Categories for News & Events

Winter Trail Grooming at the DTE Energy Trail

The DTE Energy Trail has been groomed for Fat Biking

Here’s the current trail map

DTE Energy Foundation Trail Adopt-a-Segment Program

We get many inquiries from folks about how they can volunteer for trail work at DTE. Well, it is your lucky day! We are re-opening our DTE Energy Foundation Trail Adopt-a-Segment Program to the public today. Read the text on the Sign-Up Genius link below. Most things are explained there. The only thing we’ll reiterate here is that, if you sign-up to adopt a section, please make sure you are willing and able to commit to the adoption – not unlike picking up a new pet at the Humane Society. As stated on the page, we will be having a Zoom meeting in early April to go over section adoption protocols and procedures. All slots at this point are on a first-come-first-served basis.

Thanks in advance to all of our great volunteers who help make DTE one of the best trails around!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f054faca72da4fb6-dtetrail

Check out the video of the DTE Energy Trail

Brad Parsons, Media Production Specialist, with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources produced a video overview of the trail. The video can be viewed here

Poto MBA partners with TRAFx Infrared Trail Counters

Poto MBA is proud to partner with TRAFx Infrared Trail Counters to use their trail counter technology in tracking mountain bike user numbers at the DTE Energy Foundation Trail.  With the help of TRAFx, we are able to obtain great empirical data on our user numbers at the trail.  Such data is invaluable in assessing the trail’s economic impact to the community, as well as, is vital in obtaining future governmental grant funds.

Sugar Loop Grand Opening

Mark your calendar to save the date for the Sugar Loop grand opening at the DTE Energy Foundation Trail. The Sugar Loop is under construction and it is expected to open on Saturday, August 24, 2019. Event hosted by the Potawatomi Mountain Biking Association, REI and the DTE Energy Foundation Trail. Please stay tuned for additional information about the event.

Location 📍: Cassidy Lot
https://goo.gl/maps/EPfh7APVPbLy3dZv6

Rain Date: Sunday, August 25, 2019

Winter Trail Grooming at DTE Energy Foundation Trail!

Please Help Support the Costs of Winter Trail Grooming at DTE Energy Foundation Trail

Please purchase a grooming badge and sticker from us for $25 if you use the groomed trails at DTE this winter.  All badge proceeds go into grooming costs – fuel, equipment maintenance, etc.  Grooming badges will be mailed out on Friday of each week.  Please display them proudly, hanging them from your saddle, pack or jacket so that everyone can see you are a supporter!

Purchase DTE Trail Grooming Badge

https://squareup.com/store/PotoMBA/

This winter, the Potawatomi Mountain Biking Association is embarking on an effort to give DTE Energy Foundation Trail users an epic “Four Season” trail experience.

We have planned out three groomed loops at DTE to give fat tire bikers, cross-country skiers and snowshoers the ultimate winter flow trail experience. The three loops will include all of the Green Lake Loop, the “lowland” parts of Big Kame just west of Green Lake Loop, and (hopefully!) all of the 8 mile Winn Loop which formally opened last August. These three groomed loops – Green Lake (5.2 miles), Kame Lowlands (just over 1 mile) and Winn Loop (8 miles) – will provide just over 14 miles of winter groomed trail to explore.

Grooming costs money!

The Poto Chapter uses a snowmobile and a recently purchased Snowdog track sled to groom with two different propriety singletrack groomers designed by Helzemco, a design, prototyping and fabricating engineering firm located just north of Chelsea. The Snowdog groomer cost around $4,000. Add to this the costs of fuel for the groomers and parts, maintenance and labor, and grooming becomes a worthwhile, but costly endeavor! For this reason, we are asking you, our groomed trail users, for targeting giving to fund the costs of grooming at DTE. If you are a regular groomed trail user at DTE, please consider donating to the cause. This is best done by clicking below and paying directly into our DTE Trail Grooming Fund.

The groomed portions of the trail have just recently been marked with maps and directions. Look for signage and maps on the trail and at the trail head off M-52. We will also soon be identifying each of the three loops with the DTE Winter Trail Groom Arctic Fox logo on this page. Green Loop will be marked with fluorescent green versions of the logo, Kame Lowlands with fluoro blue and Winn with fluoro orange. We will also be posting more information on groomed trail etiquette on the trail head kiosk.

What is “Winter Groomed Trail Etiquette”?

When sufficient snowfall exists on the trail (typically 4”-5” or more) such that it would impede regular foot and bike use, we will be grooming the trail to provide for a hard, compacted trail tread (surface). While this trail tread is firm, it still does not lend itself to normal season foot and bike tire use. Normal foot use will “post hole” (create deep depressions) and normal bike tire use (under 3.8”) will “pizza cut” (create deep, meandering channels) in the groomed tread, rendering it less-than-satisfying for all users. For this reason, when trail is groomed, it is:

ONLY OPEN FOR USE BY FAT TIRE BIKERS, CROSS-COUNTRY SKIERS AND SNOWSHOERS.

The equipment utilized for these uses all create “floatation” which suspend the user on the top of the trail tread without “breaking through”. We respectfully ask that normal foot and narrower tire mountain bikes stay off the groomed trail and turn their use to the plethora of other non-groomed trails and pathways in the local area. Fat tire bikes should be over 3.8” in width, and run under 10 p.s.i. in each tire (around 5 p.s.i. is typical).

For updates on groomed trail conditions throughout the winter, please visit our DTE Trail Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/dtetrail

DTE Trail – Winter Snow Grooming Map (PDF Document)

Enjoy your winter trail experience!

Follow link below to donate to the DTE Trail Grooming Fund.

Donate to the DTE Trail Grooming Fund

https://squareup.com/store/PotoMBA/

Winn Loop Grand Opening

Join us for the grand opening of the Winn Loop! The celebration will take place on August 25th, 2018 from 10am – 2pm (Rain date – August 26th), at the new parking lot located at 16500 Cassidy Road in Chelsea.

Ribbon cutting is precisely at 10:30am, followed by the first open use of the trail. We will also have some additional surprises.

For most current updates follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/dtetrail/

DTE Trail – Adopt a Segment

Did you know that the maintenance needs of the DTE Energy Foundation Trail are higher than EVER before

The DTE Trail has more trail mileage than ever before! AWESOME!!! But, it’s a significant increase in maintenance for an extremely small volunteer base.

We still have trail to build at DTE. But, the Green Lake and Big Kame loops are now well established and have transitioned into maintenance mode.

Our Trail Coordinators are seeking trail section adopters, regular mowing help, and routine maintenance on these loops.

We are actively seeking YOUR help. This means you! And your brother. And your friends. And their friends, too. If you would like to help, please see the developed maps (Green Lake map and Big Kame map) for section adoption and a Sign Up Genius for volunteers. Reserve your section today before it’s gone!! You may also email volunteer@3.232.226.150 if you have questions specifically about maintenance needs at DTE.

Never volunteered before? Not sure what a section adopter means? You can click here for a reference guide.

Thanks for volunteering! Don’t forget to log your volunteer hours! Tracking the time you contribute to a trail and reporting it is one of the most important things you can do to help us build and maintain great relationships with land managers.

DTE Energy Foundation Trail on the Radio

Tune into 1290 WLBY-AM radio on August 8th at 8:15am. The DTE Energy Foundation Trail will be featured on the Chelsea Chamber of Commerce weekly interview on the Lucy Ann Lance show.

Poto MBA receives DNR’s Partners in Conservation Award