Wisconsin Trail Pass

I was poking around the Burlington Sno-Snoopers website to see if the trails were going to open today and stumbled across Act 142. Looks like beginning next year you will need a $30 trail pass to ride on Wisconsin Snowmobile Trails. Here are the details: What You Need to Know About the New WI Trail Pass – WI Act 142 (CAP – Club Assistance Program) 1. When does this new law go into effect? July, 2015. Act 142 requires each snowmobile operating on trails to display a WI Trail Pass to be purchased annually. This is separate from the WI snowmobile registration. 2. What is the cost of the trail pass? Once Act 142 is implemented, if your membership dues with one of the nearly 600 AWSC snowmobile clubs statewide are up to date and the club has paid your AWSC dues, the cost of the Trail Pass will be $10. If you are purchasing the new Trail Pass and are NOT an AWSC and snowmobile club member the cost will be $30 per snowmobile. 3. Do I have to join a club? No – It will be your choice to join one of the nearly 600 AWSC snowmobile clubs statewide. Please remember that without the clubs and volunteers there would be NO TRAILS! It is the club volunteers that provide and maintain the WI Snowmobile Trail System. 4. Where do the funds from the trail pass go? The revenue generated from the sale of snowmobile registrations and Trail Passes will go into the state snowmobile program’s segregated fund. 5. How do I obtain my trail pass? Those details and processes have yet to be determined by the State along with the AWSC. 6. Do I still have to register my snowmobile with the State of WI? Yes, however the registration fee structure will change to a $30/3 year registration. Currently it is $30/2 years. 7. Is the Out of State (Non-Resident) trail pass going to increase in cost? Yes, it will increase to $50 from $35 (current).

They are checking too, big time! Just got back from a weekend trip up to Vilas Cty. My buddy had just purchased his trail pass, and had the receipt in his wallet. The first place we stopped a warden asked him for his receipt as he didn't see the sticker on the windshield.

According to the snowmobile club that I'm in, trail officials are accepting printed receipts from passes purchased on the DNR website while riders wait for their stickers. Just an FYI.

Here is a link to the website: http://dnr.wi.gov/permits/snowtrailpass.htm

Lakeshiner, I agree with you. I called the DNR and was told that same info. I only use my sled for fishing and live on an avenue that is an access to Lake Superior. I was told that I would not require the pass.

The rule basically is you need the pass if on a marked trail. You can use them on private property or on a lake without a pass as long as you are not on a trail.

Do you need the "trail pass" if only using sleds on lakes for ice fishing?

For anyone who has not purchased their trail pass, don't wait until the last minute. Just read this on the Sayner Barnstorms Webpage: Trail passes will not be available directly over the counter. You can apply for them anywhere hunting licenses are sold, but they will be sent to you from the DNR via snail-mail. They will come to the address the DNR has in their system. This applies to $30 passes for sleds registered in Wisconsin and the $50 trail pass for non-Wisconsin registered snowmobiles. If you are eligible for the $10 discounted trail pass, you must apply for the trail pass(s) through the AWSC. This can be done one of 4 ways. 1 – You will be able to order on-line (link not yet available). 2 – You can order by phone with a credit card. 3 – You can order by mail with a credit card. 4 – You can also stop at the AWSC office in Deforest Wisconsin and order directly. Before you contact the AWSC and apply: be sure you are a current club member and have your AWSC membership number in hand. Also be sure you have you current Wisconsin snowmobile registration number(s) in hand.

Yes, should be able to. Online they wanted the snowmobile registration number, so maybe bring that. You will save a bit if you join a snowmobile club first. Once you get a membership number, it gets linked when you buy a sticker. I joined because a buddy has been a member of a club locally, easy to tag along. Yes, I'll help as able with trail duties.

I'm assuming you can pick up at a local DNR Service Station?

Just ordered two today, easy through the DNR website. Yes I did join a local club first, to get the member number. We are a ways off, but didn't want to try to rush the process.

TTT The new trail passes are out. Took 2 weeks for mine to come back. Don't wait till the snow flys or you might be sittin instead of riding.