WILLOW CREEK — The 2021-2022 snowmobile season is shaping up to be the longest on record in Willow Creek, with the Aroostook County trail network opening on Dec. 3 and remaining passable through late April — a 142-day window that eclipses the previous benchmark of 127 days set in 2015.
The extended season delivered an estimated $900,000 in direct spending at local lodges, fuel stations, and restaurants, according to preliminary figures from the Aroostook County Snowmobile Club.
Dean Moreau of The Dry Dock said his parking lot was full of sleds on weekends through March, a month that is typically a slow transition period. “We added a Sunday brunch service just for the snowmobilers, and it packed the house,” Moreau said.
Club president Mark Fontaine credited careful winter grooming and collaboration with neighboring communities for maximizing the usable trail window. More than 60 miles of marked and groomed trails pass through Willow Creek.
The record season has prompted the select board to consider a dedicated snowmobile parking and staging area near the municipal lot, a project that could qualify for Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry trail grants.
Not all residents welcomed the extended season. Several noise complaints were filed in late March, and the club agreed to end evening grooming runs after April 1.