Washington · Cross-country skiing · Near Winthrop

National Forest Development Road 5215

1.1 mi
round trip
418 ft
climb
3,500 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Apr–Oct
best months

Caution today

Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is marginal · USFS, SNOTEL, OpenWeather · checked 2 min ago

Is National Forest Development Road 5215 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.

National Forest Development Road 5215 is a cross-country skiing route in the Methow Valley Ranger District of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in Washington, managed by the Forest Service. The route is an out-and-back of about 2.3 miles, with a total elevation gain of 418 feet, and it is rated moderate. The climb reaches a high point of about 3,500 feet, and the steepest stretch comes at about mile 1, with a grade of about 11 percent. The route starts at an elevation of about 3,221 feet and ends at a similar level, so it works well as a short outing. Dogs are allowed, which makes it easier to bring a pet along. For comfortable conditions, late spring and early fall are the sweet spots. Typical averages from the nearby Mazama weather station show May highs around 68°F and September highs around 74°F, with July and August the warmest months at about 84°F. That station sits well below the route, so temperatures on the road run cooler. Rendezvous Loop, a hike about 0.9 miles away, and National Forest Development Road 160, a cross-country ski route about a mile off, are the closest neighbors. Grizzly Hut, another ski route, is also about a mile away. Buck Lake Campground, roughly 6 miles out, offers a place to stay.

Around this trail

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

    Memorial Campground

    Campground

    Campground · 5.9 mi from the trail
  • If it rains

    The Confluence

    Gallery

    Gallery · 14 mi from Winthrop

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors

More in Winthrop
  • Best time to go · Apr–Oct

    Best time to visit National Forest Development Road 5215

    Best months: April–October. 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

      29° / 16°

      15 wet

    2. Feb

      37° / 19°

      12 wet

    3. Mar

      46° / 26°

      10 wet

    4. Apr

      58° / 33°

      7 wet

    5. May

      68° / 41°

      7 wet

    6. Jun

      75° / 48°

      7 wet

    7. Jul

      84° / 55°

      5 wet

    8. Aug

      84° / 53°

      4 wet

    9. Sep

      74° / 44°

      6 wet

    10. Oct

      56° / 34°

      10 wet

    11. Nov

      39° / 25°

      14 wet

    12. Dec

      28° / 16°

      15 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Mazama, WA, 7.7 mi away at 2,141 ft. The station sits about 1,400 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.

Keep exploring — more snow worth the drive

SKI

National Forest Development Road 5215

~2 min drive

1.52-mile out-and-back route on National Forest Development Road 5215 in Washington.

SKI

National Forest Development Road 160

~2 min drive

0.94-mile out-and-back route on National Forest Development Road 160 in Washington.

SKI

Methow Community Trail- Wolf Ridge to Browns Farm

~4 min drive

0.47-mile out-and-back route from Wolf Ridge to Browns Farm in Washington.

SKI

Grizzly Way

~2 min drive

0.67-mile out-and-back route in Washington with 117 ft of elevation gain.

SKI

National Forest Development Road 110

~3 min drive

0.47-mile out-and-back ski route on National Forest Development Road 110 in Washington.

SKI

Lunachik

~6 min drive

0.16-mile out-and-back ski route in Washington with 22 ft of elevation gain.

SKI

Grizzly Hut

~2 min drive

0.29-mile out-and-back ski route at Grizzly Hut in Washington with 52 ft of elevation gain.

SKI

National Forest Development Road 300

~4 min drive

3.14-mile out-and-back route on National Forest Development Road 300 in Washington.

SKI

Cub Creek Road

~6 min drive

0.28-mile out-and-back ski route on Cub Creek Road in Washington with 115 ft of elevation gain.

SKI

National Forest Development Road 100

~2 min drive

0.60-mile out-and-back ski route on National Forest Development Road 100 in Washington.

Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors