A Guide To Minn. Snowmobile Trails

By Anna Berend

The thing I love most about Minnesotans is that despite the groaning and complaining about the inevitable change from fall to winter, which means frigid temperatures and snow piled deep and wide, covering every outdoor surface for months on end, everyone still emerges from the cozy warmth of their abodes to come out and play, exercise and continue on with everyday life.

There is no shortage of outdoor winter fun to be had in the Minnesota whether it's downhill skiing, ice skating, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, ice fishing or racing through the snow on a snowmobile.

In Minnesota, snowmobile trails criss-cross the whole state like a map tiny arteries with over 20,000 miles of trails. The trails range from wide-open prairies to dense forests, low to high populations and short to long distances. With over 200,000 snowmobiles registered in the state of Minnesota, you can bet there are many snowmobiling opportunities to be had.

Snowmobile clubs are responsible for much of the grooming, mapping and working with landowners to gain permission to pass over private property. The clubs also work closely with MN Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to help fund the clubs and provide such well-groomed, safe trails throughout the state. MN requires a Snowmobile State Trail sticker for all snowmobiles running on state or grant-in-aid trails.

It's always best to check the trail conditions online and/or call the trail contact for an update on the weather and the trail before heading out on a trail.

To locate trails, learn more information about MN snowmobile clubs and state requirements, check these websites:

For state laws and regulations, maps, safety information and more, check out the MN DNR website.

The MN United Snowmobilers Association has great trail maps, trail conditions and trail contacts listed, plus everything you need to know about joining this organization that's vital to snowmobiling in MN.

This website also has MN trails listed, along with any trail conditions and ratings available.

While some of this information is similar to the other websites, there is lodging and other travel information also listed here, for those planning snowmobile trips.

Anna Berend is an attorney and the author of Motherly Law Blog. On Motherly Law, Anna writes about legal issues that affect families and offers tips and resources that pertain to those legal topics. On occasion, inspiration strikes and Anna writes about something totally unrelated to the law. You can find Anna at www.motherlylaw.com, on Facebook at Motherly Law and on Twitter @MotherlyLaw.