White Mountains National Recreation Area
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BLM switches White Mountains and Steese to winter snowmobile rules after snow arrives
The Bureau of Land Management moved the White Mountains National Recreation Area and Steese National Conservation Area to winter motor vehicle rules Wednesday, effective immediately, because the area now has adequate snow cover, the agency said in an Oct. 28 announcement.
Under winter rules, the White Mountains are open to snowmobiles weighing up to 1,000 pounds curb weight and up to 50 inches wide, along with all forms of nonmotorized travel. Winter trails there are shared by snowmobiles and nonmotorized users, except the Ski Loop Trail and Summit Trail, which stay nonmotorized.
In the Steese, the whole conservation area (except the Pinnell Mountain National Recreation Trail) opens to qualifying snowmobiles when snow depth is adequate, according to the BLM.
The BLM said many boundaries and trails are marked, but some trail work is still in progress and some areas may not be well marked. The agency recommends its georeferenced PDF maps for winter and summer recreation, which can be used with a phone's GPS to navigate where there is no cell service. It asks riders to travel responsibly, wear a helmet and ride to reduce damage to the surrounding area.
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Latest
October 2026
BLM pushes White Mountains winter season to Nov. 1 for lack of snow
BLM delayed the switch to winter snowmobile-only rules in the White Mountains and Steese to Nov. 1, citing low snow. Wheeled OHVs stay legal 17 extra days.
by Maggie AlaskaNews4w ago2 min read
September 2026
BLM closes Wickersham Dome Trailhead in the White Mountains starting Oct. 1 for construction
Wickersham Dome Trailhead closes Oct. 1 for a bigger parking lot and a second outhouse. Lee's Cabin fans can detour at mile 23.5. Summit Trail fans wait.
by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read
Pile burning starts Friday at three White Mountains cabin sites
Crews will burn slash piles at three White Mountains cabin sites starting Friday. If you see smoke out there this week, it's supposed to be there.
by Maggie AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min read
Volunteers are replanting a mining-scarred creek, and last year's willows lived
Volunteers replanted a mining-scarred creek near Fairbanks last year and the willows took. They are going back Sept. 26 to plant more for the grayling.
by Maggie AlaskaNews2mo ago1 min read
August 2026
A Fortymile caribou hunt closed after just 48 hours as the quota filled fast
A Fortymile caribou hunt near the Steese Highway closed after just 48 hours as its quota filled fast, drawing a complaint over the short window.
by Maggie AlaskaNewsadded 2mo ago1 min read
BLM closes spur road and gravel pit at Moose Creek Landing through fall
BLM closed a spur road and gravel pit at Moose Creek Landing through fall so newly seeded ground can regrow, blocking vehicle access to the recreation site in the White Mountains.
by Maggie AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min read
June 2026
BLM closes Nome Creek road, trail for construction through August
BLM closes Nome Creek Road on weekdays through September and Nome Creek Trail from July 6 to August 31 for culvert replacement and stream restoration work, blocking the main summer access to White Mountains National Recreation Area near Fairbanks.
by Maggie AlaskaNews5mo ago1 min read
About White Mountains National Recreation Area
White Mountains National Recreation Area is a Bureau of Land Management recreation area in Interior Alaska, north of Fairbanks along the Elliott Highway. It is known for its winter trail system and public-use cabins.
The area runs on seasonal rules. Once enough snow falls, the BLM switches its trails to winter use by snowmobiles, and in summer wheeled off-highway vehicles are allowed on designated routes. Trailheads such as Wickersham Dome and access points at Nome Creek and Moose Creek Landing close at times for construction, culvert replacement and work to restore streams.
Much of the land carries a history of mining, and volunteers and the BLM work to restore scarred creeks for grayling. The area is managed together with the nearby Steese corridor, where Fortymile caribou are hunted.