Oneida County has announced the final closure of trails county wide – as of 8:00 am Tuesday March 24.
We hope you have enjoyed riding our Minocqua Forest Rider Trails this season.
Link to the full PSA is below.
Spring is officially here and it brings the end of the snowmobiling season. After the snows of the past week, the temperatures have warmed into the 40s and even 50s and the new snow is largely gone. We have not had our groomers going out when temperatures are above freezing. As of Mar 23, road weight restrictions begin in Minocqua, so we cannot send the grooming machines out. There has not been an official announcement from Oneida County, but for all practical purposes the Forest Riders snowmobile trails are not ride-able and should be considered closed for the season.
Oneida County trails will re-open Tuesday 3/17 at 8:00 a.m. There are exceptions – read the attached PSA for full details. Forest Rider volunteer groomers are out today grooming trails in advance of re-opening.
Exceptions in the Forest Riders trail system are:
Minocqua Forest Riders:
The spillway over the Willow River is not frozen and not passable, so all trails south of this area are closed.
Trail 5 (southern half) from TIN 524 to TIN 509 (Lincoln County Line)
Trail 8 (western half) from TIN 522 to TIN 502 (Price County Line)
Trail 8 from TIN 524 to TIN 463
Trail I from TIN 536 to TIN 460
Below is the text of a PSA from Oneida County announcing trail closure as of Friday, March 6, 8:00 a.m.
DATE: March 5, 2026
TO: News Media (And Other Interested Persons) FROM: Oneida County Forestry Department
RE: Oneida County Snowmobile Trail System
THE ONEIDA COUNTY SNOWMOBILE TRAIL SYSTEM, INCLUDING ALL STATE FUNDED AND CLUB FUNDED TRAILS, WILL CLOSE AS OF 8:00 AM, FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 2026.
At this time, the trails are temporarily closed and may reopen when/if weather and trail conditions improve. The Oneida County Snowmobile Ordinance prohibits snowmobiles from operating on the trails when closed.
Please feel free to follow the local snowmobile clubs on their social media accounts for updates.
Contact
Trail reports from groomers out Thur night (2/26) and Fri morning (2/27) all report trails in very good condition. With warm weather today, we will be on a partial grooming schedule tonight awaiting the return of sub-freezing temperatures. Be cautious of icy areas. Logging on Trail G and parts of Trail 12W has these sections down to bare gravel.
Other Trail Updates
Groomer Tracker App (download links)
AWSC Membership $18.00 per year July 1 - June 30
You must be an AWSC member AND a member of a club to purchase a discounted trail pass.
Trail pass cost with AWSC & club membership is $10 per sled
Trail pass cost without AWSC & club membership is $30 per sled
1.) Renew your club membership first.
- We send in AWSC membership renewals on the 1st and the 15th of each month.
- After AWSC receives your renewal, it takes ~1-2 days for them to process the paperwork and activate memberships. New members will take ~3 days.
2.) Log onto AWSC.org, to purchase your discounted trail pass (after you receive your AWSC confirmation).
You need your AWSC membership number AND current snowmobile registration.
Your AWSC membership number does not change from year to year and can be found on your Wisconsin Snowmobile News Magazine or you can look it up on the AWSC website: AWSC Member # lookup
- Credit card payments are the quickest method.
- If you pay by check and mail in your form: Be sure your name and address is EXACTLY what the WI DNR has on file, or the form will be returned by AWSC. Both snowmobile club & AWSC memberships must be current.
- AWSC no longer mails the yellow AWSC membership cards
- Trail passes cannot be picked up in person
- You can legally ride with your trail pass receipt
- US Mail delivery can take up to 21 days
- Call the AWSC office within 30 days of order date if your trail pass has not arrived by mail
- No refunds
The age of your snowmobile matters:
If your snowmobile is 35 years old or Older, a trail pass is NOT REQUIRED
AWSC NOTICE REGARDING TRAIL PASSES / View Notice
"AWSC discontinues Group Accidental Death & Dismemberment Policy" click here to learn more