience the forest in a totally new way, weaving just off the beaten path. This trail is open to all users, including fat bikers, snowshoers, and even four-legged friends if they’re on a leash!
The XC Ski Trail sticks to the established Cadillac Pathway and gets very specific attention. The trail gets world-class grooming with set classic tracks, offering multiple loops ranging from one mile to eleven miles in length. Using the maps, it’s easy to put together a number of different loops before heading back to the parking lot, with the sections of trails across Seeley Road providing a bit more elevation and challenge for experienced skiers.
No matter what trail you think you’ll use the most, your Cadillac Pathway Grooming Badge goes to grooming efforts on both trails, helping us build a place for our community to go to enjoy winter in its purest, most natural form. You can order your badge here, or stop by McLain Cycle and Fitness in Cadillac to grab your badge in person! Proceeds from badge sales go towards gas for the groomers, repair and general maintenance of implements, and for the removal of downed trees and other trail hazards.
Your badge also gets you on the Grooming Report email list, offering nearly daily trail updates from not just the Cadillac Pathway, but NMMBA trails all over northern Michigan! If you’re itching to ride the Winter Sports Singletrack at the Vasa Supply Road trailhead, at Glacial Hills Pathway, or Winter Sports Trail at the Leelanau State Park, you can support grooming efforts there with a trail-specific badge here.
Pick up your Cadillac Pathway grooming badge, and start doing your snow dance! Here’s to a long, fun winter in the woods!