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Skiing & Snowshoeing: What to Know and Where to Go

Skiing and snowshoeing links and information for Washington state.

Winter has arrived in the mountains. It's time to head out into the crisp cold air and do a little snowshoeing or cross-country skiing.

But where should you go? How does the Sno-Park permit system work? Where can you find groomed trails or gear rentals? Where is the avalanche danger the lowest? Should you bring your pup? If you've never been out before, or if you'd like to peruse the basics for a refresher, you can take a look at our Snowshoeing 101 resource

WTA has pulled together dozens of winter recreation resources by region for you to ponder and plan your next adventure. The State Park website offers route maps for each of their Sno-Parks - great for using with a topo map. The Forest Service offers several trail summaries, especially for popular areas. Most of the downhill ski areas offer some Nordic opportunities and nearly all of them provide rentals of skis and snowshoes. And don't overlook the region's excellent ski clubs who do great grooming work on a volunteer basis.

Two people snowshoe into the distance across the snow.
Hurricane Ridge. Photo by Terra Compton. 

General Information

Always check these websites before heading into the mountains in winter. At the very least, they can help you choose the most rewarding route. And with Washington's notoriously unstable snow conditions, they could save your life.

Mount Baker/Mountain Loop Areas

Methow Valley/Lake Chelan Area

Highway 2 Corridor/Lake Wenatchee/Leavenworth

Snoqualmie Pass/I-90 Corridor/Blewett Pass

Mount Rainier/White Pass/Highway 410 Areas

Mount Adams/Mount St. Helens and South

Olympics

Inland Northwest/Eastern Washington