Winter Recreation in North Park You Can't Miss

We might be halfway through Winter, but there is still plenty of time to enjoy outdoor winter recreation in North Park! For many Coloradans, the time between New Years and the spring thaw are months where you are just waiting out the weather. Storms come and go, and the temperatures can still drop down to the single digits. You don’t have to have an expensive lift ticket pass to enjoy what winter has to offer. Check out some of what we have going on in Jackson County, deep in the heart of the Rocky Mountains.

World Class Ice Fishing

Ice fishing is something you can do in the winter on a budget, without a lot of expense. You don’t need much to go ice fishing, just be careful that it could turn into a full-on addiction. All you really need to get started is some warm weather gear for yourself, an ice fishing pole, a plastic bucket, and an ice auger to drill into the surface of a lake. The most important thing you are going to need is know-how. North Park has you covered on that last bit, since Jackson County has some of the best ice fishing spots in Colorado.

Lake John, Delaney Lakes, Cowdrey Lake, Big Creek Lakes, and many others have the sportfishing lake fish anglers are looking for. From cuttbows to browns, mackinaw to sanger, and even tiger muskies, it’s as simple as cutting a hole in the ice and dropping a line.

Lake trout are still active during the winter months, getting nice and fat off the forage they find at the bottom of lakes. Weed beds and shallows are prime territory for ice fishing too, where the fish have just been gobbling up beetles, shrimp, and other prey. The result is fat fish with that sought-after pink meat you’ll only find in high-mountain waters. 

Competitive Ice Fishing

February 8th marks the second Ice Fishing Tournament in North Park this winter. With relatively low entry fees—which are great for beginners, and even kids—winners stand to bring home a lot of cash for an afternoon of being outside in nature, enjoying the snow, and hanging out with friends. 

The Ice Fishing Tournament at Lake John is sponsored by the North Park Area Chamber of Commerce. January’s winner took home $1700 in combined prizes, and this year up to Fifth Place was awarded for youth competitors. What a great way to spend the day on the ice!

Snowmobiling

When you are a snowmobiler, North Park is the perfect culmination of terrain, weather, and public land that you’ve been looking for. Whether you are kicking up rooster tails on the flats of BLM land, or cruising maintained trails of Colorado State Forest State Park and the Routt-Arapaho National Forest, you are bound to find your perfect ride. There’s plenty out there for spectators and riders alike in North Park, and this year there’s lots of snow in the high country to entice you to escape the city and ride some trails.

XMR-Xtreme Mountain Racing: Rumble on the Reservoir!

X-treme Mountain Racing is vintage snowmobile racing at its best. Two weekends remain to watch stock and super-modified sleds tear up the 3/8 mile oval track at Walden Reservoir. Feb. 15th and March 1st are the last two events of the season and it just keeps getting better! If you are a fan of Ski-doo, Arctic Cat, Polaris, side-by-side, ice-bikes, and more, you won’t want to miss these maniacs on the ice! Read more about it here!

Poker Run Feb 22

Sure lots of people have done poker runs, but have you ever done a poker run on snowmobiles? On Feb 22nd, the Gould Poker run starts at 10am at the Snow Snake Shed in Gould. Cost is $5 per hand or 5 hands for $20. A valid CO Registration is required to ride. Hands are due by 4pm on the 22nd. Contact the North Park Snow Snakes on Facebook for more information. It's lots of fun and proceeds go to benefiting the Gould community.

Snowshoeing and Nordic Skiing

In the summertime, there’s plenty of public land for you to explore. Whether it’s fishing, mountain biking, rafting, or hiking, you’ll find some of the most rugged and unspoiled wilderness in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Just north of Rocky Mountain National Park, North Park provides similar terrain without the crowds and shuttle buses you’ll find at more well-known destinations. In the wintertime, many of those hiking trails pull double duty for snowshoeing and cross-country skiers.

Get Your Snowshoes On!

Snowshoeing has gained a lot of traction (pun intended) in recent years. It provides an effective and inexpensive way to continue to hike and enjoy the outdoors even in the middle of winter! 

Snowshoeing is not only a great way to stay in shape during the winter months, but also a great excuse to get out into nature and really see it up close. Just about anywhere you can hike you can venture out on snowshoes. 

Nordic Skiing 

While most skiers in Colorado are fighting traffic on the way to the expensive ski resorts, only to spend a fortune on nachos and apres-ski cocktails, those who ski for the love of the outdoors already know about North Park. 

One of the best-kept secrets of the nordic skiing world, Jackson County offers hundreds of miles of groomed trail and backcountry treks on public land, with easy access to trail heads that are kept clear throughout the year. You can really let yourself become immersed in the outdoor experience on nordic skis.

Moonlight Ski/Snowshoe event

If you ever needed an excuse to enjoy the groomed trails and serenity of night skiing, you’ve found your opportunity! The Colorado State Forest State Park in Gould, CO is hosting a Moonlight Ski and Snowshoe event with potluck dinner. The potluck begins at 5:30pm and visitors are encouraged to bring a dish to share. 

Under a full moon, you can start your own self-guided tour on the Gould Loop at 6pm. Park Rangers will be waiting with a campfire 3/4 mile down the Gould Loop to help you warm up. The total loop is 5.5 miles. Rent snowshoes at the Visitor Center for $5/pair—availability is limited, so be sure to arrive early. Hot Chocolate served at the Visitor Center.

Set your navigation to the Moose Visitor Center at 56750 CO HWY 14, Gould, CO.  No registration is required, but be sure to purchase a daily Park’s Pass or present your Colorado Vehicle Registration with Park’s Pass if you have it for entry.

A Great Way to Get Away From It All

North Park is an incredible winter activities destination. Not only will you find places for skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, and fishing, but also all sorts of other outdoor winter recreation possibilities.

• Sledding
• Camping
• Stargazing
• Picnicking
• Wildlife viewing 
• So much more!

Where to Stay

When you want to give yourself a social media detox, let North Park be the place to run away to. Book a stress-free weekend with the great outdoors just at your doorstep. Choose from any number of vacation rentals, yurts, cabins, or local hotels to set up your basecamp!

Weather in February is often very mild, with an almost false spring that makes for daily temps in the 50s and 60s with overnight lows in the 30s. March is often North Park’s heaviest month for snowfall, so February is often a great time to experience a true Colorado winter. Check out this blog post if you have concerns about driving and winter weather conditions, .

Book your lodging in a hotel, VRBO, or AirBnB vacation rental property in Walden, CO.

• Antlers Inn Call: (970) 723-8690
• North Park Inn and Suites Call: (970) 723-4271
• Chedsey Motel Call: (970) 723-8201
• Lake John Resort (970) 723-8201
• Yonder Yurts (Perfect for snowshoeing at the State Forest!)
• Powderhorn Lodge (970) 723-4359
• Check out these listings for other places in Jackson County!

Explore, Enjoy, Experience!

While the rest of Colorado is experiencing slush season, there’s still plenty of wintertime left in North Park. Jackson County is not only a gateway to the real Colorado Rocky Mountains, but also a place of primal wilderness and wide open spaces that will take your breath away. Surrounded on all sides by icy peaked mountain ranges with friendly towns and villages scattered throughout, you will experience vistas you only ever dreamed of, and hospitality you have never experienced before.

Let us know if you read about this on the VisitNorthParkCO.com site, Facebook or Instagram, or the Visit North Park Newsletter. Subscribe to our newsletter and give our social media pages a like and a follow for more of what is happening in North Park throughout the year! It’s a place where beautiful views, history, and the real Colorado meet!