1. A person shall not drive or operate a snowmobile:

 a. At a rate of speed greater than reasonable or proper under all existing circumstances.
 b. In a careless, reckless, or negligent manner so as to endanger the person or property of another or to cause injury or damage thereto.
 c. While under the influence of intoxicating liquor or narcotics or habit-forming drugs.
 d. Without a lighted headlight and taillight from sunset to sunrise and at such other times when conditions provide insufficient lighting to render clearly discernible persons and vehicles at a distance of five hundred feet ahead.
 e. In any tree nursery or planting in a manner which damages or destroys growing stock.
 f. On any public land, public ice, or designated snowmobile trail, in violation of official signs of the commission prohibiting such operation in the interest of safety for persons, property, or the environment. Any officer appointed by the commission may post an official sign in an emergency for the protection of persons, property, or the environment.
 g. (1) In any park, wildlife area, preserve, refuge, game management area, or any portion of a meandered stream, or any portion of the bed of a nonmeandered stream which has been identified as a navigable stream or river by rule adopted by the department and which is covered by water, except on designated snowmobile trails.

 (2) This paragraph “g” does not prohibit the use of ford crossings of public or private roads or any other ford crossing when used for agricultural purposes; the operation of construction vehicles engaged in lawful construction, repair, or maintenance in a streambed; or the operation of snowmobiles on ice.
 h. Upon an operating railroad right-of-way. A snowmobile may be driven directly across a railroad right-of-way only at an established crossing and, notwithstanding any other provisions of law, may, if necessary, use the improved portion of the established crossing after yielding to all oncoming traffic. This paragraph does not apply to a law enforcement officer or railroad employee in the lawful discharge of the officer’s or employee’s duties or to an employee of a utility with authority to enter upon the railroad right-of-way in the lawful performance of the employee’s duties.
 i. Upon the surface of any public water in a maneuver known as water skipping. This paragraph “i” does not apply to operation on rivers or streams between November 1 and April 1.

Terms Used In Iowa Code 321G.13

  • Commission: means the natural resource commission of the department. See Iowa Code 321G.1
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Department: means the department of natural resources. See Iowa Code 321G.1
  • Designated snowmobile trail: means a snowmobile riding trail on any public land, private land, or public ice that has been designated by the department, a political subdivision, or a controlling authority for snowmobile use. See Iowa Code 321G.1
  • Livestock: includes but is not limited to an animal classified as an ostrich, rhea, or emu. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Measurable snow: means one-tenth of one inch of snow. See Iowa Code 321G.1
  • Nonambulatory person: means an individual with paralysis of the lower half of the body with the involvement of both legs, usually caused by disease of or injury to the spinal cord, or caused by the loss of both legs or the loss of a part of both legs. See Iowa Code 321G.1
  • Operate: means to ride in or on, other than as a passenger, use, or control the operation of a snowmobile in any manner, whether or not the snowmobile is moving. See Iowa Code 321G.1
  • Person: means an individual, partnership, firm, corporation, association, and the state, its agencies, and political subdivisions. See Iowa Code 321G.1
  • property: includes personal and real property. See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Public ice: means any frozen, navigable waters within the territorial limits of this state and the frozen marginal river areas adjacent to this state, other than farm ponds, that are under the jurisdiction of the commission. See Iowa Code 321G.1
  • Public land: includes but is not limited to a roadway or highway. See Iowa Code 321G.1
  • Public water: means any navigable waters within the territorial limits of this state and the marginal river areas adjacent to this state, other than farm ponds, that are under the jurisdiction of the commission. See Iowa Code 321G.1
  • Railroad right-of-way: means the full width of property owned, leased, or subject to easement for railroad purposes and is not limited to those areas on which tracks are located. See Iowa Code 321G.1
  • Rule: includes "regulation". See Iowa Code 4.1
  • Snowmobile: means a motorized vehicle weighing less than one thousand pounds which uses sled-type runners or skis, endless belt-type tread with a width of forty-eight inches or less, or any combination of runners, skis, or tread, and is designed for travel on snow or ice. See Iowa Code 321G.1
  • Water skipping: means the operation of a snowmobile on the surface of water by utilizing the skis, track, and bottom surface area of the snowmobile for flotation while the snowmobile is in motion. See Iowa Code 321G.1
 2. a. A person shall not operate or ride a snowmobile with a firearm in the person’s possession unless it is unloaded and enclosed in a carrying case, except as otherwise provided. However, a nonambulatory person may carry an uncased and unloaded firearm while operating or riding a snowmobile.

 b. (1) A person may operate or ride a snowmobile with a loaded firearm, whether concealed or not, without a permit to carry weapons, if the person operates or rides on land owned, possessed, or rented by the person and the person’s conduct is otherwise lawful.

 (2) A person may operate or ride a snowmobile with a loaded pistol or revolver, whether concealed or not, if the person is operating or riding the snowmobile on land that is not owned, possessed, or rented by the person, and the person’s conduct is otherwise lawful.
 c. A person shall not discharge a firearm while on a snowmobile, except that a nonambulatory person may discharge a firearm from a snowmobile while lawfully hunting if the person is not operating or riding a moving snowmobile.
 3. A person shall not drive or operate a snowmobile on public land or a designated snowmobile trail without a measurable snow cover.
 4. As used in this section, “rented by the person” includes a person who does not necessarily rent the land but who principally provides labor for the production of crops located on agricultural land or for the production of livestock principally located on agricultural land. The person must personally provide such labor on a regular, continuous, and substantial basis.
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