It is getting busier on New Brunswick's snowmobile trails

Traffic is getting heavier on snowmobile trails across New Brunswick.

In the last three years, sales of one-day, three-day, and seven-day passes have gone up 54 per cent," says Scott Ralston, the president of the New Brunswick Federation of Snowmobile Clubs.

Out-of-province season pass sales are up 33 per cent, he said.

"The season pass growth is being seen (from) areas like Maine, Quebec, Ontario, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia," he said. "We're showing substantial growth in that aspect of our trail permit sales."

Ralston said New Brunswick is known in the snowmobiling community as a place that has good snow and a lengthy trail system.

'World-class trails'

"We do have over 8,000 kilometres of world-class trails in New Brunswick," he said. "Our signage is excellent and we have good support from our partners regarding hotels and restaurants that are along the trail network."

Keith De Grace, owner and operator of Atlantic Host hotel in Bathurst, said the winter is a busy time for his business. It is located on the snowmobile trail.

"It's more activity than summer," he said. "So it's very big for us."

In two months last year there were 3,000 room nights in the area, said De Grace.

This week, he said 125 snowmobilers from Ontario are staying the week at the Atlantic Host to ride the trails in the area.

"It is a very important thing but you have to have the snow conditions and the proper grooming and everything which we do have here in the northeast," he said.

Bathurst Mayor Paolo Fongemie said the increase in traffic in the last two years has complicated things slightly in the city and it points to a need for more infrastructure.

More direct access needed

He said more hotels need direct access to the trails.

"There's two hotels that are close to the track and it is an issue for out-of-towners coming in with their trucks and trailers finding a place to park and be able to go on the trail," he said.

"So we're working on solutions but it's an indication of the increase of traffic in the area because ... it was a concern but not a problem. Today it's a problem."

Fongemie said more access is being developed and the decision to act came after a large increase in tourism last year.

Good and bad

Ralston said the increase is both good and bad.

"With the extra traffic the clubs are seeing the pressure and we're trying to make sure that they're able to cope with the volume of traffic," he said.

The trails are managed and groomed by volunteers from each of the clubs.

"It certainly can be a challenge especially if you have a real busy weekend," he said.

He also noted the need for drivers to be responsible on the trails with all the additional traffic. There were two deaths in the past week in the province and two close calls, all involving snowmobiles.