By Journal Staff

MARQUETTE — The Michigan Department of Natural Resources Parks and Recreation Division notified trail grant sponsors on Thursday that the snowmobile trail grooming contract season will be extended through the weekend, under certain conditions.

Typically, grooming contracts with local snowmobile clubs are in effect each winter from Dec. 1 through March 31.

“In some parts of the state, trails are covered with snow sufficient for snowmobiling and grooming,” said Tim Novak, DNR state trails coordinator, in a news release. “This extension will allow for another weekend of snowmobiling in some places.”

Snowmobilers should check with local clubs where they plan to ride, or the club’s social media pages, to confirm whether grooming will be taking place in specific areas.

Snowfall forecasted for the Upper Peninsula may also impact whether trails will be groomed in some places. If the storm arrives as predicted, for example, trails will be groomed in Marquette County up to Big Bay and in some other areas.

Parameters to be met by grant sponsors to continue grooming over the weekend include whether there is enough snow on the ground to groom, the club is fully insured, the club has adequate unused grooming funds remaining in its 2022-2023 snowmobile grant, and the club has landowner permissions that extend into April.

Grant sponsors were also notified that more money for grooming will not be added to grants as contract amendments. Clubs were asked to consult surrounding clubs to see if their trail sections have sufficient snow on the ground and whether they also plan to continue grooming throughout the weekend.