Okanagan Open-top Odyssey
July 10th - 12th, 2026
About This Event
Join in on a full weekend's drive through the expansive Okanagan Highlands of Washington State. This July is a two (and one third) day's drive along some scenic backroads through the hills along Washington's northern border east of the Cascades. Think micro-road trip just to drive through some open rolling plains, follow pavement winding through pine covered gulches, rocky barren canyons, and along some river banks.
We'll meet up Friday after work in Monroe, WA and drive over to the Leavenworth / Wenatchee area for dinner with some evening canyon carving and then lodging (in the area) for the night. Sunday Morning we'll meet in Wenatchee and end up in Colville. Sunday we'll come back home over Hwy 20, through Winthrop, and then over the North Cascades Highway. I'm estimating we'll reach the Seattle area around 8-9pm on Sunday evening.
Caveats
This will be the second year we'll be doing this drive and we had a blast last year. But due to how far the roads are from home there will not be a pre-drive. So bring your adventuring hat if you want to come along. It'll be a grand time with wonderful roads and scenery but I cannot make any guarantees.
Organization - Lodging, Meals, etc.
Minimal. While there are planned lunch stops mid-day and we'll know what towns we'll be at in the evening, that's the extent of planning.
EACH OF US IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OUR OWN LODGING
AND DINING ARRANGEMENTS
This will be mid-July (hot and peak travel / vacation season), plan ahead accordingly.
See below for specific itinerary.
Itinerary
For each day, be ready at the meeting point with a full tank of gas for the Mita, top off yourself with breakfast or wake-up juice (coffee), a charged radio, and any beverages or travels rations you'll want for the day.
Friday - July 10th, 2026
Meet at Grocery Outlet in Monroe, WA
405 Butler Ave
Monroe, WA 98272
4:00pm Meet
4:15pm Driver's meeting
4:30pm Departure
Arrive in Leavenworth approx. 7pm
Recommend finding lodging from Leavenworth to Wenatchee.
Saturday - July 11th, 2026
Meet at Lincoln Park in Wenatchee
1410 S Mission St
Wenatchee, WA 98801
8:00am Meeting
8:15am Driver's Meeting
8:30am Departure
Lunch / gas in Tonasket ~1pm
Arrive in Colville approx. 6pm
Recommend finding lodging in Colville or within a 20-30 min drive of town.
Sunday - July 12th, 2026
Meet at Safeway in Colville
391 N Main St
Colville, WA 99114
North parking lot near the Safeway fuel station.
Lunch / gas in Winthrop ~2pm
Recommend lodging at your own home. :P
If you cannot make a Friday afternoon's departure due to work or other commitments but still want to join the drive the rest of the weekend, come over later in the evening and we'll see you Saturday morning at the Wenatchee driver's meeting. Just sign up and let me know.
Route Handout and Rever Links
A more detailed route directions and Rever mapping app links will be available at the driver's meeting and / or via e-mail before the event. One note on Rever, we'll be out of cell reception a good chunk of the time so use offline mapping if you can.
Please see the Club website under Document > Official Club Documents > Rever App How To for a reference PDF help setting up the Rever app if you wish to use it.
Special Notes
We'll be traveling mid-July through Eastern, WA. It should be quite hot with temps expected in the upper 80's and through the 90's and a lot of sun exposure when the tops are down. Bring sunscreen and plenty of fluids.
Bathroom / stretch breaks are planned for at least every 1-1.5 hrs, however, the route goes through some remote areas and public restrooms may be few and far between. I will endeavor to verify restroom stops will be open as we get closer to the drive. At least half the stops are at public parks or campsites with a vault toilet. Maybe bring some hand sanitizer.
Just to reiterate: you're responsible for your own lodging. Book ahead of time. See above to the dates and town's we'll end up in at the end of each day.
We'll be going through smaller towns and remote places tend to close early. I'm trying to get us into our destinations in time for dinner in the evenings.
Bring extra cash "just in case."
Bring FRS compatible radio, set to channel 5.
Event Contact(s)
Jay Greening
jay@jay-greening.