Regional Guide

Yellowstone's a geyser kind of park, and the diminished wintertime crowds make it all the more appealing. Cross-country along the Lone Star Geyser Trail, an easy, nine-mile stretch that starts from the Old Faithful Snow Lodge.

No question: Wintertime brings the downhill crowds to Jackson. And with good reason—the schussers are coming to experience the area's four resorts, great powder, and all the apres-ski they can handle.

Snowmobiling is big sport out here, especially in the Tetons. And the Continental Divide Snowmobile Trail is one of the best routes, connecting Dubois, Lander and the Togwotee Pass areas with Yellowstone.

Hit the Bridger-Teton National Forest for some cross-country skiing. Novices to the sport can explore the learner-friendly Ditch Creek and the mountain range views Cache Creek, while more proficient skiers should check out Shadow Mountain's North Slope.

Up in Montana's Custer National Forest, the Silver Run trail has loops of 4, 7, 11, and 15 kilometers in a austere nordic enviornment. Offering both groomed and ungroomed trails, the Silver Run trail provides off-season opportunities for mountain bikes, horseback riders, and hikers.