Hay Days 2025 Guide: Grass Drags, Swap Meet & More

Going to Hay Days 2025? Here’s What To Know

We’re always on the hunt to bring you the best events going on in offroading and motorsports each year – and it’s even better when we’re going to be there as well!

So make sure to mark your calendars for September 6-7, 2025, because Goats Trail is heading to North Branch, Minnesota, for one of the best events in powersports: Hay Days. 

If you've never experienced this two-day festival, imagine SEMA meets county fair meets X Games… but with a distinctly Midwest flavor and a whole lot more mud. You won’t want to miss it.

What To Know About Hay Days 2025

When: September 6-7, 2025

Where: 38740 Oriole Avenue, North Branch, MN 5505

Hours: Gates open at 8 AM both days

Tickets: See ticket information here.

• BOGO Pass: $30 advance / $40 at gate (Saturday admission gets you Sunday free)

• Sunday Only: $15 advance / $20 at gate

• Kids 12 & under: FREE

• Premium Experience packages: $250-$1,000

What Is Hay Days?

Since 1967, Hay Days has earned its tagline as the "Official Start of Winter" by bringing together snowmobile fanatics, ATV riders, and powersports enthusiasts for one last blast before the fall and winter really set in.

What started as a small snowmobile race on hay bales (hence the name) has now grown and evolved into North America's largest powersports event of its kind.

The Sno-Baron's Snowmobile Club is the brains behind Hay Days, and they've kept the grassroots vibe alive even as attendance has swelled to tens of thousands. 

Even if you aren’t a big snowmobile aficionado, it’s well worth coming to Hay Days just to see some of the craziness that this event always seems to pull off.

What To Expect at Hay Days 2025

Snowmobile Grass Drags

The heart of Hay Days is the grass drag racing that started it all. 

There’s just something special about watching 1,000-horsepower Outlaw class sleds rip down 500 feet of grass in under 3.5 seconds at 150+ mph. 

Plus, these aren't your uncle's trail sleds. Hay Days features some pretty impressive rides – $100,000 fire-breathing monsters running turbos, superchargers, or nitrous.

The Pro Xtreme 55 class showcases 600hp from a single 55mm turbo, while Stock, Improved Stock, Pro Stock, and Pro Modified classes are also highlighted throughout the event.

30-Acre Swap Meet

One of our favorite parts of Hay Days? The swap meet is legendary.

If you’ve dreamed of finding that vintage sled part or scoring a deal on last year's gear, the Hay Days swap meet will likely be your happy place. The swap meet covers 30 acres (that's 23 football fields), and features thousands of vendors from across the U.S. and Canada.

Smart shoppers will bring wagons or rent them on-site, because you're likely going to find stuff you didn't know you needed. The swap opens early, and the best deals disappear fast.

Freestyle Expo

The freestyle expo brings X Games-level talent to Minnesota farmland – and is one of the key ways that Hay Days has grown over the past several years. 

The Freestyle Expo combines Snowmobiles, dirt bikes, and ATVs, taking turns launching off massive ramps. The Minnesota 4-Wheel Drive Association adds ground-based mayhem with rock crawling and obstacle demonstrations that'll make you rethink what trucks can do.

Southern Bounty Series

New-ish to Hay Days but perfectly at home, the Southern Bounty Series brings competitive mud racing to the mix. 

UTVs and ATVs will battle the clock through specially designed mud pits, with classes based on tire size from small (35.5" and below) to unlimited (60"+).

Drivers get five minutes to complete their run, and if they can't make it through, distance determines the winner. It's messy, loud, and absolutely addictive to watch.

Our Tips for Making the Most of Your Hay Days Experience

Getting There

North Branch is about 45 minutes north of the Twin Cities. The Sno-Barons recommend avoiding Highway 95 through town; instead, take the back roads via the detailed directions on their website. It’s worth the extra five minutes to avoid the traffic jam.

Parking

Multiple lots surround the grounds, all of which are operated by local landowners. Prices vary, but expect $10-20. Some lots allow camping if you're planning a weekend getaway.

Survival Gear to Bring

• Comfortable shoes (you'll walk miles)

• Cash (not everyone takes cards)

• Sunscreen and layers (Minnesota weather is unpredictable)

• Empty truck/trailer (you'll buy stuff)

• Earplugs (grass drags are LOUD)

• Your Goats Trail gear (Because why not?)

Consider the Premium Experience

If you want to do Hay Days in style, the Premium Experience packages include a ton of extras that may be worthwhile. These include expedited entry, free parking, private viewing areas, catered lunch, unlimited drinks, and behind-the-scenes tours. The Executive level even gets you pit access.

Goats Trail Will Be At Hay Days – Will You?

We're attending Hay Days because this event includes everything we're about – authentic enthusiasm for powersports and mad respect for the machines and those who build them.

If you’re at Hay Days, make sure DM Goats Trail-we’d love to share the experience with you!

Shop Hay Days-Ready Gear at Goats Trail