LAKE CHELAN STATE PARK
Lake Chelan State Park is a 127-acre camping park on the forested south shore of Lake Chelan. The park has 6,000 feet of shoreline, lakeside views and expansive lawns for strolling and playing. The park gets an annual average rainfall of 11 inches. Summer tends to be hot and dry. Annual average snowfall is 42 inches. A coniferous forest and a lake provide respite from summer heat in this Eastern Washington park. A large, sandy beach and boating opportunities attract visitors. Daily ferry service is available to the roadless community at the head of the lake.
Native Americans used this site as a home and hunting area for many years. The name "Chelan" is a Salish Indian word meaning both "lake" and "blue water."
The location of a cabin owned by John Stevenson is visible in the park. One of the earliest white settlers in the area, Stevenson was a colorful trapper, blacksmith and ferry operator. He was the first postmaster on the southshore.
In 1880, Col. John Merriam established a military post on the shores of Lake Chelan. Civilian settlers began arriving in 1886, and the town was incorporated in 1902.
According to local lore, Lake Chelan was used as a lure in a real estate scandal of the 1940's. Unsuspecting buyers were sold inferior property in the mistaken belief they were buying property on the shores of Lake Chelan, or so the story goes. The real estate company, when accused, refused to acknowledge ownership. As a matter of public record, 124 acres of Lake Chelan State Park was acquired through a court settlement against a company named Babco, Inc. in 1943.
A Discover Pass is required for vehicle access to Washington state parks for day use. For more information about the Discover Pass and exemptions, please visit the
Discover Pass web page.
The park has 109 tent spaces, 35 utility spaces, one dump station, five restrooms and five showers.
The 35 full utility hookups are left from an older park and are not designed for the modern RV. The sites have been upgraded, but motorhomes and trailers longer than 30 feet will not be able to enter or use the facilities at this park.
Chelan is extremely popular. Early reservations are a must. To reserve a campsite, call (888) CAMPOUT or (888) 226-7688.
Check-in time is 2:30 p.m., and check-out time is 1 p.m.Quiet hours are from 10 p.m. to 6:30 a.m.Engine-driven electric generators may be operated only between the hours of 8 a.m. and 9 p.m.Length of stay: You may stay up to ten consecutive days in any one park during the summer; the stay limit is extended to 20 days between Oct. 1 and March 31.
In the winter the watercraft launch is open weekends and holidays only, depending on water level.
The park has one single-lane launch with a nearby 28-car parking lot that fills rapidly on weekends. The park offers 495 feet of dock, some of it near the launch and some of it at the opposite end of the park near lakeside camping.
A daily watercraft launching permit and a trailer dumping permit is available at the park. Annual permits also may be purchased at State Parks Headquarters in Olympia, at region offices, online, and at parks when staff is available.
Moorage fees are charged year round for mooring at docks, floats and buoys from 1 p.m. to 8 a.m.
Enjoy fishing in a pristine lake setting, with species such as Cutthroat Trout and Kokanee Salmon available. Other options include Rainbow Trout and Lake Whitefish. The park also offers boat launches for easy access to deeper waters where larger fish reside.
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