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This time of the year, there is no shortcut to Winthrop. With Highway 20 closed for the winter, it’s the roundabout trek or nothing.

But the long ride is certainly worth it. The Methow Valley Sports Trail Association (MVSTA) boasts about 120 miles of groomed, interconnected trails surrounded by more than a million acres of wilderness and forest lands.

Make sure to pick up a map at your hotel, Sun Mountain Lodge, the chamber of commerce or the U.S. Forest Service information center. Five trails begin at the Chickadee Trailhead.
At the trailhead, there is a detailed map and restrooms.

One must have a Snowshoe Pass, which costs $3 per day. Passes can be purchased at the hotels, lodges and sports chalets around town.

If you don’t own snowshoes and poles, there are numerous places to rent them on this side of the hill and on the other side. I rented mine at Joe’s Sports Outdoor and More in Mount Vernon for $11 a day.

If you haven’t tried snowshoeing, it’s not that difficult, especially around this area where trails are prepped.

Just take your time, keep your feet a little wider apart than when walking and put one foot in front of the other. Poles are helpful, particularly when trekking up or down hills.

Remember, if the path is groomed with parallel tracks for cross country skiers do not walk in these tracks.

Distance: 2 miles

Destination: Hough Homestead

Difficulty: Depends on snowshoe abilities

Elevation gain: Minimal

Getting there: Highway 2 east over Stevens Pass to Wenatchee. At Wenatchee, proceed north on Alt. 97. Alt. 97 merges with Highway 97 outside of Chelan. Continue on Highway 97 toward Pateros. Just before Pateros, turn northwest on State Route 153 and continue toward Winthrop. Reaching the outskirts of Winthrop, turn left on Twin Lakes Road. This is also the road to Liberty Bell High School. Stay on Twin Lakes Road for about 2.2 miles. Turn left on Patterson Lake Road. Follow the road to the end of Patterson Lake and turn left into the Chickadee Trailhead parking area.

The Trek: After parking in the Chickadee Trailhead lot, head out, retracing the tracks left by your rig. Cross a groomed street to find the sign for the Rodeo Trail.

Head uphill through powdery snow and enter a forest of snow-covered pine trees.

The trail rises and falls as it meanders through a winter wonderland. The sun manages to find its way through the canopy every now and then.

The beaver ponds are frozen solid. Tree stumps, logs and limbs extend from the frozen bodies of water, resembling fingers reaching from beneath the surface.

Continuing on, reach the first of several forks, watching for signs attached to trees above the snow line. Stay to the right to continue on the Rodeo Trail. At the next intersection, venture right again. (Going straight leads to the Yellowjacket Trail.) Trek into a gully and trudge up the other side.

The trail curves right, then bends left before once again continuing uphill. Continue straight at the next intersection.

Reach a snow-covered clearing below a wooded hillside.

At the next intersection, stay on the Rodeo Trail. The trail to the right leads to the cutoff for the Beaver Pond Trail.

The trail now follows the banks of Little Wolf Creek. The creek is frozen solid somewhere under a lot of snow.

The Rodeo Trail ends at the junction of the Beaver Pond, Fox Loop, Aqualoop and Yellowjacket trails. Venturing right leads to the Hough Homestead.

Here, there are covered picnic areas and restrooms.

Once you have reached this spot, trek back down the trail and return to the rig.