250 Mile Shore to Shore - Virtual Edition hosted by WARHORSE Endurance

This virtual event follows the actual route of the in person Shore to Shore Endurance Ride across the great state of Michigan and is in support of  Great Lakes Distance Riding Association (GLDRA) & the future of endurance riding.  The in person Shore to Shore Endurance Ride spanned four decades thanks to GLDRA and volunteers. 

Hosted by WARHORSE Endurance® in partnership with GLDRA – Great Lakes Distance Riding Association

 

Founded in 1985 by Rhoda Ritter, the Michigan Shore to Shore Distance Ride became one of the Midwest’s most iconic endurance traditions — a true 250-mile, five-day journey from Lake Huron in Oscoda to Lake Michigan in Empire.

After 34 consecutive years, the ride paused in 2018. In 2025, it returned as a special 40th anniversary, one-time-only commemorative event led by Ride Manager Barb Kurti, with original staff including Dr. Rae Mayer and Bruce Birr helping preserve its historic character.

The 250 Mile Shore to Shore Virtual Edition honors that legacy while supporting GLDRA’s continued efforts to strengthen endurance riding and preserve the trail system that makes cross-state rides possible.

At the same time, it gives you a powerful personal goal: 250 conditioning miles logged at your own pace, wherever you ride. Build fitness. Stay consistent. Ride with purpose.

 
🌲 THE ONLINE SHORE TO SHORE JOURNAL
All participants will receive an email for exclusive access to the interactive Shore to Shore Online Journal.

Inside the journal, you have an interactive map, a ride camp and your own journal where you can:

• Visit your own “ride camp” where you can add your horses — and even your dogs
• Log and track miles throughout the challenge
• Watch your stats accumulate across the full 250 miles as you unlock milestones. 
• Compete to see your progress on a community leaderboard

 

Trail Statistics

The journal carries your numbers with you from start to finish!  As you log your miles the Trail Statistics will begin to add up overall and for each horse or dog you are tracking with.   You will see how many rides or walks, total miles, trail progress and days you have shown up to ride or walk!  Seeing this laid out can make the journey visible, motivating, and fun.  Each horse and dog also carries their own stats over this 250 mile journey, you can log with one horse or many, riding only or combine your hiking miles it is all up to you! 

 
THE AWARDS
Participants will receive an exclusive, limited-edition awards packet including:

• Shore to Shore belt buckle
• Embroidered patch
• Official event sticker
• Metal sign & a bracelet.

Shipping is included within the U.S.
International participants are welcome; additional overseas shipping will be invoiced prior to mailing.

🌲 Join the WARHORSE CHALLENGES Community
Your miles don’t have to be ridden alone!  We are here to cheer you on & want to be a part of your journey. 

Participants are warmly invited to join the WARHORSE CHALLENGES Facebook group — our welcoming online campfire where riders from across the country (and beyond) share their journeys.

Inside the group, you’ll find:

• Photos from the trail
• Conditioning updates and milestone celebrations
• Stories about horses, dogs, and daily progress
• Videos from training rides

• Encouragement from riders working toward similar goals

It’s a place built around the miles and the smiles — steady progress, supportive accountability, and genuine camaraderie.

Whether you’re riding sandy trails in Michigan or logging miles somewhere entirely different, you’ll find others saddling up, driving, hiking or walking with their dogs/horses/family/friends.

Share your journey & the beauty from your trails with the group. Cheer others on. Celebrate every mile.

We’d love to have you there.

 

*Shore to Shore Endurance Ride is owned and hosted by GLDRA; this virtual edition is offered in partnership to support and promote the continued growth of endurance riding. 

** The Shore-to-Shore Trail in Michigan is primarily maintained by volunteers, particularly through the Michigan Trail Riders Association (MTRA), which oversees various sections of the 200+ mile trail. Maintenance includes clearing fallen trees, trimming vegetation, managing drainage, and trail repairs.