Did you know?

Summer arrives about 2 months earlier than it does on the west side of the mountains. The sunflowers are spectacular on the Valley bottom in May.

Take your pick. You can walk, run or ride your way through valley and over ridge on MVSTA community trails and hundreds of miles of National Park, Wilderness and Forest Trails.

Cool off after a morning expedition - local swimming holes provide beautiful, crowd-free refuge from the heat.

Nestled in a high pocket of the North Cascades, the Methow Valley is the Pacific Northwest’s destination for trail-based recreation. Sunshine and clear blue skies. Sunflower and lupine-filled hillsides. And plenty of wide open space in which to lengthen your limbs and stretch your soul. You'll find outings here for every skill level: gentle valley-bottom trails perfect for a youngster's first tour in the woods, a riverside picnic by the local swimming hole, or sub-alpine mountain routes that will enchant and challenge even the most seasoned mountain athlete.

There are three, charming, small towns to explore, all with a unique character: Twisp, Winthrop and Mazama. Indulge in locally grown organic produce at a farmers market, enjoy the thriving arts community, linger at the bookstore, sports shop or bakery, or participate in events and festivals most weekends of the summer. Feeling ambitious? Test your skills in a recreational or competitive running or bike event or try out the scenic road biking on virtually traffic-free, riverside, country roads.