Washington · Winthrop, WA

Methow River float season

Gauge 12448500 on the Winthrop to Twisp. The sunny-side valley float from Winthrop to Twisp, where tubes and rafts share bony riffles with ospreys in the Methow heat.

tubingraftkayak Fullest: Apr–Jun Leanest: Dec–Feb
Methow River — typical flow through the year Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 600 2.5k 6k 10k
median flow for the date middle half of years (25th–75th percentile) most years (10th–90th)

Right now at this gauge

loading CFS

Checking the live gauge…

Live reading from the USGS gauge page for Methow River. Provisional data — subject to revision.

The year on this river

In a typical year at the Winthrop gauge, the Methow River runs fullest Apr–Jun and leanest Dec–Feb. Where today's reading falls inside that rhythm matters more than the raw number — the same flow that feels thin in spring can be the summer norm. Half of all past May days at this gauge ran above 4,490 CFS; the September median is 231 CFS.

Median of daily flows in each month across this gauge's full record — half of past days ran above these figures, half below.
Month Typical flow (CFS)
January 258
February 259
March 334
April 1,125
May 4,490
June 3,195
July 926
August 351
September 231
October 264
November 332
December 304

Record context

This gauge has measured daily flow since 1912 — 114 years of record. The largest daily average ever logged here was 21,400 CFS, in June 1972. Rivers do that sometimes; it's why the safety panel above isn't decoration.

Planning dates? The trip-window checker shows what flows have historically looked like on any week you pick for this river, or see what a CFS actually looks like.

More Washington float rivers

Common questions

When is the Methow River usually at its fullest?

At the Winthrop gauge, the fullest stretch of a typical year is Apr–Jun, with the single highest monthly median in May (about 4,490 CFS). The leanest months are usually Dec–Feb.

What is a typical summer flow on the Methow River?

The July median at this gauge is about 926 CFS — half of past Julys ran higher, half lower. Late summer is this river's lean season, so expect readings to drift down as the season goes on.

Is the Methow River safe to float right now?

No flow number can answer that, and this site never labels a river safe. What the data can tell you is how today's reading compares with 38 years of this date's history — well above typical means pushier, colder, faster water. Pair that context with a PFD, a look at the river from the bank, and a call to a local outfitter before you commit.

Which USGS gauge does this page use?

USGS gauge 12448500 (METHOW RIVER AT WINTHROP, WA), chosen because it best represents the Winthrop to Twisp. Daily records here reach back to 1912.

Data: USGS gauge 12448500, approved daily records 1912–2026, retrieved 2026-08-07. Live readings are provisional and subject to revision. U.S. Geological Survey data is public domain.