The North Cascades Highway closes every winter. Winthrop, WA stays open. Here’s how to get to Winthrop, WA in winter once Highway 20 over the passes is closed, and what to know before you click into your skis.
WSDOT closes the North Cascades Highway (SR 20) each winter because of snow load and avalanche risk. The closure starts between the Ross Dam trailhead (milepost 134) on the west side and the Silver Star gate (milepost 171) on the east. Later in the season, the gates often move to Newhalem (milepost 120) and Early Winters (milepost 178).
The closing date changes every year. Last season it closed on Dec. 4, 2025. The earliest closure on record was Oct. 17, 2007. Check WSDOT’s North Cascades Highway page before you leave, or call 511.
With Highway 20 closed over the passes, you’ll reach Winthrop, WA from the east side of the mountains. Most trips finish the same way: up the Methow Valley on US 97 to Pateros, SR 153 to Twisp, then SR 20 west to Winthrop.
These routes are kept open all winter, though a storm can close a pass for a few hours. For more routes, including from Vancouver, BC, see our directions page.
Check pass conditions on WSDOT the morning you drive. Carry chains, and leave extra daylight.
Western-Style Hotel in Winthrop, WA
Methow Trails grooms more than 200 kilometers of cross-country ski trail in four areas: Winthrop, Mazama, Sun Mountain and Rendezvous. Crews groom overnight, and the grooming report updates each morning.
The Methow Trails headquarters and trailhead is at 21 Horizon Flats Road in Winthrop.
Prices can change, so confirm them on the Methow Trails site before you go.
There’s more than Nordic skiing. You can fat bike and snowshoe on Methow Trails, ski downhill at Loup Loup Ski Bowl, skate at the Winthrop Rink, and snowmobile on groomed trails. The Methow Valley Snowmobile Association posts Sno-Park maps and grooming updates.
For more ideas, see our guides to skiing near Hotel Rio Vista, winter escapes in the Methow Valley, and the Winthrop ice rink.
Hotel Rio Vista is family-owned and sits right in downtown Winthrop, WA, where the Methow and Chewuch rivers meet. Every room has a private balcony over the river. Restaurants and shops are a short walk away, so once the car is parked, it can stay parked.
When there’s enough snow in town, you can often ski in and out right from the hotel. After a day on the trails, book a time in our riverside hot tub at the front desk.
A few practical notes for winter guests:
No. WSDOT closes SR 20 over Rainy and Washington passes each winter because of snow and avalanche risk. The date changes every year; it closed Dec. 4 last season.
From Seattle, take US 2 over Stevens Pass, or I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass, to US 97. Follow US 97 north to Pateros, then SR 153 to Twisp and SR 20 to Winthrop. All of these routes are open year-round.
Adults need a Methow Trails pass. A day pass is $32 for 2026–27. Kids 17 and under and adults 75+ ski free.
We don’t allow pets; however, there’s a kennel in town. Methow Trails has about 40 km of dog-friendly trails with a dog pass.
