BALLOONING

From March until November of each year, visitors shouldn’t be surprised to wake up to the colorful and elegant image of a hot air balloon floating across the Methow skyline.  Local outfitter, Morning Glory Balloon Tours offer visitors the unforgettable experience of seeing the Methow Valley’s spectacular landscape from a bird’s-eye view.  Private and group flights are available.  The experience starts just after sunrise and lasts about 3 hours including an end-of-flight gourmet picnic back on the ground.  It’s the perfect way to get the lay of the land at the beginning of a Methow vacation, or conclude a visit with a storybook ending.

“We fly in the morningwhen the winds are calmest. Your adventure begins from the town of Winthrop. Hot drinks are served while the crew inflates and prepares the balloon for flight. Each journey is unique, combining low level views over the treetops with spectacular panoramic views from higher elevations. There is little feeling of movement as we gently drift with the wind.”
Kurt & Melinda Oakely, Morning Glory Balloon Guides

The ballooning season kicks off every year on the first weekend in March with the Balloon Roundup.  Over a dozen balloons from around the Pacific Northwest fill the morning skies, and later in the evening, fill the downtown Winthrop streets,  with a colorful, warm glow.