How to Pick the Perfect Place to Ride
If the sight of snow on the mountains inspires you to load up your snowmobile and hit the trails, Washington offers some amazing places to ride including over 3,300 miles of groomed trails, ungroomed roads, and off-road riding. There are several factors to consider when picking a place to ride.
Important Considerations
Elevation: Find maps showing elevation here.
Trail length
Pass requirements
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With the snow levels bouncing from sea level to over 5,000 feet, elevation can be a major consideration. Snowmobile Sno-Parks in Washington range from Finney Creek in Skagit County, which is just 770 feet above sea-level, to Cloverland Sno-Park in Asotin County, which is 4,760 feet. If you want to get even higher, cross the border into the Oregon part of Umatilla National Forest where you can access Woodland Sno-Park at 5,089 feet. Groomed trails run from the Finney-Cumberland trail out of Finney Creek to the highest point on the Meadows-Toats Trail in Okanogan County, which is 6,900 feet.
Check out our regional elevation maps by clicking through the gallery below!
Another consideration is trail miles. Some trail systems are relatively short, offering 10-20 miles of groomed trails, while others offer the opportunity to ride for hundreds of a miles without loading up your sled and driving to another location. The two most extensive systems are the Kittitas/Yakima Trails between SR-410 and I-90. There are 249 miles of trails in Kittitas County and 210 in Yakima County, connected by the trail over Berber Flats. In the NW corner of the State, you can ride 450 miles of groomed trails between Pend Orielle County, WA, and Bonner County, ID.
The final consideration is what pass is required. Most of the Sno-Parks in Washington State require a Sno-Park permit, but trail access on DNR managed land requires a Discover Pass, and some staging areas with no facilities are free. If you want to ride into the connected trail systems in Idaho, no pass is required for parking but your snowmobile must be registered in Idaho and non-Idaho residents need a non-resident user permit. The trail system on the Oregon side of the Umatilla National Forest requires both an Oregon Sno-Park Pass and Oregon registration.
To explore all the best snowmobiling areas in Washington, scroll down to find our interactive web map. Enjoy!
Interactive Snowmobiling Map
Here you can find a full interactive web map with all the best snowmobiling locations in Washington. Simply click on an icon to get more information. Have fun exploring!
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