About Snowmobile ND

Snowmobile North Dakota is a state organization made up of snowmobile clubs and individuals / family and business memberships.The organization is composed of 45 clubs, 1,000+ individual / family memberships, and 30+ business memberships. Together these clubs and members make up 14 trail associations in North Dakota.  Each trail association has contracted with North Dakota Parks and Recreation to maintain the states trail system which consists of 3,419 miles of marked and groomed trails.  The snowmobile trails are located throughout the entire state of North Dakota and travel through very serine areas such as the Pembina Gorge and the Turtle Mountains.  There are also some key snowmobile trails which travel near the Sheyenne and James rivers.  Most of the trails have a loop system providing a variety of riding even beginners can enjoy.  Also, many feeder trails connect to this system to provide unlimited riding possibilities.  For more information regarding the trail associations please review the trail association section of the website.  All of Snowmobile North Dakota’s snowmobile trails are open from December 1 until April 1 when snow conditions are permitting. Be sure to check the area you are riding as some exceptions exist.

Marking and maintaining this system is a time consuming and expensive proposition beginning well before the snow flies.  A few of the tasks which are completed before the trails open include:  securing land leases for all of the properties the trails cross, providing insurance for the land owners and leases, trimming all of the trails to remove any hazardous branches or other hazards, and properly signing each trail system to help ensure safe travel while riding on North Dakota’s state snowmobile trails.  However, user caution is the most important safety factor all snowmobilers must remember.  Also, any systems which cross the ice must be checked for the thickness and condition of the ice before opening the trail. All groomer operators must attend meetings to update them on the latest procedures in order to operate a groomer and groom the state snowmobile trails. Snowmobile North Dakota maintains a fleet of 14 groomers which are used throughout the state.  Each groomer is strategically placed according to the amount of miles in the trail association and the terrain which must be crossed in order to groom. The organization also uses a few contract groomers in order to help with the demand for grooming.  The contract groomers assist in maintaining the 3,500 miles of snowmobile trail North Dakota has to offer.  Most of the trail systems are groomed once a week during the peak snow season.

Snowmobile North Dakota receives its funding through North Dakota Parks and Recreation from registration fees and a portion of federal gas tax refunds. However, Snowmobile North Dakota cannot provide enough funding to groom the trails all season, so much local funding is needed. In order to purchase new equipment, Snowmobile North Dakota applies for Recreation Trail Program (RTP) funds.  RTP is a program administered at the state level through the North Dakota Parks & Recreation Department.  The funds were established to assist local communities and trail groups in the development, maintenance or rehabilitation of motorized, non-motorized, and multi-use recreational trails.  None of the Snowmobile North Dakota generated funds from memberships and the Sno-Dak News advertising is used for grooming or equipment.

Since the registration of your snowmobile is an important part of the funding for snowmobile trails, all sleds on the state trail system must be licensed in your home state. North Dakota welcomes out-of-state and out-of-country snowmobile riders.  Those from out-of-state coming to enjoy the state snowmobile trails must purchase an out-of-state snowmobile pass for $15. Riders whom are 12 years old or older, and do not have a valid drivers license, can ride the state trails provided they have taken a snowmobile safety course and have the safety certificate in their possession. For more information on the out-of-state snowmobile pass and snowmobile safety program contact the North Dakota Parks & Recreation Department at 701-328-5357. All sleds traveling on the state trail system must also carry liability insurance.

The speed limit on the state trail system is the same as the posted speed if traveling in a road ditch, otherwise the speed is reasonable and prudent.

Most trail work is accomplished with the support of many volunteers; however, Snowmobile North Dakota does have one paid employee: Keri Wanner, the Program Manager.  Snowmobile North Dakota maintains an office in Bismarck, North Dakota in the North Dakota Parks and Recreation office at 1600 East Century Avenue, Suite 3, Bismarck N.D. 58503.  You may contact the office at 701-328-5377 or by emailing SND. For trail conditions dial 1-800-HELLO-ND.