304 CMR 12.29 Snow Vehicle Operation
304, Chapter 12, Section 12.29 of the Code of Massachusetts Regulations governs the use of snow vehicles within the property of the Commonwealth under the care, custody or control of the Department of Environmental Management, Division of Forests and Parks. The following regulations specifically apply to recreational snow vehicle use:

(2) No person shall operate any snow vehicle…upon or over any property of the Division unless that vehicle is registered under M.G.L. c. 90A or c. 90B.

(6) No snow vehicle is allowed on Department property unless the Director has opened that property to use by snow vehicles. Upon request to the Director and at the headquarters building in each Department property, the Division shall make available a list of all Department properties where snow vehicles are and are not allowed.

(7) In those areas opened by the Director pursuant to 304 CMR 12.29(6), snow vehicles may be utilized on any unplowed forest road or forest way unless posted to the contrary or prohibited by regulation.

(8) No person shall operate a snow vehicle upon Department property unless the area superintendent has determined the sub-surface soil of the land of a particular Department property to be solidly frozen and completely covered with a minimum of four (4) inches of hard packed snow or ice. The Division shall post these lands as open or closed in accordance with existing weather and snow condition. The Division may post this information at the park headquarters, at the trail head, by written public notice or a combination.

(9) When the Division has posted the frozen waters to prohibit it, no person shall operate a snow vehicle upon the frozen waters of the Department. In the absence of such a posting, persons utilizing frozen water bodies do so at their own risk and the Division assumes no responsibility either implied or expressed for the safety of any person who voluntarily assumes a known and obvious risk inherent in such activities. No person shall operate…a snow vehicle upon any frozen Department waters under any circumstance unless a minimum of five inches of solid ice cover is present. The operator shall determine the thickness of the ice, and assumes all responsibility in undertaking an activity with an inherent and known risk.

(10) Each snow vehicle operated upon Department properties shall carry a spare spark plug, flashlight, and spare drive belt and sufficient tools to effect minor repairs.

(11) No person shall operate…a snow vehicle in or upon the unfrozen waters or wetlands of the Department except for the purpose of crossing a stream over a bridge, culvert or similar structure or by operating the vehicle at the minimum speed required to maintain controlled forward movement and crossing in the most direct manner to minimize the potential for erosion of the bed or banks of the stream.

(12) No person under 12 years of age shall operate any snow vehicle…upon or over any Department property.