The 10 best places to snowmobile in Wyoming are as follows:
- Bear Lodge Mountains
- Beartooth Mountains
- Big Horn Mountains
- Black Hills
- Casper Mountain
- Continental Divide Snowmobile Trail (CDST)
- Sierra Madre
- Snowy Range
- Wyoming Range
- Yellowstone National Park
There are over 2,500 of both smooth and not-so-smooth trails that await snowmobilers who visit Wyoming. One such trail system that should be ventured on is the Continental Divide Snowmobile Trail System (noted as the best snowmobiling region of the U.S.). If you’re visiting the region, you’ll find plenty of places to stay with numerous snowmobile rentals and guided tours to take advantage.
There is something to see and enjoy on every trail system for visitors. Take in the sights or see the wildlife. Jump inclines or tosses snow up into the air – it’s all there just for you. The long winter season of Wyoming allows visitors a chance to partake in numerous adventures, so there’s a reason or two to keep returning to the area.
Grooming season for the snowmobile trails starts in mid-December and runs until the start of April. Let’s take a look at the most popular snowmobile trails in Wyoming!
10 Best Places to Snowmobile in Wyoming
1. Bear Lodge Mountains
Near the Black Hills uplift is the Bear Lodge Mountains, which is ideal for people looking to enjoy shorter snow trails. It’s less than 80 miles of well-cared-for trails that can be reached from Sundance, with elevations up to 7,000 feet.
2. Beartooth Mountains
This northwest part of Wyoming gets up to 10 feet of snow each season, offers over 60 miles of trails with elevations that can reach up to 11,000 feet. There are 30 miles of treated trails with 34 miles of untreated ones. Trail grooming begins in December and goes through March. Spring riding often continues into May.
Great starting towns include Cody, Powell and Cookie City, and offer some great views of the country.
3. Big Horn Mountains
In the middle of Wyoming are the majestic sights of Big Horn Mountain. While there are more than 200 marked, maintained trails, thousands of meadows can be used to freely ride upon. Here, snow can reach up to three feet (36 inches) with elevations between 7,500 and 10,000 feet. If you have a thing about heights, you don’t really want to check out this area, but you will be missing out if you do.
4. Black Hills
In northeast Wyoming is Black Bills, which connects with the Black Hills of South Dakota. There are nearly 300 miles of trails in South Dakota, and it links into the Wyoming trails. In this part of the country, snow ranges between one and four feet, with elevations of up to 7,000 feet. Snowmobilers can enjoy the powdery snow that falls during the winter and early spring seasons. If you plan to stick around some time in Wyoming, you want to visit the Sundance and/or Newcastle regions.
It’s a cooperative effort of the Division of State Parks, U.S. Forest Service, Historical Sites & Trails, Wyoming Department of State Parks & Cultural Resources and local snowmobile clubs to maintain these pathways.
5. Casper Mountain
In Medicine Bow National Forest, south of Casper, is the Casper Mountain/Muddy Mountain region with its 46 miles of cared for snowmobile trails with elevations up to 8,000 feet. If you want some ungroomed parts, you can find that around Bear Trap Meadows, heading east to Ponderosa Warming Hut and south to Muddy Mountain Warming Hut.
6. Continental Divide Snowmobile Trail (CDST)
Wyoming winters are something else entirely, but take in its sights and snows at the CDST. It starts at Lander and goes to West Yellowstone. Besides crossing four separate times, the trail is parallel to it most of the time. With high peaks, you can see land from up to 150 miles in many places.
The CDST is a snowmobiler’s dream come true, as you can ride in beneath the Absaroka and Wind River Mountain Ranges’ peaks and take in the sights the Teton Mountains have to offer. You get the best trails the Rocky Mountains have to offer and can do a little ice fishing while you’re at it too.
7. Sierra Madre
Situated on Colorado and Wyoming’s border is the Sierra Madre Mountains, with its closest town being Encampment. The Sierra Madres is located near the sought-after Snowy Range. All kinds of terrain make up the Sierra Madre, which includes 50 miles of cared-for trails and 60 rugged trails. Encampment offers many places to relax and unwind. Here, snow can reach up to eight feet.
If you’re looking for the deeper snow, go for the marked but rugged trails, but be aware that some places are at high risk for avalanches. This is something worth considering before venturing out that way.
8. Snowy Range
If you love snow and snowmobiling, then you have got to check out the Snowy Range, getting its name for the fact it receives more than 300 inches of snow a year. There is so much to explore with elevations as high as 11,000 feet. Temperatures can range from 30 degrees Fahrenheit to negative 30 degrees Fahrenheit, which is why it’s essential to wear enough clothes, have gloves and use a face shield.
There are more than 300 miles of both groomed and ungroomed trails, and the best terrain for snowmobiling is around Laramie. If you’re new to the sport, it offers gentle hills that make your first ride go smooth. However, its steeper slopes can be enjoyed by experienced avid snowmobilers.
Regardless of your experience level, you can whisk away to enjoy what Mother Nature has to offer, away from the busy hustle and bustle of life. Take in the wide-open sky, mountains and more, but spend the evening cozied up in the local hotel.
9. Wyoming Range
In western Wyoming is the Wyoming Range, which provides newbies and experts plenty of snowmobiling land to drive through. There are about 340 miles of land, which means you’re unlikely to run into other snowmobilers while out and about. The space of land is situated between Kemmerer and Alpine.
Besides the trails, sledders can enjoy the many logging roads and a plethora of off-piste riding landscapes.
10. Yellowstone National Park
Take your snowmobile to experience Yellowstone National Park in the winter. The park has so much to explore, with over 3,400 square miles of federally-protected land to view. The trails are opened to those who have a permitted commercial guide, but hundreds of snowmobilers can come in and see what the winter atmosphere is like at the nation’s first national park.
Conclusion
Snowmobiling isn’t just a pastime in Wyoming but an opportunity to enjoy all the scenery Mother Nature has to offer. There are so many places to snowmobile; it’ll be hard to discern which one to enjoy first. The best time to visit the state is mid-December through the start of April to ride along any of the 2,000-plus miles of groomed and rugged trails and terrain. So let’s go and visit one of the best places to ride a snowmobile in Wyoming!
References
https://www.trailsource.com/?type=SNOWMOBILING®ion=Wyoming
https://travelwyoming.com/things-to-do/snowmobiling
https://wyoparks.wyo.gov/index.php/snowmobile/snowmobile-maps-trails
