Twisp to Winthrop trail

A trail connection between Winthrop and Twisp has been talked about for decades. Our recent survey demonstrated that access to trails increases health, happiness, and quality of life, and this trail connection was overwhelmingly listed as the number one future trail priority for our community. As our valley grows, a safe non-motorized route between our towns and the schools is a priority. We have the bandwidth and experience to take this project on, but we will need the support of our community to make it happen!

Methow Trails does not have an exact route designed yet. We are currently conducting outreach to see which landowners are interested in living adjacent to or nearby a trail. Landowner responses will ultimately dictate where the trail will run. Based on community input, the trail should be easy/moderate difficulty, connect to the school, and be open to a wide variety of non-motorized users.

Methow Trails will maintain the trail year-round, at no cost to landowners or community members. Examples of ongoing maintenance include tree limbing/thinning along the corridor, weed management, fencing, planting of screening vegetation such as trees, signage, winter grooming, garbage removal, and trailhead/parking/bathroom maintenance.

Landowners are not liable if a trail user gets injured on their property. The Washington state legislation RCW 4.24.210 provides immunity against liability for injuries sustained by trail users for any landowner that allows recreational public access on their land. Washington state has one of the most progressive recreation immunity/protections for landowners in the US. As an extra layer of landowner protection, Methow Trails adds each trailside landowner as additionally insured up to $1,000,000 per occurrence and $5,000,000 aggregate. In 44 years of operation Methow Trails has never had a claim filed against them or by extension any landowner.

Yes, as with the rest of our trail system, any landowner who provides access to a trail on their property receives Annual Passes. Other benefits include an increase in property resale value (9-12% according to 2015 study), convenient access to the trail, year-round maintenance of the trail, and the opportunity to be a critical part of a community-wide dreamed-for trail connection!

No. We plan to manage the TWiN Trail as a free community trail. The funds for development and maintenance of this trail, as well as the rest of our trail system, comes from a combination of Annual Pass and Day Ticket sales, grants, and donations.

We hope to allow all non-motorized user groups on the trail year-round, like the majority of our existing trail network. Because this trail will serve as a transportation corridor, we also plan to allow e-bikes on the TWiN Trail. Ultimately, landowner permissions will guide what user groups are allowed.

The reasons are different for everyone, but at the heart it comes down to community. A safe route to school for kids and teachers, a way to get to the grocery store without getting in the car, a place to connect with neighbors, and an accessible avenue for exercise and outside time. Trails can act as a critical fire break and provide an alternative to getting in our cars for every errand. This project was ranked as the number one future trail priority in our community. We are ready to make it happen, but it will take the support of everyone!