As a recreational past time, snowmobiling provides a unique way to be more active during the winter months. As a social activity, snowmobiling means new friends, trailside camaraderie, and shared family outings. As an outdoor experience, snowmobiling offers a new appreciation and enjoyment of our Great White North.

Many outdoor enthusiasts have discovered the majesty of Ontario winters from the seat of a snowmobile. This remarkable Canadian invention has reintroduced them to winter in all its glory. Today, they embrace the snowy season as died-in-the-wool winter lovers, and it’s all because of snowmobiling.

From the Lake of the Woods to the Ottawa River and from James Bay to the Great Lakes, Ontario rolls out the white carpet to welcome you to the best snowmobiling in the world! In Ontario, we have the trails, towns and terrain to fulfill every snowmobiler’s fantasies. Whether you dream of snowmobile trails flanked by craggy cliffs…gliding across stake-marked, frozen lakes with pine-laden shores…roughing it in rustic cottages or relaxing at a luxurious resort…tripping by day in the dazzling snow or trekking by night under the Northern lights…you’ll find the ultimate thrills on our groomed trails in “Snowmobile Paradise Ontario”.

Trail riding is what Ontario snowmobiling is all about. Marked, mapped and interconnected trails make snowmobiling great fun for safe riders who drive with care and control. The Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) operates 43,000 kilometres (25,000 miles) of maintained snowmobile trails, more than there are provincial highways. It is the largest recreational trail system in the world.

OFSC trails are designed to provide snowmobile-friendly access to hundreds of snowbelt communities with top-notch facilities, trailheads, and staging areas. Many of our popular summer holiday destinations are open during the winter to welcome snowmobilers. Resorts, hotels and  restaurants offer warm hospitality while many other services are also  available, including sled maintenance, spare parts, snowmobile/trailer  parking and fuel stops. These snowmobile-friendly locations are always a good source of local information and instruction for novice riders. You don’t even have to own a snowmobile because many offer guided tours along with sled and clothing rentals.

Today’s reliable sleds and high tech winter wear make snowmobiling more comfortable and enjoyable for everyone, regardless of their age or lifestyle. And wherever you live, snowmobiling is easy, affordable and accessible in Ontario.

So whether you want to experience the down-home hospitality of a rural village or the lights, action and attractions of a big city, you can get there by OFSC trail in snowbelt Ontario. You can stay for several days in one spot and run day trips in every direction, or you can saddle bag from place to place for as long as your heart desires. You can ride one of many  well-established, self-guided tours or you can join a guided tour group.

So what’s your pleasure? You haven’t lived until your sled skims down the trail, whisking around corners and scooting along straight-aways. Or experienced snow flakes twinkling like little diamonds as you ride. Or until you’ve enjoyed a trailside hot chocolate while the kids play in the snow. Or visited a winter carnival or a maple sugar shack. Or until you’ve fallen into a weary but satisfied sleep at the end of your day’s ride, dreaming of what new adventures tomorrow will bring.

No, you haven’t fully enjoyed winter until you and your family and friends have tried snowmobiling in Ontario!

So check it out by clicking on: www.ontariotravel.net/snowmobile

2008/09 ONTARIO SNOWMOBILING BY THE NUMBERS

TRAILS
39,742 . . . . . . . . .Total audited kilometres of OFSC Prescribed snowmobile trails.
17,899 . . . . . . . . . Kilometres of TOP (Trans Ontario Provincial) Trails (part of 39,742).
$2000. . . . . . . . . . Cost per kilometre to build a new trail.
$426 million+ . . . .Dollars invested by clubs in OFSC snowmobile trails since 1985.
$1.2 billion . . . . . . . Annual economic activity generated by OFSC snowmobile trails.
$112 million+ . . . . Annual provincial tax revenue from spending by snowmobilers.

CLUB GROOMING & OPERATIONS
$496. . . . . . . . . . . Annual dollar per kilometre cost to operate OFSC trails.
339. . . . . . . . . . . . Number of pieces of large grooming equipment owned by clubs or associations.
$22 million . . . . . .Value of OFSC grooming fleet.
102,394. . . . . . . . . Number of grooming hours logged by clubs/associations last winter.
1.2 million . . .. . . . . . Litres of fuel used by club/association groomers last winter.

PERMITS
$250 . . . . . . . . . . . Regular price of a Full Season Trail Permit.
93,735 . . . . . . . . Combined total of full season and visitor trail permits sold in 2008/09.

RIDERS & SLEDS
168,000 . . . . . . . . Number of OFSC family snowmobilers.
168,000 . . . . . . . . Best guesstimate of the number of active snowmobiles in Ontario.
150 million. . . . . . Number of kilometres snowmobilers ride on OFSC trails in a normal winter.