I live in Colorado and love the snow. I think these 3 states are the best for winter adventures, from dog sledding to wildlife safaris.

Every winter growing up in Oklahoma, I couldn't wait until the snow was deep enough to roll snowballs into snowmen and make snow angels. It always felt magical to me, and still does.

Over the years, my love of nature and the outdoors led me to seek out more ways to enjoy the winter season, including cross country skiing, dog sledding, and snowshoeing.

Even though I live in Colorado where some of the world's most popular ski resorts are located, I'm not a downhill alpine skier, so I look for other ways to enjoy the snowy terrain both within and outside of the state.

My favorite three states for snowy winter fun are Alaska, Colorado, and Wyoming. All have national parks with some winter access, and unique opportunities for active and more relaxed outdoor winter enthusiasts, in my opinion.

Here are eight of my favorite winter adventures to do in each state.

Dog sledding, or mushing, is a must-try activity in Alaska , in my opinion, since it's the state sport.

On a trip to Fairbanks, I went dog sledding with local operator Paws for Adventure as part of a group excursion of about 18 people. When we arrived at the facility, we gathered inside a building to learn about the history of dog sledding and dog training processes from the guides. I liked that all of the guides were professional mushers who were serious about their sport.

Then, we headed outside to a snowy track that reminded me of a groomed cross-country ski trail. The guides told us the trails are groomed because it makes it easier for the dogs and sled to speed along smoothly over the terrain.

We piled into the sleds, and each sled fit two people with one musher guide. The guides covered us with furs and blankets, and I felt warm and secure inside the sled. There was a lot of yipping and barking from the dogs, and to me they seemed excited to run. Once they took off and started running along the trail, the barking stopped completely, because the dogs were so focused.

We zipped along snowy and rolling trails, and into an open valley with scenic views of the Alaska Range mountains. Our musher stopped a few times so we could take pictures of the dogs and views, and he even took a few pictures of us in the sled. It was fun to watch the dogs and musher work together as a team, and the 40-minute ride passed quickly as the dogs raced along at a fast pace.

After we returned, we were allowed to visit with a few puppies and sled dogs, which was my favorite part of the experience besides the ride.

There are various dog sled tour operator in Fairbanks that have a range of experiences. There are short tours, like the one I took, as well as half-day and full-day tours. Some Fairbanks operators, like Arctic Dog Adventures Company, even offer multi-day tours with overnight lodging.

If you go dog sledding, I recommend dressing warmly since you'll be exposed to the elements. I wore layered tops, ski pants, snow boots, and a warm coat. I also had a warm wool hat and gloves, and sunglasses since it was a sunny day.

To round out my sled dog experience, I also visited the Fairbanks Community Museum located downtown. I learned about history of sled dogs of the Far North and saw memorabilia like photographs from dog races, indigenous art, and vintage sleds. The museum visit was enjoyable, and I recommend it if you're interested in learning about some of Alaska's famous mushers and sled dogs.

Last February on my trip to Alaska, I planned a half-day excursion to Chena Hot Springs Resort, a hotel and hot springs resort about an hour's drive outside of Fairbanks. I went with friends, and our plan was to relax and soak in the outdoor, natural hot springs lake. We drove, but for those visitors without a car, the resort also offers a round-trip shuttle service to and from Fairbanks.

I jogged from the heated locker room and changing area along a path that led to the hot springs, and the water's heat immediately felt healing to me.

The large rock lake, which is basically a big pool, was surrounded by a snow-covered forest in the background, which I enjoyed looking at while I soaked. There was also an outdoor hot tub and an indoor pool, but I spent my time in the lake because I wanted to soak in the natural mineral waters.

For visitors looking for more than a day trip, the resort has hotel rooms as well as private cabins and outdoor yurts. I tried booking a room a few weeks before my trip, but discovered the resort was full, so I recommend making reservations further in advance. The resort also has seasonal activities like dog sled tours, ice-fishing, and snowmobile tours.

I thought the property's most unique attraction was its Aurora Ice Museum. I went on a 45-minute guided tour of the museum that walked through rooms built from ice, an ice chapel, and multiple ice sculptures. The tour ended with a stop at the ice bar for the resort's signature drink, an Appletini served in a hand-crafted ice glass.

I'm glad I combined the tour with the hot springs soak to experience more than one part of the resort.

Instead of booking a flight home from Fairbanks, I decided to take the Alaska Railroad Aurora Winter Train to Anchorage and fly to Colorado from there. This train runs on the weekends from September through May, as well as on select weekdays.

My hope was to see Mount Denali since the train route passes by the national park, and I thought it would be majestic to see North America's highest peak topped with snow. Although it was a long, 12-hour journey, I enjoyed the train ride because it gave me the chance to see more of the state's landscape and wildlife. My cabin was warm, and there were windows along the length of the train car with nonstop views of the snowy mountain scenery.

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner were served on the train, so I never had to rely on my snacks for a meal. The dining car had tasty grab-and-go food as well as cooked meals. There was also a bar in the same car that had cocktails, beer, and wine, so I paired an Alaskan beer with a pasta dish for dinner.

Before boarding, I bought a guide book at the train station gift shop that had descriptions of the route, as well as information on historic towns and stops along the way. Several times, I saw moose walking by the tracks and attempting icy lake crossings. And to my great joy, I was lucky enough to see Denali.

I was used to seeing high mountains as I live in Colorado, but I was taken aback by how massive Denali was. It loomed over the 14,000-foot peaks below it.

The drama of the clouds pulling back brought everyone to their windows, and every passenger, including me, was snapping pictures of the big reveal. I was thrilled to finally have my Mount Denali moment, and highly recommend the Aurora Winter Train for those looking for a cozy, scenic excursion.

Aside from the state's many mountains, I think an equally interesting draw of Colorado is its dude ranches, which are western-style ranch resorts that often have horseback riding, fishing, and other outdoorsy activities. Some ranches in the state are over 100 years old, like the Bar Lazy J Guest Ranch which opened in 1912, and the C Lazy U Ranch that's been operating since 1919.

Most Coloradans I know prioritize horseback riding in the summer, but I think it's just as great in the winter. Winter access on the open ranch ranges can be limited due to icy and snowy conditions, but I've still found that a good number of dude ranches offer horse riding experiences during the cold season.

One of my favorite ranches to visit is the C Lazy U Ranch in Grand County, about a three-hour drive from Denver, which offers winter horseback riding for overnight guests at the lodge. A two-night stay is required at C Lazy U Ranch, which includes dining, horseback riding, and other activities.

While riding Betsy the paint horse at the ranch, I felt like I was on a western movie set. Betsy picked her way along a backcountry trail with a picture perfect view of the mountains, and passed a snow-covered meadow where I saw a few elk huddled in the distance. During those few hours on horseback, my small world felt quiet and pristine — it was an idyllic mini escape.

If you're looking for winter horseback riding without an overnight stay, I recommend Saddleback Ranch in Steamboat Springs, which has one- to two hour-long rides that end with a cookie and cup of hot chocolate. Also in Steamboat Springs is Del's Triangle 3 Ranch, where visitors can book horseback trail rides as well as snow buggy tours.

If you do go horseback riding in the winter in Colorado, keep in mind that it can be very cold. I recommend wearing ski clothes and warm socks with snow boots, and bringing boot warmers and glove warmers in case you need them. The dude ranches, in my experience, provide helmets to wear.

In winter, there are lots of snowy adventures to enjoy within Colorado's Rocky Mountain National Park and nearby town of Grand Lake, as well as places to eat and stay overnight. From Denver, it takes about an hour longer by car to get to the west side of the park than the east side, in my experience, but I think it's definitely worth the effort.

The west side is my favorite entrance to the park as it's less populated, in my experience, and feels more remote. Plus, I think the gateway town of Grand Lake that borders the park is fun to visit for its old west vibe. I like to wander the town's wooden plank sidewalks and window shop, or grab a bite at one of the plentiful local restaurants.

I always pack my own snowshoes and poles to explore the trails at the park, but visitors can also rent winter gear at Never Summer Mountain Products in Grand Lake. You can snowshoe in the park on your own, book a private guided tour, or take a free park ranger-led tour.

On my last visit, a friend and I booked a private, guided snowshoe tour with local tour operator Kaiyote Snow. The half-day tour included complimentary snowshoes, poles, and a snack. I thought Snow's background as a naturalist really enhanced the tour, as she told us interesting facts about the mountain environment, wildlife of the park, and the Colorado River.

We made our way along the trail to the Holzwarth Historic Ranch Site, a preserved historic ranch inside Rocky Mountain National Park that was built in 1917. I thought the two-hour tour was easy, and highly recommend it to learn more about the ranching families of the region during the late 1800s and early 1900s.

After a day of trekking, I like to refuel in Grand Lake. One of my favorite places to eat is Sagebrush BBQ & Grill, which serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I like their pancakes for breakfast and recommend trying the bison meatloaf, which is both hearty and tasty.

If I stay overnight in Grand Lake, I usually choose Western Riviera Lakeside Lodging since it's within the town and perched along the lakeshore for scenic views, with shops and restaurants close by. For larger groups, I recommend checking out Grand Mountain Rentals, which has dozens of private cabins and condo rentals that I think are a convenient choice for families or groups of friends.

I like to visit Wyoming in any season, but I've found winter is far less crowded, and still offers unique opportunities to see wildlife and enjoy active adventures.

The first time I went fat tire biking on snow in the state's Grand Teton National Park, I was hooked. I went on a guided tour with Teton Mountain Bike Tours, a company based in Jackson, which has full- and half-day guided fat tire winter bike tours in the park.

I was a bit unsure of how much energy it would take to pedal a heavy bike with big fat snow tires on snow, but it turned out to be much easier than I thought. The fat tires are four to five inches wide, which makes them roll efficiently over packed snow roads.

Pedaling through the park in winter on a sunny day, with hardly a car in sight, was a blast for me. I thought the views of the snow-capped Teton Range were impressive, and I was happy to be outside and wheeling around the park on a bike built for snow travel.

The guided tour I went on with Teton Mountain Bike Tours included the bike rental, helmet, a free water bottle, and transportation to the park in a company van. If you don't need a tour, you can also rent the company's fat tire bikes for a half-day or full-day to ride the local Jackson Hole trails.

One winter, I took a full-day winter tour through Grand Teton National Park and the Jackson area with Jackson Hole Wildlife Safaris. On the tour, called the "Best of Jackson Hole Wildlife Safari Tour," I saw an impressive amount of wildlife, including bighorn sheep, elk, and even trumpeter swans. The company has small group tours of up to eight people per guide, which I thought provided a personalized experience.

The eight-hour experience included breakfast, lunch, snacks, and binoculars and spotting scopes to get a closer look at the animals from a safe distance. We also rode a horse-drawn sleigh into the National Elk Refuge, where I saw huge herds of elk headed down to the lower valleys to feed during the winter months.

While you can visit the elk refuge on your own, I appreciated that going on the wildlife safari gave me the chance to visit multiple sites throughout the day based on the guide's knowledge of where the herds were currently located. That way, I didn't have to worry about going somewhere where I wouldn't see any animals.

For instance, the guide knew exactly where to find large groups of bighorn sheep along backcountry mountain roads. I like to be informed about the areas I visit, so I enjoyed going on the tour with the professional guide, since they shared their knowledge of the area as well as their passion for wildlife education.

I've also had friends recommend other safari tour operators in Jackson, including Scenic Safaris and Jackson Hole Ecotour Adventures. Scenic Safaris has a snowmobile tour option, and Jackson Hole Ecotour Adventures has a wolf-focused tour during wolf mating season in January and February, as well as an elk refuge tour that stops at the National Museum of Wildlife Art.

For me, Yellowstone National Park is the most amazing national park in the US because of its geysers, hot pots, fumaroles, canyons, and wildlife. I think there's just no place like it.

One of my all-time favorite winter experiences was a winter vacation in Yellowstone. I'll never forget when I saw a lone bison standing against a background of white snow, or the gray wolves I saw while on a wildlife excursion. I also went snowshoeing on that trip, but it was cross-country skiing with a friend that still resonates with me today.

We stayed at Old Faithful Snow Lodge, a hotel with individual rooms, private cabins, on-site dining, and even an outdoor ice skating rink. It's located close to skiing trails near the Old Faithful Upper Geyser area of the park, which we found convenient. The lodge had a lobby lounge with a coffee bar and fireplace, where my friend and I enjoyed cozying up to play games and work on unfinished puzzles that the staff sets throughout the lounge for guests to piece together.

We rented cross-country skis at the on-site Bear Den Ski Shop. From the doors of the lodge, we skied straight onto a nearby trail that led to a stream in a wooded area. From the trail, we caught scenic views of steaming geysers in the distance that still resonate with me today.

There are 70 miles of cross-country ski trails in the Old Faithful area for all ability levels. Although I haven't been on one personally, I think more advanced skiers would also enjoy a multi-day, cross-country ski expedition inside the park with the outfitter Yellowstone Expeditions. These trips pair ski guides with small groups of skiers to explore the backcountry trails, and include transportation, meals, and overnight lodging in heated cabins.

There's no outdoor winter experience I've been to that comes close to my time in Yellowstone National Park, so I highly recommend it to all snow season enthusiasts.