Great everything - design, signage, flow. Fast and fun. All different types of trails from beginner to expert and they are expanding and putting money into improvements every year. Any reviews that say the trail markings are bad are outdated. As of now they have the best trail markings I have seen with maps at every hub. Also have a beautiful lodge with bathrooms and changing rooms. Best in Wisconsin in my opinion.
Wrote a review last year and gave only 4/5 stars. I was frustrated by the lack of good markings, and still think these could use some improvement in differentiating the similarly color marked trails. (trail difficulty markings would help this immensely). However, after my second yearly trip visiting the trails, they started to make more sense (along with in depth studying of the maps before my ride). I didn't get lost. But that's not to say a new rider might not fare that well. That said, without as much worry about trail marking this time around, my impression improved to 5/5 stars.
I rode 'most' of the trails in this system over two days. I found the trails I rode were really well done, and fun. The downhills were on point (with berms and nice flow), but the uphills felt sluggish and didn't ride as well as some of the uphills I've seen designed of late. I've ridden trails where the uphill grind seems minimized by well thought out pumps, or by switchbacks, but these trails left me feeling like I was often hitting an uphill that put me out of rhythm (not sure if that makes sense). Overall, I really liked these trails and will be back. The downhills and flow definitely outweigh the slightly off uphills. These trails are a gem.
My only "major" critique is the trail markings. The trail designers put a lot of effort into marking the trails (and there are a LOT of markings and maps). Problem is these maps are small (hard to read for those with eyes over 40), and the colors of some trails are similar to others. The maps were useless to me, and I just relied on the larger colored arrows placed everywhere. I ran into an issue when I was looking for the Green "Expert" trail, when I was directed to a "Beginner" trail using a different shade of green arrow. This long beginner trail was hell... long uncut grass through a boggy sluggish never-ending hill, brimming with mosquito death squads... (honest folks, I'm not one to get lost on MTB trails). Had I written the review immediately after that portion of my ride, this trail would have gotten 2/5. Luckily the trail system redeemed itself by me continuing my ride on a few other loops of the system.
In short, this is the best trail I've ridden in far northern WI (in the last 5 years), but I'd suggest the trail owners add trail difficulty markers to the colored arrows.
Really nice trail system with something for everyone. Most of the trails were open and in good condition when I rode today, but a few of the more technical ones were still closed from spring thaw. The owner seems really nice and did a great job designing the trails. Definitely worth riding if you're in the area!
Who would have thought some of the best snow biking conditions of the year would be in April. Awesome fun groomed trails. Fun and flowy. Nothing difficult is groomed.
Made a detour here on the way to Copper Harbor. Awesome trail with flow, features. Taken care of very well. Cool owner. Wish it wasn't almost 5 hours from my house, otherwise I'd ride it as much as possible! Good place to work on skills, even has some jump lines.
Beautiful north woods scenery! My wife and I couldn't get into the flow here. Too many intersections means stopping frequently to figure out where you are and where you want to go next (Cuyuna has the same problem and is removing many intersections this year). Some berms are needing rebuilt after the spring storms. A long drive for very few miles.
MAKE THE DRIVE!!! These trails are very well maintained, have excellent maps at every intersection so first timers don't get lost, and are just plain fun!!! My son and I went out in the morning, went for lunch at a little pub near there, and then decided to go back and do the trails in the afternoon! Not only that, but we double backed up the trail to do sections 3 to 4 times in a row.
I would loved to have been able to do the High Five jump line, but my limited skill (and a high deductible) prevented me from venturing that far. Would love if they add a Low Five jump line. (A copy cat of the High Five, but half as high...that way old farts like me can feel like they are getting massive air) :)
Kudos to whoever is maintaining this trail and building it. Keep up the GREAT work!!!
I'm in love! Wow, not sure where to start... This was a sweet little surprise in the Wisconsin North Woods. These guys have built an amazingly fun set of trails that were very well maintained and a ton of fun. Truly something for all skill levels. My wife (beginner/intermediate) and I (advanced) spent a couple of hours exploring every orifice of this gem, and we both had an absolute blast. For her, all of the technical obstacles had optional ride-arounds, and for me, there was a ton of flowy, rip-roaring fun. If you visit, you may find yourself pricing homes close by...
A fantastic trail. There was really never a dull moment as unlike most trails where you have long rides with fewer fun stuff interspersed, this trail is the exact opposite where uneventful rides were few and far between.
For the rider that loves jumps, tables, and pump-track-esque sections, this should be your nirvana.
Overall the difficulty is low, but the fun is high!
What a pleasant surprise this trail was! It's not a huge network and it's not in a MTB-intensive area, but the mostly tight and twisty trails of WinMan are consistently amusing. This is a great area for novice and intermediate cyclists looking to up their game as well since there are plenty of mild stunt opportunities with optional ride-arounds. Even the one "advanced" trail wouldn't scare most riders, yet all the trails can be fun. These trails are both pedally and flowy and the amount of climbing seems to be less than usually required to have this much fun.
What a dream come true! It's probably not a totally fair assessment coming from me (all my MTB hours have been in Florida with a short blip in AZ before now) but wow. Maybe even wowie wow wow... it's everything I was told and more. The local bike shop (BJ's) in Minocqua recommended Winman as an alternative to the Raven Trail (which is just outside town and quite lovely in its own right), touting it as very flowy and excellent for riders of all abilities. They weren't kidding.
Lots of whoop-de-whoops, berms, a number of pump-track/dirt jump features and some technical elements you can bypass if you choose. Even the uphill climbs were fun without tiring us out with the occasional downhill blip to help push you back up the hill. The trail is very peaceful and scenic, winding through the woods, past a pond, and through some lovely hills.
Nice flowing trails with few tight switchbacks. Has a number of technical challenges, most of which can be bypassed. This is especially helpful in the first few circuits. Some precipitous drops cannot be avoided, but are more of a surprise than dangerous. Has a number of pump features, which are rare outside pump and jump parks. Red is pretty rocky, but the entire system is a lot of fun. Definitely worth a trip! Really nice trail map available at www.winmantrails.com
Just rode this again in October 2015. Trail builders must have been busy over summer because some nice added features. Lots of fun.
Great everything - design, signage, flow. Fast and fun. All different types of trails from beginner to expert and they are expanding and putting money into improvements every year. Any reviews that say the trail markings are bad are outdated. As of now they have the best trail markings I have seen with maps at every hub. Also have a beautiful lodge with bathrooms and changing rooms. Best in Wisconsin in my opinion.
| ThankI've been riding this for years. The design and flow are unmatched within 200 miles. I consider this a MUST RIDE location.
| ThankGreat for everyone. Send it was awesome.
| ThankUPDATE:
Wrote a review last year and gave only 4/5 stars. I was frustrated by the lack of good markings, and still think these could use some improvement in differentiating the similarly color marked trails. (trail difficulty markings would help this immensely). However, after my second yearly trip visiting the trails, they started to make more sense (along with in depth studying of the maps before my ride). I didn't get lost. But that's not to say a new rider might not fare that well. That said, without as much worry about trail marking this time around, my impression improved to 5/5 stars.
| ThankAmazing flowy trail system just north of Manitowish Waters.
| ThankLots of fun for the family. Loved the twins peak path. My son would have road this over and over and over again!!! Well done!
| ThankI rode 'most' of the trails in this system over two days. I found the trails I rode were really well done, and fun. The downhills were on point (with berms and nice flow), but the uphills felt sluggish and didn't ride as well as some of the uphills I've seen designed of late. I've ridden trails where the uphill grind seems minimized by well thought out pumps, or by switchbacks, but these trails left me feeling like I was often hitting an uphill that put me out of rhythm (not sure if that makes sense). Overall, I really liked these trails and will be back. The downhills and flow definitely outweigh the slightly off uphills. These trails are a gem.
My only "major" critique is the trail markings. The trail designers put a lot of effort into marking the trails (and there are a LOT of markings and maps). Problem is these maps are small (hard to read for those with eyes over 40), and the colors of some trails are similar to others. The maps were useless to me, and I just relied on the larger colored arrows placed everywhere. I ran into an issue when I was looking for the Green "Expert" trail, when I was directed to a "Beginner" trail using a different shade of green arrow. This long beginner trail was hell... long uncut grass through a boggy sluggish never-ending hill, brimming with mosquito death squads... (honest folks, I'm not one to get lost on MTB trails). Had I written the review immediately after that portion of my ride, this trail would have gotten 2/5. Luckily the trail system redeemed itself by me continuing my ride on a few other loops of the system.
In short, this is the best trail I've ridden in far northern WI (in the last 5 years), but I'd suggest the trail owners add trail difficulty markers to the colored arrows.
| ThankReally nice trail system with something for everyone. Most of the trails were open and in good condition when I rode today, but a few of the more technical ones were still closed from spring thaw. The owner seems really nice and did a great job designing the trails. Definitely worth riding if you're in the area!
| ThankWho would have thought some of the best snow biking conditions of the year would be in April. Awesome fun groomed trails. Fun and flowy. Nothing difficult is groomed.
| ThankTrails are very well kept and more is being added all the time. Good smooth xc riding with a few jump sections and even a small downhill spot.
| ThankMade a detour here on the way to Copper Harbor. Awesome trail with flow, features. Taken care of very well. Cool owner. Wish it wasn't almost 5 hours from my house, otherwise I'd ride it as much as possible! Good place to work on skills, even has some jump lines.
| ThankLove this trail. Super fun and fast. This is my family's favorite trail. If you get a chance to ride it you, do it. You will fall in love.
| ThankBeautiful north woods scenery! My wife and I couldn't get into the flow here. Too many intersections means stopping frequently to figure out where you are and where you want to go next (Cuyuna has the same problem and is removing many intersections this year). Some berms are needing rebuilt after the spring storms. A long drive for very few miles.
| ThankOne of the best trailsand most maintained trails I've seen. It has just about everything to long weaving singletrack to an AMAZING dirt jump track
| ThankMAKE THE DRIVE!!! These trails are very well maintained, have excellent maps at every intersection so first timers don't get lost, and are just plain fun!!! My son and I went out in the morning, went for lunch at a little pub near there, and then decided to go back and do the trails in the afternoon! Not only that, but we double backed up the trail to do sections 3 to 4 times in a row.
I would loved to have been able to do the High Five jump line, but my limited skill (and a high deductible) prevented me from venturing that far. Would love if they add a Low Five jump line. (A copy cat of the High Five, but half as high...that way old farts like me can feel like they are getting massive air) :)
Kudos to whoever is maintaining this trail and building it. Keep up the GREAT work!!!
| ThankI'm in love! Wow, not sure where to start... This was a sweet little surprise in the Wisconsin North Woods. These guys have built an amazingly fun set of trails that were very well maintained and a ton of fun. Truly something for all skill levels. My wife (beginner/intermediate) and I (advanced) spent a couple of hours exploring every orifice of this gem, and we both had an absolute blast. For her, all of the technical obstacles had optional ride-arounds, and for me, there was a ton of flowy, rip-roaring fun. If you visit, you may find yourself pricing homes close by...
| ThankA fantastic trail. There was really never a dull moment as unlike most trails where you have long rides with fewer fun stuff interspersed, this trail is the exact opposite where uneventful rides were few and far between.
For the rider that loves jumps, tables, and pump-track-esque sections, this should be your nirvana.
Overall the difficulty is low, but the fun is high!
| ThankWhat a pleasant surprise this trail was! It's not a huge network and it's not in a MTB-intensive area, but the mostly tight and twisty trails of WinMan are consistently amusing. This is a great area for novice and intermediate cyclists looking to up their game as well since there are plenty of mild stunt opportunities with optional ride-arounds. Even the one "advanced" trail wouldn't scare most riders, yet all the trails can be fun. These trails are both pedally and flowy and the amount of climbing seems to be less than usually required to have this much fun.
| ThankWhat a dream come true! It's probably not a totally fair assessment coming from me (all my MTB hours have been in Florida with a short blip in AZ before now) but wow. Maybe even wowie wow wow... it's everything I was told and more. The local bike shop (BJ's) in Minocqua recommended Winman as an alternative to the Raven Trail (which is just outside town and quite lovely in its own right), touting it as very flowy and excellent for riders of all abilities. They weren't kidding.
Lots of whoop-de-whoops, berms, a number of pump-track/dirt jump features and some technical elements you can bypass if you choose. Even the uphill climbs were fun without tiring us out with the occasional downhill blip to help push you back up the hill. The trail is very peaceful and scenic, winding through the woods, past a pond, and through some lovely hills.
| ThankNice flowing trails with few tight switchbacks. Has a number of technical challenges, most of which can be bypassed. This is especially helpful in the first few circuits. Some precipitous drops cannot be avoided, but are more of a surprise than dangerous. Has a number of pump features, which are rare outside pump and jump parks. Red is pretty rocky, but the entire system is a lot of fun. Definitely worth a trip! Really nice trail map available at www.winmantrails.com
| ThankJust rode this again in October 2015. Trail builders must have been busy over summer because some nice added features. Lots of fun.