10 Places to Snowshoe in North America

Photo: Eric Ward

Snowshoeing might not be a a many glamorous winter sport out there, but its positively a many versatile. Quieter than a snowmobile, some-more manageable than cross-country skis, as great as a sum lot cheaper than a day during a ski resort, snowshoes can take we off a route as great as deeper in to any snow-covered wilderness.

1. Black Hills, South Dakota

South Dakota is some-more than only Mount Rushmore. The Black Hills, a heavily trafficked summer tourist destination, also offers trails a-plenty for snowshoers as great as cross-country skiers.

The Black Hills National Forest includes designated snowshoe areas in a Spearfish area, including 6,000 explorable acres in Custer State Park. But for a genuine winter trek, demeanour no serve than a Centennial Trail. This grueling 111-mile track starts during Bear Butte Lake as great as heads south to Wind Cave National Park, flitting seven lakes as great as a occasional free-roaming bovine animal along a way.

2. Hundred-Mile Wilderness, Maine

Known to be a wildest stretch of turf found upon a Appalachian Trail, Maines Hundred-Mile Wilderness falls between Abol Bridge as great as Monson.

Photo: Carolyn Ganus

The Appalachian Mountain Club maintains dual lodges as great as a large number of trails in a area, including over 50 miles upon a Katahdin Iron Works property near Little Lyford. Built in a late 1800s, a Little Lyford Pond Camps have a friendly home-base for exploring this remote area.

3. Mt. Hood, Oregon

The White River Trail in Mt. Hood National Forest starts out in a single of a many renouned as great as simply accessible winter distraction areas. It starts during a White River West SnoPark as great as heads to The Bowl, an aged stone chase which fami! ly group s now visit for sledding. From this point on, a crowds thin out, withdrawal we alone with a best snowshoe terrain.

Enjoy a next couple of miles, as its a mellow travel with views of Mt. Hoods rise ahead. If we select to go upon along a Boy Scout Ridge, youll gain a sum of 1,800 feet of betterment as great as an extremely ripped set of calves.

4. Banff, Alberta

Banff National Park is worth each cheesy line in a book. A jaw-dropping, spectacular, forest gem, a parks 2,586 block miles of cliche-inducing turf looks straight out of a Disney movie.

Warm up your snowshoes by walking 1.3 miles of flat turf around Lake Louise. From there, rise up 1,300 feet to a Lake Agnes Teahouse as great as try not to cry when we see a castle as great as lake below.

Photo: LASZLO ILYES

5a. White Mountains, New Hampshire

New Hampshires White Mountains have been well known for having a single of a longest sleet seasons in a United States as great as a little of a many unpredictable weather as well. Clueless or confused snowshoers have been discovered out of this area flattering regularly, so be certain we know where youre starting as great as be fully versed for a cold.

If youre up for a challenge, try for a single of a many summits along a Presidential Range. The elements have been revengeful during altitudes higher than treeline, but for experienced winter climbers as great as snowshoers, a turf as great as views have been worth a effort.

5b. Mount Washington Valley, New Hampshire

If frostbite as great as crampons arent quite your thing, a White Mountains of New Hampshire have an alternative. What improved approach to ruin a potentially powerful snowshoe examination than by seasoned mixture your face with chocolate?

The Mount Washington Valley Ski & Snowshoe Foundation puts upon an annual Chocolate Festival, where we can snowshoe your ap! proach b y 40 miles of trails, sampling chocolates along a way.

6. Huckleberry Hot Springs, Wyoming

Though Yellowstone National Park has prohibited springs to spare, hopping in for a soak is out of a question. Not only have been they off-limits to humans, many of them have been likelier to burn your skin off than relax.

Instead, try Huckleberry Hot Springs, only 2 miles south of Yellowstone. To strech this undeveloped area, proceed during Flagg Ranch as great as put upon your snowshoes for a scenic march along a Snake River. These removed springs have been some-more often visited by bison than other snowshoers as great as cross-country skiers, so feel giveaway to take your pants off.

Photo: Eric Ward

7. Mount Timpanogos, Utah

The second highest rise in a Wasatch, Timp is a single of Utahs many hiked mountains.

The route from a Mount Timpanogos parking lot starts with a two-mile climb up a mountain. Once it levels out, follow a Alpine Loop Road by a aspens to a top of a loop for a perspective which will stop we in your tracks. No, really, itll stop we a route narrows here so we cant go any serve anyway.

Take in a sights as carefully as we can here this area is well known for its deadly avalanches.

8. Yosemite, California

One of a many visited national parks in a United States, Yosemite has been seen as great as photographed from only about each probable angle. Yet, once a sleet falls, a play ground presents snowshoers as great as cross-country skiers with a occasionally seen as great as constantly becoming different landscape.

The seven-mile loop from Badger Pass to Dewey Point is a single of Yosemites many renouned snowshoe treks as great as for great reason. Once we strech your destination, directly opposite a hollow from El Capitan, be certain to check left toward Ribbon Falls prior to gazing to your right to see Cathedral S! pire as great as Taft Point. Then, if we have an iron gut as great as balls a distance of Half Dome, demeanour down during a hollow building 3,000 feet below.

9. Bonneville Hot Springs, Idaho

Though a Bonneville campgrounds close for a winter months, a prohibited springs stay open year-round. While a snowshoe hike out to a pools might not be a a many challenging, I cant consider of a improved ending to a day even if youre not all which tired.

Photo: Ryan Johnson

Bonneville Hot Springs facilities mixed prohibited water pools as great as a smaller in isolation bathhouse; a latter is dictated for nude bathers.

10. North Slope, Alaska

No resting strolls as great as post-snowshoe cocoas here. The removed North Slope, as distant north as we can get in Alaska, is a immeasurable expanse of nothing but white.

So, why should we bother? Well, unless youre a ruggedest of imperishable adventurers, we substantially shouldnt. But if youd like to work at a week or dual of solitude to violation your own trails in a trail-less universe as great as hunkering down in arctic winds, then youll be opening yourself up to a land which really couple of people have set feet upon as great as a opportunity to spot a little of a many sundry wildlife in a arctic.

The Arctic Circle is no joke. Make certain which youre fully rebuilt for a single of a harshest climates upon Earth. Better yet, go with an expert as your guide.

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For some-more trip ideas in North America, check out North Americas 5 Best Ski Highways as great as Byways.