Winter Sports
The White River National Forest offers spectacular winter recreation opportunities such as skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling and sledding.
Cross-country winter travel by snowmobile is allowed in many areas. Some areas of the forest are closed to snowmobiles to protect sensitive wildlife and wilderness areas. View the Winter Motor Vehicle Use Map to see where and when you can ride.
Be Prepared:
Each year people get hurt or even die in the backcountry by not being prepared! Plan ahead and learn tips, techniques and strategies for avoiding winter hazards here: Winter & Backcountry Recreation Safety.
Additional trailhead parking and winter safety information is available from Summit County.
Skiing/Snowboarding
Plan ahead and learn tips, techniques and strategies for avoiding winter hazards. Review our Winter & Backcountry Recreation Safety page for more tips.
Ski areas operate on National Forest System lands under a permit from the USDA Forest Service. Please be aware that each downhill skiing and snowboarding winter recreation area has policies about uphill travel (e.g. skinning up). Eleven ski resorts are permitted on the White River National Forest:
- Arapahoe Basin Ski Area
- Aspen Highlands Ski Area
- Aspen Mountain Ski Area
- Beaver Creek Ski Resort
- Breckenridge Ski Resort
- Buttermilk Ski Area
- Copper Mountain Ski Area
- Keystone Ski Area
- Snowmass Ski Area
- Sunlight Mountain Resort
- Vail Ski Area
Snowmobiling
Cross-country winter travel by snowmobile is allowed in many areas, provided that the snowmobile is operated on snow. To see maps of all open trails, areas, and open dates see the winter Motor Vehicle Use Maps (MVUMs).
Each year people get hurt or even die in the backcountry by not being prepared! Plan ahead and learn tips, techniques and strategies for avoiding winter hazards. Review our Winter & Backcountry Recreation Safety page for more tips.
- Fourmile Area
- Basalt Mountain Road
- Independence Pass Road
- Lead King Loop
- Marion Gulch
Blanco Ranger District (East of Meeker, CO)
- Rio Blanco County Road 10, South Fork Road
- Ripple Creek Pass
- East Beaver / Sleepy Cat Road #250
- Morapos Trailhead
- Pagoda #1804
- Georgia Pass Road (South Fork Swan) TH #355
- Middle Fork Road (Swan River) TH #6
- North Fork Road (Swan River) TH #354
- Green Mountain/Heeney Area
- Spring Creek Area
- Deer Creek Road TH #5
- Saints John Road TH #275
- Webster Pass Road TH #285
Eagle-Holy Cross Ranger District (Vail-Eagle area)
- Crooked Creek Pass / Sylvan Lake
- Yeoman Park - Fulford Area
- Coffee Pot - Deep Lake Area
- Homestake Road TH #703 (winter)
- Meadow Mountain TH #2124
- Red Sandstone Rd - Muddy Pass/Moniger Rd TH #700
- Tigiwon Road TH #707 (winter)
- Vail Pass Winter Recreation Area
- East & West Divide Creek Area
- Lower Clinetop Road (Forest Road # 603)
- Upper Clinetop Road (Forest Road # 603)
- Red Elephant Point Road #211.
- Bar H-L Road (Forest R#211)
- Buford-New Castle Road (Forest Road-245)
- West Elk Trailhead
XC Skiing/Snowshoeing
Nordic (XC) Skiing/Snowshoeing opportunities on and near the White River National Forest. Snowshoeing is allowed on the same trails as Nordic skiing, but if it is a groomed trail system, please stay to the far edge of the groomed corduroy to avoid damaging ski tracks. If you are skiing on roads open to snowmobiling, be alert and stay off to one side of the road.
- Ashcroft Nordic Ski Area
- Coal Basin
- Four Mile Area
- Basalt Mountain Road
- Spring Gulch and other off-Forest sites
Blanco Ranger District (East of Meeker, CO)
- Breckenridge Area
- Bakers Tank Trailhead #40
- Boreas Pass Road TH #10
- Breckenridge Nordic Center Day Use Area
- Burro #80
- Crystal Lakes Road TH #44
- Georgia Pass Road (South Fork Swan) TH #355
- Gold Hill TH #79
- Indiana Creek Road TH #593
- McCullough Gulch TH #43
- Middle Fork Road (Swan River) TH #6
- North Fork Road (Swan River) TH #354
- Pennsylvania Creek Road TH #611
- Quandary Peak TH #47
- Spruce Creek (Mohawk Lakes) #58
- Spruce Creek Road #800
- Wheeler National Recreation TH #39
- Frisco Area
- Corral Creek #41
- Frisco Nordic Center
- Gore Range TH #60
- Mayflower Gulch TH #1178
- Meadow Creek TH #33
- Miner's Creek Road TH #1000
- Miners Creek TH #38
- Mount Royal/Masontown TH #1
- North Tenmile TH #37
- Old Dillon Reservoir TH #87
- Peaks TH #45
- Summit County Rec Path
- Wheeler Lakes -Gore Range TH #60
- Wilder Gulch TH #75
- Green Mountain/Heeney Area
- Keystone Area
- Silverthorne Area
Eagle-Holy Cross Ranger District (Vail-Eagle area)
- Eagle Area
- Vail Area
- Beaver Creek Ski Resort
- Buck Creek #2106
- Eiseman (winter)
- Gore Creek Trail #2015
- Grouse Lake TH #2127
- Homestake Road TH #703 (winter)
- Martin Creek TH #2128
- Meadow Mountain TH #2124
- Middle Creek Road #719 (winter)
- Mitchell Creek Loop TH (winter)
- No Name Road TH #705 (winter)
- Paulie's Plunge / Stone Creek TH #2349
- Piney Guard Station
- Red Sandstone Rd - Muddy Pass/Moniger Rd TH #700
- Tigiwon Road TH #707 (winter)
- Vail Pass Winter Recreation Area
- Vail Pass/Tenmile Canyon National Recreation
- Vail Ski Resort
- West Grouse Creek TH #2129
- East & West Divide Creek Area
- Rifle Area
- SW/Central Flat Tops Area
Search for Winter Sports Opportunities
Acorn Creek TH #71
Arapaho Basin Ski Resort
Ashcroft Nordic Ski Area
Aspen Area
Aspen Highlands Ski Area
Aspen Mountain Ski Area
Aspen-Sopris Ranger District
Bakers Tank Trailhead #40
Bar H-L Road (Forest Road #211)
Basalt Area