State ROW permits |
Snowmobiles |
Operation on Highways |
Operation Adjacent to Highways |
Trails and Crossings
Snowmobiles may be operated adjacent to a roadway with due regard to safety in the following manner:
- Along state numbered highways (including U.S. highways) at a distance of 10 or more feet from the roadway. Travel upon the median of a divided highway is prohibited except to cross.
- During daylight hours, travel may be in either direction regardless of the flow of vehicular traffic.
- At night, travel shall conform to the direction of vehicular traffic in the nearest lane unless the snowmobile is operated on a designated and marked snowmobile trail.
- Other than a freeway, whenever it is impracticable to gain immediate access to a snowmobile area next to a highway, a snowmobile may be operated adjacent and parallel to the roadway for the purpose of gaining access to and from the area of operation. Loading or unloading of the snowmobile shall be accomplished with due regard to safety at the nearest practical point to the area of operation.
- No person may operate a snowmobile on or adjacent to a roadway in excess of the posted roadway speed limit or speed limit as posted on a trail.
A roadway is defined in Wis. Stat. § 340.01(54) as the, "portion of a highway between the regularly established curb lines or that portion which is improved, designed or ordinarily used for vehicular travel, excluding the berm or shoulder." On a 2-lane rural highway, the “roadway” is the area between the white lines (fog lines). See graphic for state highway areas that snowmobile operation is usually prohibited.
