Island Park, Idaho
Since snowmobiles were first introduced to the West in the 1960s, an area near the Idaho/Montana border emerged as the mecca for this young winter activity. Linked by Two Top Mountain, Island Park and West Yellowstone highlighted the best riding opportunities possible—miles of trails, deep snow and communities anchored by tourism.
Island Park represented the open spaces with unlimited riding areas. West Yellowstone represented an abundance of accommodations. Although each location is unique and complete, both recognize each one complements the other.
If you haven’t experienced a winter vacation in one of these two locations, you haven’t experienced winter at its finest. For those of us with have been coming to these locations for years, even decades, there are still more areas to explore that keep bringing us back.
On good years, snow begins to stack up in early November. By Thanksgiving, there usually is enough snow to allow access to the hundreds of miles of Forest Service roads throughout the area. The Targhee National Forest in Island Park is officially open to off-trail riding during Thanksgiving weekend and extends until June 1.
The winter vacation season officially kicks off in December with everything in full swing come New Years. Traditionally, President’s Day weekend is the busiest of the winter season. However, we find that Monday-Thursday of any week is the time to avoid crowds.
Both Island Park and West Yellowstone have an aggressive trail grooming program that keeps the trails in excellent condition throughout the riding season, which usually goes through March. However, there is still plenty of snow (especially in the higher elevations) and great riding well in to May.