A favorite winter outdoor activity in Pagosa Springs, Colorado is snowmobiling. With an abundance of snow fall each year, the area around Pagosa Springs is a great place to snowmobile.
The more snow on the ground, the more enjoyable your ride will be. Lots of snow will give you a nice smooth ride. On the other hand, if there isn’t an abundance of snow, the trails will become rutted and bumpy resulting in an uncomfortable, jarring ride. Wolf Creek Pass is one of the snowiest places in the state of Colorado, making it one of the most popular locations to go snowmobiling.
The amazing views during a snowmobile trip are also part of the experience, so investigate the areas that each tour company operates out of. Snowmobile tours are available in several different locations including Wolf Creek Pass, Millcreek Road, Plumtaw Road, and the Turkey Springs area, just to name a few. Many of the trails follow snow-covered forest roads making the trail easy to follow. With plenty of room to maneuver the sled, you can reach higher speeds, which adds to the fun. To avoid tipping over or getting stuck in the deep snow, be careful going around corners and most importantly, stay on the trail. Your tour guide will lead the way and manage the speed of your group, so you should be fine as long as you just follow your guide.
Snowmobile Rentals in Pagosa Springs Colorado
There are several snowmobile rental companies to choose from for your tour. Tours typically last 2 hours. To ensure the safety of your group, you will follow a tour guide, who will lead your group down the trails. Any skill level is allowed, even if you have never ridden a snowmobile, you can join a tour. Before heading off on the 2 hour guided tour, your guide will give an overview of the sled in order to familiarize yourself with it. This includes how to brake, how to steer, how to accelerate, and also some tips on how to keep your sled balanced.
Snowmobile tours typically stop in an open area so that everyone can play around and have some fun. The open area provides a safe area for riders to go as fast as they wish but please be careful.
During the peak tourist season, the tours will generally occur twice a day. Regardless of whether you choose a morning or afternoon ride, be prepared with warm clothing. At a minimum you should wear a warm jacket, winter hat, and gloves. However, please wear ski pants and googles for your tour for protection.
A two-hour guided snowmobile tour will run around $150 for a single sled and $180 for a double sled (two riders).
Snowmobile Trails in Pagosa Springs, Colorado
If you have your own sled, there are even more options for snowmobiling around the Pagosa Springs area. Some of the more popular trails are:
- Blanco River Road
- Blue Creek Road
- Devil Mountain Road
- East Fork Trails
- Over 40 miles of trails exist in the East Fork area and are perfect for families and visitors alike. Trails extend out to the Elwood Pass area and are packed with many opportunities to snowmobile. The views are great along the East Fork Trails.
- Echo Canyon Road
- First Fork Road
- Jackson Mountain / Turkey Creek Trails
- There are over 25 miles of snowmobile trails in the Jackson Mountain and Turkey Creek area of Pagosa Springs. Traveling through wooded terrain and mountain meadows gives you the opportunity to see Elk and other animals. Views of the San Juan Valley provide excellent photo opportunities.
- Lower Blanco Road
- Mill Creek Road
- Mosca Road
- Mount Jack Trail
- Plumtaw-Four Mile Trail
- The Plumtaw-Four Mile area is perfect for riding on snow-covered forest roads. Many Elk are in the area, and there’s a great chance of seeing them. Traveling the Plumtaw and Four-Mile trails also provides great views of Pagosa Springs and offers several photo opportunities.
- Toner Road
- Turkey Springs Trails
- The Turkey Springs System is a very large area for snowmobiling. Unique to this area, are forest service cabins that can be reserved for a guided overnight tour. You will need to make reservations for both the cabin and the guided tour. The area is fairly flat but is filled with many animal sighting opportunities. Animals include Bobcats, Cougars, Mountain Lions, Elk, Deer, Coyotes and more.
- Wolf Creek Pass
- Snowmobiling at Wolf Creek Pass is great for families and visitors. Groomed trails pass through wooded areas and mountain meadows, offering beautiful views of the entire area. The trail will travel to the top of the Continental Divide and is perfect spot for photographs.
Snowmobile Pagosa Springs
Generally speaking, the snowmobile trails west of Pagosa Springs, Colorado are fairly flat and travel through the forest and meadows, making these trails less difficult than the trails to the east. The eastern trails traverse through the mountains around Wolf Creek and the East Range. Elevation gains bring you above 10,000 to 11,000 ft. The views are great, but speeds are slower due to the difficulty of the trails. The meadow trails at lower altitudes (7000-7500 ft) are flatter, allowing you to reach higher speeds.
The Colorado Snowmobile Association keeps records of the trail conditions around the state, including Pagosa Springs. This is a good webpage to track the latest trail conditions for Snowmobiling in Pagosa Springs, Colorado.
Pingback: Pagosa Springs Hotels - My Pagosa Springs