The Methow Headwaters cover the upper reaches of the West Fork Methow River, Lost River, Early Winters Creek, and Chewuch River within the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. This is some of the cleanest, most biodiverse water left in the North Cascades, and it’s facing new threats.
In 2025, the USDA issued a notice of intent to repeal the 2001 National Forest Roadless Area Conservation Rule. More than 130,000 acres of roadless area within the Methow’s nominated watershed are what’s kept this water clean and supported its biodiversity for generations. Past proposals for copper mining have also threatened water quality here, and while federal protections exist, not all of them are permanent.
“As a small business owner of a bike, ski and watersports shop located right in the Methow Valley, we take pride in the Methow River’s clean waters that attract visitors to enjoy our beautiful area and allow us to sustain a business we are passionate about,” said Julie Muyllaert, co-owner of Methow Cycle & Sport. “Protecting the Methow River headwaters, areas that have experienced limited development, allows people to experience the true beauty of the Valley, while offering all the thrill and joy that comes with outdoor adventures.”
Join the many Washingtonians already working to protect this watershed.
This watershed is critical ground for Pacific Northwest salmon recovery, especially spring Chinook salmon, summer steelhead, and bull trout. State and Forest Service monitoring confirms consistently cold, clear, low-nutrient water, exactly what salmonids and macroinvertebrates need to survive.
It’s also a premier recreation destination. Early Winters Creek and the Lost River offer world-class fly fishing and river hiking, with a level of solitude that’s increasingly rare. Backcountry skiing, hiking, and climbing near Liberty Bell and Washington Pass draw visitors year-round.
Legacy logging roads still increase erosion and turbidity in headwater streams, and shrinking snowpack and rising fire risk threaten the cold-water habitat that makes this basin so valuable. Without a complementary layer of state protection, this watershed remains vulnerable.
Clean, flowing water is our culture. It’s our well-being. It’s our prosperity. Help us keep it that way.