Have you ever walked down Main Street and found it easy to imagine Gary Cooper walking around the corner? Or Audey Murphy come riding in on a horse and wagon? Or Randolph Scott wave howdy to you from across the way? You can almost hear the clink of the spurs as you walk down the weathered wooden sidewalks of downtown Winthrop.
The town of Winthrop embraces the world of the western frontier – when towns out west were just a cluster of buildings where newcomers could buy the basics of life. Like a set from an old 30’s western, Winthrop keeps that small town feeling alive and lets you enjoy the hard-earned, hand-made, western style yourself – but without the muddy Main street of dirt roads after an overnight rainfall.
Location
Winthrop is located in the upper central area of Washington state just east of the Cascade Mountain range. It is set along a long driving loop that takes you between Seattle, Leavenworth, Lake Chelan, Twisp and back to Mount Vernon on a tour of the stunning northern Cascades. Backed by the Okanagan National Forest and at the back door of the Methow Valley – a glacial mountain valley filled with outdoor adventures year-round, the town is nestled in some of the most beautiful mountains around.
Events
Year-round there are wide variety of events planned to entice travelers to stop and stay awhile. Their hot air balloon roundup is a sight to behold as hot air balloons take flight across the snowy landscape. While many balloon festivals are in the middle of summer, Winthrop shows off its winter wonderland at its finest. Their ’49er festival in May celebrates the old west in the perfect setting. The vibrant arts community keeps busy with a local chamber music festival and rhythm and blues festival. In summer you can come for the vintage car show or take in a rodeo. In winter you can enjoy the quirky fun of the area with a costumed doggie cross country race at Methow Valley Trails, or a co-ed snow shoe softball game where players have to try running the bases or chasing a ground ball while wearing snow shoes.
Doggie Dash Cross Country race 
’49er Parade 
Snowshoe Softball 
Winthrop Balloon Festival
History
The area has long been the home of native American tribes who fished at the confluence of the Methow and Chewuch rivers and harvested the native berries and camas lily. The town of Winthrop was founded in 1893 when the first white settlers landed in the area seeking to find the next big gold strike. It was a quiet little town until the late 1960s when the state began building a new highway in the area. It was 1972 when Hwy 20 was finishing construction and the town of Winthrop realized they would soon see a influx of new visitors. Following the lead of Leavenworth, the local merchants chose to stay close to their western roots and rebrand the town in a late 1800s old western style that fit their location and history perfectly. Ever since then, the style of the buildings in Winthrop are enforced by the city’s Westernization Review Board to keep the theme in place. The theme feels natural – as if it has always been this way.
Adventures
Winthrop makes a terrific home base for the many adventures to be had in the area. For the outdoor enthusiast, the “I need a break” summer visitor, or a casual weekend-away driving tourist, there is more than enough to keep visitors happy.
Methow Valley Trails
Horseback riding
Fishing
Hiking
Bicycle riding
Snow activities
A good place to start planning a trip is through the town’s excellent tourist website at https://winthropwashington.com, follow their Facebook page, or read our travel guide on driving the Northern Cascade Loop.
