Overview
Chelan is a city of 4,000 people in the North Central Cascades of Washington State. It is the gateway to Lake Chelan.
2 sights · 7 things to do · 1 bars & cafés · 1 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Chelan
Lake Chelan State Park
This park covers 139 acres acres on the southwest shore of Lake Chelan. The park offers camping, picnicking, hiking, boating, and water activities.
Twenty Five Mile Creek State Park
This park covers 232 acres on the western side of Lake Chelan. It was a private resort that came into state ownership in 1972. The park offers camping, a marina, fishing, waterskiing, bird watching, and mountain biking.
Chelan Museum
Earthquake Point
Lady of the Lake
Stehekin Ferry
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Sep. Summer highs reach about 87°F; winter lows dip to about 19°F. Cold months (Jan, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Dec and Jan. (climate data from nearby Leavenworth)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- EAT Pangborn Memorial Airport, Wenatchee — 32 mi away. Directions
- YKM Yakima Air Terminal McAllister Field, Yakima — 91 mi away. Directions
- SEA Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, Seattle — 110 mi away (major hub). Directions
U.S. Highway 97 (US-97) passes just outside of town, from Wenatchee to the south and Pateros to the north. US-97 Alt goes through the town center.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 2-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Chelan Museum, Slidewaters Water Park, Lady of the Lake
- Afternoon Fielding Hills Winery, Echo Valley Ski Area
- Evening The Vogue Coffee Bar
Day 2
- Morning Stehekin Ferry
- Afternoon Twenty Five Mile Creek State Park
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
Lake Chelan, named for the Salish word for 'deep water', is 50 mi long and 1,486 ft deep, the third-deepest lake in the United States. The fjord-like topography of the Lake Chelan valley results from repeated glacial erosion and deposition, up until 20,000 years ago.
The town of Chelan sits at the southern tip of the lake, in one of the few sections of lakeshore flat enough for development. It is an agricultural center and a lake resort community.
The northern tip of the lake, including the remote mountain village of Stehekin, are protected by the Lake Chelan National Recreation Area, administered by North Cascades National Park.
Get in
By car
U.S. Highway 97 (US-97) passes just outside of town, from Wenatchee to the south and Pateros to the north. US-97 Alt goes through the town center.
By public transit
Get around
By ferry
Only a few miles of lakeshore are accessible by road. You need a boat to see the rest of the lake, including the Lake Chelan National Recreation Area.
Two companies operate passenger ferries, all the way uplake to the village of Stehekin at the northwest tip.
See
See Earthquake Point
Do
Parks
Winter sports
Water parks
Drink
Drink The Vogue Coffee Bar
Local chain offering coffee along with beer,wine, and the likes. Live music all the time. Great atmosphere.
Sleep
Go next
- Uplake via ferry to the remote resort of Holden and the village of Stehekin.
- Wenatchee, the "Apple Capital of the World".
- Winthrop, the frontier town on the approach to North Cascades National Park.
- Okanogan and Omak
Chelan is on the North Cascade Loop itinerary.
Nearby
Waterville
City / town · 4 listings · 14 mi away
Pateros
City / town · 7 listings · 16 mi away
Bridgeport
City / town · 3 listings · 20 mi away
Brewster
City / town · 2 listings · 21 mi away
Cashmere
City / town · 4 listings · 31 mi away
East Wenatchee
City / town · 5 listings · 32 mi away
Wenatchee
City / town · 27 listings · 32 mi away
Leavenworth
City / town · 66 listings · 34 mi away
My experience
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