Starting today, the state of Michigan is offering free snowmobiling weekend. That means that Michigan residents and out-of-state visitors can legally ride snowmobiles without registration or trail permit.

The free weekend of snowmobiling is part of a Michigan legislature approved program to create an opportunity for experienced riders to introduce friends to the activity and hope they get hooked.

“We hope to allow people who haven’t ridden in a while to or people who want to take their sleds out of the garage that have been in there for a few years to get re-interested in the sport,” said Upper Peninsula Trails Coordinator Ron Yesney. “If they get reinterested in the sport and maybe buy a trail permit later in the year if they are re-energized. Over the past few years the number of permits purchased has gone down.”

Riders can legally use any of the 6,000-plus miles of Michigan Department of Natural Resources-designated snowmobile trails, roads and authorized public lands.

While this opportunity for some fun, outdoors activity is welcome, we would like to encourage anybody participating to make sure they are dressed appropriately, as the weather forecast is calling for some extremely cold temperatures late Saturday and through Sunday.

“The most important thing is just to dress appropriately,” Yesney said. “It’s a good idea to have a full face helmet with a shield on it rather than just goggles and an open faced helmet. With just the helmet you’re at risk for frostbite.”

We hope everyone who is able gets out and enjoys one of the Upper Peninsula’s most beloved winter pastimes but does so safely and warmly.

Maps of snowmobile trails can be found online at https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/things-to-do/snowmobiling/snowmobile-maps-in-list-format.