Impact Report: Snowmobiling In Washington Takes A Hit

Limited funding from snowmobile registrations is going to have an impact in Washington State this winter.

Washington State Parks announced this week that 14 of the state’s 89 Sno-Parks will not open at all this winter due to a funding shortfall driven by declining overall snowmobile registrations. That gates will be down.

From a snowmobiling perspective, a Sno-Park is essentially an oversized parking lot for snowmobilers at a trail head. Beyond just offering the plowed-out physical space for snowmobilers and their rigs, though, the also offer restrooms, staffing, enforcement, trail signage and, in some cases, trail grooming in the localized area.

Many Sno-Parks also served the needs of non-motorized winter recreationalists, but the parks targeted for this one-year shutdown are snowmobile focused.

As you’ll see in the press release below, the State Parks administration worked with its Snowmobile Advisory Committee, local clubs and others to pinpoint the Sno-Parks that would be least impactful to close. Before posting the story, we checked in with the Washington State Snowmobile Association, which confirmed this cut within their system.

Here’s the full press release:

Winter Recreation Program announces closure of 14 motorized Sno-parks for 2024-25 season

OLYMPIA — The Washington State Parks Winter Recreation Program will temporarily close 14 motorized Sno-parks for the 2024-25 winter season, due primarily to a roughly 25 percent reduction in funds available from snowmobile registrations to support the motorized part of the program.

The following motorized Sno-Parks are slated for temporary closure: Echo Valley, Skate Creek, Bethel Ridge/Soup Creek, Crow Creek, Cloverland, Elk Heights, Fish Creek, French Cabin, Nile, Taneum, Reecer Creek, Crawfish, Nine Bark and Clear Lake.

The snowmobile program is self-funded from snowmobile registration fees and a percentage of the gas tax. The program currently receives $94.20 per registered snowmobile. Funds are used to pay for services at motorized Sno-parks such as snow removal, sanitation, education, enforcement and trail grooming.

The number of registered snowmobiles has decreased by 52 percent over the past two decades, from a high of 38,331 in 2002 to 18,434 in 2024. The closures are for the 2024-25 winter season, pending future funding availability. The program is continuing to work with the Snowmobile Advisory Committee and stakeholders to look at the long-term future of the snowmobile program.

The Winter Recreation Program worked with the Snowmobile Advisory Committee, local snowmobile clubs, and managers of lands on which the Sno-parks are located to finalize the list of Sno-park closures. The principal goal was continuing operation of the most used Sno-parks and preserving access to the broader network of groomed snowmobile trails. Discussions addressed the feasibility, practical limitations, and implications of closures, including the following considerations:

• Other nearby Sno-parks accessing the same trail system
• Recommendations from land managers, local grooming councils, and clubs
• Popularity and use levels determined by user server data
• Previous closure or contractor availability
• Elevation and typical snowfall

The Winter Recreation Program at Washington State Parks manages Sno-parks around the state for both motorized and non-motorized use. The program provides snow removal, sanitation, and education and enforcement at Sno-parks and grooming of over 800 miles non-motorized trails and 2,300 miles of snowmobile trails around the state.

Sno-parks slated for closure are designated and funded for motorized use. Designated non-motorized Sno-parks supporting activities like snowshoeing or cross-country skiing are not impacted by this decision.

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