Current through November 25, 2024
(1) TRAFFIC AND PARKING.
(a)
1.
'Generally.' No person may operate any vehicle contrary to any posted traffic
sign, traffic control device, or the direction of a traffic control
officer.
2. 'Speed limit.' No
person may operate any vehicle contrary to any posted speed limit, or in excess
of 25 miles per hour where no posted speed limit has been
established.
3. 'Unsafe operation.'
No person may operate any vehicle in a negligent, reckless, or careless manner
that endangers life, property, or persons.
4. 'Disorderly operation.' No person may
operate any vehicle in a manner which is unreasonably loud, disruptive, or
otherwise interferes with peace, welfare, and safety, including unnecessary
spinning or squealing of tires, revving of an engine, or blowing of a
horn.
(b) All vehicles
shall stop at department property entrance stations when such stop is ordered
by department signs.
(c) No person
may operate or park any vehicle as defined in s. 340.01 (74), Stats., which is
required to be registered by law on lands under the management, supervision and
control of the department except:
1. On
highways as defined in s. 340.01 (22), Stats.
2. In posted parking areas and boat
ramps.
3. Overnight by permit at
state trail parking areas.
4. As
otherwise specifically authorized by law or administrative rule.
(d) No person may park, stop or
leave standing, whether attended or unattended, any vehicle or watercraft:
1. In any manner as to block, obstruct or
limit the use of any road, trail, waterway or winter sport facility,
or
2. Outside of any area provided
for such purposes when it is practical to use such areas, or
3. Contrary to posted notice.
(e) Any vehicle or watercraft in
violation of par. (d) may be towed off the property and stored at the owner's
expense.
(f) No person may operate
a motor vehicle as defined in s. 340.01 (35), Stats., off highways and parking
lots while under the influence of an intoxicant or a controlled
substance.
(g) No person may
operate a motor vehicle as defined in s. 340.01 (35), Stats., off highways and
parking lots without a valid driver's license issued by this or another state
or province, except for off-highway motorcycles in areas authorized for
off-highway motorcycles.
(h) No
person may operate an all-terrain vehicle or utility terrain vehicle off the
developed portion of a designated all-terrain vehicle trail.
(i) Electric personal assistive mobility
devices as defined in s. 340.01 (15pm), Stats., are prohibited on department
lands except where authorized in the property master plan or posted open for
their use.
(2) ABANDONED
VEHICLES. No person may leave any vehicle unattended without prior departmental
approval for more than 48 hours under such circumstances as to cause the
vehicle to reasonably appear to have been abandoned. An abandoned vehicle shall
constitute a public nuisance.
(3)
VEHICLE OPERATION.
(a)
Posted
notices. Except as provided, no vehicle may be operated on lands and
waters under the supervision, management or control of the department unless
its use is specifically authorized by posted notice.
(b)
Snowmobile races. No
person may conduct or engage in snowmobile races on any lands under the
supervision, management or control of the department.
(d)
Persons with physical
disabilities.1. The department may
authorize by permit persons with physical disabilities that affect the person's
mobility to use a motorized vehicle as a mode of personal conveyance. The
department shall accept proof of disability as required by 28 C.F.R. 35.137 (c) (2). Up to two additional people may occupy the device if their primary purpose
is to assist the permittee.
Note: Wheelchairs used by the physically
disabled are not motorized vehicles. Permits must be obtained from the property
manager or designee.
2. The
department may include reasonable permit conditions to protect safety and
resources. No person may violate a condition of a permit issued under this
paragraph.
(e)
Bicycles. Except where provided in this chapter, bicycles are
prohibited on all department lands except on public highways and areas or
trails posted for their use. Bicycles are permitted in all areas, except where
posted against such use, on the northern state forests, the Turtle-Flambeau and
the Willow flowage scenic waters areas.
(em)
Electric bicycles.
1. Class 1 and class 3 electric bicycles as
defined in s. 340.01 (15ph), Stats., may be operated at speeds of less than 15
miles per hour while the motor is engaged on trails listed in s. NR 51.73 (1) and subject to this chapter that are otherwise open to bicycles and on specific
trails or sections of trails not listed in s. NR 51.73 (1) that are all of the
following:
a. Open to nonmotorized bicycle
use.
b. Specified in a property
master plan.
c. Posted as open for
such use.
3. The
department may prohibit operation of electric bicycles on specific trails or
sections of trails by posted notice. No person may operate an electric bicycle
on a trail open to bicycles and posted closed to electric bicycles.
(f)
Prohibition.
No person may operate any bicycle, electric bicycle, electric personal
assistive mobility device, or electric scooter contrary to any posted traffic
sign, traffic control device or the direction of a traffic control
officer.
(fm)
Lighting
requirements. No person may operate a bicycle or electric bicycle
during hours of darkness as defined in s. 340.01 (23), Stats., on a trail
designated under s. NR 51.73 (1) unless the person or the bicycle or electric
bicycle is equipped with a lamp emitting a white light visible from a distance
of at least 500 feet to the front of the person or the bicycle or electric
bicycle and a lamp emitting a steady or flashing red light visible from a
distance of 500 feet to the rear of the person or the bicycle or electric
bicycle.
(g)
Unsafe
operation. No person may ride a bicycle, electric bicycle, electric
personal assistive mobility device, or electric scooter in a careless,
negligent, or reckless manner so as to endanger the life, property or persons
of others on any lands under the management, supervision and control of the
department.
(h)
All-terrain
and off-highway motorcycle routes. In accordance with ss. 23.33 (4) (b) and 23.335 (19) (a), Stats., the department may establish all-terrain
vehicle routes and off-highway motorcycle routes on department lands over
highways, as defined in s. 340.01 (22), Stats., owned by the department or
under the management, supervision, and control of the department, but not
including designated trails, that are:
1.
Specified as an allowed use in a department master plan under ch. NR
44.
2. Signed in accordance with
ss. NR 64.12 and 65.09.
(4) AIRCRAFT. No person may land or launch
any aircraft on the water or ice of Devil's lake in Devil's Lake state park,
Sauk county; all waters in Governor Dodge state park, Iowa county, and Willow
River state park, St. Croix county; Crystal lake in the Northern Highland state
forest, Vilas county; Lake of the Dalles in Interstate park, Polk county;
Mauthe lake in the Kettle Moraine state forest, Fond du Lac county; Lake Seven
in the Kettle Moraine state forest, Sheboygan county; Ottawa lake in the Kettle
Moraine state forest, Waukesha county; Interfalls lake in Pattison state park,
Douglas county; Yellowstone lake in Yellowstone Lake state park, Lafayette
county, and on all waters and lands, except model aircraft and hang gliders, in
the Richard Bong state recreation area, Kenosha county.
Copies and amendments of the Society of Automotive
Engineers Technical Report 1998-07, Society of Automotive Engineers Standard
J1287, titled Measurement of Exhaust Sound Levels of Stationary Motorcycles, is
available for inspection in the following offices: (A) The Department of
Natural Resources, 101 S. Webster St., Madison, Wisconsin 53707. (B) The
Legislative Reference Bureau, One E. Main St., Madison, Wisconsin. (C) The
Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc., 400 Commonwealth Drive, Warrendale,
Pennsylvania 15096.
