Wyoming's Continental Divide Snowmobile Trail Ranked #1
Wyoming's Continental Divide Snowmobile Trail is the favorite western riding spot according to the readers of SnoWest Magazine, the sport's leading authority on adventure snowmobile riding. The #1 designation is the result of a survey published in the annual Western Guide to Snowmobiling 2007 ranking scenery, grooming, signage, map, off-trail, snow quality, crowds, terrain and services by the people who know it best, the riders. With its spectacular views, this trail (or parts of it), is a "must-do" this winter. For more information visit www.wind-river.org and www.sledwyoming.com, or call 800-645-6233 for a free winter vacation packet.
Of Wyoming's roughly 2,000 marked (and often groomed) snowmobile trails, the 675-mile Continental Divide Snowmobile Trail (CDST) has been called the top snowmobile route in the West by SnoWest magazine. Arguably the best part is between Lander and Dubois, threading through the scenic Wind River Range and flirting with the Continental Divide itself.
Zip
Dusting the trails photo by Rick Carpenter
into a super-insulated snowmobiling suit, don helmet, boots and gloves, and climb aboard a sled to explore extensive trail systems around either of these two hospitable communities east of the Wind Rivers and also from Pinedale on the west side. You may start at one end and finish at the other (using a vehicle shuttle to get back to your starting point), or even undertake a roundtrip ride. Restaurants, lodgings and bars in each town welcome snowmobilers during a season that starts as early as December and wraps up in late April.
Lander permits snowmobiling on city streets. Seventy miles of marked backcountry trails, primarily around South Pass and Atlantic City lure snowmobilers into a historic mining region blanketed with four to six feet of snow. Louis Lake Lodge, open by reservation only, is a great place to stay right on the Continental Divide Trail, where you can snowmobile to one of eight winterized log cabins. Also, with its proximity to Lander, many amenities are available.
From Lander, the route trends northwest through deep forests, over high passes and into open valleys with views that won't quit and snow piles as deep as 10 feet. It is 90 scenic miles to Boulder for a fuel stop and 12 miles farther to Pinedale. Located at the crossroads of the CDST and the shorter but also spectacular Wyoming Trail, Pinedale is also the gateway to 141 miles of trails plus untold powdery acres for off-trail riding. Bottoms Up Brewery on Pinedale's main drag can draw some award-winning beer for thirsty snowmobilers. The Pinedale Snow Explorers Snowmobile Club welcomes visitors to many of its spectator and participant events.
On one of Wyoming's many groomed trails photo by Rick Carpenter
Ride north for another 30 miles to the historic DC Bar Guest Ranch or Elk Ridge Lodge. Ask about accommodations packages, snowmobile rentals and perhaps guided excursions for 2006.
The last leg of a south-to-north trip ends in Dubois, between the High Wind Rivers and the Absaroka Range with 150 miles of trails, lodging, dining and snowmobile facilities galore. Check out the nearby Triangle C Ranch, Lava Mountain Lodge, the Line Shack Lodge or Crooked Creek Guest Ranch for lodging and rentals. They each provide some combination of lodging, lodging packages, snowmobile rentals, repairs, food, fuel and other services. Any of them, or the town of Pinedale itself, is a good place to end a northbound trip or to start a southbound one.
If you bring your own sled to Wyoming, you will need a $25 use permit. A list of the state's 180 agents is at wyotrails.state.wy.us. The site also has snowmobiling regulations, outfitter and trail guide information, and trail conditions and grooming reports.
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