Experience the best of Chelan

Lake Chelan runs about 80 kilometres into the Cascade Mountains, a narrow, deep glacial lake, and the town of Chelan sits at its foot with a waterfront park, a small downtown and sandy beaches. The Cascades block most of the coastal rain, so the sun shines here for much of the year and the hillsides above the water are dry and scrubby.

Stehekin, at the head of the lake, has no road to it and can be reached only by boat, seaplane or on foot; the mountains around it belong to the North Cascades National Park complex. Orchards cover the benches above the lake, and the vineyards of the Lake Chelan wine region have tasting rooms along the shore and in the hills.

Apples, cherries, pears and apricots come from the surrounding orchards, with roadside stands in summer, and the wineries pour local reds and whites. Long, bright days from July to August make the lake the centre of life for swimming and boating, and winter is quiet, with snow on the hills.