Snowmobile Trail Improvement Fund

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources Parks and Recreation Division administers the Snowmobile Trail Improvement Program using revenue from the state-established Snowmobile Trail Improvement Fund. The program supports safe, high-quality winter recreation by funding maintenance and upgrades on the 6,000-mile designated snowmobile trail system across Michigan. Grants are available in three categories. Seasonal grooming and general maintenance reimburse sponsors for trail surface grooming, signage, and brush clearing. Special maintenance grants cover projects that enhance trail condition or access, such as bridge construction or repair, erosion control measures, replacement of drainage culverts, or relocating trail sections off plowed roads. Equipment replacement grants pay for new or upgraded grooming tractors, drags, blades, and trail-communication equipment required for maintenance operations. All grant types reimburse one hundred percent of documented eligible costs; grooming mileage is paid at an annually published per-mile rate set by the department. Eligible applicants are limited to local units of government and nonprofit, incorporated snowmobile clubs or organizations that maintain segments assigned by the department. When trail corridors cross private property, sponsors must secure written rights-of-way through leases, easements, or use permits and submit coded trail maps and land-control documentation with the application. Sponsors must also own or have reliable access to grooming equipment and operate in areas that typically receive adequate snowfall between December and March. The application package (Form PR1851) requests sponsor details, trail mileage and cost worksheets, land-control documentation, itemized fees and insurance costs, and a special-maintenance cost sheet if applicable. Sponsors operating on national forest lands must obtain signatures from the appropriate USDA Forest Service district offices. Completed applications and supporting documents must be emailed to the assigned DNR unit contact for review. Application materials are posted in late spring each year, and complete applications are due July 1. The department evaluates submissions during the summer and issues grant agreements to successful sponsors in October for the upcoming snowmobile season, which runs October 1 through September 30. Agreements must be signed and returned by the end of October. Special maintenance grants operate on the same timeline but apply to a single fiscal year. Prospective applicants should contact Richard Kennedy at 517-284-7275 or KennedyR@michigan.gov with questions. Starting landowner outreach early and ensuring all required signatures are in place before the July 1 deadline will streamline review and approval.

Start obtaining private landowner permissions and USDA Forest Service signatures early; maintain clear mileage records for each trail segment; email the complete application to your unit contact before July 1 to allow review and corrections.