Anyone up for a day trip to Silver Lake? I have been there last year, but not when the voucher system was in place, and never with pilots... any tips on what you need to get in the sand there with these? I know I need a flag in front, but what about using a stock muffler? Let me know if anyone woould like to set a date, and I'll coordinate it.
Techman

All you need is the flag up front 10' high to hit the bar at the guard house on entry to the dunes. They haven't been doing sound testing when I've been there during the week but could do it on weekends - stock exhaust is fine - if aftermarket you must have a USFS Approved Spark Arrestor. You have to buy and ORV Sticker $16.25 and a State Park Rec Pass $10 for each vehicle that will be entering the dunes and just the pass for your tow vehicle if it will just be in the parking lot and not taking on the dunes - this also gets you into the state park for camping which is $27 a night w/electric.

I got a call last night from my quad riding buddies and they might be going up next week although it is July 4th week and the holiday is on Weds they will not be doing the vouchers except on the weekends so I might go up on Weds and stay till Friday - weekends are "amateur hours" and I prefer riding when there are less idiots on the dunes and the "rental quads/buggies" aren't out in force....

Be careful out there!

Pilotman

P.S. Here's the offical website: http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0%2C1607%2C ... %2C00.html" ."..

P.S.S. You can get whatever you need - flags, mounts, ice at DAR Duneland right next door to the parking lot. Stickers you get at the guard house when you enter the park and they both take credit cards now.

I thought that I needed some kind of 'spark screen' on the exhaust, and the stock muffler doesn't have one... I'd hate to go there and not be able to get on the dunes...

You don't need a "spark screen" you need a US Forestry Approved Spark Arrestor .

If you fabricate something yourself and it looks OEM they will probably not give it a second look if it don't look OEM they will probably not let you ride.

If you have a after market exhaust system and don't have a "sparky" installed they will be looking for the "US Forestry Approved" along with the approval numbers stamped on the silencer.

Law and rule enforcement is hit and miss at Silver Lake they can be real assholes I have seen them write a Banshee owner two tickets for not having them one ticket for each muffler.

Seen them write a ticket to a guy who lost his sparky on the dunes and didnt even know it fell off.

If you have the spark arrestor and your exhaust is too loud you also can be told to park it.

Money generated at Silver Lakes pays for most other parks in MI and the salary's of people who work their no shortage of people lining up to ride that are 100% compliant so they could care less if you leave or get pissed off because you got a ticket and vow to never return and spend money in MI ever again lol .

Techman, I would like to ride silver lakes just don't have the time right now... We(me, denuch, hoser,fatcat,tpreed and a few others) are going to go riding at badlands on the weekend of July28 if you want to join us- feel free!!
Are you living in mi now? Im from Chicago.

Randy

Yes, I'm living in West Michigan, about 2 hrs away from Silver Lake. Don't think I can make the end of July, as I already have family plans, but thanks for the invite.

I'd be up for a riding trip to SL some time in early September, like weekend of Sept 7/8/9th or after. I've got plans every single weekend from now until then. Ugh. That's summer for ya'! It's a 4.5hr ride for me, so I'd have to spend the night someplace.

I was just at SL this past Thurs-Monday, but for a family trip. We had an awesome cottage near the Little Sable Point lighthouse. I didn't get to buggy the dunes, but it was by choice. I refuse to RENT one of those buggies simply b/c I could think of 50 things I could ADD to my buggy for the same price. LOL I've decided to ditch the "dollar" and I'm now measuring monetary units in terms of "buggy parts" from now on. Next time, I'm bringing my buggies on the trip.

Every gas station and mart at SL sells the 10' dune flags. It's like $22 for a flag. Saturday & Sunday ORV dune passes (vouchers) go up for the taking the NIGHT BEFORE at 9pm (used to be 6pm). Really only an issue during holiday weekends (so I was told). One thing I didn't check into (and someone here probably knows) is which camping sites have "drive-off" privaleges or location so you don't have to have to get a parking voucher, too. There is a sound test. Must have a US Forestry approved tailpipe. Check the website for everything.

If the family wants to come along, there is plenty of beach to be had. There's a ton of state park public beach by the light house, and plenty more about 40-min north to Ludington State Park (miles of beach). There's the ~22mi Hart-Montegue bike trail which is more for exercise than for site-seeing. Plus there's a couple go cart places, ice cream place, and the Mac Woods dune scooter tour (yep, I took the tour with my 7mo daughter strapped to me on the Baby Bjorn, lol). Not much else to do there, really.