Early Winters Campground
Campground
Campground · 0.5 mi from the trail
Washington · Cross-country skiing · Near Winthrop
Rattlesnake Cutoff
- 0.5 mi
- round trip
- 105 ft
- climb
- 2,202 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Apr–Oct
- best months
Is Rattlesnake Cutoff open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 5 alerts for Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.
Cle Elum River Restoration Area Closure on the Cle Elum Ranger District
Agency alert covering Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest · USFS · Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest
Storm Damaged Roads Closure on Methow Valley District
Agency alert covering Methow Valley Ranger District · Order 06-17-04-26-18 · USFS · Methow Valley Ranger District
Gold Creek Restoration Project Area Closure on Cle Elum Ranger District
Agency alert covering Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest · USFS · Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest
Grouse Creek Aquatic Project Road Closure on the Wenatchee River Ranger District
Agency alert covering Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest · USFS · Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest
Termination of Stage 1 Public Use Restrictions and Campfire Ban
Agency alert covering Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest · Order 06-17-00-2026-16 · USFS · Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Rattlesnake Cutoff is a short, easy cross-country ski route in the Methow Valley Ranger District of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest in Washington. It is an out-and-back trip of about a mile, with a low point of 2,179 feet and a high of 2,202 feet, and the climb is steady, with the steepest stretch at about 0.45 miles in. The most comfortable months for skiing are typically late fall through early spring. Typical averages from the nearby Mazama weather station show November highs around 39°F and lows near 25°F, while March runs about 46°F by day and 26°F at night. Summer is much warmer, with July and August highs in the mid-80s. The cutoff sits close to other cross-country ski routes, with Jack's and Doe Canyon Loop each about 0.1 mile away. Early Winters Campground is half a mile off, and Ripple Rock, a climbing area, is about a mile away.
Around this trail
Add any of these when you start a tripSleep close Eat after If it rains The Confluence
Gallery
Gallery · 22 mi from Winthrop
Places © OpenStreetMap contributors
More in WinthropBest time to go · Apr–Oct
Best time to visit Rattlesnake Cutoff
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.
Jan
29° / 16°
15 wet
Feb
37° / 19°
12 wet
Mar
46° / 26°
10 wet
Apr
58° / 33°
7 wet
May
68° / 41°
7 wet
Jun
75° / 48°
7 wet
Jul
84° / 55°
5 wet
Aug
84° / 53°
4 wet
Sep
74° / 44°
6 wet
Oct
56° / 34°
10 wet
Nov
39° / 25°
14 wet
Dec
28° / 16°
15 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Mazama, WA, 1.2 mi away at 2,141 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more snow worth the drive
SKI
Doe Canyon Loop
Next door
0.24-mile out-and-back out-and-back in Doe Canyon, Washington with 43 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Jack's
Next door
0.15-mile out-and-back ski route in Washington on federal forest land.
SKI
Jack's
Next door
1.15-mile out-and-back route in Washington with 324 ft gain.
SKI
Jack's
Next door
0.24-mile out-and-back ski route in Washington with 86 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Sandy Butte
~1 min drive
0.14-mile out-and-back at Sandy Butte in Washington with 21 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Jack's
Next door
0.15-mile out-and-back ski route in Washington with 1 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Jack's
~2 min drive
0.37-mile out-and-back route in Washington with 37 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Early Winters
Next door
0.14-mile out-and-back ski route in Washington with 6 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Doe Canyon
~2 min drive
1.37-mile out-and-back route in Washington with 272 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Lower River Run
Next door
0.15-mile out-and-back ski run in Washington with 36 ft of elevation gain.
Also worth it near here
BED
Early Winters Campground
Next door
Photo: Robert Ashworth from Bellingham, WA., USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Creek Overlook Loop
~1 min drive
Photo: eliduke, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)Ripple Rock
~2 min drive
Photo: Curt Smith from Bellevue, WA, USA, CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)Goat Peak
~5 min drive
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
