Travel

After the gorgeous, smoke-free summer in Winthrop, WA, we look forward to cooler nights and warm beverages offered during fall travel. The temperate weather lends itself to more comfortable recreation opportunities that don’t require plunging into Pearrygin Lake afterward, although that’s fun too! Have you thought about traveling in the fall?

Fall travel certainly has distinct advantages

Avoid the crowds: 

The kids are back in school, so families are less likely to travel in the fall. Holiday breaks in autumn tend to be either brief or family-oriented, which limits recreational travel for some. Traveling at a time when more residents than visitors offers a more authentic and personalized experience.

Hot lodging deals:

In many tourist towns, the “shoulder season” allows for more affordable lodging. Winthrop, WA, is no exception. In addition to lower room rates, you’ll find that multiple hotels offer a “get the third night free.”

More recreation options:

Showing up between summer and winter means you can dip your toes into both options. Snow begins falling in at higher elevations while the valley floor remains comfortable. By the end of October, the Winthrop Rink will switch from roller skating to an outdoor ice rink. Camping is cooler but campfire bans are lifted. Some of our RV sites remain open year-round.

Experience the beauty:

Best of all, the larches. Need we say more? When the deciduous firs of North Central Washington turn a golden hue, it’s a magical experience. Taking a walk in a golden forest can be a life-changing experience. Some beautiful places to see the larches (aka tamaracks) are in the North Cascades National Park and the Okanogan National Forest near Loup Loup Ski Bowl – between which Winthrop, WA, just happens to be nestled.

If you have the travel bug of just need a break, the doors here will always be open for you to take off your hat and stay a while.

Next time you come to Winthrop, you’ll be delighted to learn that there are some new restaurants to sit down at and enjoy a delicious meal.

Jupiter

Formerly Duck Brand, the Jupiter offers dining on a beautiful deck overlooking the town of Winthrop. Jupiter is a counter-service restaurant offering ethnically infused, health-conscious food, baked goods, and espresso. Beverages include beer, wine, hard kombucha, and a large selection of nonalcoholic bubbly drinks. Food made to order takes between 5 and 20 minutes, depending on demand. Learn more on their website.

Meza

Formerly Six Knot Taphouse on the Downtown Winthrop boardwalk, you’ll find a delightful place to enjoy tapas and more. Learn more from a Facebook post about it.

Mazama Public House

Not quite in Winthrop, the Mazama Public House has opened to offer tasty bites and refreshing the brews of Old Schoolhouse Brewery to the avid recreation adventurers of Mazama. We hope you check out their scrumptious happy-fun bowls, panini, spent grain pizzas, and more. Learn more on their Facebook page.

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Don’t forget about Twisp! A new bourbon and BBQ restaurant should open on Glover Street soon.

Don’t forget about our faithful Winthrop Chamber of Commerce restaurant members by clicking the link below.

During the pandemic, we all know the restaurants struggled. The housing crisis still affects the restaurants in Winthrop and their ability to find employees. We hope you’ll understand if a particular restaurant doesn’t have enough employees to be open during their regular hours. We are grateful to have the best, most understanding visitors around!

You’ll find plenty to do in Winthrop/Methow Valley this weekend!

There’s one thing we know how to do in the Methow Valley: gather our community together to celebrate! You won’t find another party like a small-town party! You’ll never find a group of people more willing to go all out for a costume party, that’s for sure.

Fourth of July Events

The two main events on the Fourth of July are the 11 am Parade in Twisp and the Arts Festival at the Twisp Park.

Fourth of July Parade

Parades don’t get any more independent! Celebrated in the Methow Valley since 1891, join this fun, funky, and friendly event filled with horses, classic cars, live music, community organizations, and the (in?)famous fire truck water hose!

Arts Festival

The Arts Festival includes day-long music & performance, galore food vendors, hands-on Arts Booths, an ever-popular Pie-Eating Contest, Beer Garden, and much more.

Thanks to our generous sponsors and donors, kids get to do unlimited art projects all day for free. Thanks to our generous sponsors, kids 11 and under pay no admission whatsoever! Youth 12-17 are just $5, and all kids get unlimited art-making.

Due to fire danger, the Methow Valley does not allow fireworks of any kind during the summer months, but we sure do love them in the winter!

Fireworks Displays in Winthrop WA

Winthrop, WA, has some of the best fireworks displays in the state! It truly is a sight to behold. Visitors are astounded by the twenty-minute-long display! Almost the entire show seems like the finale of other shows in the state. The show is advertised through the generous donations of local businesses and individuals.

We owe a huge thank you to a local pyrotechnical, Doug Mohre, who has gone through extensive licensing and permitting hoops to purchase the fireworks at wholesale and set them off with his trained and qualified team.

The Fireworks Extravaganza is held in November on the Saturday after Thanksgiving as part of our Christmas at the End of the Road festival. The festival includes photos with Santa, horse-drawn carriage rides, ice skating with Santa, food trucks, events at the Shafer Museum, and the town lighting.

More Fireworks in Winthrop

That’s not the only fireworks display in Winthrop, either. Sun Mountain Lodge also offers a fantastic fireworks show on New Year’s Eve! You won’t want to miss it.

The days are getting longer, and the air is getting warmer. It’s time to head to the North Cascades of Eastern Washington for some sunny skies and refreshing lakes! Camping is one of the most popular lodging options in Winthrop, WA.

We have fantastic campgrounds to recommend for you, whether you’re backpacking, camping, or RVing.

Pine Near RV Park and Cabins

Quiet, convenient Pine Near RV Park, Cabins & Campground – is one block above all the happenings on Main Street – right in Winthrop. The campground features an all-new 20/30/50 amp, Full Hookup, and Pull-Thru sites. Each RV spot is on beautiful green grass. You’ll have excellent satellite reception. Great cell service. Free Wi~Fi. One block above all the happenings downtown. For a truly western experience, stay in one of our Tipis or Mining Shacks! Only $20 to pitch your tent. Clean, new Coin Laundry and Showers on-site in our historic log cabin. Please take advantage of our Good Sam, Passport America, Escapees, Active & Retired Military Discounts. Offering weekly and monthly Snowbird rates. We invite you to stop by and visit with them. They’re next door to the Shafer Museum. Check out their website for more details.

Winthrop KOA

Enjoy KOA camping along the Methow River within the town of Winthrop, Washington. There is a spot for all camping types. For the glampers, they have covered wagons, deluxe and camping cabins. Tenters have several areas with excellent river views and grassy spots for bigger groups. For the RVers, there are several pull-through 30/50 amp RV spots and back-in sites with large grassy areas. The heated pool is open from mid-May to mid-October. See their website for more details.

Pearrygin Lake State Park

Pearrygin Lake State Park is located four miles from Winthrop. One of Washington’s most popular State Parks, Pearrygin Lake, offers camping, swimming, fishing, boating, and hiking. They also provide day and overnight use fat biking, snowshoeing, and ice skating. ADA accessible. Don’t forget your Discover Pass. Check out their website for more details.

Silverline Resort

Silverline Resort is a full-service RV park and campground located on the shoreline of Pearrygin Lake, just a few minutes north of Winthrop. They provide a family fun atmosphere with quiet and relaxing evenings. They have beautifully landscaped grounds, level waterfront or lake view sites, grass sites and common areas, shade, clean restrooms and showers, convenience store, fishing docks, mini-golf, swim beach, and boat launch. Plus weekend pancake breakfasts, ice cream socials, and kids activities such as miniature golf. Rental paddle boards, kayaks, peddle boats, and row boats are available. They’re a Good Sam park and offer senior, active military, CampclubUSA discounts and weekly rates during select times. Visit their website for more details about this beautiful place!

Big Twin Lake Campground

Located on Big Twin Lake just three miles south of Winthrop, Big Twin Lake Campground is the perfect location for your next family vacation! Big Twin Lake is a quality lake stocked annually with rainbow trout – selective fishing regulations apply. Tenting, RV hookups, rowboat, and paddleboat rentals are available. Children’s play area, swim dock, and lots of room for playing. See us soon! Visit their website to learn more.

Backpacking Rules and Tips

Here’s what the North Cascades National Park advises for backpacking:
“Backpacking options in the park run the gamut from short, one-night trips along a river, lake, or high point to multi-day treks up valleys and over multiple passes. The region is also known for the multitude of mountaineering opportunities, also from short climbs to lengthy bushwhacking and climbing epics.

Designated Sites and Cross-country Zones

“Within the trail corridors, there are almost 140 designated sites. Learn more about these sites on our Wilderness Trip Planner page. Camping in the trail corridors is allowed only at these camps, designed to provide a safe and low-impact camping experience. Most camps are off the main trail to provide privacy and a sense of solitude for passing hikers. Each camp has a flat tent pad area, pit or composting toilet, and access to water. Designated camps at lower elevations also have an established fire ring.

“Cross-country camping is also allowed but must be at least one-half mile from any trail and one mile away from designated camps. Camping is not allowed in alpine meadows, on fragile vegetation, or near water sources. Off-trail hiking can be very challenging in this steep and thickly vegetated terrain. In many areas, hiking one-half mile away from a trail may put you on the side of a steep slope or crossing a swift creek. Most off-trail travel is undertaken by mountaineers climbing objectives beyond the forested lower slopes. However, adventurous and experienced backpackers will find a wild park with plenty of opportunities to bushwhack, explore your physical boundaries, find solitude, and discover some hidden gems.

“Check out the climbing page for more information on climbing in the park.” Source

Disbursement camping is not allowed in the North Cascades National Park. Thank you for helping us keep this area beautiful and not loving it to death.

The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest offers these guidelines for disbursement camping:

“There are many undeveloped camping locations in the forest. Generally, there are no amenities available, such as restrooms, water, or garbage dumpsters. All trash and waste must be packed out. Campfires are not allowed at these sites during high fire danger. heck Fire Restrictions page.” Source

Link to details for camping in the North Cascades National Park. lick Here

Check out our list of hotels and cabins if it rains during your stay. lick Here

Take a short ride with a beautiful view

The wonderful thing about Winthrop is that you don’t have to be the most athletic outdoors enthusiast to view gorgeous scenery (although many of you are). It’s literally all around during every time of year. Visitors often ask where they can take a short drive or a moderate bike ride to see the beauty of the Methow Valley and here are our favorites.

Bear Creek Rd/Pearrygin Lake Loop

This nine mile loop is mostly unpaved road that loops from the north end of town, past Pearrygin Lake and then turns south toward Bear Creek Golf Course. After passing the golf course, take a right at the “T” to head back into town, or take a left to view the scenic route to Twisp. This loop is about nine miles with about one mile of it having a 3% incline no matter which direction you begin.

What we love about this loop is the view of the mountains all year round. You’ll be traversing the hillsides east of town with a panoramic view of all of the Cascade Mountains to the west of town. Some of the peaks you’ll be viewing will be as far north as Canada. You’ll see Mount Gardner, the Sawtooth Ridge and so much more! Much of the drive is in the Methow Wildlife Area so most of the land is untouched with streams, hillsides and beautiful forests. There’s also a very curious art installation along the way.

There are places where the road is a little bumpy from fast drivers so please drive carefully if you’re going by car. Cyclists should find the road wide enough for two cars to pass safely but please be aware of blind corners. This is a fabulous place to walk the dog. Click here for where we recommend you park your car for the walk.

Chewuch Loop

This 13 mile loop begins right in front of Methow Cycle & Sport where you can rent everything you need for the ride! It runs north through the valley toward the Rendezvous and then back south along the other side of the river. It’s beautiful no matter which direction you begin. Along the way you will see beautiful pastures and river rapids. We enjoy this ride on a warm day because of the shade it offers.

You will also see a bit of the forest restoring itself from the Cub Creek Fire in 2021. If have a good eye, you might even see some ancient, sacred petroglyphs.

Happy Riding!

We hope you’re able to visit Winthrop soon!