Idaho's Billion-Dollar Industry

McCall Stories

The snowmobiling community funds vital trail infrastructure throughout Valley County, supporting motorized recreation across the region
By Kailan Manandic
Every skier’s dream is to have a brand-new slope all to themselves. Every snowboarder loves the rush of carving their own route through a pristine blanket of pure powder. Every snowmobiler feels alive as they climb a backcountry ridge and lean into the unknown.
In some ways, this is what life is all about. Everyone moves forward through time searching for a path—a guiding line to take them where they need to go.
Sometimes it’s a well-worn trail, waterlogged after years of use. Other times it’s like gliding across a field of snow with no idea of where you’ll end up—a new adventure every 10 feet.
But no matter how far you wander, there are always a few breadcrumbs to lead you back home. Valley County alone has an interconnected network of snowmobile trails spanning from Burgdorf to Crouch and Lick Creek Point to Burnt Log Road.
More than 700 miles of trails support endless recreation for locals and offer world-class adventures to visitors from across the nation.
“It's just a different type of riding. It's a lot of mountains at every level; the beginner level, moderate level, to the experienced level,” says Larry Laxson, director of the Valley Country Recreation Department. “What I hear from the guys who come in from out of state, it's always, ‘oh you guys got the best trails in the world.’”