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Sports: Snowmobiling Trails

Ottawa's consistent winter climate and moderate snowfall makes it ideal for snowmobiling. There are a number of trails in the area, all maintained by area snowmobiling clubs and associations.

To use these trails, you must have a permit, which costs $180 for the season ($230 after December 1st), or $90 for 3 days, or $120 for 7 days. For $5 extra (per club) you can join and get their newsletters. If you are caught on the trail with NO trail permit, wardens will issue you a permit for $180, please purchase before you get caught. [Updated for 2006/2007]

The key trails are north of Ottawa, around the Ottawa region, South of Ottawa, at Espanola, around Killarney, and on Manitoulin Island.

Here are the local snowmobiling associations and the trails they maintain:

• Onaping Falls Snowmobile Club. The 88 km of trails (with light blue markers) cover the area around Dowling, Levack, Onaping, Cartier, and connect to Capreol Ridge Riders Trail to Thor Lake. The Capreol Ridge Riders
• Nickel Belt Snow Spirits (of Garson) and have 145 km of trails (with purple markers). The trails go from Garson to Lower Sturgeon and Upper Sturgeon, Hanmer to Garson and to River Valley.
• Broder Dill Snowmobile Association maintains 168 km of trails (with dark blue markers), and range from Killarney S/C Trail, from Estaire, To Penage Lake to Coniston, From the South (French River Area), Killarney to the West (Espanola) and to the East (North Bay)
• Northbound Sno Drifters (Chelmsford) maintain 46 km of trails (dark green markers) from Hanmer to Nairn Centre Trails, Dowling to Chelmsford and Azilda.
• The Coniston/Wahnapitae Driftbusters Snowmobilers Association maintains 60 km of trails (yellow markers) that run from Coniston, Wahnapitae and towards River Valley.
• The Walden Sno Runners maintain 114 km of trails (with orange markers) between Lively, Whitefish, Worthington and Naughton.
• The Valley Trail Masters maintain 45 km of trails (with pink trail markers)between Hanmer, Val Caron, Blezzard Valley.