Colorado’s Powder Playgrounds

hThe high country of Colorado is open once again, welcoming snowmobilers to a great day on trails and fields. From high-speed adventure to serious mountain sledding and family-friendly rides there are plenty of great choices and spectacular Colorado places to enjoy the sport.

Everyone feels welcome in Grand Lake, where the streets are snowy right of ways for sleds as long as there is sufficient snow! This makes access to the trail system simple and speedy, and you can sled right back into town for a warming cup of coffee or a lunch break. More than 300 miles of trails offer spectacular scenery and views of the Continental Divide, plus opportunity to see wildlife in the Arapaho National Forest that borders Rocky Mountain National Park.

Expansive miles of trails and open lands are the draw in Steamboat Springs, from Rabbit Ears Pass on the eastern edge of town, to the deep pine forests in the Flat Top Wilderness Area south of town. Because the area gets so much snow every winter, enthusiasts eagerly wait for the heaviest accumulations of deep winter, then head to the area northwest of town where they can go full-throttle over many miles of treeless terrain that rolls all the way to the town of Craig. If you feel the need for speed, this ride is awesome!

Wolf Creek gets more powder than any other area of Colorado, and experienced snowmobilers savor the complex trail system that winds deep into the rugged San Juan Mountains. If you’re a novice or unfamiliar with the area, please take a guide when you explore Eagle Mountain and the dizzying spectacle of Wolf Creek Pass. It’s a high-altitude adrenalin rush through some of the deepest powder to be found anywhere.

Vail Pass Recreation Area is just east of Vail Mountain with easy access off I-70. This snowmobiling and back-country ski area has become massively popular because skiers and snowmobilers have learned how to share the trails. Some of Colorado’s most spectacular terrain surrounds the area, known for heavy doses of fresh powder throughout the winter, and for great hospitality – eateries, pubs, lodging, and plenty of fun in  the charming alpine atmosphere of Vail Village.

And a thrill for the kids who are too young to drive – ages 6 to 13 – Colorado Adventure Park near the popular Winter Park Ski Resort will delight them with mini snowmobiles called Snow Scoots. The sleds are sized right so kids can practice their moves safely, navigating the groomed track inside the park’s boundaries.