Snow falls through May in Wyoming, making many of the state’s best winter activities possible well into spring. Meanwhile, increasingly warm temperatures support a menu of even more things to do. Here are just a few ideas for springtime fun to help you welcome winter’s end.
1. Fat Biking
Fat bikes, mountain bikes with extra-wide tires (usually 3.7 inches or wider), are designed to cruise on unstable terrain like snow. Designed for riders of all skill levels, fat biking is a growing trend, and groomed trails for the sport are popping up all over the state.
Curt Gowdy State Park near Cheyenne recently added a 4-mile loop for fat biking, while Grand Targhee Resort in Alta gives fat bikers access to their more than 9 miles of Nordic trails and 2 miles of single-track routes.
More places to find fat-biking trails in Wyoming include Nordic Trails Center at Casper Mountain in Casper, Sinks Canyon State Park in Lander and Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.
2. Spring Skiing
Many of Wyoming’s ski areas and resorts stay open through March and even into early April, which can mean shorter lift lines, great powder and sunny skies. At Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Grand Targhee Resort and other high-altitude ski areas, snowy nights and comfortably warm, sunny days are not uncommon during the spring.
Other places to find prime spring skiing include Snow King Resort in Jackson, Snowy Range Ski Resort in Centennial and Hogadon Ski Area in Casper.
3. Snowmobiling
Many of the state’s snowmobiling areas receive enough snowfall to keep trails open until mid-March or later. The Wyoming Range, between Alpine and Kemmerer, has about 336 miles of trails that can have substantial snow for riding through May.
The popular Continental Divide Snowmobiling Trail follows the Wind River Range for 829 miles and has a grooming season that typically runs until mid-March. Visit the Wyoming State Trails website for maps and up-to-date trail conditions.
Other places to for sled heads to ride include the Snowy Range, Sierra Madre Mountains and Beartooth Mountains.
4. Road Biking & Mountain Biking
While roads in Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks don’t open to motorized vehicles until mid- to late April, many are plowed for non-motorized use in late March (exact dates are determined by National Park Service). Depending on road conditions, spring biking in Yellowstone is permitted on roads between the park’s west entrance and Mammoth Hot Springs.
In Grand Teton National Park, Moose-Wilson Road and Teton Park Road, running from Taggard Lake parking area to Signal Mountain Lodge, are accessible for spring bikers, hikers and roller bladers.
Explore mountain biking trails within Wyoming’s state parks and recreation areas, including Vedauwoo and Happy Jack near Laramie, and Glendo State Park near Glendo.
5. Hot Springs
The Cowboy State’s hot springs are open year-round, but are especially heavenly when there’s snow on the ground. Thermopolis’ Hot Springs State Park has free indoor and outdoor soaking pools, while Saratoga is home to the pampering Saratoga Resort & Spa and Hobo Pool, a locals’ favorite. Other soaking locales include Granite Hot Springs in Jackson and Boiling River Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park.
Learn more about hot springs in Wyoming.
6. Snowshoeing & Cross-Country Skiing
Cover land unreachable by car, truck or snowmobile on snowshoes or cross-country skis, idyllic ways to experience the state’s cold-weather vistas before they melt into summer sanctuaries. Nordic centers, outfitters and guides are plentiful, and trails are available in state and national parks and wilderness areas.
7. Golf
Snowy winters facilitate gorgeous greens come spring. Wyoming’s more than 100 golf courses start opening for the season (typically between early April and May, depending on the weather). Find out when courses open and see how far your ball can fly in the crisp spring air.
Prefer to Stay Inside?
No problem, even the smallest cities have museums, galleries and historical centers to keep those waiting for warmer weather entertained indoors.
Here are some suggestions:
- Pioneer Museum, Lander
- National Museum of Wildlife Art, Jackson
- Buffalo Bill Center of the West, Cody
- Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum, Cheyenne
- Dubois Museum/Wind River Historical Center, Dubois
- University of Wyoming Art Museum, Laramie
- Heart Mountain Interpretive Center, Powell
- Tate Geological Museum, Casper
