Snowmobiling is no fun when there is no snow. Watching your $14,000 investment sit on a trailer with a cover on it in late December stinks! Now that we have some snow in the in the upper regions of New York, Massachusetts and Vermont, let's find some trails close to home. There are some smaller clubs that maintain awesome trails and some bigger ones that incorporate groups of land owners and associations. Season trail passes for many of these clubs run from about $30 to $100 a year. Some have volunteer stipulations for trail maintenance.

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If you are new to snowmobiling, check out the New York State Snowmobile Association. Membership provides you with an interactive map of trails and clubs wherever you are traveling in New York with your snowmobile or you want to rent. The membership also saves you money registration, business discounts and includes snowmobiling publications. Massachusetts and Vermont also have a snowmobile association with similar benefits. If you belong to any registered clubs in New York, you are automatically a member of the New York State Snowmobile Association.

Snow mobile in blizzard through the woods and forest
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Ok, time to get out on the trails. Let's start with the Saratoga Snowmobile Association. According to their website the association "was created in 2020 by merging two successful clubs in the Northwestern section of Saratoga County, the Mulleyville and Sacandaga Snowmobile Clubs. Located in the Southern Adirondack Region, the Mulleyville and Sacandaga Snowmobile Clubs have been maintaining and grooming snowmobile trails there since their inception in the early 90’s. The two clubs maintain approximately 70 miles of funded and unfunded trails of the Kayaderosseras Mountain Range, including The Great Sacandaga Lake at the base of the mountain to Lake Desolation up near its top." A family membership for the club is only $35.

Snowmobilers on trail near Minocqua, Wisconsin.
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Our next destination is about an hour east in Otis, Massachusetts. Knox Trail Sno-Riders, Inc. is a snowmobile club located in East Otis, MA . According to their website, "Its purpose is to promote the sport of snowmobiling and maintain an infrastructure of cleared , marked, and groomed snowmobile trails across private and public property. Formed in 1971, the club has been helping to provide a great riding experience in the Southern Berkshires region for over 50 years." A yearly trail pass is $90.

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Those of you that would like to get a taste of snowmobiling without jumping into a large investment, we have the place for you. Stratton Adventures in Manchester, Vermont is a little more than an hour ride from Albany and they have awesome programs for beginners. You can learn to ride and experience some very cool evening rides through some amazing trails.

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If you are getting out there this weekend, remember that extreme temperatures can effect how your snowmobile operates. Don't get caught out in the woods with -20 below windchills. Have fun and be safe.

Snowmobile rider enjoying fresh powder near Lake of the Woods, Oregon.
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