Wis. Dept of Natural Resources
Motorized recreation hasn’t been allowed in Blue Mound State Park for about 25 years.
The snow is long gone from Blue Mound State Park but an old question has resurfaced: Can you facilitate a new snowmobile trail through the scenic 1,150 acre park west of Madison without upsetting those who visit for the peace and quiet?
A Dane County judge in 2016 blocked the Department of Natural Resources from moving forward with plans for a snowmobile route that would have displaced one of the most popular cross country ski trails at Blue Mound. Judge Valerie Bailey-Rihn sided with the plaintiffs, former park superintendent Karl Heil and village of Blue Mounds resident Kenneth Wade, in ruling the DNR violated its own rules regarding “compatible uses” when it added a snowmobile trail to the park’s master plan.
But partly at the urging of the well-organized Wisconsin snowmobile lobby, the DNR is taking another look at the issue and has recently completed a public comment period that drew over 1,800 opinions on all sides of the issue. DNR officials say it’s part of a larger effort to draft a new master plan for the park that hasn’t been updated since the 1980s. If the DNR decides to add snowmobiling as a permitted use, the snowmobile route would be included in the master plan.
Thanks to its elevation and wooded terrain, Blue Mound State Park has evolved into something of a winter sports paradise with well-groomed cross country ski trails, dedicated snowshoe trails and a warming shelter built largely with money donated by silent sports users. Motorized recreation hasn’t been permitted in some 25 years, although there is a marked snowmobile route along Mounds Park Road which bisects the park itself.
Snowmobile enthusiasts say they also want to enjoy the beauty of the park and hope to reopen a roughly two-mile trail that was used decades ago but was abandoned after an adjacent property owner closed their land to riders. A change in landowners has since made it possible to reopen the route, which had provided a north-south connection between the Military Ridge State Trail and snowmobile trails outside Black Earth.
“All we’re asking for is what we had before,” says Sam Landes, director of the Association of Wisconsin Snowmobile Clubs (AWSC), who claims that modern snowmobiles are much quieter and less polluting that older machines which belched oily exhaust. “There’s no reason we can’t coexist. We’re willing to work with anyone to find a workable solution.”
But cross country skiers both in Madison and statewide have again flooded the DNR with comments in opposition to a snowmobile trail, saying the whirring of motors and fear of high-speed collisions would diminish their outdoor winter experience.
“By considering a new snowmobile trail over or near such a popular ski trail, it appears the DNR doesn’t recognize the value or worth of the amazing ski area at Blue Mound,” says Nancy Wiegand, co-chair of the Madison Nordic Ski Club’s trails committee. “It’s a mecca for cross country skiing and, unique because of its elevation, it gets snow early and keeps it well. Blue Mound can’t be replaced.”
According to the DNR, Wisconsin has about 25,000 miles of designated snowmobile trails, which run on a combination of public and private lands. Almost all are maintained by volunteers who work with private landowners on designating routes.
There are far fewer miles of cross-country ski trails in the state — about 700 miles, 525 of which are on state properties, according to DNR officials. Some are groomed by volunteers and others by parks staff.
The push to bring snowmobiles back through Blue Mound State Park dates to 2012, following a change in leadership at the DNR with the election of Gov. Scott Walker. Former DNR Sec. Cathy Stepp is an avid snowmobiler and frequently talked about the economic benefits the winter sport provided.
After much discussion and public comment, Walker’s Natural Resources Board (NRB) in 2016 finally backed a snowmobile route through the park before the courts stepped in. A separate lawsuit filed by Heil and Wade argued successfully that the Board violated open meetings laws by discussing the Blue Mound issue privately during a dinner meeting before a final vote allowing snowmobile access.
The DNR’s goal is to complete the new draft master plan for Blue Mound by the summer, begin taking more public comments at that point and present it to the Natural Resources Board by the end of 2019.
Whether a change in the governor’s office will make any difference remains unclear. Gov. Tony Evers’ new DNR secretary, Preston Cole, was among the NRB members who voted in favor of snowmobiles at Blue Mound. Cole was first appointed to the Board by former Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle back in 2007.
Politics aside, the issue highlights the ongoing debate over public lands and who can do what on them. Wisconsin has over the years struggled with whether to allow hunting in parks or natural areas. The use of all-terrain vehicles or “ATVs” also remains a contentious issue in many parts of the state.
DNR parks planner Phil Rynish, who is heading the Blue Mound master plan update, cautions that the snowmobile versus cross country skier conflicts which have dominated the public comments are just one part of the story. The new master plan would impact everything from camping and mountain biking to management of the forest and prairie lands.
“Blue Mound is well-loved, there’s no doubt about that,” he says. “There’s lots of different kinds of recreation that happen there and it’s a question of finding some shared values.”
At the same time, the snowmobile lobby is drawing a line in the sand when it comes to Blue Mound. An article in the March edition of Wisconsin Snowmobile News calls the effort to block snowmobiles a “dangerous precedent” for a sport that allows those without the physical ability to hike, snowshoe or ski access to outdoor winter recreation.
Mike McFadzen, who serves as policy chair for the Friends of Wisconsin State Parks, is long familiar with user conflicts. He says there is no simple solution and is sympathetic to the fact that so many people love to spend time outdoors.
“Some people believe that state lands should accommodate every possible use but it’s important to understand the carrying capacity of the property and its impact on other users,” he says. “Many seek out state parks for solace and to escape the rigors of everyday life. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending upon your perspective, state lands can’t be all things to all people.”
McFadzen says it’s perhaps wise to draw on the words of Wisconsin native John Muir, who may have said it best: “Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in where nature may heal and cheer and give strength to the body and soul.”
