So, you've decided on Smithers for your next snowmobiling holiday. You will be glad of your choice when you see the ample snowfall and the quality trails here.
To enjoy the terrain in Smithers, you must pay a day-use fee of only $20 per sled. These can be purchased at the Hudson Bay Lodge, which is open 24/7. If you are planning to come back regularly, we suggest you join the Smithers Snowmobile Association. All season, you can sled as you please for an individual membership fee of $140, or a family membership fee (covering two parents and unlimited children under six) of $250. Seniors over 65 years of age can join for $80 per season.
Enough about fees, let's hit the trails
The next step is deciding which trails you want to experience first. The Smithers terrain is some of the best in B.C., so you have a lot of choices - but the Dome and Harold Price areas are two particular favourites for riders of all ages and experience levels.
The Dome is one beloved family riding area that offers wide, well-groomed trails leading to the Jason Robert Elliot Memorial shelter. You can head past the shelter and embark on a circular route via the Canyon Creek Forest Service Road, or go over the hill behind the shelter to reach Fulton Forest Service Road, which leads to the Granisle mining town. To access the Dome, leave Smithers travelling north on Highway 16, and drive three kilometres to Babine Lake Road. From there, turn left and drive another 19.5 kilometres to the Dome parking lot. You will even find a permanent lock block ramp for loading/unloading snowmobiles. The elevation here is 4,625 feet, and the trails are groomed from December to April - this is mountain sledding at its best.
Harold Price is another prime spot for families to snowmobile. You can find the staging area four kilometres up the Blunt Forest Service Road. The trails are maintained vigorously with a large BR 400 groomer for the first 22 kilometres, but further on they are groomed with a smaller pull-behind unit on an as-needed basis. You will see meadows, hills and powder galore - a boondockers dream come true.
Experienced sledders looking for more extreme terrain can venture past Harold Price to Goat Mountain. Be aware that this is not for beginners, so do not go past the Harold Price meadows unless you have adequate training and preparation. Also keep in mind that there may be active logging on the Blunt Forest Service Road, so be mindful and watch for other users on the road.
