Wyoming's 675-mile Continental Divide Snowmobile Trail (CDST) is one of the West's best riding spots, according to the readers of SnoWest magazine, the sport's leading authority on adventure snowmobile riding. With its spectacular views and legendary powder, this trail (or parts of it) should make any rider's short list this season.
We've outlined one of our favorite trips, a fabulous stretch that runs between Lander and Dubois, threading through the scenic Wind River Range and flirting with the
Continental Divide itself. 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. So, zip into a super-insulated snowmobiling suit; don helmet, boots and gloves; and climb aboard a sled to explore some of the best snowmobiling in the country.
Begin in Lander, which permits snowmobiling on city streets. Louis Lake Lodge, open by reservation only, is a great place to stay right on the 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. Wind River Brewing Co. 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.
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 Resort 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.
For more information visit www.wind-river.org
and www.sledwyoming.com, or
call 800-645-6233 for a free winter vacation packet.