The Methow Valley

Just before we left Washington we decided to drive through the Methow Valley, formed by the Methow river. What a beautiful area; remote and sparsely settled, it seems frozen in time.

We decided to take an old logging road called the Thompson Ridge Road. The Sun Mountain Trail System spins off of this and welcomes hikers, bicyclists, and horse back riders. The vistas are stunning.

And the flora is amazing with wild flowers in abundance. But it's the Ponderosa pine that intrigue me. I don't know if it is the way they stand tall and proud above the rest or the coppery, carved ruggedness of the trunks, but I'm mesmerized.

We kept a sharp eye out for critters and we did see wild turkeys although we didn't get a good picture. This little curious fellow wanted to know what we were about . . .
and his friend wasn't to be left out of the action!!

Then we spotted this lovely lady relaxing off the side of the road. She seemed very alert although JC did mention that he thought she looked a little thin.

This fellow was also relaxing just off the road, but he was a little more skittish, decided we were a nuisance, and departed!!

Here is the Twisp River, just one of several that flows into the Methow and that played a part in forming this little piece of heaven.