took the h3 to the dunes for the first time a couple weeks ago. i have to say it is the best handling and most fun vehicle i have ever driven in the sand. i've been going to silver lake for 20 years and have had many different vehicles up there. funny thing is i've been buildinga chevy pick up strictly for the sand and when im done im afraid i wont like it as much as the h3! anybody ever get to silver lake? would like to see and meet some forum members. the family and i have a camper on a seasonal lot within a mile of the park, so we will be there a lot this year. hope to see some of you there! will post some pics once i resize them.

 

never been there and probably never will beings how I am in san diego california...but I have to agree with you on the fun in the sand part, I took it down in Baja a couple weeks ago, inland Baja...and it was awesome in the sand, we were doing about 80 across a dry lake bed which was a few inches of sand/fine dirt and it handled like a Baja 500 trophy truck. Came across some big bumps but the H3 just floated over them. I postes some pics under the post " H3 in Baja"...here a couple, do you have any? wouldnt mind seeing them

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I cant wait to go there. Never been but definately going this year since its just an hour drive away.

 

Will be going second weekend in August. Monday to Lake Otsego and run the trails, two tracks, powerlines, and backwoods. Then to Silver lake. I have a flag from my old Jimmy and made a bracket for the Jimmy off the right side tow hook. I need some ideas on a flag bracket for the HUMMER H3. Any input would be appreciated.

My trusty, not rusty, 1995 Jimmy was a blast on the Dunes. JBA Headers, March underdrive pulleys, K & N filter, Borla exhaust, Jet PCM, Accel and Jacobs ignition, 3 in. Superlift, 31 in. All-Terrain BFGs......wee ha. Hope the Hummer can do so well, it is a LOT heavier and doesn't pack much of a punch, but the off road platform is much better!! We shall see. J

 

Hi Hotrod! Where exactly is this place? What state is it in? Sounds like a good time. Sand dunes are not anything like we do off-roading I would assume since it's mostly flat hilly areas. Is that safe to say (or, saying even pansies that don't want to get a finger print on their Hummers can go there as well)

 

Hummer Guy: Doc Olds here. Silver Lake MI, west side of the state about an hour 20mins or so north of grand rapids. Monster dunes!!!!! I could send some pics. My kids love it, Craig's Cruisers is right there, go carts, bumper boats, yadda yadda. Most fun.....Dunes in the day, go carts, bumper boats in the evening, grillin and chillin after. J

 

That's awsome. We are just outside of Chicago. That would be a great weekend trip. Do you think the dunes are OK for people who have side steps where they wouldn't have to modify their rigs to play there? That would be a great place for our club to have an outting.

 

Just was in Chicago last week. Drove the wife's ride. Took the kids and Nieces and nephew to Sedd Aquarium. I'm broke now, but we had big fun. The taste was a bash.

Now to respond to your question, you could most definitely run the dunes. You can go to the Michigan.gov web site under DNR or State Parks, or just search Silver Lake sand Dunes, MI and you will find lots of info on the requirements. You need a state park sticker/day pass, dune voucher (weekends only cause it can get crowded) an orv sticker....and they make you ..MANDITORY.. run your tires at 10-14 PSI, they have air stations to fill em back up when you leave. You can run on the easy stuff, or go bananas and climb some monsters, like "Test Truck Hill" 440 feet like straight up!! Never ran the Hummer there yet, but I have seen many there. Your nerf bars should fare ok, the top of the biggest dunes breakover pretty sharp, which can result in you touching the belly as you throttle over the top. Just use some caution. FYI roll up the windows before a big climb cause that sand flys everywhere, including in the back widows all over your kids/passengers. I have met my brother and family from Chicago there many times. It is appx 220miles from Chicago, and the same from Detroit. Great fun I promise!

 

Whoops, I forgot. The whole reason for my post is you have to run with a flag on the front...they sell them there...go to the General store, the have collapsible ones, or you can rent them...8 foot tall I think... MANDITORY. So I'm going to fabricate a bracket, off the tow hook but I was looking for Ideas from hotrodthom, since he has been there with the H3.

 

That's awsome. Our group of mid-westerners are trying to be a bit more active in the off-roading adventure scene but our schedules are so half-*** that it's hard for all of us to get together. The Badlands is great fun though. The reason I asked about the nerf bars is because alot of people don't want to go off-roading if they have to take things off the truck (some don't know how, and some might not want to). After everything I'm doing to my truck in the next few weeks, I may slip into that catagory of "might not want to" but for now I'm ok.

I'm going to check this place out. 220 miles is not far at all. Is it big enough to accomodate the crowds you are talking about?