Washington · Cross-country skiing · Near Winthrop

Heifer Hut

0.7 mi
round trip
309 ft
climb
3,955 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Sep
best months

Caution today

Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is marginal · USFS, OpenWeather · checked 6 h ago

Is Heifer Hut open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 5 alerts for Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.

As of · Source: USFS · Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Heifer Hut is a cross-country skiing route in Washington's Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, within the Methow Valley Ranger District. The Forest Service manages the surrounding land, and the trail is a short out-and-back of about 1.3 miles, with a climb of 70 feet from a low point of 3,870 feet to a high of 3,955 feet. The steepest stretch comes early, at about 0.09 miles, where the grade reaches 7%. The route is a hard one to ski, so plan for a solid pace on the roughly 1.3-mile loop. Dogs are allowed. Late summer and early fall are the mildest times to go. Typical averages from the nearby Holden Village weather station run from highs around 76°F in July and August to about 67°F in September, with lows near 40°F. That station sits well below the hut, so temperatures at the top run cooler. National Forest Development Road 400 is about 0.3 miles away, and Cougar Bait and Cub Creek Road are each about 1.1 miles off. For an overnight stay, Nice Campground is about 3.3 miles away.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    Nice Campground

    Campground

    Campground · 3.3 mi from the trail
  • If it rains

    The Confluence

    Gallery

    Gallery · 18 mi from Winthrop

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors

More in Winthrop
  • Best time to go · May–Sep

    Best time to visit Heifer Hut

    Best months: May–September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      28° / 17°

      17 wet

    2. Feb

      34° / 18°

      14 wet

    3. Mar

      41° / 23°

      14 wet

    4. Apr

      50° / 29°

      10 wet

    5. May

      60° / 36°

      10 wet

    6. Jun

      66° / 43°

      9 wet

    7. Jul

      76° / 47°

      6 wet

    8. Aug

      76° / 46°

      6 wet

    9. Sep

      67° / 40°

      8 wet

    10. Oct

      51° / 32°

      14 wet

    11. Nov

      34° / 24°

      17 wet

    12. Dec

      27° / 17°

      18 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Holden Village, WA, 36.1 mi away at 3,218 ft. The station sits about 700 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors