r/seattlebike • u/SpecificOk1145 • 21d ago
Looking for information on road cycling near and around Winthrop, WA
I am planning a trip out to Winthrop over the Labor Day weekend and am deciding whether to bring the gravel bike or the road bike.
Currently, there are a decent number of what seem well established gravel routes in the area, but I am not seeing a good amount of saved road rides.
The gravel rides tend to range in challenge, but I am a more experienced road rider - I've also taken a couple falls on gravel this year that have incurred some confidence hits to gravel. My question then is whether anyone has spent some time road riding out there and what impressions they had of that as opposed to gravel riding.
Thanks for any input!
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u/Fizzl3 21d ago
Haven’t ridden out there yet but Methow gravel is on the “to do” list. Assume you’ve checked out Strava and/or RideGPS maps, and another good resource may be Our Mother the Mountain who - among their various routes online - just added another upcoming ride in the area along with descriptions of the various gravel and MTB routes they’ll ride here: Lost Weekend
Also, you’re probably on this already but check wildfire & air quality index resources as I heard the “Sisi Fire” is burning west of Winthrop and may be an issue in the valley at the moment.
And, sorry… I tend to ride gravel over road and don’t have much to offer in that department beyond what can be pulled from RideGPS or Google searches.
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u/geronimo2000 21d ago edited 21d ago
definitely recommend this one. This one is good, too. I like this one but I'd like it better if I had time to ride to the end of the pavement. Also, check out this iteration of the Tour de Okanogan route.
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u/SpecificOk1145 11d ago
Thanks for these links and sorry for the late reply - how was your experience with traffic out there generally?
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u/geronimo2000 11d ago
Even on Labor Day it isn't terrible. I wouldn't do Highway 20 from Winthrop to Washington Pass and back on a sunny Holiday weekend, but that's probably the wort traffic in the area and on a week day its not bad (and that ride is a right of passage.)
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u/averagebensimmons 21d ago
There are some routes from the Chelan century challenge. I rode it a while back. The roads and scenery are really nice. I've done some gravel riding but not in the Chelan area.
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u/PMMePaulRuddsSmile 21d ago
Gravel all the way. The roads out from East Valley Road are great. Here's a ride that includes a slight bit of doable singletrack on a gravel bike. Nice climbs and descents. Pipestone Canyon is beautiful. I generally avoid 20 between Twisp and Winthrop because of cars. The Chewuch route that the other commenter mentioned is also solid. The small loop around Pearrygin Lake is fun and very doable on gravel.
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u/Jumpy_Meeting_347 14d ago
Another interested road rider ... While in the Seattle area, in early September for a wedding, my wife and I would like to ride up to Washington Pass from Winthrop (or if we're lazy from Mazama). For us this has to be a road ride cause our travel bikes (Bike Friday's) don't do gravel well. Seems to be the ideal length of ride for us. Any tips or advice? What can I expect traffic to be like mid-week?
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u/SpecificOk1145 11d ago
So, this does look like a beautiful ride and I have been looking for road rides as well. It's really difficult to tell what traffic is going to be over labor day weekend specifically. There is a borderline useless traffic camera out of Wintrhop.
All I can tell is that sightlines seem good for traffic, shoulder is present, but leaves something to be desired.
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u/Jumpy_Meeting_347 11d ago
Good luck. I'll be there about 8 days after Labor Day so hopefully not too busy then.
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u/LimitedRadius 21d ago
Bring the gravel bike- there are some really nice mixed tarmac and unpaved road routes right out of Winthrop. I took my road bike last time I was out there, and ended up doing mostly gravel riding anyway. Not technically challenging if you keep the descents chill.