Weekend Plans: Maine’s Nonresident Free Snowmobile Weekend

Nonresident snowmobilers can sling some snow for free this weekend. Mainer's with registered sleds can adventure into New Hampshire for free.

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has designated March 5-7 as a free snowmobile weekend in Maine. On these days only, a non-resident can ride the thousands of miles of trails throughout the state without having to purchase a Maine snowmobile registration. All sleds must have valid registration from another state or province.

The weekend is designed to introduce more snow sledders to Maine's vast system of snowmobile trails. The state has more than 14,000 miles of interconnected, groomed and marked trails. Riders are reminded to stay on marked routes, as 95% of these trails are on private land.

The free weekend coincides with New Hampshire's free snowmobile weekend. As is in Maine, the weekend of March 5-7, sleds with valid registration from another state or Canadian province do not need to obtain a New Hampshire registration while operating in New Hampshire.

Often times Vermont will host their free weekend the same as Maine and New Hampshire. However, this year the free weekend is Feb. 5-7. Similar to Maine and New Hampshire, riders can travel Vermont's 5,000 miles of trails without having to purchase a VAST TMA trail pass.

Free snowmobiling weekends are busy days on the trails throughout the state. Sledders are reminded to ride with caution at all times. All snowmobilers are encouraged to read through the 2020-2021 Maine Snowmobile Quick Reference Guide.

If you need to register your snowmobile, you can do so online. Registration fees provide funding to build and maintain the Maine trail system, and help support snowmobile clubs and volunteers who work to maintain trails.