Lake Chelan, averaging only a mile wide and stretching out for 55 miles, is one of America’s deepest lakes and remains fairly remote. The Stehekin River, dropping nearly 6500 feet from its headwaters in the Cascades, provides nearly 70 percent of its clear, pristine water. The north end of the lake, unmarred with paved roads and huge crowds, is surrounded by wilderness area, national forestland and the Lake Chelan National Recreation Area.
     Near the town of Chelan, a small portion of the lake area is accessed from Route 971, Alt 97 and Route 150. Heading northward? A passenger ferry heads out of Chelan, making stops at Fields Point, Prince Creek, Lucerne (and old mining town), Moore Point, and the northern most town, Stehekin.
     Lake Chelan, an Anglicized form of the Salish word Tsi-Lann (deep water), was carved from Washington’s thick layer of basalt by age-old glaciers. The beautiful lake waters are set off by dramatic mountains that seem to rise straight up from the shoreline. This recreation venue is known as a great summer get-away, providing 62,000 acres of cool, refreshing water. Open all year for fishing, hundreds of thousands of fish, mostly Chinook salmon and trout, fill angler’s creels. Often blanketed in winter’s white, the Chelan area is a skier's and snowboarder's paradise. Numerous forest trails provide many challenging miles for snowmobilers and snowshoeing adventures. Lake Chelan area is truly an exceptional Washington State treasure.