Jackson Hole Snowmobiling
Jackson Hole’s famous champagne powder is not just for skiers. In fact, people from around the world flock to the area’s deep drifts to experience the powerful thrill of snowmobiling. Here is a guide to the different Jackson Hole snowmobiling trips you can experience.
 |
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
In Yellowstone National Park, winter visitors can travel only by snowmobile, snowcoach or skis. In recent years there has been much controversy about banning snowmobiles from the park. Critics site concerns over pollution and over the affects the snowmobile traffic has on wildlife. For now sledheads are welcome on guided trips only with machines that meet noise and exhaust regulations.
One can understand the attraction. Snowmobiles allow you to experience the wildlife, stunning scenery, singular geology and powerful waterfalls as the wind rushes across your face. In a single day, you can travel from Jackson to the most famous park geyser, Old Faithful, or you can take several days to visit more out-of-the-way attractions.
Many outfitters take clients on the Lower Loop, along the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and out to the town of West Yellowstone, Montana for a night. The next day they travel to Old Faithful and then return to Jackson through the south entrance of the park.
“Snowmobiling in Yellowstone in the winter is as good as it gets,” said Tim Peters, president of the Rocky Mountain Snowmobile Guide Association. “It is absolutely beautiful.”
Grand Teton National Park Snowmobiling
There are no guided tours in Grand Teton National Park, but a segment of the Continental Divide Snowmobile Trail passes through. The 678-mile CDST features 612 groomed miles and 66 ungroomed miles and connects several northwestern Wyoming communities. Known as the heart of Wyoming snowmobiling, the CDST guarantees spectacular views, glimpses of wildlife, and exciting riding.
Snowmobilers in Grand Teton National Park may also ride on Jackson Lake, at the base of some of the most impressive mountains in the West. The lake is more than 16 miles long with an 80-mile shoreline. Its deepest parts drop to 450 feet. Ice fishing and snow planes are other popular pastimes on the frozen lake.
Established in 1950, Grand Teton National Park covers nearly 500 square miles and is home to moose, elk, wolves and bald eagles. In the winter, all of the lodges within the park are closed, but just north of the park on the John D. Rockefeller Highway is Flagg Ranch, which offers recreation, gas and food.
Togwotee Pass Snowmobiling
Just an hour north of Jackson lies Togwotee Pass, a snowmobiler’s haven where sledders access an extensive trail system winding through the Bridger-Teton National Forest. Sledders agree that Togwotee Pass is unsurpassed in snowfall, receiving more than 600 inches of snow each year. Elevations range from 7,000 to more than 10,000 feet, with trails maneuvering through thick trees, open meadows and vast powder fields. Ideal for the experienced rider or the novice, Togwotee Pass offers an incredible range of riding.
Nearby are the Togwotee Mountain Resort and Brooks Lake Lodge, both of which offer a welcome respite after a day of riding. Other lodges such as Goosewing Ranch, the Heart Six Guest Ranch and Turpin Meadows allow visitors easy access to this ’biling bonanza. The warm hospitality and the depth of local knowledge will enhance your winter Wyoming visit.
Gros Ventre Mountain Range Snowmobiling
The Gros Ventre mountain range is another favorite destination for snowmobilers. The trip follows the wide valley of the Gros Ventre River, one of the original routes early trappers used to find their way in and out of Jackson Hole. Moose are almost always visible among the willows along the river. Elk can be seen on the Wyoming feedgrounds where they receive supplemental nourishment to help them through the winter. And bighorn sheep are common along the slopes above the road on which the snowmobiles travel.
As you climb higher into the range, the country opens up into wide vistas of the surrounding wilderness – off limits to snowmobiles, sorry – and you race past high country anches. Some trips stop at one of these ranches for a meal before turning back to the roadhead. On the return trip, you will be treated to stunning views of the Tetons.
Granite Hot Springs Snowmobiling
Those who want to combine a leisurely tour, a great meal, swimming in a hot spring and some play in open fields should try a tour to Granite Hot Springs. It’s an easy 11 miles on a groomed Forest Service trail to the hot springs. Everybody gets plenty of time to whiz across the smooth meadows and rolling hills that run along many spots on the trail. Once at the hot springs, riders can soothe their muscles by soaking in the 106-degree spring water while enjoying a hot lunch.
Jackson Hole Hill Climb
The first weekend in April, Snow King Resort hosts the World Championship Snowmobile Hill Climb. Make way for the hard-core and prepare to watch some of the burliest riders in the United States and Canada push their machines to the limit as they attempt to ride from the base of Snow King Mountain 1,570 vertical feet straight up to the summit.
Additional Information Whether you want to top the powder on a mountain pass or tour through Yellowstone, Wyoming snowmobiling is for you. The state manages a permit program for snowmobilers who use their own sleds. Proceeds from the program go to grooming, signing and maintaining the state’s thousands of miles of trails. Permits are available online or by mail and cost $15. Contact Wyoming State Parks and Historic Sites, Attention: snowmobile registration, 122 W. 25th Street, Cheyenne, WY 82002, or visit http://commerce.state.wy.us/sphs/snow.
Enthusiasm for snowmobiling abounds in Jackson Hole. To learn more about snowmobiling opportunities in the valley, contact the Jackson Chamber of Commerce, PO Box 555, Jackson, WY 83001, (307) 733-3316.
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
