The World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum is situated at the World Snowmobile Headquarters in Eagle River, Wisconsin. Eagle River is recognized as the Snowmobile Capital of the World®, plus it’s home of the World Championship Snowmobile Derby where snowmobile speeds on the Derby race track have hit 124 mph and higher!
Wisconsin has always been a hotspot for snowmobiling, both recreational and competitive. So, it’s no surprise that the headquarters are right next to the Eagle River Derby Complex & Track.
What’s in the World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum?
The museum is housed at the World Snowmobile Headquarters, an organization dedicated to the sport of snowmobiling and the people who’ve made it what it is today.
What speeds did snowmobiles hit on the Eagle River Derby track in the 61st World Championship Derby in 2024?
Eagle River’s Derby track is a 1/2 mile banked oval. In 2024, Matt Goede’s top lap speed in the 25-lap final on his Ski-Doo snowmobile was 18.684 seconds per lap. That works out to an average lap speed (including the tight corners – some describe the Eagle River track as two drag races with sharp corners at both ends) of 96.34 MPH!
There are about 70 snowmobiles on display at the museum, plus sleds are rotated regularly. They’re organized in a way to preserve a detailed history of snowmobiles and snowmobile racing.
Main Exhibits
Some of the main exhibits include:
- Eagle River, Wisconsin, Snowmobile History: Derby world championship snowmobiles and plaques; World Championship Snowmobile Derby Hall of Fame; Derby Gallery; Derby Memorabilia; Derby Traditions of the Cup; and Derby Archives.
- International Organizations Snowmobile History: International Snowmobile Hall of Fame machines and plaques; International Snowmobile Groomer of the Year; International Snowmobile Club of the Year; International Snowmobile Dealer of the Year; Edgar Hetteen Memorial Award of Merit.
- Snowmobile Organizations History: Starting with the Antique Snowmobile Club of America and Women on the Snow, this also includes local and state snowmobile clubs.
Twin Track Snowmobiles
If there’s one thing you must see in the museum, it’s the twin tracker snowmobiles.
The first twin track snowmobile race sled was a 1974 Alouette built by Gilles Villeneuve. However, it took awhile until manufacturers jumped in to see what they could do with the technology.
When they did, the most exciting era in snowmobile oval racing began with these twin trackers.
Jacques Villeneuve piloted the first Ski-Doo twin track model in 1981, but it wasn’t until the 1982 season that the Formula 1 twin trackers made big headlines.
Indeed, through the ’80s and much of the 90’s, these were the sleds to beat.
Learn more in Linda and David's book - Illustrated Guide to Snowmobile Racing (paperback on Amazon).
Twin trackers were produced in limited numbers by the factories and only made available to qualified professional drivers.
As time passed and new twin track models were released, older models became available for racers at all levels of experience. You’ll see a number of these race machines in the museum.
Linda’s Pick of the Exhibits
My favorite exhibit was the one for the Eagle River Derby World Championship. The Eagle River Derby event has a long history, starting back in 1964. Right in the heart of snowmobile country, it has attracted millions of fans (including David and I) as well as racers.
Originally the track was owned by the Eagle River Lions Club. In 1985, Dick and Audrey Decker purchased it, then sold the property to their son, Chuck Decker, in 1989. It was sold to a group of industry insiders in 2018 and renamed the World Championship Derby Complex.
What’s the largest number of World Championship titles won by a single driver at Eagle River?
The most races any driver has won is four.
P. J. Wanderscheid (2002, 2003, 2006, 2011) and Blaine Stephenson (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021) share the honor. Stephenson is the only racer in history to have won four back-to-back World Championships.
My personal favorite oval racer, Jacques Villeneuve, won three times (1980, 1982, 1986).
They also run a Vintage World Championship these days. Sabrina Blanchet, a Quebec racer, was the first woman to ever win a World Championship “Eagle” in 2022.
Take it from me, the Eagle River World Championship is a must-see for anyone interested in the wonderful world of snowmobile racing.
Linda’s Road Trip Tips
We visited the World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum on a summer roadtrip to Michigan. We visited the Top of the Lake Snowmobile Museum there, before heading back to Saskatchewan.
On the way, of course, we also visited the Snowmobile Hall of Fame and Museum in St. Germain, WI and the Vilas Historical Museum, featuring all of the Eliason snowmobiles.
We’ve stayed in Eagle River a number of times, with the Best Western Derby Inn our preference.
Typically, we enjoy a meal or two at the Friendship House Family Restaurant. It has a great menu and good service.
Who Should Visit the World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum?
When you’re in Wisconsin and Minnesota, you’ll find a lot of great snowmobile museums. So, it may be tempting to skip some! However, due to the integral part of Eagle River and the Eagle River World Championship to the sport of snowmobile racing, do plan to stop in.
With a mix of consumer sleds and race sleds, all snowmobilers will find some interesting machines.
Even non-snowmobilers will find the evolution of the machines and gear interesting.
We spent a couple of hours here, but we knew a lot about most of the sleds and the people involved.
If you’re new to snowmobiling, plan on longer.
How Do You Visit the World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum?
Visit the museum in person at 1521 N Railroad St., Eagle River, Wisconsin.
The World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum is open year-round, but you can check specific days and hours at the ASCOA website.
Keep up to date with what’s happening at the World Snowmobile Headquarters on Facebook.
Take a virtual tour of the World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum with Snowmobiler TV on YouTube.
Plan your visit with Google Maps.
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. - Snowmobile Hall of Fame and Museum: St. Germain, WI
The Snowmobile Hall of Fame and Museum is in St. Germain, Wisconsin. Displays include winning race sleds, vintage snowmobiles, gear, & memorabilia.
Reference(s)
Aksomitis, L. & Aksomitis, D. (2006). Illustrated guide to snowmobile racing. Ertel. https://www.amazon.com/Illustrated-Guide-Snowmobile-Racing-Aksomitis/dp/1583881700/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_pl_foot_top
Armstrong, H. (2018, Feb. 17). 1981 Ski-Doo Twin Track: The snowmobile that forever changed oval racing. SnowTech Magazine. https://www.snowtechmagazine.com/twintrack/
Wikipedia. (2023). World Championship Snowmobile Derby. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Championship_Snowmobile_Derby
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