Best Snowmobiling in America
Alpine Meadows, The Canyons, Kirkwood, Mammoth Mountain, Mount Bachelor,
Park City, Squaw Valley, Mount Hood Meadows and more

 


This listing of the
Top Ten
Snowmobiling
areas in the United States is constantly being revised as
new snowmobiling
areas are being discovered and rated. So, if you
 feel we are missing one, please email
 us and let us know! 
email


 


 

 Home | IndexTravel Deals | Airlines | Weather | Map it | Google 


America's Top 10 Snowmobiling Areas

  1. West Yellowstone, Montana

  2. Eagle River, Wisconsin

  3. Stanley, Idaho

  4. Jackson Hole, Wyoming

  5. Newberry, Michigan

  6. Northern Maine

  7. Mammoth Lakes, CA

  8. Seeley Lake, MT

  9. Petersville, AK

  10. Grand Lake, CO

    1. West Yellowstone, Montana  has earned a reputation among sled enthusiasts as the "Snowmobiling Capital of the World."  Powder aplenty! Averaging over 150 inches of the white stuff each year, West offers a consistently radical snow experience. Few places in North America can match the quality of snow available in West Yellowstone and the surrounding areas. Experience the great Montana snowmobiling adverture.


    2. Eagle River,
    Wisconsin - Wisconsin snowmobiling at its best. The first snowmobiles were built in Wisconsin. And over the past twenty-five years, the state has developed a trail system second to none! More than 25,000 miles of top-quality trails now link every corner of the state. Trails are well-marked and methodically groomed by hundreds of local snowmobile clubs.

    3. Stanley, Idaho
    - The Stanley Basin trail system is surrounded by three beautiful mountain ranges: the White Clouds on the East, the Salmon River Range on the North and the majestic jagged Sawtooths (Northern Rockies) on the West and South. These mountain ranges contain over 40 peaks of 10,000 feet and higher with breathtaking views in every direction. This creates the perfect backdrop for winter fun. With over 220 inches of snow annually, 185 miles of groomed trails and the availability of unlimited off-trail riding.


    4. Jackson Hole, Wyoming
    - The area provides incredible access to the wonders of nature. For the powder hound, Togwotee Pass offers hundreds of miles of trails through picturesque mountains, forests and abundant open bowls. Gros Ventre River area provides a great wildlife viewing trip. Granite Creek has a gorgeous hot spring pool fed by the towering Gros Venture peaks. The Grey's River provides abundant snow and miles of trail much like Togwotee Pass.
     

    5. Newberry, Michigan - Snowmobilers can venture North out of Newberry to the majestic winter ice sculptures of Tahquamenon Falls and the frozen "waves" found along the shoreline at Whitefish Point. From there you can head west towards Grand Marais and Pictured Rocks area. Newberry area offers over 210 miles of groomed trails that connect with other area groomed trails. The extensive trail system is in the heart of the Lake Effect snow belt. Winter to winter, the trails north of Newberry receive some of the heaviest accumulations of snow in all of Michigan.

    6. Northern Maine
      - The best snowmobile trail riding experience in the eastern United States.  Some trails in Aroostook are converted railroad beds, while others may traverse a power line up and over large rolling hills that capture the picturesque beauty of the landscape. Summer roads, abandoned logging roads and other club trails lead the snowmobiler to spectacular sites of snow-laden spruce maple and birch forests. You can snowmobile over the crest of a hill and look out at the variety of terrain "The County" has to offer.  The snowmobile clubs in Aroostook County develop and maintain their trails with the latest equipment. The responsibility for maintaining over 1,600 miles of trails is shared among 42 snowmobile clubs!

     

    7. Mammoth Lakes, CA - This area has beautiful mountain scenery, pristine forests, amazing wildlife and vast snowy expanses and its endless horizon of untracked powder. Mammoth Lakes has 80 miles of groomed trails and 75,000 acres of open expanse. Take an exciting ride to Lookout Mountain, the Inyo Craters or Bald Mountain. Each year Mammoth Lakes receives some of the deepest snowfall in the west. The abundance of snow creates plenty of opportunity for snowmobiling in the area. Gas, food and lodging are available in the town of Mammoth Lakes.

     

    8. Seeley Lake, MT - From the Mission Mountains overlooking the 10-mile wide Seeley Swan Valley to the Swan Front bordering the Bob Marshall Wilderness, snowmobiling is at its best here with facilities for all your needs--snowmobile dealerships and service in Seeley Lake, lodging in modern motels or rustic cabins from Condon to Seeley, resorts, restaurants and lounges. 300+ miles of groomed trails are maintained by the groomer committee of the Seeley Lake Driftriders' Club, one of the most active clubs anywhere. Trail maps describing 16 different main trails, from easiest to most difficult, are available, during season, from various businesses.
     

    9. Petersville, AK - Alaska snowmobiling  is breathtaking. Breathtaking is the word most used as snowmobilers sit on a snow covered knoll, shadowed by Mount McKinley/Denali, watching the Northern Lights dance across the sky. It's not just Mount McKinley/Denali it's also Mount Foraker and Mount Hunter, two of the largest mountain peaks in the Alaska range. Between the three mountains, the view is unmatched!


    10. Grand Lake, CO - With more than 150 miles of trails, Grand Lake has one of the largest snowmobile trail systems in Colorado. It rightly deserves the title of "Snowmobile Capital of the Colorado" and was voted by Sno West Riders as Colorado snowmobiling's best and one of the top ten places in the region to snowmobile.
     

    Snowmobile Links

Snowmobiling and Snowmobile Rental with Northern Outdoors Maine's Outdoor Adventure Resort, snow, snowmobiling, rentals

SnowGoer Magazine Awards for best snowmobiling areas

Snowmobiling in New York, Adirondack Mountains

Snowmobiling in Maine

Snow Tracks - Snowmobiling - Reports & Info

Snowmobiling at the Grand Canyon
 

Snowmobile National and State Associations

 

American Council of Snowmobile Associations
Association of Wisconsin Snowmobile Clubs, Inc

Bay City Bluffbusters Snowmobile Club

Canadian Council of Snowmobile Organizations

Illinois Association of Snowmobile Clubs, Inc  

International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association

Idaho State Snowmobile Association
http://www.idahosnowbiz.com

Iowa State Snowmobile Association
http://www.iowasnowmobiler.com/

Maine Snowmobile Association
http://www.mesnow.com

Michigan Snowmobile Association
http://www.msasnow.org

Minnesota United Snowmobilers Association
http://mnsnowmobiler.org

Montana Snowmobile Association
http://www.mtsnow.org

New Hampshire Snowmobile Association
http://www.nhsa.com

New York State Snowmobile Association
http://www.nyssnowassoc.org

North Dakota Snowmobile Association
http://www.snowmobilend.org

Oregon Snowmobile Association
http://www.oregonsnow.org

Pennsylvania State Snowmobile Association
http://www.pasnow.org

Snowmobile Alliance of Western States
http://www.snowmobile-alliance.org

Utah Snowmobile Association
http://www.snowut.com

Vermont Association of Snow Travelers
http://www.vtvast.org

Washington State Snowmobile Association
http://www.wssaonline.com

Wyoming State Snowmobile Association
http://www.snowmobilewyoming.org


 

SnowGoer Magazine Awards for best snowmobiling areas

Snowmobiling in New York, Adirondack Mountains

Snowmobiling in Maine

Snow Tracks - Snowmobiling - Reports & Info

Snowmobiling at the Grand Canyon


 

 

 

 

© 1996-2005, America's Best and Top Ten


Other Top 10's
Categories
Amusement Parks
Aquariums
B&B's
Balloning - Hot Air
Baseball Stadiums
Beaches
Beaches by Category
Beaches - Romantic
Beer Festivals
Bicycling Tours
Birding
Breweries
Campgrounds
Cities
Chocolates
Christmas Lights
College Sport Towns
College Stadiums
College Mascots
Country Inns
Cruises
Dinosaurs
Fall Foliage
Fishing
Family Camps
Fly Fishing
Golf Courses
Golf Public
Ghost Tours
Haunted Hotels
Hamburgers
Highways
Hiking
Hot Dogs
Ice Cream
Irishpubs
Kayaking
Las Vegas
Lighthouses
Lighthouses-Haunted
Lighthouse B&B's
Marathons
Marathons Half
Merry-Go-Rounds
Mountain Peaks
Movies - Box Office
Music Festivals
Mutual Funds
National Parks
Pizza
Rafting
Rentals
Orlando
Cites to Retire
Road Races - 10k
Rock Climbing
Roller Coasters
Romantic Inns
Ski Areas
Ski Towns
Snowmobiling
Snowboarding
State Parks
Train Trips
Travel Links
Treehouses
Unusual
Vacation
Vacation Rentals
Water Parks
Waterfalls
Wineries
Zoos

 

The History of the first Snowmobile

The first Eliason snowmobile was built by Carl Eliason in a small garage behind his general store over a two year period during his spare time. Carl's efforts included a lengthy train ride to Milwaukee to purchase bicycle parts required for the drive train and track assembly. The small 1924 snowmobile displayed a front mounted liquid cooled 2.5 HP Johnson outboard engine, slide rail track guides,wooden cleats, rope controlled steering skis and two-up seating located over the track. The running boards were each made of two downhill skis, neatly contoured into the belly pan.


One quarter of a Ford Model T radiator was placed in the front for cooling the outboard motor. Machine operation required that the floating tracks be elevated, the engine started and revved to speed as the spinning track gained momentum. Then, the track was gently lowered to the snow surface to start the snowmobile in motion. The amount of track slippage determined the vehicle speed. >Eliason, the inventor, had his original machine patented in 1927.


Continuing development and refinement during the 15 years of production at Sayner lead to generally larger models of Motor Toboggans. As many as 40 Sayner snowmobiles were built and sold with no three being exactly alike. Trial and error refinements were important to success but the track and suspension concept was carried over on all units.Both two cylinder and four cylinder motorcycle engines were used as the snowmobiles grew to three and four-up tandem seating capacities. The two cylinder motorcycle engine models sold for $350 while the four cylinder version cost $550. Marketing was aimed at hunters, utility workers and outdoor winter types. Gradually the Eliason Motor Toboggan was becoming known throughout the world.
 

Eliason models of the 1930's incorporated the twin cylinder 12 HP Excelsior engine. Both the Excelsior, and the later Indian 45 CID 25 HP motors were preferred and used over the Harley-Davidson engines since they came with a single cast unit for engine and transmission. Weight, space and installation ease were important even back then. With Sayner production limited to eight or nine units per year, anticipated World War II production orders could not be met.