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Winter Sports
Choose from the following to find a site:
Winter Recreation Tools and Information
SNO PARK INFORMATION
The Umatilla National Forest partners with the Oregon Department of Transportion and with Washington State Parks and Recreation to offer sno-parks (cleared parking areas) in areas that are close to groomed and backcountry trails for activities including snowmobiling, cross country skiing, sledding and snowshoeing. Sno-Park permits are required from Nov. 1 to April 30 in both Oregon and Washington.
SNOWMOBILING
The Umatilla National Forest offers a variety of snowmobiling areas including road, groomed and cross country trails.
*If utilizing closed roads please use caution, these roads are open to cross-country skiing and snowshoeing as well.
CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING AND SNOWSHOEING
A variety of landscapes await skiers, from dense forest canopy to wide open prairie. Roads closed during the winter months allow skiers to explore the winter forest as well as few marked Nordic trail systems.
Horseshoe Prairie - 7 miles south of Tollgate, OR on the west side of State HWY 204. 7 miles of marked trail.
Meacham Divide - 19 miles west of La Grande, OR, or 37 miles east of Pendleton, OR. The trail system is over 20 km long. comprised of 8 trails.
SLEDDING
Several areas on the Forest are popular for sledding and innertubing. We've highlighted two designated areas below but the entire forest is open to sledding. One just needs to find a good hill!
Rose Springs - 15 miles south of Pomeroy, WA on FSR 46. This area offers the perfect slope for sledding with ample parking.
Andies Prairie - 7 miles east of Tollgate, OR off State HWY 204. Offers a place for the whole family to play.
DOWNHILL SKIING AND SNOWBOARDING
This forest administers two ski areas in the heart of the Blues. Ski Bluewood and Spout Springs ski areas operate under a special use permit and offer downhill skiing opportunities from late Nov. through early April.
WINTER TRAVEL
From skiing to snowmobiling, always be prepared for changing winter weather conditions. Please contact your local office before your trip. Many forest roads close Dec. 1 - April 30; consult your Motor Vehicle Use Maps (MVUM) for more information. Here are a few tips for safe winter recreation.
