The dew was still glistening on the grass blades one day last spring, and that meant only one thing – it was flippin’ early. Way too early for any human to be awake, and the bloodshot eyes and weary heads were evidence of that. But we were vertical, conscious and making some final checks before hitting the road for a two-hour drive to our ATV riding destination.

After slugging 24 ounces of Mountain Dew and downing some sugar-infested donuts, the caffeine and glucose-induced alertness finally kicked in as we headed north to the St. Croix State Forest near the Minnesota and Wisconsin border.

It was our first “real” ATV ride of the season in the upper Midwest. Sure we had spun some rubber elsewhere in the country, but it was our first ride of the year with our own staff ATVs that we were able to ride near home. We had been to the area before. We’d used a portion of the ATV trail on some rides during our first couple of ATV Trials events. We liked the trails so much, we decided to go back. Read more

We first heard of Brushy Mountain Motorsports Park one cold winter in Roseau, Minn. One of the Polaris test engineers got all wide-eyed and excited as he was telling us about this riding park in North Carolina he had visited the previous fall. He kept telling stories of one-way trails, hillclimbs, jumps, mud, hardpack, loose rock, beautiful vistas. He went on and on about the park.

The Chance Arrives

The first thing I noticed was the nice building at the trailhead. Inside the building were showers and clean bathrooms. There was a vending truck parked next to the building set to serve hot dogs, hamburgers and anything else a tired trail rider may need. Across from the building was a place for hosing off dirty ATVs – a plus in my book.

I was greeted by Richard Mull, one of the park’s co-owners and the main architect of the park. He was happy to show me around.

Time to Find Out

Mull let me ride one of his own ATVs. It was an old Yamaha Big Bear 400; he rode a Yamaha BearTracker. Together we disappeared into the hills to explore the land nestled in the Brushy Mountains. The first trail we hit looped around a ridge and led to a clearing with a great view of the valley below. Continuing, I was surprised at the amount of elevation change. He took me on the “beginner” trails first to get a feel of the land and its variety. All the trails are clearly marked and use a ranking system similar to that on snow slopes. A green circle means the trail is easy and can be ridden by beginners. A blue square is for intermediate riders. And the black diamond is for advanced riders only. For the time being, we meandered on a green trail. The trail was wide and had multiple lines, including those around obstacles.

On the green trails, the hillclimbs were mild and there were several off-shoots – most of them marked with blue squares and black diamonds. I hinted that maybe it was time to up the skill level of the trails – so Mull took me to the harder trails. The blue trails were much harder than the green trails; they had a lot of abrupt elevation change and nice mud holes. Mull said that some of the trails hold water for almost the whole year, while others can dry out. The trails were tacky from rain the previous week, so traction was great. Even when things are bone dry, Mull said the trails deep in the woods retain moisture well. Some of the hillclimbs were a little extreme for “intermediate” status, making me wonder what I was in store for on a black-diamond trail!

The blue trails were more muddy and tighter than the green trails. A lot tighter. If you are looking for twists, dips and turns, these are the trails for you. But all things must come to an end, and we had to hit at least one black diamond trail. Even on his BearTracker, Mull was happy to hit the hardest of the trails. He wasn’t kidding, these are black-diamond trails indeed. Imagine hillclimbs where there is no choice but to finish it out. These are the kind of trails that can catch unsuspecting riders off guard. So it is imperative that everyone in your riding group is an advanced rider before you hit these ATV trails.

As indicated, the trails are marked for difficulty, but they are also numbered. A map shows all the trails and also their difficulty, and the trails are well marked throughout the system. Plus, if you need to get back to the main office, most trails have signs that direct you so you don’t have to consult the map. One thing I did appreciate on the BMMS trails were their one-way nature, so there was no risk of blowing a corner and meeting another rider head-on. This contributes to safety, and allowed us to ride at a faster pace than normal.

The Story

Mull started this project years ago. Originally, the project began in an adjacent county, but was derailed when local environmental groups complained to the county board. After trouble at a meeting one night, Mull thanked everyone for coming and said he was taking his money and idea elsewhere. After a little more searching, he found another piece of property and started again. Citizens near the second site (near Hickory, N.C.) were happy to have Mull and his park.

“I started this because I was able to ride everywhere when I was a kid,” says Mull. “Now, I want my kids to be able to ride in a good area, too.” He also wanted to give riders the trails and facilities that he thinks is lacking in North Carolina. “There aren’t a lot of riding areas in North Carolina,” he explains. “And where there is riding, the areas are overcrowded with too many riders.”

Thus BMMS opened.

Rules

If you go, there are some rules you must follow. First, is age guidelines. BMMS strictly adheres to the manufacturer guidelines on engine sizes. That means that no children younger than 16 years old can ride a machine more than 90cc. Children aged 12 to 16 must stay on machines 90cc and less. And those aged 6 to 11 can ride machines 70cc and less. Safety gear is also strictly enforced, and riding double is not allowed.

Mull is strictly enforcing a sound limit for all machines on the trails. A 99dB limit at 3,500 rpm is enforced and all silencers must have a USFS-approved spark arrestor.

These rules are a necessary thing in this age of litigation. Mull says in order to maintain insurance on the park, and not open himself to a financially devastating lawsuit, the rules are strictly enforced. He also said he is not afraid to turn patrons away if they do not follow the rules of the park. In short, call before you go to ensure you comply with the rules.

The rules are in place for everyone’s safety and, in my opinion, they enhance the riding experience because you know everyone is serious about having fun on these beautiful trails!

John Prusak is Group Publisher of ATV Magazine and Snow Goer magazine. He has more than 15 years experience riding snowmobiles and ATVS and just as much experience writing about them. Read more ATV riding adventures from John and his staff of editors at http://www.atvmagonline.com/category/destinations/

The dew was still glistening on the grass blades one day last spring, and that meant only one thing – it was flippin’ early. Way too early for any human to be awake, and the bloodshot eyes and weary heads were evidence of that. But we were vertical, conscious and making some final checks before hitting the road for a two-hour drive to our ATV riding destination.

After slugging 24 ounces of Mountain Dew and downing some sugar-infested donuts, the caffeine and glucose-induced alertness finally kicked in as we headed north to the St. Croix State Forest near the Minnesota and Wisconsin border. Read more

I have never been much of an adrenaline junkie, I prefer hiking to bunging jumping and down hill skiing to park skiing. I like my two feet on the ground and my children’s wheels on the earth, which almost never happens.

Last year we had the chance to be in Phoenix during the winter months. Anyone visiting Phoenix in January and February is in for a glorious treat, warmth and sun when the rest of the country is under a blanket of snow. We had a little spare time after my husbands meetings so we decided to be brave and rent ATV’s in Phoenix. We took off with some colleagues and I didn’t want to thought of as the pansy of the group so I kept up. Read more

I have never been much of an adrenaline junkie, I prefer hiking to bunging jumping and down hill skiing to park skiing. I like my two feet on the ground and my children’s wheels on the earth, which almost never happens.

Last year we had the chance to be in Phoenix during the winter months. Anyone visiting Phoenix in January and February is in for a glorious treat, warmth and sun when the rest of the country is under a blanket of snow. We had a little spare time after my husbands meetings so we decided to be brave and rent ATV’s in Phoenix. We took off with some colleagues and I didn’t want to thought of as the pansy of the group so I kept up. Read more