Gopher Dunes facts for kids
| Canada’s Toughest Track | |
|---|---|
| Location | 4385 Norfolk 59 Courtland, Ontario, Canada N0J 1E0 |
| Time zone | UTC−05:00 |
| Owner | Frank and Barb Schuster (founders of GoPHER Dunes, Inc.) |
| Operator | GoPHER Dunes, Inc. |
| Broke ground | 1986 |
| Opened | 1987 |
| Major events | Dirt track racing |
Gopher Dunes is a super cool dirt track located near Courtland in Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada. It's a popular spot for dirt bike and quad riders. Many local businesses and even well-known restaurants like Wendy's and Kelsey's Neighbourhood Bar & Grill help support the track.
Contents
About Gopher Dunes
Gopher Dunes is known around the world as one of the toughest tracks out there. Riders need to be in great shape to tackle its challenges! The park has about 26 kilometers (that's about 16 miles) of trails. It also has a special track just for younger riders, which is much shorter. All these tracks are spread out over 20 acres of land.
Tracks for All Ages
The smaller track, sometimes called the "pee-wee" track, is perfect for younger riders. It's designed for motorbikes up to 125cc (like a Suzuki DR-Z 125) and quads up to 110cc. The "cc" stands for cubic centimeters and tells you how big the engine is. You'll often see Dirt bikes on the main track, as Gopher Dunes encourages both fun riding and organized races.
Training and Races
If you want to improve your riding skills, Gopher Dunes offers training for riders. You can also get a membership to use the tracks regularly. The track hosts big events like CMRC Pro National races and "Mudfest." These are part of organized racing seasons where professional riders compete. Gopher Dunes is considered one of the most difficult tracks on the national racing tour!
A Muddy Wedding!
Something really unique happened at Gopher Dunes! A couple named Nick and Mrs. Zavitz from St. Thomas, Ontario, decided to get married right in the mud! They were deep in the main mud pit, wearing their tow straps. Instead of throwing rice, a group of quad riders pulled up in front of their special "wedding car" (a Trans Am on a pickup truck chassis) and sprayed the happy couple with mud! It was definitely a wedding to remember.
Perfect Riding Weather
In recent years, especially during the summers of 2016 and 2017, the weather has been just right for riding at Gopher Dunes. Both professional riders and people riding for fun have enjoyed how well their vehicles perform on the track.
