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I have a question about snowmobiling. I had envisioned that snowmobiles would be a great way to get around in the winter when the roads are really bad. Something like being able to ride to the post office or village store for milk or what have you, instead of needing to take the car out. But I've seen many mentions of registrations and special trails. Are snowmobiles not allowed to go off those trails?
You need to register your snowmobile in order to use the special snowmobile trails. It's not very expensive to do this. Otherwise, it regards to snowmobiling to your post office, it's only feasible right after a snowstorm while there is still snow covering the roads and little to no car traffic.
The other option is to cross your neighbors' snow covered property to get places, but remember it's private property and you need to ask their permission to cross over it. Some of my neighbors would like to cross our back field in the wintertime, but luckily for us, a former owner fenced it all around with chain link fence... and we keep our back gate locked up. So it's really a non-issue and no one asks us anymore.
We just don't think that our 11 acres needs to be anyone else's playground.
I think you misunderstand what I'm asking. I don't want to ride through people's property and I don't mind registering to ride on the trails, either. I just meant if the roads are bad, can people get around legally on a snowmobile instead if they have to? If the roads are clear, the question is moot.
And I just thought of this, do the trails take one anywhere specific or do they just meander aimlessly about? As an example, uip in the Adirondacks, there are trails that lead straight into Old Forge where you can park and do your business in town and then hop back on again.
If the roads are bad and free of regular motor vehicle traffic, then sure use your snowmobile to get around. Just be aware of the snowplows and be careful.
Otherwise, google up a map of the NH snowmobile trail system to see if any of the trails are useful to your needs. Probably the further north you go in NH, in the mountainous and more undeveloped areas, the more like the Adirondacks it will be. Southern NH is too developed, and also much of central NH. But every town has a different character.
OK, as an avid snowmobiler and someone who also owns an ATV, I may be able to help here, I too need to be close to Manchester but snowmobile trail access from my house was highly desired.
How bad do you want trail access and how far are you willing to drive to Manchester? the best snowmobile trails are north and west of Manchester. This is also where the snow is. 20-30 minutes from Manchester look at towns like Weare/Bow/Hopkinton/Warner. These towns have some of the best snowmobile trails in southern NH. Weare/Dunbarton and Hopkinton also have smaller ATV trail systems. If driving an hour doesnt bother you, I would look in and around the Rumney area for really good snowmobile trails.
I myself live in Bow, the trail system in town is very good and well maintained but there are lots of road crossings. with that said 2 winters ago I was able to put on some serious mileage right from my front door.
If the roads are bad and free of regular motor vehicle traffic, then sure use your snowmobile to get around. Just be aware of the snowplows and be careful.
No, that would still be completely illegal.
According to NH Fish & Game:
It Is Unlawful To:
Operate any OHRV or snowmobile on the property of another without written landowner permission. [Edit: This includes power line corridors.]
Operate so as to endanger any person or damage property.
Operate on railroad tracks or within the railroad right-of-way unless the area is posted as a trail.
Operate on airports, airport runways or cemeteries.
Operate on any road or within the right-of-way except where authorized and posted.
Chase or harass wildlife.
Operate on town roads or sidewalks unless posted for OHRVs or snowmobiles.
Operate on or across any highway bridge unless posted as open for OHRVs or snowmobiles.
Tow any person or sled without a rigid hitch.
Operate while driver’s license is under suspension/revocation in N.H. or any other state or Canadian Province.
Skim across open water.
Have or carry a loaded gun, cocked crossbow, etc., in or on a vehicle or trailer towed by the same, pursuant to RSA 207:7, II 215-A:20 and 215-C:35 (except a pistol carried under a permit pursuant to RSA 159).
Operate on property to hunt or retrieve game without written landowner permission.
It doesn't matter if it's snowy, and these days, even in rural areas, roads are cleared pretty quickly, and even if the "roads are bad" there WILL be SOME vehicular traffic.
Your snowmobile has to be registered with the state if you want to ride anywhere other than your own land.
NH Fish & Game has extensive info. on their website. There is a LOT of misinformation out there and some people would prefer to rely on unreliable information so they can plead ignorance when ticketed. Another big thing is that people believe they can ride on private land without permission as long as it's not posted. But for OHRV use, the landowner has no duty to post, and lack of posting does not imply permission.
You need to register your snowmobile in order to use the special snowmobile trails. It's not very expensive to do this. Otherwise, it regards to snowmobiling to your post office, it's only feasible right after a snowstorm while there is still snow covering the roads and little to no car traffic.
The other option is to cross your neighbors' snow covered property to get places, but remember it's private property and you need to ask their permission to cross over it. Some of my neighbors would like to cross our back field in the wintertime, but luckily for us, a former owner fenced it all around with chain link fence... and we keep our back gate locked up. So it's really a non-issue and no one asks us anymore.
We just don't think that our 11 acres needs to be anyone else's playground.
its not always that they want to just bomb around your house and destroy your fields, they may just want to access the trail system or they may need your 11 acres to connect a trail. Yes its your right to your land and I get that, but the awesome trail system that NH has depends on land owners like yourself. For example, I need to cross through 3 parcels of land to get to the trail system in town, one parcel is my neighbors yard, it goes right by my neighbors house, thankfully he granted me access. I drive by maybe once or twice a week during a good winter at a very slow speed, without his permission I would have to trailer to get to the trails and thats always a pain.
All it takes is one land owner to deny access which could potentially cut off hundreds of miles of trails. This is what is happening in southern NH. thats why the trails are being lost and the clubs are shutting down.
Quote:
Originally Posted by sb2017
I think you misunderstand what I'm asking. I don't want to ride through people's property and I don't mind registering to ride on the trails, either. I just meant if the roads are bad, can people get around legally on a snowmobile instead if they have to? If the roads are clear, the question is moot.
And I just thought of this, do the trails take one anywhere specific or do they just meander aimlessly about? As an example, uip in the Adirondacks, there are trails that lead straight into Old Forge where you can park and do your business in town and then hop back on again.
The trail system is awesome. Tons of places to stop and sights to see, one of my favorite rides is from my front door up to the top of mount kearsarge and back. you could ride to Canada if there is enough snow and you want to overnight it. You will find gas and restaurants along the trails as well.
One of the best things about snowmobiling is the distances you can cover through the woods, taking you to sights you would never be able to see on foot or by vehicle in the winter time.
All it takes is one landowner to deny access, and all it takes is one disrespectful or ignorant snowmobiler to get the landowner to deny access. All it takes is one person riding through an area that is not a trail connector, without permission, to end up with someone fencing the land off. It is quite enraging (and illegal) to have people zipping across your property without so much as asking permission (which is required in writing.)
(I'm not saying that's why all landowners close access.)
This is why it is so important for people to know the actual regulations, straight from F&G.
In the two rural towns in NH in which I have lived, and the whole surrounding region (including the town in which Miu lives), and my native Maine, developed areas do not have a culture of people running errands on snowmobiles during snowstorms. They do, however, have a very active recreational snowmobile culture with active clubs, which is great. They also have a few "bad apples" flouting the laws, which should not be considered evidence that that behavior is tolerated or okay.
(This is really getting off-topic now, and this info. is really for sb2017, not to argue with other posters.)
All it takes is one landowner to deny access, and all it takes is one disrespectful or ignorant snowmobiler to get the landowner to deny access. All it takes is one person riding through an area that is not a trail connector, without permission, to end up with someone fencing the land off. It is quite enraging (and illegal) to have people zipping across your property without so much as asking permission (which is required in writing.)
(I'm not saying that's why all landowners close access.)
This is why it is so important for people to know the actual regulations, straight from F&G.
In the two rural towns in NH in which I have lived, and the whole surrounding region, and my native Maine, developed areas do not have a culture of people running errands on snowmobiles during snowstorms.
Exactly, this is why nothing pisses me off more then an idiot snowmobiler. Because they are the ones that will threaten our sport. its a privilege not a right. The clubs work very hard with landowners to build and maintain trails and all it takes is a couple idiots to completely destroy everything they worked very hard to build.
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