LANDER, Wyo. – Feb. 3, 2026 – The Wyoming State Trails Program is issuing a safety alert and urging the public to exercise caution this winter snowmobile season. The season has tragically begun with a concerning number of fatalities, underscoring the hazards currently present on trails across the state.

"We have already had four snowmobile-related fatalities in the State this season, and that is four too many," stated Forrest Kamminga, the State Trails Program manager. "While many of our high-elevation snowmobile trail systems are officially open for business, the conditions are far less than desirable. Riders are going to encounter extremely icy and hard-packed snow conditions that significantly compromise the control of their snowmobiles."

The Current Danger: Hard and Icy Conditions

A severe lack of significant snowfall across most of Wyoming for nearly a month has resulted in a hard, frozen, and icy base layer on most established trail systems. This lack of fresh powder fundamentally changes the physics of operating a snowmobile, making machines much harder to control, steer, and stop.

• Compromised Control: Accelerating, cornering, and braking performance are all severely degraded by the hard, icy surface. What would be a manageable speed on fresh snow can become dangerously fast on ice.
• The Downhill Hazard: The loss of traction is magnified on downhill sections. The combination of speed, ice, and gravity significantly increases the risk of loss of control, potentially leading to rapid instability and serious accidents.
• Encouragement with a Caveat: We encourage everyone to still get out and enjoy the unique Wyoming snowmobile experience, but this must be done with the utmost caution and awareness of the drastically altered trail conditions.

Hidden Hazards: The Risk of Low Snow Cover

The limited snow depth is creating a significant secondary risk: barely covered-up hazards both on and immediately off the trail system.

• Subsurface Dangers: Riders must be acutely aware of objects lying just beneath the snow's surface. Running into a rock, a jagged stump, or fallen timber that is only thinly covered can result in severe personal injury and major, often catastrophic, damage to the snowmobile.
• Assume the risk: Encountering these subsurface hazards increases exponentially when traveling off the established, packed trail because of insufficient snow cover.

A Call for Responsible Riding

The Wyoming State Trails Program is encouraging all riders to adjust their behavior and riding style to match the current dangerous conditions.

• Please Slow Down: Reduced speed is the single most effective way to regain a manageable level of control on hard, icy trails. Give yourself significantly more distance and time to react and stop.
• Scale Back the Ride: Consider adjusting the planned route or ride duration to a more conservative, manageable level. This may mean choosing less ambitious terrain or shorter trips until conditions improve.
• Prioritize Safety: The goal of every outing should be to return home safely with a positive Wyoming snowmobile experience to share, not to push the limits of speed or machine capability in dangerous conditions.

Snowmobiling is a beloved winter tradition in Wyoming, and the State Trails Program wants everyone to enjoy it safely. Until significant snowfall softens and deepens the trails, riders must assume that every turn and every descent poses an elevated risk. Your vigilance can save lives.

Learn more about the Wyoming State Trails Program at wyoparks.wyo.gov. 

Figure 1: The Wyoming State Trails Program is issuing a safety alert and urging the public to exercise caution this winter snowmobile season.

Contacts: 

Forrest Kamminga, (307) 335-2671; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

State Trails Field Office, (307) 335-8229; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.