Beautiful Lake Chelan winds northwest to southeast for a little over 55 miles, and it is no more than one to two-miles wide. Lake Chelan looks more like a river than a lake, but its outlet is the Chelan River. Lake Chelan adjoins the North Cascades National Park, the Lake Chelan National Recreation Area, and the Okanoga Wenatchee National Forest.
The town of Chelan sits at Lake Chelan’s southeastern tip with a population of a little over 4,000 year-round. In summer, Chelan’s population can increase to 25,000. Visitors have a few choices of transportation to Lake Chelan. They can take a bus or commuter bus, drive, fly, take a train, or a taxi.
What Is so Special About Lake Chelan?
Lake Chelan is known for its pristine, clear waters, perfect for swimming, boating, and fishing. The clarity of its water is only one aspect of its natural beauty. It draws thousands of outdoor lovers to its shores every year.
Lake Chelan serves as the gateway to the North Cascades and some of the most rugged and scenic wilderness in the region. The region includes the Stehekin Valley at the northern end of the lake. This valley is a remote, vehicle-free community only accessible by boat, seaplane, or hiking.
The charming towns of Chelan and Manson, on the shores of Lake Chelan, offer a friendly atmosphere with shops, restaurants, and events. Their welcoming establishments contrast with the majestic natural grandeur encircling Lake Chelan.
The Lake Chelan Valley is a thriving wine region with numerous vineyards and wineries. The area’s unique climate, with hot summers and cool nights, is perfect climates for growing great-tasting wine grapes. Wine lovers flock to the Lake Chelan regions.
Is Lake Chelan One of the Deepest Lakes in the World?
No, it is the 25th deepest lake in the world. Lake Chelan is the third deepest lake in the U.S. and deeper that the Great Lakes. Crater Lake in Oregon at 1,943-feet deep and Lake Tahoe in Nevada and California is 1,645-feet deep.
Has Anyone Been to the Bottom of Lake Chelan?
No, no one or any organization has explored the bottom of Lake Chelan. Lake Chelan began attracting tourists in the 1880s. Lake Chelan’s lake bed is 386-feet below sea level. Most glacially carved lakes tend to be the deepest lakes around the world.
Why is Lake Chelan so Clean?
Lake Chelan in Washington state is known for its crystal clear, cerulean water, which is fed by glaciers and snowpack. Chelan Lake’s depth and mostly uninterrupted watershed have contributed to preserving its water quality. It is an ultra-oligotrophic lake, which is low in nutrients.
Oligotrophic lakes are poor in nutrients and unproductive. They have low algal production, which helps to keep their waters clear. Lake Chelan produces only 50–100 milligrams of carbon per square meter per day. Lake Chelan waters the region’s grape vineyards.
Can You Swim in Lake Chelan?
Yes, Lake Chelan is popular for swimming and watersports. Lake Chelan provides for year-round activities. In the summer, boating (boats of all sizes and types), jet-skiing, paddleboarding, and swimming. In the winter, the nearby mountains provide skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, along with fishing, hiking, and wine tasting.
How Much Does it Cost to Go to Lake Chelan?
The National Park Service announces that there is no fee to enter the North Cascades National Park. There are several campgrounds and cabins around Lake Chelan. Campgrounds in nearby Stehekin charge $20 per night, and the Hozomeen campground is free. Your major expenses getting to Lake Chelan are travel arrangements, gear, and supplies.
Are There Grizzly Bears in Lake Chelan?
Grizzly bears are a rarity in the North Cascades and at Lake Chelan. the National Park Service and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service have developed a program to reintroduce grizzly bears in the North Cascades National Park. Grizzly bears roamed the area for millennia.
The last confirmed sighting of a grizzly bear in the U.S. portion of the North Cascades ecosystem was in 1996. Hunters almost hunted them into extinction before the U.S. and the states began to institute wildlife management regulations and laws.
Does Lake Chelan Have Sharks?
No, Lake Chelan does not have sharks. Washington state has six species of sharks in the Pacific Ocean and Puget Sound off of Washington’s western coast. The largest fish in Lake Chelan are king salmon (Chinook) and mackinaw (lake trout).
Is Lake Chelan Worth It?
The over two million people who visit Lake Chelan annually certainly think it is worth it. Besides its stunning natural beauty, over 40 wineries produce grapes and grape juice in Chelan Valley. And there are plenty of apple orchards and other fruit tree orchards in 10,000+ acres surrounding the lake.
Lake Chelan offers diverse outdoor activities, as noted above. In the 1880’s, mines popped up in the upper areas of Lake Chelan for mining precious metals, including gold, silver, copper, zinc, and lead. The Native Americans who first inhabited the Lake Chelan Valley were called the “Tsillan,” later spelled Chelan, which means deep water.
What is the Myth of Lake Chelan?
This myth is part of the rich cultural heritage of the native tribes around Lake Chelan, emphasizing the lake’s mysterious nature and its deep connection to the surrounding landscape. The Chelan Dragon is a massive serpent-like creature that lived in the deep waters of the lake.
As the folklore goes, a devil confronted the Native Americans out of the waters of Lake Chelan. They hoped to kill it by damming up the foot of the lake. When the creature attacked them, a great warrior or a medicine man from the tribe confront the dragon to protect the people.
There are several versions of the myth. One version of the legend says the warrior lured the dragon from the lake with powerful magic or a trap. The warrior may have wounded the dragon, and it fled back into Lake Chelan’s depths.
In another version, the dragon’s thrashing expanded the lake into its current size. This devil was reported by tourist witnesses in 1892. Tourists described this water dragon as white, with the legs and body of an alligator and the head and eyes of a serpent.
