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Winthrop & Methow Valley Mountain Bike Trail Guide

Washington mountain bikers will love exploring the amazing alpine riding in Winthrop and the Methow Valley. Located on the eastern slopes of the Cascade Mountains, the mountain bike trails near Winthrop offer a more dry, and different kind of riding than the lush and wet Western Cascades. The trails in this part of Washington feature great long singletrack rides with great views. Trails like Angels Staircase, with it’s high alpine exposure and great riding, have become some of the most famous mountain bike trails in Washington. 
 
Mountain biking in Winthrop

Trails & Winthrop Mountain Bike Trail Map

 
Winthrop on Trailforks.com
 
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Twisp River Trail
Beginner/Intermediate | 12.5 Miles | 1,039' Climb (West to East) | 2,402' Descent

The Twisp River trail is a nice and mellow out-and-back ride just outside of the town of Twisp. The trail is mostly smooth, with the occasional rocky section. Despite its name, the trail is not actually that close to the river, there are several stream crossings. The Twisp River trail is one of the first trails in the area to melt out in the spring.
 
Directions to the Twisp River Trail:
Head west from Twisp on the Twisp River Road for about 10.5 miles to West Buttermilk Road. Turn left and follow the signs for the Twisp River Trailhead, about 1.5 miles. The drive takes about 40 minutes from Winthrop, or 25 from Twisp.

Cutthroat Pass
Intermediate | 12 Miles (Out & Back) | 2,300' Climb/Descent

Cutthroat Pass is an awesome singletrack mountain bike trail located between the town of Winthrop and the North Cascades National Park. The trail is a nice out-and-back that totals just under 12 miles round trip. The climb on the way out is consistent, rewarding riders with a fun, pedal free descent back to the trailhead. The Cutthroat Pass joins the Pacific Crest Trail, however, bikes are not allowed on the PCT. This is one of the many amazing alpine singetrack mountain bike trails in the Methow Valley.
 
Directions to Cutthroat Pass:
Cutthroat Pass is located about 26 miles west of Winthrop off of Highway 20. There will be a signed exit for Cutthroat Pass and Lake, from here, the trailhead is about 1 mile up the road.

Sun Mountain
Beginner & Intermediate| 37 Trails | 37.4 Miles | Cross Country

Sun Mountain is a system of mountain bike trails located just outside of the town of Winthrop near Patterson Lake. There are a ton of beginner and intermediate trails to explore here. Some of the highlights of Sun Mountain include the Black Bear, Blue Jay, and Pete’s Dragon trails. Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance recommends a 16 mile loop. The mountain bike trails at Sun Mountain can be accessed by driving, or riding from town. These trails are typically rideable from mid-May to mid-Novemeber depeding on how fast the snow melts.
 
Directions to Sun Mountain:
Take White Avenue out of Winthrop for 3 miles to Patterson Lake Road. From the north end of the lake, about 5 miles in, the trailhead is to the left on NF 4410 or Thompson Road.  The drive from Winthrop takes about 15 minutes. The trail system can be accessed by riding from town on the Winthrop Trail for about 4 miles.

Angel's Staircase
Advanced | 21.5 Miles | 5,900' Climb | 5,900' Descent

Angels’s Staircase is one of the best and most scenic mountain bike trails in the Methow Valley and Washington State as a whole. This 21.5 mile epic is a huge and physically demanding ride with a reward of unparalleled views and high alpine singletrack. Angel’s Staircase climbs almost 6,000’ vertical in total. The loop passes alpine lakes, and is made up of the highest elevation singletrack mountain biking in Washington. It is almost alway ridden in a clockwise loop. The descent meanwhile is a ripping fast good time. Carry plenty of water and food for this cross country epic, it’s a long ride. Definitely plan some time to knock this one off of the mountain bike trail bucket list. With much of the loop located near or above 7,000’, it takes a while for the snow to melt off of the Angel’s Staircase.
 
 
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Directions to Angels Staircase:
To get to the Angel’s Staircase mountain bike trail, head south from Winthrop on Highway 20 for 11 miles, turning right onto Highway 153 towards Wenatchee. After 13 miles turn right on Gold Creek Road for 2.5 miles. Turn right for Forest Road 4340 for 5 miles, and continuing right after Foggy Dew Campground. After 1.5 miles on this road take the final turn onto Forest Road 300 where the trail is one to two miles up the road. The drive from Winthrop is about one hour total.
 

Rental and demo bikes are available at evo Seattle, evo Portland, evo Denver, evo Whistler, evo Salt Lake, and evo Snoqualmie Pass. (Note: The cost of up to three bike demos can be applied toward the final cost of purchasing a new or used bike from us.)

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