How loud is a snowmobile?
Snowmobiles entering Yellowstone National Park must operate at or below 67 dB(A) at a cruising speed of about 35 mph under the SAE J1161 test, or 65 dB(A) for the park's enhanced standard. Before 2015 the limit was 73 dB(A) at full throttle under SAE J192.
- Level
- 65–73 dBA maxA-weighted maximum sound level
- Daily limit
- No daily limitNIOSH, at the loud end
- Versus conversation
- 4.5× energyabout 1.6× as loud
What the numbers mean
How it was measured. Yellowstone National Park limits: 73 dB(A) at full throttle under SAE J192 (until 2015), 67 dB(A) at about 35 mph cruising under SAE J1161 (from December 2015), 65 dB(A) for the enhanced standard. These are limits for park-approved machines, not measurements of typical snowmobiles.
Yellowstone's regulations set some of the few published noise limits for snowmobiles. Until 15 March 2015 machines had to operate at or below 73 dB(A) at full throttle under the SAE J192 test procedure. From 15 December 2015 the limit became 67 dB(A) at cruising speed, about 35 mph, under SAE J1161, and an enhanced standard of 65 dB(A) applies to machines that also meet tighter emissions limits.
These are pass-by tests at a set distance from the machine, so they describe what a bystander hears, not what the rider hears sitting on top of the engine. Machines that do not meet the park's standard may be louder. Snowcoaches face a limit of 75 dB(A) at 25 mph.
How long is safe?
Below 85 dBA, the level NIOSH allows for a full 8-hour day.
| Level | NIOSH limit (85 dBA, 3 dB rule) | OSHA limit (90 dBA, 5 dB rule) | UK/EU 80 dB(A) action value reached after | UK/EU 85 dB(A) action value reached after |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 73 dBA | No limit | No limit | Not reached in 24 h | Not reached in 24 h |
Times are for a whole day’s exposure, with the rest of the day quiet. The workplace limits were written for adults at work, not for children. Work out a mixed day with the noise dose calculator.
Protecting your hearing
Riders should wear earplugs under the helmet, particularly on long trips; the rider sits much closer to the engine than the test microphone.
Earplug and earmuff ratings (NRR in the US, SNR in the UK and EU) are lab figures; real-world protection is usually lower. How to read the ratings.
Compared with sounds nearby
Using midpoints of each range. Energy multiplies by 10 every 10 dB; perceived loudness roughly doubles (why).
- Washing machine (47–78 dBA): this has about 4.5× its sound energy and sounds about 1.6× as loud.
- Operating theatre (53–78.8 dBA): this has about 2× its sound energy and sounds about 1.2× as loud.
- Inside a car (65–77.2 dBA): it has about 1.6× the sound energy of this and sounds about 1.2× as loud.
- Cinema (61–84 dBA): it has about 2.2× the sound energy of this and sounds about 1.3× as loud.
- Normal conversation (55–70 dBA): this has about 4.5× its energy and sounds about 1.6× as loud.
Questions
How loud is a snowmobile?
Snowmobiles allowed in Yellowstone must stay at or below 67 dB(A) at about 35 mph in the SAE J1161 pass-by test, or 65 dB(A) under the enhanced standard.
Are snowmobiles quieter than they used to be?
Yellowstone's limit tightened from 73 dB(A) at full throttle to 67 dB(A) at cruising speed in 2015, though the tests differ.
Sources
- 36 CFR § 7.13 - Yellowstone National Park, US Code of Federal Regulations (Legal Information Institute, Cornell). Supports: dB_high 73 dB(A).
snowmobiles must operate at or below 73 dB(A) as measured at full throttle according to SAE J192 test procedures (revised 1985)
Checked 2026-11-03. - 36 CFR § 7.13 - Yellowstone National Park, US Code of Federal Regulations (Legal Information Institute, Cornell). Supports: 67 dB(A).
snowmobiles must operate at or below 67 dB(A) as measured at cruising speed (approximately 35mph) in accordance with SAE J1161 test procedures
Checked 2026-11-03. - 36 CFR § 7.13 - Yellowstone National Park, US Code of Federal Regulations (Legal Information Institute, Cornell). Supports: dB_low 65 dB(A) enhanced standard.
a maximum of 65 dB(A) as measured at cruising speed (approximately 35 mph)
Checked 2026-11-03. - 36 CFR § 7.13 - Yellowstone National Park, US Code of Federal Regulations (Legal Information Institute, Cornell). Supports: snowcoach 75 dB(A).
A snowcoach may not exceed a sound level of 75 dB(A) when measured by operating the snowcoach at 25 mph
Checked 2026-11-03.
This page is general information, not medical advice. If you have ringing in your ears, muffled hearing or any change in your hearing, see an audiologist or your doctor.