Idaho/Montana OHV Registration

[grandpa]

Just returned from my 40th year of my winter trip to Island Park. As always the snow was deep and plentiful, with superb groomed trails.
My question for the last several years, that no one can seem to answer including the West Yellowstone Chamber of Commerce, as well as Idaho is this-
With the awesome trail system that connects Idaho and Montana, why do they not offer a combination OHV tag? Instead we pay $30 for Idaho & $30 for Montana. Wouldn't is make sense to buy a combo tag @ say $45?? You really can't experience the trail system without crossing into one state or the other. If you are like me the 4 sleds to register out of state is $240, which is ridiculous. I am sure most just pay for one or the other and "hope" when they cross into the neighboring state that nobody will catch them. IT would benefit both states if they could get together and combine the tag.- Sorry just my rant and wondering if anybody else had the same thought

Grandpa

 

[Richracer1]

Idaho, Wyoming and Montana use to accept a bordering state's sled permits, but, in the end, it all boils down to the almighty dollar that they always seem to need more of.

 

[Scott]

I don't know about IP/West, but at Lolo Pass, there is a reciprocal agreement between the two states to honor the others sticker IF YOU STAY ON THE GROOMED TRAILS.

I don't think the two states would ever offer a combo sticker. They would have an accounting nightmare to account for and separate the money to each other. Auditors would LOVE that one. I don't think they'd try that at all.

 

[FlyingW]

It is my understanding that Idaho is going up significantly next year and Montana is increasing theirs also for next year. Grooming doesn't come cheap and each state has a different program to pay for the grooming system. When all the Midwest riders came in it was impossible to pay for the necessary grooming based off of what the in-state snowmobilers alone could pay. That was the reason the non-resident stickers came into play to pay for the level of grooming needed.

I was just at a Washington State Snowmobile Association meeting yesterday and they were talking about the increases in fees in Idaho and Montana and if you bought a Wyoming tag too that it got expensive. I tried to remind them about our Washington fee as well as Idaho and Oregon for those of us in the SE corner of Washington and that it cost us money too. They kind of forget when they don't snowmobile in the state corner areas and hadn't thought about it happening close by.

 

[TreewellDweller]

Just so you know, the snowmobile non-resident fees in Idaho are not changing.
The are the same price as the resident fees.
I believe that there is now a fee for non-resident OHV use, which there hasn’t been in the past.

 

[Mort2112]

Yeah Idaho Parks and rec told me the fees aren't changing that they know of.