Winthrop Washington snowshoeing trail network offers something for every ability (or off of it!)
Snowshoeing can be slow and gentle – an opportunity for quiet reprieve far from the hustle and bustle of daily life. Or it can provide a higher paced opportunity for a workout and a destination vista. If you’ve never been on a Methow snowshoe trail, you might try Beaver Loop; a gentle upper-Valley signed path that meanders through cedar forest and beaver chewed cottonwoods along Early Winter’s Creek, or Rader Creek Loop; a higher-elevation, scenic outing at Sun Mountain. Maps are available at the Methow Trails office in Winthrop and most ski ticket vendors.
Where To Snowshoe
Methow Trails hosts snowshoe tours throughout the winter. Local naturalists lead the tours which are about winter ecology, wildlife and tracks, snow and more. These family-friendly tours leave from the North Cascades Basecamp and Sun Mountain Lodge at 11:00 a.m. on selected Saturdays. Tours last 90 to 120 minutes. $5 snowshoe pass required. For dates and times check out the Methow Trails website.
Methow Trails has some shared-use trails, and many that are open exclusively to snowshoers. Check out the winter maps for full details on the exclusive and shared-use snowshoe trails from each trailhead. A $5 snowshoe trail pass is required. A ski pass will also grant access to snowshoe trails.
It’s is a wonderful way to explore the gems of the Methow Valley in the winter. If you can walk, you can snowshoe! Our scenic, peaceful snowshoe trails wind their way throughout the entire trail network, with the highest concentration of trails out of the Sun Mountain area.
Family Treks
The Methow Valley Trails Association hosts family-friendly snowshoe tours every Saturday throughout the winter. Local volunteers lead tours which focus on winter ecology, wildlife and tracks, snow science and more. Methow Trails trail passes or a Methow Trails trail pass ($5) are required for each person. Passes and rentals are available at Sun Mountain Ski Shop, North Cascades Basecamp, Mazama Ski Shop, Methow Cycle & Sport and Winthrop Mountain Sports. Tour size is limited to 10 people. Reservations are not required; space is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Call Methow Trails at (509) 996-3287 or email events@methowtrails.org for more information.
Rentals, passes and maps available at:
