MAYVILLE — With Western New York already experiencing several recent snowfalls this winter, snowmobilers are surely anticipating the opening of the various trails throughout the region.

Before the trails open for the season, snowmobile owners can take advantage of a fiscally responsible incentive: membership in a Snowmobile Club.

The Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau defines the region as a “snowmobiler’s paradise.” Including 200 miles of club trails and more than 250 miles of corridor and secondary trails, Chautauqua County features more than 400 miles of terrain for snowmobilers to enjoy.

Trails are generally open from January to mid-March. Currently, most trails are closed statewide, and the ones that are not closed will close at 6 p.m. each night. An interactive map containing all of the trails across New York State can be found online at nyssa.evtrails.com

In all, Chautauqua County features six clubs: Chautauqua Lake Snowmobile Club, Cherry Creek Sno-Goers, Ellery Sno Cruisers, Lake Effect Trail Breakers, Southern Tier Snow Drifters, and Sunset Drifters Snowmobile Club. Membership for any of the six clubs can be purchased online for $35.

That investment does more than just support local trails, it also saves operators money overall.

As of May 3, the cost to register a snowmobile in New York State has been updated to cost $135 for original and renewal registrations, regardless of whether the snowmobile is registered by a resident or a non-resident of the state. The cost drops to $65 for registrants who can provide proof of membership with a Snowmobile Club or Trail Maintenance Entity TME that is a member organization of the New York State Snowmobile Association (NYSSA). New York State allocates $5 of each registration to its General Fund, with the remaining funds dedicated to the New York State Snowmobile Trail Development and Maintenance Fund.

Any snowmobile operated in New York State must be registered with the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, even if it is registered in another state or province. Snowmobiles operated exclusively on the owner’s property are exempt from the registration requirements.

Per the State’s Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation, snowmobilers must carry registration and proof of insurance documents on their person at all times while snowmobiling. These documents must be produced at the request of any law enforcement officer or magistrate. Insurance documentation must be produced at the request of anyone who is injured or suffers property damage as a result of operation of a snowmobile.

Once the trails open later this winter, updated conditions in Chautauqua County can be found by calling the Snowmobile Hotline: 1-800-242-4569, select option 2, then option 5.