Congratulations. If you’re reading this, you will be joining us for the Lost Weekend: Methow Valley July 25-26th! Here’s everything you need to know!

The Lost Weekend is returning to the Methow Valley with a collaborative ride experience presented by Rapha, curated by OMTM featuring two days of ultra-premium adventure riding and community resonance through north-central Washington’s Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Blurring the lines between gravel, mountain biking, and outright fun, multiple tiers of curated routes present riders of varying skill levels with a spirited mix of gravel, singletrack, and backcountry forest roads. The itinerary will feature aprés gravel happy hours, glow-state activation, refreshing riverdips, and plenty of communal hangtime. Space is limited to 60 riders to minimize local impact and ensure a superlative ride experience for all.

This year’s edition returns to familiar terrain with the routes recalibrated in a more trail-forward direction. Same same, but with a little more tooth. If 2024 was a sprawling gravel odyssey, 2026 leans deeper into the XC adventure spectrum—less big-ring bashing, more cosmic canyon jazz. But never fear, there are both MTB and gravel-focused options to choose from. All routes start together then peel off each day with longer and shorter variations to suit all appetites.

Expect the full rainshadow sampler: canyons, coulees, ridgelines and Jeep track, meandering forest roads, golden foothills, and shady rivers with sunwarmed pinesap on the nose. Focal points include Pearrygin Lake, Pipestone Canyon, Sun Mountain, Elbow Coulee, Finley Canyon, Loup Loup, Bear Mountain, Beaver Creek and more. Sounds like a good time, right?

Lost Weekend 2026: Methow Valley Route Collection

Route Details | SATURDAY

Starting and finishing in downtown Winthrop, Saturday features a self-supported, mixed-terrain adventure ride in two primary flavors: one with a trail-forward XC focus and an All-Road/Gravel route that mostly sticks to—you guessed it, gravel and two-track. There is a longer and shorter variation of each. All of Saturday’s routes are the same for the first 60% or so and then they diverge into their respective disciplines. And look, when we say ‘MTB’ here, we’re talking mostly Blue rated, smooth XC trails, with the exception of Thompson Ridge, which is only a Black Diamond rating because of a few rocky, technical areas up top. Most would consider Thompson Ridge a Blue, but we don’t recommend drop bars for this version, I would say hardtail at a minimum if you’re going to do Thompson Ridge trail. Keep in mind though, the big loop is going to be hard, even at only 60 miles. Even the shorter trail editions will be harder and take longer than you expect.

Below you will find links to the stats, details and descriptions of each of the individual routes. Routes will need to be loaded prior to rolling out on the 26th. Pro-tip: copy route each you are considering riding to your Ride w/ GPS account and pin from there to sync to your devices. Questions about the process? Learn more here. If you are having trouble accessing the routes email jack.brace@rapha.cc and we’ll get you sorted.

Saturday 60: MTb edition

7am Meetup – 7:30 Roll | Winthrop Town Trailhead 208 White Ave, Winthrop, WA

The 60-mile MTB edition is a big, trail-forward day for eager hardtail/XC riders whose yearnings go beyond gravel into backcountry ridgelines with modest tech. This meandering inner Valley loop sandwiches a multifarious adventure ride between two moderate XC trail stages, starting in the Pearrygin Lake trails and closing things out through the Sun Mountain network. Take note that Thompson Ridge adds quite a bit of punchy singletrack climbing and descending on the back end. Despite relatively modest numbers, this edition leans into MTB climbing ratios with plenty of sections that will keep you on your toes, so plan accordingly. If you like expansive valley views, frontcountry foothills and love digging into spectacular XC trail systems, this is the one for you!

Highlights

Smooth, flowing singletrack around Pearrygin Lake State Park.
Rolling golden foothills of the Methow Winter Range & Wildlife Refuge.
Dip your toes in the healing waters of Campbell Lake and Twisp River.
Pipestone Canyon. Sublime valley trails through unique geography and stunning rock formations.
Twisp: Blue Star Coffee, Old Schoolhouse Brewing Taproom, Glover Street Market and more!
Sun Mountain Trails are some of the most dropbar-friendly singletrack lines in the region. Explore with gusto.
Thompson Ridge Trail: backcountry vibes with frontcountry flow.
Patterson Lake high-line singletrack trail skirts the lake with multiple lake access points.
Winthrop community trail rambletrack back into town.

Saturday 50: MTb edition

7am Meetup – 7:30 Roll | Winthrop Town Trailhead 208 White Ave, Winthrop, WA

The 50-mile MTB edition is a modest trail-forward day for hardtail/hearty adventure riders whose yearnings go a bit beyond gravel but don’t want to break the bank. The 50-mile MTB edition is virtually identical to the 60 but does not include the Thompson Ridge trail on the back end. If you were considering the 60 but not 100% committed, this will be a good opportunity to have both routes loaded then make the call in the moment, depending on legs and general appetite. This version is the Canyons, Coulees & Cowbells route from the 2024 edition of the Lost Weekend.

Highlights

Smooth, flowing singletrack around Pearrygin Lake State Park.
Rolling golden foothills of the Methow Winter Range & Wildlife Refuge.
Dip your toes in the healing waters of Campbell Lake and Twisp River.
Pipestone Canyon. Sublime valley trails through unique geography and stunning rock formations.
Twisp: Blue Star Coffee, Old Schoolhouse Brewing Taproom, Glover Street Market and more!
Sun Mountain Trails are some of the most dropbar-friendly singletrack lines in the region. Explore with gusto.
Patterson Lake high-line singletrack trail skirts the lake with multiple lake access points.
Winthrop community trail rambletrack back into town.

Saturday 50: all-road/gravel edition

50 miles | 4855 ft | 55% unpaved dirt track and gravel, 45% paved | 42c min – 2” plus | Services in Winthrop and Twisp

7am Meetup – 7:30 Roll | Winthrop Town Trailhead 208 White Ave, Winthrop, WA

The 50-mile All-Road/Gravel edition is for hearty drop-bar riders who love to mix it up with chill trails and rambling doubletrack, but generally prefer gravel backroads to singletrack trail riding. The All-Road/Gravel 50 is identical to the versions above for the first 60% of the ride, but this edition cuts out the backend singletrack climbs, instead opting to use Thompson Ridge Road, which meanders the length of the Sun Mountain system via gravel. This option closes out the loop by jumping into a gentle ramble around Patterson Lake and back into town via the Winthrop Trail.

Highlights

Smooth, flowing singletrack around Pearrygin Lake State Park.
Rolling golden foothills of the Methow Winter Range & Wildlife Refuge.
Dip your toes in the cool waters of Campbell Lake.
Pipestone Canyon. Sublime valley trails through unique geography and stunning rock formations.
Twisp: Blue Star Coffee, Old Schoolhouse Brewing Taproom, Glover Street Market and more!
Patterson Lake high-line trail skirts the lake with multiple lake access points.
Winthrop community trail rambletrack back into town.

saturday 40: all-road/gravel edition

40 miles | 3547 ft | 55% unpaved dirt track and gravel, 45% paved | 42c min – 2” plus | Services in Winthrop and Twisp

7am Meetup – 7:30 Roll | Winthrop Town Trailhead 208 White Ave, Winthrop, WA

The 40-mile All-Road/Gravel edition is for drop-bar graveleurs who like to mix it up a bit, but generally prefer to keep their lines relatively mellow and gravel-centric. Saturday’s All-Road/Gravel 40 is loop is identical to the version above for the first 60% of the ride, but this edition is about 10 miles shorter, cutting out all backend singletrack, instead meandering the gentle gravel rollers of Elbow Coulee. This option closes out the loop with a gentle paved descent back into Winthrop.

Highlights

Smooth, flowing singletrack around Pearrygin Lake State Park.
Rolling golden foothills of the Methow Winter Range & Wildlife Refuge.
Dip your toes in the cool waters of Campbell Lake.
Pipestone Canyon. Sublime valley trails through unique geography and stunning rock formations.
Twisp: Blue Star Coffee, Old Schoolhouse Brewing Taproom, Glover Street Market and more!
Elbow Coulee’s sublime, gently-rolling gravel backroads.

Route Details | SUNDAY

Sunday starts and finishes in Twisp. Meetup is in the TwispWorks parking area. Sunday features three versions of the big route: MTB, Adventure, and All-Road/Gravel. How are they different? MTB throws in some rocky, technical descending trails and is only for actual mountain bikes. Adventure sticks to drop-bar accessible singletrack but does keep it fairly spicy within that realm. Allroad/Gravel is for drop-bar riders who don’t want any singletrack in the mix at all. There is also a much shorter, chill Sunday 25 edition for those just looking for a modest gravel spin. Keep in mind all three of the BIG routes are exactly the same until mile 34 so everyone will ride together for the first half. The MTB and Adventure loops are going to be hard, even at only 61/54 miles because of the Bear Mountain climb and descent. They will be harder and take longer than you expect. Plan accordingly.

SUNDAY 61: MTb edition

7am Meetup – 7:30 Roll | TwispWorks Parking Area 502 S Glover Street, Twisp, WA

The 61-mile MTB edition is a big, trail-forward day for eager MTB-oriented riders whose may or may not want to throw in some legit Black Diamond descents in the middle of their adventure ride. This beefy mixed-terrain epic warms up over Balky Hill before climbing deep into the Finley Canyon backcountry. 20 miles of high country gravel rambling along Finley Ridge drops riders into the buttery pavement of the NF41 en route to Loup Loup. Be sure to stop for water refill and a quick rest at the Loup Loup campground. The second act heats up as we climb the backside of Bear Mountain into the heart of the Loup Loup trail network. This section includes an optional extra-credit Black Diamond run down Oso Peligroso, the system’s flagship descending trail.

Caveat: Oso Peligroso is ONLY for mountain bikes: full suspension/short-travel/XC or capable hardtails only. NO drop-bar gravel bikes. For real—this ain’t the Duthie skills area or Gateway Green—this is NOT the place for underbiking. Oso Peligroso is technically a Blue, but consider it a Candadian Blue that runs much more like a Black but with ride-arounds for most of the tricky sections.

Act 3 begins as we descend the Bear Mountain #442 trail beneath South Ridge into the South Fork Beaver Creek drainage. Bear Mountain #442 is a raw, sandy, loose backcountry descent with sections of rocky, rooty tech. Though it is rated Blue overall, a lot of it runs like a Black, so keep very much on your toes. Water refill is available via filter from the creek below. From here it’s a smooth victory lap along Beaver Creek and back up over Balky Hill for a smooth descent back into Twisp.

Highlights

Golden foothills of the Methow Winter Range & Wildlife Refuge and Balky Hill.
Finley Ridge. Sublime and raw backcountry ridge rambling through former burn zones above Finely Canyon.
Loup Loup Trail Network. EMBA Methow’s flagship trails: gentle climbs, spectacular rocky tech, and classic Okanogan flow.
Optional Oso Peligroso run: signature slabs, rock rolls, drops, chutes, granite features, moondust and more slabs.
Bear Mountain #442: pristine backcountry descent, spectacular views, and Okanogan vastness.
Twisp Public House for post-ride bevvies and food.

SUNDAY 54: adventure

7am Meetup – 7:30 Roll | TwispWorks Parking Area 502 S Glover Street, Twisp, WA

The 54-mile Adventure edition is a big, backcountry day for advanced riders who want to hit a good amount of singletrack and backcountry trails in the middle of their longform gravel ride, but prefer to keep it drop-bar accessible. So what’s different between this and the MTB edition? The Adventure edition skips the Oso Peligroso trail descent and is thus suitable for hearty drop-bar riders with advanced singletrack skills.

Caveat: Bear Mountain is a doozy in places, but can be ridden on drop bars by riders with advanced handling chops.

Act 3 begins as we descend the Bear Mountain #442 trail beneath South Ridge into the South Fork Beaver Creek drainage. Bear Mountain #442 is a raw, sandy, loose backcountry descent with sections of rocky, rooty tech. Though it is rated Blue overall, a lot of it runs like a Black, so drop-bar riders especially—keep very much on your toes. Water refill is available via filter from the creek below. From here it’s a smooth victory lap along Beaver Creek and back up over Balky Hill for a smooth descent back into Twisp.

Highlights

Golden foothills of the Methow Winter Range & Wildlife Refuge and Balky Hill.
Finley Ridge. Sublime and raw backcountry ridge rambling through former burn zones above Finely Canyon.
Loup Loup Trail Network. EMBA Methow’s flagship trails: gentle climbs, moderate rocky tech, and classic Okanogan flow.
Bear Mountain #442: pristine backcountry descent, spectacular views, and Okanogan vastness.
Twisp Public House for post-ride bevvies and food.

emba: methow chapter

From rugged alpine singletrack to modern flow trails, the Methow Valley features one of the most diverse and extensive trail systems in Washington. Evergreen’s Methow Chapter is an all-volunteer council that works in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and other land managers to envision and steward a growing network of mountain bike and multiuse trails sought out by riders from around the region. The chapter’s professional trail staff and dedicated volunteers work throughout the season to expand the trail system, maintain existing tread and rehabilitate the area’s extensive backcountry networks.

WINTHROP

In an effort to keep everything free and easy, it will be up to riders to arrange their own accommodations in Winthrop, which is a curious confluence of worlds. It presents like an Old West movie set, all sunbleached boardwalks and swinging saloon doors but with a premium granola-athletic sensibility and riverguide chic. The Methow is ripe with second homes and upscale lodges tucked into the periphery but prefers to lead with uncluttered rolling hills, meandering rivers and lazy pace to its comings and goings.

Twisp

Twisp is the artsy, lived-in cousin to Winthrop’s touristy Wild West facade. This is where real people live, work, eat and drink with a distinctly approachable character. It is also the smallest certified creative district in Washington State. Despite its compact size, Twisp has a thriving arts scene, with galleries, studios, and public art installations. The Methow Valley Community Center and TwispWorks, a cultural hub housed in a former ranger station, provide space for artists, makers, craft brewers, food trucks and more. Highlights include Blue Star Coffee Roasters, OSB Taproom, and Glover Street Market.

food & lodging

Old Schoolhouse Brewery serves up a well-rounded slate of craft brew standards with a rotating lineup of dank and hazy seasonals. The downtown Winthrop location is situated in – you guessed it – a cozy, old timey schoolhouse with primo riverside beer garden and patio. They are kind of the only craft brew game in town offering a menu of pub grub, burgers and salads. They now have two additional locations in the valley, a taproom in Twisp and the Mazama Public House.

The Copper Glance is a mixology-grade cocktail bar with a streamlined menu of drinking snacks, charcuterie and thoughtfully procured locavore favorites. I can personally vouch for the burrata di bufala and gruyere mac n’ cheese.

East 20 Pizza serves up a casual balance of high quality post-ride pies, salads and curiously extra-cold brews. Nonchalant ski bum vibes and a well-worn, dog-friendly patio lock in East 20 as a perfect go-to for quick, easy, hassle-free calories and beer.

Nine miles southeast of Winthrop in Twisp, Blue Star Coffee Roasters is absolutely 100% worth the trip. Think Coava or Puff Coffee in Portland – which is to say artfully prepared and regionally famous craft espresso, pour-over, drip coffee and pastries along with a full line of brewing gear, aeropress + pour-over kits, filters and accessories. Highly recommended for a mid-ride pick-me-up.

Rocking Horse Bakery does a distinct thing I like to call mountain town espresso, which is to say sometimes it’s less about the coffee and more about convenience, hearty food + grab n’ go options, location or some combination of all of these. Rocking Horse is exactly that. No more, no less.

Methow River Lodge & Cabins gets the job done and then some in a rustic riverside setting close to downtown. All the stuff you need. None of the stuff you don’t with lovely balconies and hammocks right on the river. Perfect economically-inclined or solo option close to all the riding, food and fun.

Chewuch Inn & Cabins are a perfectly convenient option just south of downtown. Think standard-fare country inn with nine cozy private cabins available for rent.

Hotel Rio Vista is right in the thick of things overlooking the river downtown. It seems affordable, popular and again, sort of standard-fare tourist-grade stuff. I will say it is always pretty busy and can be sort of loud being right downtown, so if that’s a concern, consider yourself warned.

Sun Mountain Lodge sits at the apex of the Sun Mountain trail system with singletrack literally out the front door. I’m not going to lie – it’s nice. You’ll find it comfortable, spacious, accommodating and slightly luxurious if you’re looking to splurge a bit. Of course it comes at a price but those North Cascade views from the hillside hot tubs will certainly help take the edge off.

Winthrop KOA is just about what one might expect; the usual spread of tent and RV sites, rustic and deluxe cabins and even some questionable ‘Covered Wagon’ bunking arrangements should you want to kick up your heels a bit.

Camping is a stellar option in and around the Methow. The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest surrounds Winthrop on three of its four sides with literally dozens of established campgrounds north and west of town. Also as folks know, less formal dispersed camping is allowed throughout public National Forest lands, so if you’re looking to post up in the goods, you won’t have to go very far.