Law Enforcement

Recreation Safety Patrol

Snowmobile Patrol

Pierce County is home to over 240 miles of public snowmobile trails. The Sheriff’s Department actively patrols all snowmobile trails and its main goal is to improve snowmobile safety both on and off the public trails. Currently the Department uses two snowmobiles along with a four-wheel drive truck to help track down safety violations. Common violations that the patrol watches for include illegal operation on public highways, speed violations, operating a snowmobile while intoxicated and operation of a snowmobile without a safety class certificate. The Safety Patrol also investigates and writes reports on snowmobile accidents and performs rescue operations for snowmobiles that fall through thin ice.

Funding for the Pierce County Sheriff’s Snowmobile Patrol is provided mainly by the State of Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources and is derived from a portion of the snowmobile registration fee that each snowmobile owner pays. Additional funding is provided through the non-resident trail passes and through fuel tax from the gasoline that snowmobiles use.

The public snowmobile trails in Pierce County do not open or close on a set schedule they are open or closed based on the current snow conditions. The Pierce County Snowmobile Council, which is a council made up of representatives from each of the counties local snowmobile clubs makes the decision to open or close the trails. For official notification of if the trails are open or closed and for current trail conditions call the Pierce County Trail Hotline at 715-639-6311. The public snowmobile trails are open to any snowmobile registered in Wisconsin or any snowmobile displaying a Non-Resident trail use decal. Our trails run primarily on private land so please respect the landowner by staying on the marked trail and ridding only when the trails are open. For more information on snowmobile regulations including ordering non-resident snowmobile trail passes in the state of Wisconsin visit Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources.