Snowmobiling in Yellowstone National Park
Snowmobiling Through Beautiful Yellowstone National Park
By Sean Stevens
Painting a picture of Yellowstone Park in your mind might consist of miles and miles of wooded forests, high mountains, crystal clear lakes, steaming geysers shooting their boiling broth high into the sky, and of course, abundant wildlife roaming wherever nature might direct them. Now, add to this picture 15 feet of pure white snow, over 100 miles of groomed trails, and you on a snowmobile cruising through our nation's oldest and largest park witnessing the rare beauty so many people miss who visit in the summer. If you don't mind a little bit of cold weather, you could have one of the most memorable and unique vacations of your life.
By mid-December there is typically a fair amount of snow due to the advantage of the park's elevation, which averages around 8,000 feet. We recommend a guided trip so you don't have to worry about your machines, itinerary, and transportation to the park. The guide will take care of everything for you. A guide is a recommended choice if you are new to this sport because they will be there to help you and make sure you have the best experience possible.
Upon entering the south entrance, you will need to purchase a park permit. After you register, you are free to roam wherever the trails may take you. A park map is given to you by the ranger who registers you so that you can plan accordingly which route you may want to follow. Probably the most famous destination is Old Faithful Geyser, which can easily be reached in 1 1/2 hours going the park speed limit of 45 mph. Speeding is prohibited and you could be fined if you are caught by a park ranger. The park sets a speed limit mainly to prevent accidents with animals who frequently cross the roads, especially in the winter because it is much easier for the animals, such as buffaloes, to walk on packed snow trails instead of trudging through 10 feet of heavy snow. Collisions with other riders also occur so always follow park regulations. The same basic principles of driving a car relate to snowmobiling; don't ride on the middle of the trail, stay to the right; obey all signs, and all animals have the right of way. If you see buffalo on the trail, stop, keep a safe distance and let them pass.
Other popular routes include riding along Yellowstone Lake, the largest natural freshwater lake in the United States that is above 7,000 feet and is one of the largest such lakes in the world. It is recommended that you visit the park for two days, because of its size. The Old Faithful Lodge is open in the winter for snowmobilers and cross country skiers who want to have a cozy, relaxing stay in the park. Staying in the park will give you more time to select routes you might not be able to reach in one day. You can also stay outside of the park in West Yellowstone which is the town bordering the west entrance of the Park or Gardiner, Mont., which borders the north entrance of the park, or you could stay in Cody which borders the east entrance to the park. In either direction, you can find lodging and will be able to pull right up to the front door on your snowmobile. Make sure you have arrangements for lodging well ahead of your stay because there is a big population of snowmobilers traveling in and out of the park doing the same thing you will be doing.
Aside from riding through Yellowstone, there are hundreds of miles of trail riding bordering the park as well. Togwotee has superb trail riding with over 200 miles of groomed runways. Togwotee also has advanced terrain for the experienced rider. If you are a powder hound then that's the place to be. One of the famous trails in Wyoming connects Togwotee, Dubois, Lander and Pinedale on the Continental Divide trail. This enables you to travel hundreds and hundreds of miles through western Wyoming.
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