With rain in the forecast and midsummer on the horizon, our little family of three packed our bags last week and left the city. Driving north on I-5 from Seattle, we made our way toward the Methow Valley in north-central Washington by way of the North Cascades Highway.
Nestled amongst the mountains by the North Cascades National Park, the Methow Valley houses a handful of small towns serving as bases for the ranches, lodges and inns, and residents in the area. Known for its warm summers and snow-coated winters, the valley–about 20 miles south of the Canadian border–is a popular destination for tourists who enjoy hiking, rafting, fishing, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing.
Arriving in the afternoon, we settled into our suite at the Freestone Inn in Mazama, a small village at the northern head of the valley.
After unpacking and unwinding after the four- or five-hour drive to the valley, we headed to Winthrop in search for food. With its Old West facades, which were part of a community-wide restoration in the 1970s, and plethora of shops, Winthrop has a similar draw as Leavenworth, the larger, Bavarian-themed village near Stevens Pass that was designed by the same architect the decade before. Taking a table at the Old Schoolhouse Brewery, we tasted one of the housemade beers and the Community Red from the local Lost River Winery.
Driving between Mazama, Winthrop, and Twisp–the valley’s main three towns–provides scenic views of rocky and rolling hills and the Methow River flowing through. The next day being midsummer, we drove up to a secluded meadow and had a Scandinavian-inspired picnic among the wildflowers and trees.
Taking the long, scenic way back into town, we drove along Loup Loup Pass, encountering livestock in the road and envisioning what the area must look like in the winter when it’s used for skiing.
Before heading back to settle into our suite and have dinner, we stopped back in Winthrop, this time to pick up a book at Trails End Bookstore, a small but well-curated independent shop with knowledgable and helpful staff, and for refreshments at Duck Brand Hotel & Cantina.
Packing up our suite the next day to head back to Seattle, we drove south through Winthrop and into Twisp. If Mazama is a tiny, sleepy community where people go to disconnect for weekend and Winthrop is a bustling tourist destination, then Twisp is the place where one stocks up on groceries, drugstore items, and sporting goods for an extended stay in the valley. The Cinnamon Twisp bakery is known for its gooey cinnamon twists, and we bought one of those along with some other lunch items to pack along for a final picnic, this one up in the national park.
Returning to Seattle, we were met with the diffused light that looked more like a spring evening than the start of summer, but a weekend way in the Methow Valley helped to kick off a season of relaxation and fun.