The Top of the Lake Snowmobile Museum is situated in the village of Naubinway, the northernmost community on the Upper Peninsula’s Lake Michigan shoreline. With an active snowmobiling community and close to 200 snowmobiles on display, it’s a great year-round stop for travelers.
What’s in the Top of the Lake Snowmobile Museum?
The Top of the Lake Snowmobile Museum has a collection of around 200 machines. Time-wise, the collection spans the period from the first car-track conversion snow machines of the early 1900s, through to the early 2000s. But that’s not all!
The museum’s collection also includes lots of memorabilia, gear, signs, owners manuals, and more.
One of the great things about this snowmobile museum is the signage.
There’s lots of information on the history of the brands and the specific sleds on the floor. The volunteers who’ve put this together have shared magazine and newspaper clippings, details on ownership where available, and historical insights.
There are, of course, a number of sleds from the history of today’s brands: Ski-Doo, Arctic Cat, Polaris, and Yamaha, in the collection. However, they’ve also got lots of snow machines manufactured by companies that have long since hung up their skis.
Some of them include:
- Home made snow machines like the 1936 Westendorf built by local machinist, Fred Westendorf, to go ice fishing
- 1969 Snow Ghia first produced by Ghia Industries, Torino, Italy, with a move to US New Jersey Headquarters in 1968, with a low profile for better vision and tracking
- 1969 Wheel Horse from the Wheel Horse, Inc. company in South Bend, Indiana, which offered riders the choice of an electric start or dash mounted recoil
- 1971 Big Boss manufactured in Ovid, MI, for the 1970-71 season, however 20 were built but only 8 sold, and the rest destroyed as part of bankruptcy proceedings
- 1973 Polar Bear, originally produced one machine at a time and only sold in Connecticut
Linda’s Pick of the Displays
Of course, I’ve been snowmobiling for … well not quite since the beginning of the industry, but close, so I have a lot of favorites. However, my pick here was the 1968 Sno-Bunny manufactured by the Jac-Trac Company of Marshfield, WI, for distribution through the midwest and by J.C. Penney.
I love the name — snobunny or snow bunny. The history of the term goes back to the 1950s as a slang term for a novice skier or snowmobiler (usually female). Also, of course, it’s been a slang word used to describe an attractive woman since the 1700s.
While I don’t know how much weight the manufacturer meant to put into the name it picked, advertisements of the time did describe it as one of the lightest, quickest machines on the market. And that’s exactly what we ladies wanted!
Linda’s Road Trip Tips
Most of this trip we spent on U.S. Route #2, which goes from coast to coast just below the Canadian border. So, we headed to Escanaba, a port city on Lake Michigan around 100 miles away from Naubinway.
We stayed at the Hiawatha Motel, which provided a comfortable night for a good price. Our favorite part of Escanaba, however, was Hudson’s Classic Grill where we went for dinner. I especially enjoyed the pumpkin pie and whipped cream!
Who Should Visit the Top of the Lake Snowmobile Museum?
The Top of the Lake Snowmobile Museum is a must see for anyone interested in winter sports, especially its history. Many of the snowmobiles in the museum were mainly used in Michigan’s UP and down the east coast, so for westerners, there are lots of different models to check out.
The museum is open year round, so you can get your “snowmobile fix” in August if you like, as we did!
How Long Does It Take To Visit The Museum?
Going through the museum can take half a day if you’re reading all the information cards! It’s also a fun way to introduce young snowmobilers or non-snowmobilers to the sport, so is great for all ages.
How Do You Visit the Top of the Lake Snowmobile Museum?
The Top of the Lake Snowmobile Museum is located at W11660 US-2 Naubinway, Michigan.
Visit the museum at its website for a virtual tour, admission costs, and upcoming snowmobile events:
Follow the Top of the Lake Snowmobile Museum Facebook page to keep up to date on all the happenings.
Discover More Snowmobile Museums
- Snowmobiles to Paul Bunyan: Wisconsin Museum
The Vilas Historical Museum curates the history and artifacts of Vilas County, including the original first Eliason snowmobile. The collection also includes everything from dolls to lumberjack tools. - Thrilling Speeds on Snowmobiles: WI Museum
Eagle River, WI, is snowmobile central, whether you’re hitting the snowmobile trails or racetrack. This snowmobile museum has a great display of sleds and tons of information about every aspect of the industry. - Surprising Story of Polaris Snowmobiles: MN Museum
The Polaris Experience Center is a must-see for snowmobile enthusiasts. From the Midnight Blue Express to the Polaris Thrill Team, it’s a fascinating museum. - Ski-Doo Snowmobiles Jaw-Dropping History: QC Museum
Valcourt, Quebec’s Museum of Ingenuity celebrates the innovations of J. Armand Bombardier and the company that was his legacy. See his original shop, tracked vehicles, and snowmobiles. - Notable Snowmobile Museum in Michigan’s UP
The Top of the Lake Snowmobile Museum is in the small Michigan town of Naubinway. It’s collection has many unique machines with lots of information provided.
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