Montana
Montana is world famous for its snowmobiling-on- or off-trail. Of course, most sledders and those who want to give snowmobiling a shot, hear about famous places like Cooke City, West Yellowstone, Lincoln, Seeley Lake, Lolo Pass and the list goes on.
For every one of those famous snowmobiling spots, indeed every established groomed trail system in the state (there are 24 separate areas), there is an equally stellar backcountry experience waiting nearby.
For example, in the Flathead Valley of northern Montana, there's a impressive backcountry experience waiting sledheads who don't mind a rough ride in. There's a small parking area for sledders just across the Hungry Horse Reservoir Dam where you can unload and hit the mountains above the lake. We rode this area for the first time last winter and it was one of our best rides of the season. Contact the Flathead Convention and Visitors Bureau (800-543-3105) for information.
Or you can ditch the groomed trails in the Crazy Mountains in the southern part of the state or hit the Bridger Range across the valley. Here's another "or." Along the Montana/Idaho border north and east of Leodore, ID, is the Continental Divide and some truly spectacular riding-with very few sledders to share it with. Then there's Cooke City, which is much better known for its backcountry riding than its trails.
We can even show you some awesome out-of-the-way places near West Yellowstone, which definitely sees its fair share of snowmobilers.
A handful of other areas where you can ride in Montana include in the Sioux Ranger District of the Custer National Forest in far eastern Montana. Log on to www.fs.fed.us/r1/custer/recreation and click on the Sioux District. Riding here is in the 3,000-4,000-foot range. While you're on that website you can also click on the Beartooth Ranger District to find all the riding there (in addition to the Beartooth area), which includes the Pryor Mountain Unit adjacent to the Crow Indian Reservation.
In northcentral Montana, up near Havre, are the Bears Paw Mountains and Beaver Creek Park. The 10,000-acre Beaver Creek Park is 12 miles south of Havre and extends to the north slope of the Bears Paw Mountains and allows snowmobiling. For more information on this area contact the Havre Chamber of Commerce (406-265-4383).
Another couple of smaller areas include near Choteau (29 miles northwest of town) on the east flank of the Rockies and another in the Big Snowy Mountains south of Lewistown near Crystal Lake. For information on both these areas log on to www.russell.visitmt.com/winter.
For snowmobiling information in Montana, try www.wintermt.com.