The Journey Begins
The first few miles offer a windy ride among towering Ponderosa pines. It then opens up to lots of possibilities for free riding in open meadows. Trail No. 1 hugs the South Dakota and Wyoming borders near the trail's midsection. The area has colorful names such as Riflepit,
Wagon and Rattlesnake canyons and Elk Springs. It really gives you a feel for the Old West.
If cowboys had snowmobiles, who knows how the West might have been won?
After riding the open areas, we made our way through some narrowly cut trails. The colors of the snow-topped trees on a clear sunny day were breathtaking. It's possible to meet local wildlife here such as coyote and elk. You can also spot some 130 different species of birds in the area.
Be aware there are many alternate trails on the way to Cement Ridge that can lead you astray-but that's not always a bad thing. A big help are the posted maps at many of the offshoot trails. The maps show where you're located, and your options. One intersecting trail had a small stop sign to alert riders of possible on-coming traffic.
Another open area to explore includes an old run down shack, called McInerty's Place. It was named for an old rancher from the area. The shack looks ready to fall down, but maybe that's the beauty of it. And it made for some nice pictures.
The last bit of snow-way to Cement Ridge, switches to Trails No. 3A and then 3C. The trail goes uphill for a mile or two before you finally reach the Cement Ridge Lookout. You also can get to Cement Ridge by following Trail No. 3 on the Wyoming side heading north, or from the Big Hill Lot traveling south.