The best way to recharge in winter is to reconnect with your inner snow angel. No matter where you make your home in the West, you're never more than a few hours' drive from a place where the white stuff runs soft and deep. Declare a day off, and pack up the red plastic saucers, warm clothes, and a thermos of hot chocolate. These are our picks for great snow play.
CALIFORNIA Big Bear Snowplay. 10-4 daily; day pass $18. 42825 Big Bear Blvd., Big Bear Lake; 909/585-0075.
CALIFORNIA Echo Summit Sno-Park, Eldorado National Forest. 10-dusk Mon-Fri, 9-dusk Sat-Sun; day pass $5. South of U.S. 50 at Echo Summit; 530/644-2324.
COLORADO Snow Mountain Ranch/ YMCA of the Rockies. Open daily, call for hours; $10 tube rental, $5 sled rental. 1101 County Rd. 53, Granby; 970/887-2152.
NEW MEXICO Capulin Snowplay Area, Cibola National Forest. 9:30-4 Fri-Sun, weather permitting; $3 per vehicle. 1 mile north of the Sandia Peak ski area, off State 536; 505/281-3304.
OREGON Santiam Sno-Park, Willamette National Forest. Open daily; $3 per vehicle Sno-Park permit available at DMV offices and local stores. Off U.S. 20/State 126 at Santiam Pass, 43 miles northwest of Bend; 541/822-3381.
WASHINGTON Lake Wenatchee State Park tubing hill. 8-dusk daily; Sno-Park permit $8. 21588 State 207, Leavenworth; 509/763-3101.
Follow these links for more ideas on where to spend your snow day ― or weekend!
To ski in
peace
Yosemite in
winter
Winter
tracks
Hey dudes
Things to do
in the Rockies
Wind River
solitude
Grand Mesa
On track in
the Methow Valley
Winter
wonderful
