04/9/2025 – Event Update
The Snowbirds end of season celebration is Saturday April 26th at the Kaleva Club House. Happy hour starts at 3PM with dinner at 5:00 PM. Please bring a dish to share.
01/21/2024 – Event Update
I have exciting new to share with everyone. The Snowbirds has installed the Groomer Tracker GPS tracking devices on all four of our groomer tractors. These GPS devices use cell service to relay the groomers position back to our a data center. That data can then be displayed via an app on your Android / iOS mobile phone.
As the groomers move they will leave colored lines on the map.
Green line – groomed within the last 12 hours
Yellow line – groomed 12- 24 hours ago
Red line – groomed 24+ hours ago
The app is free to download. As a free user you will be able to see the trails in participating club areas as well as sponsors near those clubs. If you want to see where the groomers are or have been, you will need to purchase the data for each club that you want access to. The data for each club is $10 for the season. (50% of the profit from each purchase is split with the club to help their grooming operation)
Please download the Groomer Tracker Application and subscribe to the Benzie Manistee Snowbirds club.
DNR Information
With the increased trail use, and an influx of new riders out there we thought it would be beneficial to share with you the following two DNR links about groomer safety / awareness information. Please share this information with your family and friends.
Watch out, Groomers are great guys voluntarily working out there in the cold for your *winter sports fun* Use caution!! Keep them and yourself safe by giving them right of way. “Slow down” Show your appreciation with a thumbs up as carefully passing.
Also remember that the signs on the snowmobile trails are there for a reason, for the safety of all riders. So please don’t remove them!! “Just Think” the souvenir (sign) you take home, could take someone’s life and that rider goes for last ride home in a box.
Grooming is done 4 days a week, by 4 groomers at different parts of our trail every Mon., Wed, Fri, and Sat. nights, also as needed. Watch for those big John Deere Tractors especially on hills, curves in wooded areas throughout our trail system! Ride safe and sober, make it fun for the whole family; be courteous and helpful to others you meet along the trail. Travel safely this winter and come enjoy our extraordinary white winter wonderland season fun this year.
Snowbird Area Links
| Area Snowmobile Trail Reports | Other Area Links |
| Benzie-Manistee Snowmobile Club Trail Report
Wellston Winter Trail System |
MISORVA – Michigan Snowmobile and ORV Association A comprehensive list of snowmobile information including conditions and maps for trails throughout the state. Benzie Chamber of Commerce Benzie County Visitors Bureau Manistee Chamber of Commerce Manistee County CVB Wellston Michigan |
| Purchase of trail permits is critical for the trails to operate. A large segment of the snowmobilers thought that the trail systems were funded through a general budget of the DNR. This is a misunderstanding. DNR administers the program using the funds collected from the trail permits. Trail system is self funded by you whom purchase trail permits. We sell permits through our members or at local merchants in this area and remember to get our trail map. |