Winthrop is a small town in Okanogan County, Washington, set in the upper Methow Valley at the confluence of the Methow and Chewuch rivers, near the eastern foothills of the Cascade Mountains. It lies on the North Cascades Highway (State Route 20), east of Mazama and north of Twisp, and is home to roughly 500 residents. The town was founded in 1890 after gold was discovered in the Methow Valley and incorporated in 1924. Its defining feature today is a downtown rebuilt in an Old West style beginning in the 1970s, with wooden boardwalks, false-front facades, and hitching rails that evoke a frontier town. The theme, paired with the dramatic mountain backdrop, has made Winthrop one of Washington's most distinctive small towns. Winthrop's real identity is its outdoor recreation. The Methow Trails system, headquartered in the valley, maintains more than 120 miles of groomed trails that draw cross-country skiers from across North America each winter and serve hikers and mountain bikers the rest of the year. The area's dry, sunny eastern-slope climate and more than a million acres of surrounding public forest support year-round outdoor activity, and the town maintains a public outdoor ice rink. Winthrop serves the upper Methow Valley alongside Twisp and Mazama, with the Methow Valley School District providing education and Pearrygin Lake State Park offering summer swimming and boating nearby. The town attracts permanent residents, second-home owners, and visitors drawn to its combination of Western character, scenic setting, and Nordic recreation. Its remote, quiet atmosphere and four-season outdoor lifestyle define the community's appeal, and its location along State Route 20 makes it a gateway to the North Cascades National Park.