Whitecourt, Alberta, has established itself as one of the key snowmobiling destinations in Canada. With unbeatable snow conditions and a dedicated snowmobile club, this Alberta gem is home to numerous well-groomed trails that make snowmobiling a preferred activity for winter recreation. In 2015, Whitecourt played host to the million-dollar, five-day World Snowmobile Invasion event, further driving home the point that if you haven’t already visited this area, then you probably should.
The trails around Whitecourt are maintained by the Whitecourt Trailblazers. You can download the club’s maps, including maps that have all GPS co-ordinates for warm-up shelters and trail crossings on the club’s website.
There are over 480 kilometres of maintained trails in the Whitecourt area. Many are accessible from town since Whitecourt is one of the few communities that allows snowmobilers to operate on designated trails within town limits. If this is your first visit, here are some top recommended rides to try:
Named after a dedicated husband and wife team who contributed significantly to the Whitecourt Trailblazers, the Manweiler Trail offers some of the best snowmobiling terrain in Whitecourt. Riders can access the Manweiler Trail from the Groat Creek Staging Area south of town.
The longest of the trails south of Whitecourt, the Summit Trail extends for a total of 90 kilometres and runs from Whitecourt to the Silver Summit Ski Hill near Edson. Sledders looking for a shorter ride, however, can follow the Summit Trail and then loop back around via the Goodwin Lake Trail. There’s a warm-up shelter along the way.
For intermediate to advanced riders, the Golden Triangle is a 350-kilometre loop that links the communities of Whitecourt, Fox Creek and Swan Hills. Riders should bring extra fuel and survival gear since there is a distance of 110 kilometres between each community, and some sections of the trail see very little traffic. The Golden Triangle usually takes two days to complete.
Accessed via the Groat Creek Staging Area south of Whitecourt on Highway 32, the Groat Creek Canyon Trail offers a stunning lookout over a canyon. It also leads to the Summit Warm-Up Shelter and joins up with the Summit Trail leading out to the Silver Summit Ski Hill near Edson.
The Goodwin Lake Trail is one of the more popular snowmobile trails for family outings, allowing for leisurely, scenic riding.
To ride the trails in Whitecourt, snowmobilers will need to purchase an Alberta Snowmobile Association (ASA) Trail Pass. An annual pass is $70 per person before January 1st and $80 after. A day pass is $20 per sled, per day. Trail passes are available at IGA, RPM Powersports Ltd, Adrenaline Powersports Ltd., First Choice Truck & Car Wash, TTRC Ltd. Kanata and from most club members. Annual and day passes can also be purchased online from the ASA website or the Whitecourt Trailblazers’ website.
You can visit the News section of the Whitecourt Trailblazers’ website for trail and grooming reports. The club also publishes updates on its Facebook Page.
The Whitecourt Trailblazers is one of Alberta’s largest and most active snowmobile clubs. The club was founded in 1979 and it is made up of a group of about 550 members. For more info, see SnoRiders’ club profile.
The Whitecourt and Woodlands Tourism has info on snowmobiling and other winter activities in the Whitecourt and area.
Indulge your sense of adventure and tackle the trails in Whitecourt, Alberta. - Geoff Strydhorst photo
“Over the years, we’ve put in hundreds of hours every year with volunteers, saws and quads in the summer and sleds in the winter to keep the trails clean and safe. We have some really good people who are passionate about snowmobiling and they want people to come out and share the experience with us.”
- Ken Linford, past president of the Whitecourt Trailblazers
“There’s lots of beautiful country around Whitecourt with superior trail systems. We have an awesome group of members at the Trailblazers Club.”
- Annetta Lanctot, local sledder
"(The Carson cabin area has) lots of rolling hills, a really fun trail out that way and lots of opportunity to get off-trail. You can make a whole day ride out of just going to the cabin. All the riding we do around here kind of sets you up for mountain riding, especially if you have to do any bit of ditch riding. We’ve got some pretty good ditch riding with a lot of steep angles. You’re used to being off-camber so when you go to the mountains, after riding in Whitecourt, you really seem to pick it up quickly.”
- Tyler Ramstead, local sledder
The laws governing snowmobile use differ by province and can be confusing. Here, we make it easier to understand what local and out of province snowmobilers will need in terms of insurance, registration and licensing to ride B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
Trail maps, top snowmobile trails, club contacts and other useful information you can use when planning a snowmobile trip to Whitecourt, AB
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