My heart beats a little faster as I approach the elegant Methow Valley, Region 6 of the Cascade Loop. If you haven’t got your camera out, this is the time as you drive (or cycle) between Pateros to the crest of the Cascade Mountains.
Leaving Pateros, which is recovering nicely from last year’s wildfires, the high desert scrub gives way to Ponderosa pines and Douglas fir. An 83-mile sidetrip called the Okanogan Trails Scenic Byway, traces a stretch of the Cariboo Trail. This trail marked a Native American trade route for thousands of years until the 1800s when mining and cattle ranching put an end to the former way of life.
After passing through two tiny bergs, Methow and Carlton, linger awhile in authentic, artistic Twisp. This is the place to stretch your legs, visit galleries, music events, theater and dine at any of an array of eateries. Stop in on Saturday to the Twisp Farmer’s Market or the Blue Star Coffee Roasters for a cup of award-winning joe. Other attractions include the TwispWorks, a conglomerate of working artists and craftsmen or visit the Methow Valley Interpretive Center nextdoor.
Heading north on the Twisp-Winthrop Eastside road (off Hwy 20/153) just south of Hanks Market, look for a meandering country road that winds around farms up to the North Cascades Smokejumper Base. Tour for free.
Finally, a little farther up the road you come to Winthrop, a fun old town that looks like it stepped out of an Old West movie with its storefronts and art murals. Walk the boardwalks, visit Winthrop Frontier Village, relax at Sun Mountain Lodge and indulge in some shopping, fresh baked goods and old-fashioned ice cream parlor.
