Washington Snowmobile Trails
Washington Snowmobile Trails
The Best Trails for Snowmobiling in Washington
When it comes to quality snowmobile trails, you could do a lot worse than Washington state with its 3,300 miles of groomed trails, ungroomed roads and off-road riding over a wide variety of terrain that includes some of the most jaw-dropping scenery in the West. Even on cloudy days, it’s often possible to take your snowmobile high above the clouds for breathtaking views you are unlikely to forget. Plus, there’s usually no worries about snowfall levels. In a good year, seven of the top 14 spots in the U.S., with more than 400 inches of annual snowfall, can be found within Washington’s borders. Finally, the snowmobiling community in Washington is very organized. The Winter Recreation Program, in cooperation with federal, county, and local agencies, ski areas, snowmobile clubs, and private landowners, provides trail grooming, with five regions and 80 sno-parks for snowmobiling (cleared parking areas for vehicles in close proximity to groomed and/or backcountry trails) in the state. Where are the best spots to snowmobile Washington has to offer? Which are the best snowmobile trails near me when I’m in Washington? What are the trails for snowmobiling in Washington that are “must visit?” Below is a list of just a few of the most popular Washington snowmobile trails, compiled by the experts at Treadworld, with location information and websites where available. It’s always a good idea to check out Washington snowmobile trail conditions before you head out for your snowmobile adventures.
From north to south, the five Washington regions that are rife with sno-parks are Mount Baker/Mehow Valley, Leavenworth/Chelan, Snoqualmie/Blewett/I-90, Greenwater/Yakima and South Cascades. A sixth region, the Inland Northeast-Southeast region, caps the other five regions on the eastern border, running across the state from north to south.
Leavenworth/Chelan Region – Leavenworth is considered by many to be one of the best places to go snowmobiling in the west thanks to its high elevations (2,500-7,000 feet above sea level), the average snowfall of 150 inches annually and more than 150 miles of trails to explore. Around Lake Chelan and Lake Wenatchee, you’ll have access to hundreds of miles of groomed trails along with awe-inspiring views. You may very well want to check out the North Central Cascades trails system with its miles of rugged terrain, while starting your day at the Lake Wenatchee Airstrip or Fish Lake area means you’re at the beginning of 186 miles of groomed trails, up ridges, through forests and over frozen lakes. South of Lake Wenatchee, the Twenty-Five Mile Creek trail system provides riders with 63 miles to explore, and on the north side of the lake, the Antilon Lake trail system has another 100 miles of groomed trails to explore.
Snoqualmie/Blewett/I-90 Region – On the east side of Snoqualmie Pass and up over Blewett Pass, you’ll find several spectacular snowmobiling trails. The Kachess trail system offers a variety of terrain surrounding 23 miles of groomed trails, while the nearby Crystal Springs area has 51 miles of trails to ride, which includes impressive views at Tacoma Pass on the King and Kittitas County border. Then, further east, you’ll reach the Elk Heights trail system, with its 90 miles of groomed snowmobile trails that open the windows to the eastern Cascades. North of Interstate 90, the Blewett Pass trail system offers another 70 miles of groomed trails.
Greenwater/Yakima Region – This region offers excellent opportunities to ride snowmobile with 112 groomed trails. Near White Pass and Rimrock Lake lie the Cold Creek and Fish Creek trail systems with 66 miles of both groomed and ungroomed trails. Off of State Route 410, the Boulder Cave trail system provides 25 miles of groomed trails, and the Manastash trails include 78 miles of riding.
South Cascades Region – If you have the time, you’ll find 3,753 named mountains in the Cascade Range, which extends for over 700 miles from British Columbia to California. From one vantage point, you can see Mt. Rainier (14,411), Mt. Adams (12,276), Mt. St. Helens (8,366) and Old Snowy Mtn. (7,930 feet) and even Oregon’s Mt. Hood (11,239). This is the most heavily trafficked snowmobile area due to its proximity to the state’s largest population base, with fairly accessible riding spots. In the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, you’ll find Marble Mountain, a trail system that includes 25 miles of snowmobiling adventures. At the base of Mt. St. Helens, you’ll find another 25-mile trail system. From November to May, adventurous riders can work their way to the crater rim of this active volcano…though you’ll have to hike the last 100 yards to the top. Near Marble Mountain, Wakepish provides 17 miles of groomed trails and another 60 miles of ungroomed routes for those that prefer more rugged snowmobiling. Near Packwood, Skate Creek has 53 miles of trails and Johnson Creek and Orr Creek provide more than 148 miles to ride.
Some snowmobiling is allowed in Mt. Rainier National Park, popular because of the spectacular scenery and abundant snowfall. Per the Washington National Park Service website, there are several segments that allow snowmobiling along Westside Road, at the Cougar Rock Campground, and from SR410 to the White River Campground, that all come with an avalanche warning.
Inland Northeast-Southeast Region – Includes the Mill Creek Sno-Park located in the Gillette Recreation Area, which has 138 miles of groomed snowmobile trails. Mount Spokane offers 19 miles of groomed trails, Kings Lake has 134 miles of groomed trails circling lakes and climbing ridges, and Touchet Corral provides 56 miles of groomed trail exploration near the Bluewood Ski Area. Other trail systems in this region include Albian Hill, Empire Lake, Flodelle/Tacoma Creek, Flowery Creek, Hall Creek, Ione to Mataline, Ninebark, North Fork Chewelah Creek, Old Dominion and Paupac.
That’s Only A Few…
There’s a reason that Washington has some of the best snowmobile trails in the west. Actually, several reasons, including plentiful snowfall, breathtaking scenery and a largely snowmobile-centric population.
We’ve only highlighted a few of the wonderful areas for snowmobiling in Washington state, but there are many others which can pretty much take you from border to border.
We’re Treadworld, Home of the Best Specialty Tires Anywhere
Whether you’re in Washington or somewhere else, when you do decide to snowmobile outside your own backyard, one of the safest ways to transport your sleds is with a snowmobile trailer. And you can count on us to provide you with the high performance tires for snowmobile trailer that will get you safely where you’re going. Even the best snowmobile trailer is worthless if it’s not equipped with dependable tires. Here at Treadworld, we have the right trailer tires for every occasion. You can count on Rubbermaster brand trailer tires to provide the best in top quality, long-lasting, never-let-you-down reliability, manufactured with strict tolerances from top rubber compounds, triple-tested for quality before being X-rayed to be sure they’re perfect, then covered by our Ultimate Advantage Lifetime Warranty. Don’t hesitate to contact our tire experts via live chat or email with any questions you may have.
