The paper presents the results of a study on the effect of tracked tractor and agricultural machinery traffic along vine rows and across the slope on the penetration resistance and soil compaction. The study was performed in a vineyard in which both black fallow and grass cover were maintained between the vine rows. The results showed that soil penetration resistance between the vine rows along the slope, in both bare fallow and grass covered plots, was much greater under the lower crawler rut than in the inter rut area and under the upper crawler rut. In both plots the penetration resistance increased with depth. This increase was more intensive to the depth of 15 cm, and below the depth � only in the bare fallow. In the grass covered plot the course of penetration resistance in soil profile under the upper and lower crawler ruts can be well described by a Gauss curve, and under the inter-rut area � by a spherical type curve. However, this course in bare fallow soil is of the spherical type in all three places. In both plots, the course of penetration resistance was more influenced by bulk density than water content. The course of water content in both the soil profile and along the slope was less variable in the grass covered than the bare fallow plot. Asymmetry of the penetration resistance distribution around the mean changed sinusoidally with depth under the bare fallow, and under the grass cover it increased linearly.