Snowshoeing
Wooden frames strung with animal gut are the classic image of snowshoes.
But seeing modern snowshoes with their super strong steel frames, high-tech synthetic decks, and hillside-gripping cleats underneath is a wholly different story. They're a far cry from what snowshoes were even five years ago.
Snowshoeing has grown rapidly in recent years as a popular winter recreation, and it wouldn't be surprising if within a few more years there are as many people out there on showshoes as on cross-country skis.
Featured Listings: (add your listing)
Hole Hiking Experience - Snowshoe & XC Skiing
See remote Teton Park locations accessed by XC skis or snowshoes for the best winter experience and wildlife viewing opportunities.
(866) 733-4453
Grizzly Outfitters of Big Sky - Snowshoe Rentals
See our selection of snowshoe, X-Country, downhill, telemark, snowboarding, randonee, hiking, biking and climbing gear, all discounted online.
(888) 807-9452
Snowshoeing Listings: (add your listing)
Adventure Yellowstone Winter Snowshoe Tours
Hands-on 'learning' excursions into Yellowstone National Park. See native animals by X-C ski, van, snowcoach and snowshoeing into their natural environment.
(406) 585-9041
Brooks Lake Lodge near Togwotee Pass
Snowshoeing adventures take place in the beautiful wilderness... Why not stay in that eutopia? Click to see our Spa, winter activities & accommodations.
(307) 455-2121
Pine Edge Cabins - Snowshoeing Headquarters
Warm cabin accommodations in Silver Gate, just 2 minutes from NE entrance to Yellowstone. Silver Gate is the undiscovered jewel for snowshoeing, X-C skiers & wildlife viewing.
(406) 838-2371
Yellowstone Expeditions - since 1983
Official park permitees offering backcountry snowshoe and cross-country ski trips into Yellowstone, with overnight stays at our Canyon Skier's Yurt Camp available.
(406) 646-9333
Why go snowshoeing? For one, it's different. It's another way to get out there, enjoy the scenery, and get a little exercise. You can snowshoe any place you can ski, whether it be on the rolling terrain in Grand Teton Park or on the steeper terrain on Teton Pass. Some people prefer the stability of a snowshoe to the sliding surface of a cross-country ski. Others just prefer the motion of snowshoeing.
Popular snowshoe destinations are some of the same places people go for cross-country skiing. Jenny, Bradley and Taggart Lake are all popular for people who are looking for rolling or flat terrain and scenic views. Signal Mountain and Shadow Mountain are good places if you're looking for some uphill without getting into serious mountainous terrain.
If you're heading to a place where people cross-country ski, it's good to remember that protocol dictates you don't snowshoe in cross-country ski tracks.
Snowshoes are also becoming popular in steeper mountain terrain. Snowboarders have gravitated toward using them on places like Teton Pass as a means of accessing backcountry ski terrain. The heavier-duty models are quite efficient for side hilling and climbing steeply.
And in the spring snowshoes really come into their own. They can be an efficient way to travel over a hollow snowpack when even skis will break through. Their wider surface area allows them to distribute weight over a large area.
Snowshoes come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
Generally, most companies produce a recreational model for use on flatter and rolling terrain, and a beefier line for people who will be venturing into the mountains.
Many lines are available in three sizes, which roughly equate to peoples' weight. Smaller folks will buy the smaller models and larger ones use the bigger snowshoes. Some people, however, will buy a smaller snowshoe if they will be running or using them only on consolidated spring snow. And similarly people might buy a larger model if they will only be snowshoeing in powder snow or frequently carrying a heavy pack. If you're new to snowshoeing and would like to give it a try, Grand Teton Park offers free ranger-guided snowshoe tours during the winter. The tours are roughly two hours and feature information about animal tracks and the winter adaptations of animals native to Grand Teton Park.
The Park has a fleet of snowshoes available for participants, and the tours start each year the week after Christmas and go through early March. Reservations and tour schedules are available by calling the park at 739-3399.
And for people heading to the park from Teton Village, the Moose-Wilson Road is not open during the winter so be sure to budget the time necessary to drive through the town of Jackson.
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