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We Want to go Where The Snow Is

Category: Public Blog

Snowmobiling hasn’t been around very long, historically speaking. Humans actually learned to fly before the first snow machine was built (1903 vs 1908) and the word ‘snowmobile’ wasn’t used until 1913. Fast forward to 2019, the sport of snowmobiling has grown in popularity and availability for many in North America. On average about 3 million people partake in the sport on over 200,000 miles of groomed and marked snowmobile trails throughout North America. Designs have changed since its’ conception in 1908, with comfort and convenience showing a marked improvement. Since more than 95% of snowmobile enthusiasts consider snowmobiling a family activity, it’s no wonder the search for good trails and location is intense and a well guarded secret. In Idaho, we’re lucky to have a huge repertoire of open areas and trails to utilize, but the Pacific Northwest is home to a lot of great locations. We’ve compiled our team’s favorite locations throughout the PNW to make the search easier for you.

Idaho

All of Idaho is home to thousands of acres of open grounds and trails. First one up is very close to our RedLine hearts and easy to access for many Idahoans. McCall is only a two-hour drive from Boise and is a popular destination for many. There are many good attributes of McCall for snowmobiling, including the options for guided or nonguided toursaround over 544 miles of groomed trails and the wide open terrain for off trail travel. McCall has consistently been ranked in the top 10 Northwestern US area for snow sport locations, and it’s easy to see why.

Unanimously chosen as a great snowmobiling location by our resident snow machine gurus at RedLine, Teton Valley at the foot of the Grand Teton Mountain Range and the slight foray into Yellowstone National Park and is a great Idaho option. It sits only just over the hill from Jackson Hole, and is right in the middle of the best snowmobiling territory in the US.

Another great option for Idaho is our amazing Northern resort town, Coeur d’Alene. Home to a RedLine location, CDA also marks the Western edge of a 1,000-mile trail system that stretches all the way to Montana. The CDA Snowmobile Club is proud to promote snowmobiling and preserve access to public land.

Oregon

One of the most beautiful national parks in the entire PNW is Crater Lake National Park. Since the winter lasts about nine months of the year due to the park’s higher elevations, it gets roughly 45 feet of snow annually. This gives way for amazing snow activities all around the park. There are guided and nonguided tours of the park available for snowmobilers and Diamond Lake is a very recommended locale for sightseeing.

Mt. Hood offers beautiful scenery and hundreds of miles of wonderful winter playground with groomed trails and fluffy powder. There are guided and nonguided tours available by multiple outfits, with a chance to take in the amazing views and outdoors.

The Bend area as a whole is an amazing place for snowmobiling. The Mt. Bachelor trail system stretches over 250 miles into many open snowfields and amazing mountain terrain. There are resorts, breweries and restaurants throughout the area for entertaining stops on your way through.

Washington

A part of the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, the Plains of Abraham are a very popular snowmobiling location in Washington. It’s right next to Mt. St. Helens, with the ability to ride along a pretty extensive trail system on the east side of the mountain. In the National Forest, there are also cabins and tours available to the public.

Leavenworth is a great destination during the winter and summer, and we’re glad to add it to the list. There’s over 150 miles of trails to explore, with guided and nonguided tours available. The town of Leavenworth has a lot to offer besides the mountains, and we highly recommend utilizing all it has to offer.

We have one more park to add to the list and that is the PNW’s magnificent Mt. Rainier National Park. There is a Sno- Park that offers 68 miles of groomed trails for snowmobilers. This part of Washington is absolutely beautiful and we’re so lucky to have parks like these so easily accessible.

*As always, we encourage our members and friends to check conditions and familiarize themselves with the terrain before they go out to stay safe.