I am a newbie to snowmobiling but you quickly learn that Togwotee Lodge is the mecca for snowmobilers especially for midwesterners. My kids were off of school for "ski week" (what a joke) so we opted to head up to Wyoming for some slednecking with the Abbett family. My youngest, Fletcher (12), has become my little snowmobile buddy and I think Sebastian, my oldest (15), just goes to appease me or he is too stubborn to admit he likes it.
You know you are in Wyoming when you pass through the antler bridge at Afton and then again in Jackson. Sebastian and Fletcher had never been to Jackson but they have heard me rave about it so a quick pit stop in downtown was required along with a photo under the antlers. But Fletcher was more impressed with the giant toy store in Jackson.
When you arrive at Togwotee Lodge, you immediately know that this place is all about snowmobiling. they have at least 50 sleds in front the rental shop, a very convenient gas station and some of the biggest snowmobile trailers you have ever seen. The cabins are just a few hundred yards from the main lodge and everyone has their sleds parked in front of the cabins. Your stoke level just goes through and you just want to get out and ride. There was still some daylight available so Fletcher and I fired up our sleds to sneak in a quick pow session. What is great about this lodge is that you ride from your cabin and once you cross the street - it is game on. It had snowed a few days ago but some small powder stashes were still to be had. I was impressed with Fletcher's attempts at trying to master counter-steering- despite being only 80 pounds, he was starting to get the sled on edge.
The next morning the temps were in the single digits so we went out later than usual. We went out on the CD trail, took a left on the V trial and then a right on the X trial as we made our way to Brooks Lake Lodge. The trails are in impeccable shape as they groom them nightly and the options seem endless with 567 connected miles within the Continental Divide Trail system. As you pull into the property of Brooks Lake Lodge, you are taken back by the beauty of the lodge and the Pinnacle Buttes and the frozen Brooks Lake in the backdrop. And when you enter the lodge, you feel like you instantly transported to the Wild, Wild West. The fireplace are larger than life and the dinning room could be from a scene from the Shining.
The restaurant options are pretty limited but that is expected given how far away we are from Jackson but we made a great call in going to Turpin Meadows Ranch which is a Western luxury ranch that offers farm to table dining experience. Despite riding about 40 miles during the day, most of the kids wanted to snowmobile to the ranch which was a frigid and dark 6 mile ride. The restaurant was very cozy and it felt like we had the place to ourselves.
The next day we went a little further south to the K trail and what experience that was. This terrain is world-class with a plethora of features from creeks, open fields, side hills, dips, and open spaced trees. As we continued towards the western CD trail, we came across a rolling meadow that looked liked nirvana as it went on forever. We were with the kids so we couldn't rip through this vast terrain but Mark and I committed to returning. Given how much everyone loved Brooks Lake Lodge the day before, we went back for more goodness.
If you hit the Continental Divide Trail network during a big storm, you could ride for days finding fresh pow. It is expansive and will entertain the snowmobiler willing to explore.