WILLOW CREEK — The 2025-2026 snowmobile season officially came to a close last week, and early numbers suggest it was one of the strongest in recent memory, according to the Willow Creek Trail Association.
Despite a late start — the trails didn’t fully open until mid-January due to a warm December — the season saw a record 127 Maine snowmobile trail permits sold in town, up from 104 the previous year. Trail association volunteers logged over 400 hours of grooming across the 28-mile network of local trails that connect to the broader ITS system.
“The season started slow, but February and March were fantastic,” said Ray Thibodeau, a trail association board member and the owner of Thibodeau & Sons Carpentry. “We had good snow cover from mid-January through mid-March, and the cold spell in February meant the swamps froze solid enough to open the secondary routes.”
The economic impact was measurable. Randy Boucher, owner of Boucher’s Irving & Towing, reported a 15% increase in fuel sales compared to the previous winter, and the general store sold out of hand warmers twice.
“They come in for gas, they come in for coffee, they come in for a hot dog and a bag of chips,” Boucher said. “It’s not a lot per person, but when you’ve got a hundred sleds a weekend, it adds up.”
The trail association will hold its annual meeting in July to begin planning for next season.