southern WI offroad park?

[89eliminator]

anyone else here rumors about a potential Southern area WI offroad park opening up? i read something in the paper a few days ago that a large like over 500 acres open to Trucks, Quads, and bikes. didnt say when, just that the dnr and state is working on one.

[99SJ_Ex]

If you could find an online article, that'd be great... Coming from the La Crosse area, I would heavily promote and support a park that was closer to home... I might even try to entice a M&G or event if one so happened to appear...

[WI88XJ]

I haven't heard anything about a southern WI park either...post up a link if you can find it.

Man, that would be great if it were true!!!

[89eliminator]

here it is. it does talk more about ATV's, but also mentions trucks too.

http://www.jsonline.com/news/wisconsin/38580717.html

[seanR]

I know there have been two of them in the works, one near Beloit and one near PLatteville, both fell through due to lack of financing.

[kunaji]

If you could find an online article, that'd be great... Coming from the La Crosse area, I would heavily promote and support a park that was closer to home... I might even try to entice a M&G or event if one so happened to appear...

Apple Valley Farms is only 3ish hours away from La Crosse. It's just on the far side of Eau Claire. It's not very friendly for stockers and is only open to the public a few times each year.

[99SJ_Ex]

"The agency could run the park itself, or it could leave management to a nonprofit group. ATV registrations have grown by more than 240%, according to the DNR."

Anyone think we could write up a bid for the naxja execs and see if we could bid on running it... or maybe the midwest chapter?? I know all the tape we'd have to go through, but it could be a big step in a good direction for the organization..... Just my $0.02.....

I like to dream....:speepin:

[seanR]

Insurance will be 85% of your operating budget....

[IllianaXJ]

Insurance will be 85% of your operating budget....

Yep. That was our biggest concern every year for Redbird. It takes a ton of man hours to properly run a OHV park in a volunteer capacity, not really something an internet group could do unless there was a committed group of 10-12 people that could dedicate time to the project.

[seanR]

I'll do it for $80,000 per year....

[jakeWI]

the rumors of the park, that i heard, is that it is going to open sometime summer and that there wasnt going to be any mudding.

[99SJ_Ex]

the rumors of the park, that i heard, is that it is going to open sometime summer and that there wasnt going to be any mudding.


Thats fine, mudding is for old Ford trucks in a cornfield after a hard rain... Jeeps are meant for the real off roading adventures!

[89eliminator]

thats fine by me.

[WB9YZU]

I hadn't heard of any interest by the DNR of an ORP in Southern WI.

However, WOHVA, W4WDA, WATVA, and the DNR have been talking a bit more seriously about an ORP since WOHVA has been trying to get the Mole Lake band to open up an ORP up by Crandin. The Dept of Tourism kicked in their 2 cents and indicated it would be good business. The Park was to be run by a organization that represented all park users. Last time I heard, the DNR sat on the environmental assessment preventing forward movement on the Park.

I don't know who teaches some of you folks geography, but LaCrosse is not in Southern Wisconsin, and neither is New Auburn ;)

[Jeepm@n]

quote

I don't know who teaches some of you folks geography, but LaCrosse is not in Southern Wisconsin, and neither is New Auburn ;)[/quote]

It would be for me. :D

[kunaji]

Cut the state in half with a northern half and a southern half and which half does La Crosse fall in? Hint, it ain't the northern half. That's close enough for me to consider it southern WI.

[99SJ_Ex]

Cut the state in half with a northern half and a southern half and which half does La Crosse fall in? Hint, it ain't the northern half. That's close enough for me to consider it southern WI.


Yea, I agree lol!!! :clap:

[WB9YZU]

Kinda limited thinking there Kunji. Do all your military maps just divide things into "North" and "South"?

On Topic:
I did some research. The MJS article seems to be based on a report given to the Natural Resources Board in Jan. That report explored in detail what kind of things would go into making an ORP in Wisconsin. It was a report, not a resolution.

It does however show, to me atleast, a willingness to discuss a subject that had been taboo before.


...and yes, it cold, rainly, snowy, icy, and generally crappy out. We have nothing better to argue about than the regional description of LaCrosse :D

[kunaji]

Military maps divide things into gridsquares. Coincidentaly, the map series that Ft. McCoy is under is the XJ series. Kinda bad example for you to make since we get into a minimum 100 meter accuracy on our maps. It eliminates the need for souther and northen.

Now if you were to talk about segmenting an AO, yes we divide by geographically significant features which could include north and south.

[Rev Den]

LaCrosse and north of there might as well be Kentucky.

:D

Rev

[99SJ_Ex]

Hey now, I'm from Onalaska 5miles north of La Crosse... I'm pretty sure I'm not in Kentucky... Maybe Norway tho.... :viking:

Though, there are enough hill billies around here to hold off any sort of invasion if there ever was one.... :patriot:

[WB9YZU]

Military maps divide things into gridsquares. Coincidentaly, the map series that Ft. McCoy is under is the XJ series. Kinda bad example for you to make since we get into a minimum 100 meter accuracy on our maps. It eliminates the need for souther and northen.

Now if you were to talk about segmenting an AO, yes we divide by geographically significant features which could include north and south.

Sigh... :banghead:

[Rev Den]

I know Onalaska.

Used to stay at the Stoney Creek there....

Now a days its the Comfort Inn.

Got a site in Galesville.

Rev

[w_howey]

I know Onalaska.

Used to stay at the Stoney Creek there....

Now a days its the Comfort Inn.

Got a site in Galesville.

Rev

Wow... the possible bankruptcy really got you.... And yet I get a notice that my satellite bill is going up......

[99SJ_Ex]

Hummm you don't by chance work on the huge tower in Galesville do you?? Amateur Radio has a Repeater set about i think 1000-1500 ft up.... Me an dad go up there all the time...

I know that hotel, I visit the KFC across the street every chance I get when in town lol. If you're ever goin through the area on a weekend, shoot me a PM... I'm usually there or in River Falls.....

[Jeepm@n]

LaCrosse and north of there might as well be Kentucky.

:D

Rev


Hmmm that could explain the banjo music I hear playing now and then.

[Rev Den]

Hummm you don't by chance work on the huge tower in Galesville do you?? Amateur Radio has a Repeater set about i think 1000-1500 ft up.... Me an dad go up there all the time...

I know that hotel, I visit the KFC across the street every chance I get when in town lol. If you're ever goin through the area on a weekend, shoot me a PM... I'm usually there or in River Falls.....

Ummm...I am home on the weekends.

Yup...that is the tower WKBT.

If you are in the transmitter building, my stuff is the blue racks.

BTW - My new stuff is going where the current HAM stuff is now... :D

Rev

[Rev Den]

Wow... the possible bankruptcy really got you.... And yet I get a notice that my satellite bill is going up......

I don't work for your satellite company.

I work for a vendor of thiers. :D

Besides....staying at Comfort is how I managed to have a free hotel in Moab.

Rev

[WB9YZU]

BTW - My new stuff is going where the current HAM stuff is now... :D

Rev

Booo! Hisss!

[94xeep]

I know of many guys that would be willing to give their help whenever needed. We need something fun to do around southern wisconsin

[WB9YZU]

I know of many guys that would be willing to give their help whenever needed. We need something fun to do around southern wisconsin

I'm not glib when I say that if you need something to do, or want to be more than reactive, I recomend you join a local 4WD Club.

I also recomend joining WOHVA, the Wisconsin Off Highway Vehicle Association. One of the reasons WOHVA was formed was to bring about the creation of an Off-Road park in WI.

NAXJA is a good club to join, and it donated money to WOHVA :thumbup:

Edit: You didn't give your location other than "Wisconsin". There are quite a number of 4WD Clubs in Wisconsin.

[seanR]

I know of many guys that would be willing to give their help whenever needed. We need something fun to do around southern wisconsin

Besides that, other than 'off road' stuff, you must not be looking very hard.
There are a million things to do in S. Wi.
Tube on the sugar river, camp at crazy horse camp ground, go Gov. Dodge State park, walk up and down State Street, fish the Yahara lakes, water ski Lake Mendota.
I could go on for ever.....

[WB9YZU]

That pretty much applies to most anywhere, but I get your meaning :)

Last week the Wife and I just had to go "Somewhere". I chose the House on the Rock, then after we took the long way home past Teliesin and had chilli in a little eatery in Mazo.

That reminds me, I have chores to do. Some ice hole wished for more snow :D

[94xeep]

i was talking about doing things with the off road seen i know theres plenty to do in that way i would just like to do more trail rides around the state
I live in dodgeville and all the parks, venues, and others are just played out need something exciting to do.
how do i go about joining a club near by if there even is one
can anyone help out with that

[WB9YZU]

i was talking about doing things with the off road seen i know theres plenty to do in that way i would just like to do more trail rides around the state
I live in dodgeville and all the parks, venues, and others are just played out need something exciting to do.
how do i go about joining a club near by if there even is one
can anyone help out with that

Our part of the State is pretty devoid of any "Exciting" Off-Road opportunities. The nearest ORP is about 3hrs south of here in Marseilles, IL. (The Cliffs Insane Terrain Park)

There is a W4WDA associated Club in Mt Horeb (I don't recall it's name- Sorry). Check the W4WDA website for W4WDA associated Clubs. http://www.w4wda.org/memberclubs.html

WOHVA really doesn't advertise Clubs unless they support WOHVA because of how the Membership structure is ( Individual VS Club ).
However, if you go to their site: http://www.WOHVA.COM , you can join their Forum and post up to see if there is a Club over that way.

Four Lakes 4 Wheelers is a Madison based 4WD Club which is open to just about anything. http://www.4l4w.org/

Mad City Jeep Abusers Group is a Madison based 4WD Club which is open to Compact and Midsized 4WD Vehicles. http://www.mcjag.org

I hope that helps.

[Rev Den]

Don't worry Ron, the ham stuff is just moving to a different part of the room.

:D

Rev

[94xeep]

yeah thanks for the help do you know of any up coming events around the area i know i've heard of a couple things over in racine have you ever heard of anything like that

[99SJ_Ex]

Don't worry Ron, the ham stuff is just moving to a different part of the room.

:D

Rev

I was in New Lisbon the week it happened, but my dad helped move the HAM stuff... I believe they moved it downstairs...

[WB9YZU]

yeah thanks for the help do you know of any up coming events around the area i know i've heard of a couple things over in racine have you ever heard of anything like that

The only things I know of around Racine is Great Lakes Dragaway. Not exactly what most folks call "Off-Roading" ;)

Coming up in early March, RPM4X4 will have an open weekend at Apple Valley Farms up near New Auburn, WI. See their website at http://www.rpm4x4.com

Kinda OT, but I'll pass it around for the "Newbies".
We stay out of the National and County Forests in WI during the Spring Thaw which is March 15 though April 30th to prevent trail damage. The NFS posts a notice each year, and all ATV trails are marked with that info.
Though HLVs (Highway Licensed Vehicles) are not explicitly named in that Notice, we stay out by choice to avoid causing undue trail erosion.

Way OT: Edit: Rev, it's nice to know the equipment was moved and not totally displaced! When the "Candelabra" was built, many stations around here took down their towers, the the local Repeaters had a scramble finding a replacement home.

[94xeep]

so where are the national and county forests at?
i read about the racine thing in jp magizine but cant remeber when

[94xeep]

DO you have to have roll bar to ride there

[seanR]

State forests are here,
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/parks/specific/images/findapark.gif
Go to www.dnr.state.wi.us for more info.

[WB9YZU]

The National Forests in WI are the Nicolet and the Chequamegon.
More info here: http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/cnnf/
If the road isn't on the new Maps, you don't belong there.

Countys that actively log have forest roads (and Forests). Nothing in Southern Wisconsin, and nothing more exciting than a sandy road in most cases. The State leases property to Logging Companies, so you need to watch where you tread.

Here is a list of known Off-Road Parks or areas in WI open to the Public. Fees are charged for all areas except the Pipeline Trail (it's coming). They are easily searched for on the Web for more detail.

* Ma and Pa Rockers-parocker.com/ (Superior)
* McCaslin Mountain-mccaslinmountain.com Not actually an Off-Road Park per se, but they have access to land (Lakewood)
* Apple Valley Farms-RPM4X4.com (New Auburn)
* Pipeline Trail-In the Nicolet National Forest (Occonto County)
* NorthwoodsOverland-northwoodsoverland.com (NW of Wausau)
* Trollhaugen Ski Area-See Memorial4X4.org -Open on Memorial Day weekend. (Dresser)

Again, I encourage you to join a Club. They will teach you the safe way to enjoy 4WD activities and our environment. Many Clubs also have access to areas, or know of areas that are legal to ride on outside of Off-Road Parks.

Edit: Sean, The State doesn't want 4WD vehicles on their property unless it's on a paved road.

[Tim_MN]

If you join a local 4x4 club that is a member of the WI-4WDA and/or the Midwest-4WDA, the Trollhaugen Ski Area in Dresser sponsors multiple Midwest weekends at Trollhaugan. The cost is much lower ($40 ?) than The Memorial Day weekend and you only have to deal with 100-150 skilled 4wheelers instead of the hordes of drunken fools and their broken down crap on the Memorial Weekend.

[WB9YZU]

If you join a local 4x4 club that is a member of the MN4WDA, WI4WDA, the MW4WDA, OR you are a Member of WOHVA, the MN4WDA sponsors 2 more weekends at Trollhaugan. The cost is lower ($40) than The Memorial Day weekend and there are usually less people there.

Modified it for so that's it's more accurate.

Yah, I could have going into all that detail, but I didn't as I was listing public venues. The info you provided is one of those trails I was speaking of that belonging to a Club would open up access for you :D

[seanR]

Modified it for so that's it's more accurate.

What language was that?

[WB9YZU]

What language was that?

MN4WDA = Minnesota 4 Wheel Drive Association
W4WDA = Wisconsin 4 Wheel Drive Association
MW4WDA = Midwest 4 Wheel Drive Association
WOHVA = Wisconsin Off Highway Vehicle Association

[seanR]

http://www.fototime.com/7EC95A54FB32780/standard.jpg