P.O. Box 111, Duluth, MN 55801

House File 255, sponsored by Dave Dill, DFL – Crane Lake, to use $300,000 to build the state’s first permanent snowmobile trail on private property was approved Wednesday by the House Environment Finance Committee. The permanent trail in Hermantown is the first in a pilot DNR program to purchase permanent easements on private property statewide in areas where landowners are withdrawing their traditional temporary easements. Due to the noise, fumes, and behavior of some motorized users an increasing number of landowners are choosing to withdraw easements for motorized trails and when they do entire trail systems shut down.

Permanent snowmobile trails have become the DNR’s answer to the permanently bad behavior of some snowmobilers. Some snowmobilers confuse privileges granted by landowners with their perceived right to go where they want, when they want, and how they want. For some snowmobilers this has become more important than the rights of host landowners to enjoy their property in peace and quiet and personal safety. Instead of removing these individuals as we do reckless drivers and drunk and disorderly people from public places, permanent trails assure these snowmobilers that they will always have access to somebody’s back yard and our statewide trail system." Public funds already support 20,000 miles of snowmobile trails in Minnesota.

The "Duluth snowmobile bypass" in Hermantown is the snowmobile trail nobody wants, the "missing link" in the statewide snowmobile trail system first rejected by Duluthians who did not want 20,000 snowmobiles in their back yards. When the Duluth door closed, snowmobilers found their way into Hermantown where they repeatedly alienated that community causing property owners to withdraw their temporary easements." He says "some snowmobilers have lied to the local school board, and some have even trespassed, and intimidated, and threatened residents who have withdrawn their easements or who have chosen not to give permanent access to their land."

Using $200,000 in general fund revenue already appropriated, the state has already paid the Evergreen Right-of-Way Company to convince Hermantown residents to sell the state 30 foot easements for perpetuity across their land. The state has paid some local property owners $500 - $5000 in public funds to accept what could be the state’s first permanent snowmobile trail on private property. The local club and state has already built part of the trail even though there is not yet a continuous right-of-way between the two end points. The portion of unconnected trail that has already been built ends at a local bar.

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