Gateway Communities
Many snowmobilers have heard West Yellowstone and other communities bordering National Parks referred to as gateway communities. These towns sit on or near the borders of National Parks and serve as gateways-hence the name-to what's inside the Parks.
So how about a National Park or Reserve being a gateway Park to some great riding outside the Park-a place where you can access great off-trail snowmobiling by going through a Park or Reserve.
Okay, that might be a stretch but if you were ever to make a case for such a designation, the City of Rocks National Reserve would definitely fit the bill.
Tucked away in southcentral Idaho close to the Utah/Idaho border and largely unknown, the City of Rocks National Reserve is another one of those unique snowmobiling experiences almost nobody has heard of. And while a snowmobiler wouldn't absolutely have to go through the City of Rocks to gain access to some of southern Idaho's best sledding, doing so allows quick access to the Sawtooth National Forest as you pass some gnarly rock formations on the way. If you want a cool crash course in geology and rock formations, the City of Rocks is your place.