The Methow Valley is a soft landing in a rugged region – an easygoing realm of rolling shrub-steppe foothills and golden light backdropped by formidable alpine architecture. An idyllic gateway to Okanogan country, the Methow forms a gentle buffer between the North Cascades’ skyline of sawblade peaks and the Okanogan’s bristling highlands and lazy river valleys – a rain shadow that hits all the right beats.

So what’s a rain shadow? The oversimplified version goes something like this – weather systems move according to prevailing winds. In the Cascades that means west-to-east, in from the Pacific ocean, encountering mountains along the way. The mountains force precipitation on the windward side as heavy, moisture-laden air masses are driven up and over high elevation landforms where they expand and cool. Let’s say these mountains are really big and there are lots of them. Maybe they’re called the North Cascades.That means lots of precipitation on the way up and over the top and lots of unburdened air masses on the way down the other side. As air descends the leeward side, it warms, having lost much of its moisture. Accelerating things further, a process called adiabatic compression increases the amount of moisture the air can absorb as it descends – giving us arid, semi-arid and sometimes high desert regions on the leeward sides of mountain ranges. **So that’s a rain shadow**.

lost weekend: methow valley route collection

METHOW: old baldy to loup loup

70 miles | 8527 ft | 70% backcountry gravel, 30% paved | 42c min – 2” plus | water filter & lights recommended

This spirited 70-mile backcountry gravel circuit out of Winthrop showcases a glorious cross-section of the Okanogan highlands, much of it in and among the bristling ghost forests of the Tripod, Okanogan and Calton Complex wildfires. The loop consists of three major climb/descent sequences: Baldy Pass, West Fork near Loup Loup, and Lester Road. While the third climb may look relatively minor at first glance, its location in context within the route lends it equal weight as the others. Be aware that this route traverses remote backcountry national forest areas with no available services and intermittent water sources so ride accordingly. Be prepared to filter water from the sources marked within the routes.

METHOW: old baldy to BEAVER CREEK

73 miles | 9042 ft | 70% backcountry gravel, 27% paved, 3% singletrack | 47c min – 2” plus | water filter required

The Beaver Creek edition is virtually identical to the Loup Loup edition but includes the magnificent Beaver Creek 406 backcountry trail, which simply adds 4 miles to the overall. It does require an elevated set of trail handling chops as the Beaver Creek 406 is particularly steep, loose, rooty, rocky and rowdy in places. A dropper post and keen judgement will be helpful here. But those looking to push a little deeper will be richly rewarded for doing so.

Highlights

Climb to Baldy Pass (6382 ft) along NF37 through the Okanogan National Forest. This luxury gravel climb gains 4600 feet over 25 miles with relatively gentle gradients in the 3-7% range.
Dynamic post-burn landscapes present forests in multiple phases of recovery from Tripod (2006), Okanogan (2015) and Carlton (2016) Complex wildfires.
NF42 climb to Buck Pass. Dramatic burn zone is both spooky and exhilarating!
Beaver Creek 406 backcountry singletrack. Equal measures of sublimity and spice.
Well-signed and maintained backcountry National Forest roads. Easy. Predictable. No muss. No fuss.
Lester Road climb and descent w/ expansive views of Pipestone Canyon and Methow Wildlife Recreation Area.
Caveats: both Old Baldy editions include copious amounts of climbing and will take longer and be harder than you anticipate.

METHOW: canyons & coulees

40 miles | 3547 ft | 55% unpaved dirt track and gravel, 45% paved | 42c min – 2” plus | Services in Twisp

This dynamic adventure loop packs big views and a stunning diversity of terrain within a compact 40 miles. The Canyons & Coulees edition dives right into the smooth, flowing singletrack of Pearrygin Lake State Park. Riders remain continually engaged through rolling foothills and flaxen valleys into the inimitable and spectacular Pipestone Canyon. The Valley Trail dips and dodges beneath massive looming canyonforms through the heart of the Methow Wildlife Recreation Area, up and over Balky Hill en route to Twisp, where folks can grab lunch, coffee or a dank brew. Twisp River Road meanders westward to the wideset bunchgrass prairies of Elbow Coulee, where bold evergreen punctuates golden grassland, easing riders into a gradual paved descent back to Winthrop.

Highlights

Smooth, flowing singletrack around Pearrygin Lake State Park.
Rolling golden foothills of the Methow Winter Range & Wildlife Refuge.
Dip your toes in the cool waters of Campbell Lake.
Pipestone Canyon. Sublime valley trails through unique geography and stunning rock formations.
Twisp: Blue Star Coffee, Old Schoolhouse Brewing Taproom, Glover Street Market and more!

Methow: Canyons, Coulees & Cowbells

51.3 miles | 5220 ft | 40% singletrack, 40% gravel and backcountry dirt track, 20% paved | 55c min – 2” plus recommended | Services in Twisp

We’ve decided to include this additional route variation for a few reasons. A. This line is so good it brings a tear to the eye. B. There seemed to be enough meaningful distance between the BIG route and the 40 miler. This edition backends the Canyons & Coulees loop with a healthy bite into the Sun Mountain system. Take a look – see what you think. Compact-ish. Evenly-paced. Holistically engaging. Maybe this is the one? RIYL a good time in the frontcountry foothills and love digging into trail systems on drop bar bikes.

Highlights

This version expands on the Canyons & Coulees idea with an engaging, trail-centric backend experience.
If you were leaning Canyons & Coulees but felt a tug of wanting something more – this is that.
Sun Mountain Trails are some of the most dropbar friendly lines in the region. Explore with gusto.

Methow: banker pass to slate peak

Nestled between North Cascades, the Methow Valley and Pasayten Wilderness, Slate Peak towers above a serrated skyline amid hundreds of craggy glacier-crowned summits. For all of its epic surroundings, the climb itself is actually rather gentle. Here we frontload the day with a warm-up to Banker Pass via the Buck Up climbing trail, which skirts the ridge of the Buck Mountain system. Those who would like to bypass this singletrack can easily do so by simply staying on Cub Creek Road (NF52) which rejoins the route 7 miles west.

From Mazama, riders continue to Hart’s Pass and Slate Peak, where after a long, gradual climb, the magic is all in the final few miles. The road from the pass upward to Slate Peak becomes rougher w/ lots embedded rock. Climbing out of the treeline beneath Slate Pass, the scale and grandeur of this massive glaciated valley begins to set in. Doubling back in a series of dramatic horseshoe curves, the road snakes upward through stands of (hopefully) golden larches. The final push to the summit is a 1/4 mile climb of 16-18% gradient surfaced with chunky rock to a leveled surface w/ the remnants of the cold war era radar station and lookout tower. The skyline is absolutely humbling in all directions. 360 degrees of sawtooth peaks as far as the eye can see. Conditions at the top can extremely windy and volatile, so come prepared for quite a range of weather and temperature conditions.

The out-and-back orientation of this route allows for quite a bit of time absorbing the environment from multiple vantage points as things look and feel quite different on a climb than a descent of this magnitude. It's very easy to let loose on the way back down. Keep an eye out for embedded rock and ruts in the upper section and be mindful of the washboarding all the way down, it's easy to get a bit loose and several of the corners have zero margin for error. Water filter and lights are highly recommended as a precaution even though this route is an out and back.

Highlights

Smooth, flowing singletrack along the Buck Up climbing trail. Expansive views up and down the valley.
Deadhorse Point features a series of harrowing curves, rubble strewn rock faces and precipitous, glaciated cliff walls that drop over a thousand feet to the Methow River below – careful through here – especially on the way down.
Hart’s Pass 1940's era Forest Service Guard Station, PCT waypoint and campground.
High elevation climbing environment traverses dramatic switchbacks through alpine meadows and stands of golden larch.
Slate Peak summit with spectacular sightlines deep into the North Cascades. 360 degrees of snowcapped sawtooth peaks.
Mazama Public House for snacks and brews.
Methow Valley Community Trail singletrack back to Winthrop. Fast. Fun. Playful.

methow: banker pass to mazama

47.3 miles | 3736 ft | 60% unpaved dirt track and gravel, 30% paved, 10% singletrack | 42c min – 2” plus | services in Mazama

Those looking for more of a mellow ramble will find Banker Pass to Mazama and back is a wonderfully satisfying loop in its own right. This 47-mile edition is identical the route above but without the actual 40-mile Slate/Hart’s out-n-back portion. This edition is also frontloaded with a warm-up to Banker Pass via the Buck Up climbing trail, which skirts the ridge of the Buck Mountain system. Those who would like to bypass this singletrack can easily do so by simply staying on Cub Creek Road (NF52) which rejoins the route 7 miles west.

Highlights

Smooth, flowing singletrack along the Buck Up climbing trail. Expansive views up and down the valley.
Descent from Banker Pass through Vanderpool Crossing into Mazama. Watch those washboards!
Mazama Public House for snacks and brews. Let them know you’re part of the Lost Weekend ride to get a sweet deal!
Methow Valley Community Trail singletrack back to Winthrop. Fast. Fun. Playful.

METHOW TRAILS

Nestled in a high pocket of the North Cascades in north-central Washington, the Methow Trails system includes over 120 miles of singletrack for Nordic skiing, mountain biking, trail running and hiking. Founded in 1977, Methow Trails is committed to the long-term economic sustainability of the community and natural resource protection throughout the Valley. Through collaborative partnerships between USFS, Fish & Wildlife and a patchwork of private landowners, Methow Trails facilitates public access to this extensive network which includes backcountry epics like Angel’s Staircase and Cutthroat Pass to the entire Sun Mountain Trails system to family-friendly community trails connecting the entire Valley.

WINTHROP

Winthrop is a curious confluence of worlds. It presents like an Old West movie set, all sunbleached boardwalks and swinging saloon doors but with a premium granola-athletic sensibility. Like a Colorado mountain town in the early 80’s, the Methow is ripe with second homes and upscale lodges tucked into the periphery but prefers to lead with uncluttered rolling hills, meandering rivers and lazy pace to its comings and goings.

food & beverage

Old Schoolhouse Brewery serves up a well-rounded slate of craft brew standards with a rotating lineup of dank and hazy seasonals. The downtown Winthrop location is situated in – you guessed it – a cozy, old timey schoolhouse with primo riverside beer garden and patio. They are kind of the only craft brew game in town offering a menu of pub grub, burgers and salads. They now have two additional locations in the valley, a taproom in Twisp and the Mazama Public House.

The Copper Glance is a mixology-grade cocktail bar with a streamlined menu of drinking snacks, charcuterie and thoughtfully procured locavore favorites. I can personally vouch for the burrata di bufala and gruyere mac n’ cheese.

East 20 Pizza serves up a casual balance of high quality post-ride pies, salads and curiously extra-cold brews. Nonchalant ski bum vibes and a well-worn, dog-friendly patio lock in East 20 as a perfect go-to for quick, easy, hassle-free calories and beer.

Though we’ve never had the pleasure, we’ve heard good things about Arrowleaf Bistro. If things like consciously curated seasonal farm-to-table fare get you excited, this may very well be the spot for you. Very popular. Dinner only. Wed-Sunday.

Nine miles southeast of Winthrop in Twisp, Blue Star Coffee Roasters is absolutely 100% worth the trip. Think Coava or Puff Coffee in Portland – which is to say artfully prepared and regionally famous craft espresso, pour-over, drip coffee and pastries along with a full line of brewing gear, aeropress + pour-over kits, filters and accessories. Highly recommended for a mid-ride pick-me-up.

Rocking Horse Bakery does a distinct thing I like to call mountain town espresso, which is to say sometimes it’s less about the coffee and more about convenience, hearty food + grab n’ go options, location or some combination of all of these. Rocking Horse is exactly that. No more, no less.

Ryzo Wine Bar - In downtown Twisp. They specializes in housemade wines that have the reputation for being quite good. Try their Pet Nats.

Glover Street Market located in downtown Twisp. Classic granola co-op vibes. All the usual brands and product lines are here, down to that classic mom n’ pop natural foods store smell. Well-stocked, thoughtfully arranged and highly recommended. Pro-tip: the salad bar is a thing of beauty. Not to be missed.

Mazama Store - You guessed it, in Mazama. Hands down the best baked goods in the valley. Almost as good as the Anjou Bakery in Cashmere, which warrants a stop if you're driving through there on your way to the valley or say … on the ride back from Slate Peak.

lodging

Methow River Lodge & Cabins gets the job done and then some in a rustic riverside setting close to downtown. All the stuff you need. None of the stuff you don’t with lovely balconies and hammocks right on the river. Perfect economically-inclined or solo option close to all the riding, food and fun. The rental cabins make for a plush solo or group basecamp complete with covered riverfront hot tubs.

Chewuch Inn & Cabins are a perfectly convenient option just south of downtown. Think standard-fare country inn with nine cozy private cabins available for rent.

Hotel Rio Vista is right in the thick of things overlooking the river downtown. It seems affordable, popular and again, sort of standard-fare tourist-grade stuff. I will say it is always pretty busy and can be sort of loud being right downtown, so if that’s a concern, consider yourself warned.

Sun Mountain Lodge sits at the apex of the Sun Mountain trail system with singletrack literally out the front door. I’m not going to lie – it’s nice. You’ll find it comfortable, spacious, accommodating and slightly luxurious if you’re looking to splurge a bit. Of course it comes at a price but those North Cascade views from the hillside hot tubs will certainly help take the edge off.

North Cascades Mountain Hostel. This place may sound familiar, but it is new and improved. The previous iteration sadly burned down, so the upshot here is that it is all brand new! Comfortable beds, even in the dorm bunks, welcoming layout and great usable kitchen. If you like places for a small budget with huge heart and soul, this place is for you.

Casia Lodge - Located on a beautiful property off hwy 20 south of Twisp. Used to be Tice Ranch, and hosted shows by folks like Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson back in the 90s. It's now a high end lodge with rooms and the best food and atmosphere in the valley. It would be a great place to stay, eat, relax or all three.

Winthrop KOA is just about what one might expect; the usual spread of tent and RV sites, rustic and deluxe cabins and even some questionable ‘Covered Wagon’ bunking arrangements should you want to kick up your heels a bit.

Camping is a stellar option in and around the Methow. The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest surrounds Winthrop on three of its four sides with literally dozens of established campgrounds north and west of town. Also as folks know, less formal dispersed camping is allowed throughout public National Forest lands, so if you’re looking to post up in the goods, you won’t have to look far.