•STEHEKIN•

unplugging in the beautiful remote town of stehekin

05•01•2022

Stehekin, Washington, is a breathtaking tiny, remote town nestled in the Cascade mountains at the head of Lake Chelan. It is only accessible by boat, plane, or by hiking in, and it has less than a hundred full time residents. While there are some roads within Stehekin, the fact that the area is not accessible by road from the outside allows Stehekin to retain its remote and unspoiled feel. Stehekin is also a gateway to the beautiful North Cascades National Park. And it has a killer little bakery and a spectacular 312-foot waterfall! Internet access is limited, and cell phone service is non-existent, so if you’re looking for a place to unplug and enjoy the outdoors, Stehekin is the perfect place to visit!

•Getting to stehekin•

The easiest and most affordable way to reach Chelan is by boat. If you are traveling to Stehekin by boat, you will leave from Chelan. Chelan is a resort community located at the south end of Lake Chelan. It is located approximately 180 miles east of Seattle and 150 miles west of Spokane, and it is very popular with tourists and part-time residents, particularly in the summer when folks flock to Chelan to enjoy an abundance of sun, vineyards, and lake activities. Every time we go to Stehekin, we stay in Chelan the night prior to our trip. The boat leaves relatively early in the morning, so staying in Chelan means we don’t have to wake up super early or worry about making it to the boat on time. We always stay at Campbell’s Resort. It’s right on the lake, and it has a pool, which always scores points with our kids!

At 50.5 miles long and about 1-2 miles wide, Lake Chelan is a narrow lake that snakes through the foothills of the Cascade Mountains from Chelan at the south end to Stehekin at the north end. Lake Chelan is the third deepest freshwater lake in the United States at almost 1,500 feet deep.

The Lady of the Lake is the boat that travels the length of the beautiful glacier fed Lake Chelan. For overnight options where you will travel on separate days, there are two boat options that vary in travel time. The Lady of the Lake takes 4 hours from one end of the lake to the other and operates during peak season May 1^st through October 15^th. The Lady Express is much quicker with a point-to-point travel time of 2.5 hours and operates year-round but is also a bit more costly. We have only done the Lady Express, as even the shorter ride time is plenty for our family! Make sure to book your tickets online in advance, as they do sell out in the busy summer months.

You can pay extra to bring a bike, kayak, or a pet in a crate with you to Stehekin. When you board the boat, they will take your luggage from you and store it until you arrive in Stehekin. We normally bring a cooler of food with us in addition to suitcases, which is included in the price as long as you remain within their per-person freight allowances. There are restrooms on board, as well as a snack bar with very reasonable prices. Each time we have gone they have had a selection of pastries from the Lake Chelan Artisan Bakery for sale, which I highly recommend! There is plenty of indoor seating on either of the two levels of the boat with spectacular views of the lake and the peaks of the Cascade mountains.

There are also several day-trip options available on their website with varying layover lengths. Personally, I don’t feel that a one-day trip with only a few hours in Stehekin is enough to really experience the remote and unique atmosphere that the town has to offer, but it is an option if you are limited on time or not completely sold on several days of being totally unplugged!

The boat will likely make one or two stops along the way to and from Stehekin to pick up or drop off passengers or freight. When you do arrive in Stehekin, you will arrive at the dock at the Stehekin Landing. At the Landing, you will find the North Cascades Lodge at Stehekin, including their General Store and restaurant. The Golden West Visitor Center is also located at the landing, although I have to say that it has never been open when we have visited! Maybe you will be luckier than we have been. Here is a great little map of the area that I found.

You can also hike into Stehekin if you are adventurous. You can board the Lady of the Lake ferry and have it drop you in Prince Creek and hike the 17-mile Lakeshore Trail to Stehekin. Or you can start further north on Highway 20 in the North Cascades and hike the 19-mile section of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) into Stehekin. On the opposite end of the spectrum, if you have a much bigger budget, you can catch a float plane in Seattle and fly into Stehekin.

•Lodging in stehekin•

Both times that we have visited, we have stayed at the North Cascades Lodge at Stehekin. It’s a stone’s throw from the boat dock, and most of the cabins and rooms have wonderful views of the lake. On our first visit, we stayed in the Swissmont 2-Queen Lakeview room. It was a surprisingly large room with an expansive deck area with seating that overlooks the lake. The room had tons of windows, a dining table that fit our family of four, and a futon. It was a great size for a family of four. There are no televisions in the rooms, and wi-fi is only available at the General Store for $5 per day. We did buy the wi-fi pass one time for our kids, but let’s just say that it wasn’t the internet speed that they were used to…

On our second visit, we had a larger group and we splurged and rented the Lake House. The Lake House is a bit further down the road from the lodge, right past Discovery Bikes. It’s an easy walk, and the lodge staff will load up your luggage and drive it there and back for you. The Lake House is right on the lake with a nice deck that has a grill and a hot tub. I didn’t realize there was a hot tub and failed to pack swimsuits. The chemicals in the hot tub ended up bleaching my brand-new t-shirt that I wore in, so don’t make the same mistake that I did… We really enjoyed the space of the Lake House with a full kitchen, dining room, living room with gas fireplace, multiple bedrooms and bathrooms, and a washer and dryer. If you have a large group, this is the way to go! Although we were quite sure there was a raccoon-ish sized animal roaming the attic, so consider yourself warned when you hear it during the night!

Check-in for the lodge is in the General Store and the stated check-in time is 3pm. This means you will have several hours before check-in if you arrive on the Lady Express, which docks at 11am. On our first visit, our room was not ready until about 3pm. It was a rainy, chilly day and the restaurant was closed due to COVID. We huddled outside on the deck of the lodge with our luggage at a table with chairs the entire time and we were so cold and damp (and miserable) by the time 3pm rolled around. On our second visit, we were much luckier, and our accommodations were ready when we arrived, and the weather was beautiful so that helped too! If your room is not ready and you want to explore, you can leave your luggage at the General Store. However, keep in mind that this means that your luggage is just sitting outside the store unattended, so don’t plan to leave any valuables. Although with no roads out of town, hopefully people aren’t making off with your things!

The lodge including the restaurant and general store are open from mid-May to mid-October. There are select units that are open year-round. I have never visited in the winter season, but I have heard that Stehekin gets several feet of snow annually and is a popular snowshoeing and backcountry skiing destination. I hope to try that some day when I learn to snowshoe!

There are other lodging options in the Stehekin valley including the Stehekin Valley Ranch, which is about 9 miles up-valley from the head of Lake Chelan. They have an assortment of cabins, glamping tents, and even wagons (with bathrooms!) that you can rent. There are also a variety of cabins for rent elsewhere in Stehekin, and the Purple Point Campground which is close to the Landing.

•things to do in stehekin•

Most of the activities in Stehekin revolve around enjoying the outdoors or exploring some of the historic side of the area.

Rainbow Falls – Located 3.5 miles from the Landing, this two-tiered 312-foot waterfall is one of the most popular destinations for visitors. The trail is about a quarter mile round trip from the parking lot and quite flat and ADA accessible with a viewing platform at the end. There are also stairs to your left as you approach the falls that will take you up to a higher viewing platform with a different view of the falls. The platforms can be wet with mist from the falls, so be cautious, but enjoy the view!

Buckner Orchard – This active apple orchard with 350 apple trees is maintained by the National Park Service and the apples are free for the enjoyment of residents and visitors! There are baskets, boxes, and ladders for you to pick apples. We visited in the fall and brought back a box of apples on the ferry with us to continue enjoying the apples even after we left Stehekin!

Stehekin Pastry Company – One of our favorite things to do when we visit is stock up on pastries at the famous Stehekin Pastry Company. From their famous cinnamon rolls to slices of pizza to an assortment of delicious desserts, the Pastry Company never disappoints. They also offer ice cream by the scoop, which the kids always enjoy, and an espresso bar for the adults! There is also a small gift shop in a building next to the bakery that offers a selection of nice souvenirs.

The Garden – Shortly before you reach the Pastry Company, the Stehekin Garden is on the right side of the road. This dahlia-lined one-acre organic garden offers a variety of fruits and vegetables, honey, maple syrup, soaps, and goat cheese and yogurt for sale and is open 8-5 daily. You can check out the raised bee boxes and the goats while you are there. And be sure not to miss the gumball machine on the side of the road near the Garden!

Hiking – There are numerous hiking trails throughout the Stehekin Valley. The Lodge at Stehekin website does a great job of summarizing the hikes and categorizing them into easy, moderate, and difficult. We tried part of the Lakeshore Trail and it was super easy for kids and meandered right along the lake with nice views and little elevation gain.

Old Stehekin School House – The old one-room Stehekin School is a log structure that was built in 1921 and used until 1988 when a new school was built. The old school is on the National Register of Historic Places, and you are free to enter the school and poke around. You will see the old desks and wood stove as well as artwork from children that currently attend the new school that is located just down the road (although not open to the public). The current Stehekin School is available for resident children in grades K-8, after which the children are homeschooled or attend high school elsewhere.

Other Activities – Fishing is another popular activity in the Stehekin Valley. Horseback riding is also available through the Stehekin Valley Ranch. The General Store has kayaks and paddle boards available for rent so that you can explore Lake Chelan. See below for more information about bike rentals as well.

•GETTING AROUND stehekin•

While there are roads within Stehekin, the only vehicles are those owned by the residents. Therefore, you need to plan for another mode of transportation, and your choice will likely be driven by how long you plan to stay in Stehekin. If you only have a 90-minute layover and want to see sites beyond the landing, your best bet is probably a Red Bus tour. If you have a few hours, there are other options including bike and Can-Am rentals.

Our favorite thing to do when we visit Stehekin is to rent a Can-Am for a half day and explore the area. The Can-Am can comfortably accommodate four people, and probably could fit six if needed. The rental office is located right next to Discovery Bikes, not far from the Stehekin Landing. These side-by-side UTVs are perfect for exploring and jumping out at the various stops throughout the valley. Check this website for information about rentals.

The Red Shuttle Bus is operated by the North Cascades Lodge at Stehekin and travels the Stehekin Valley Road from the lodge all the way to High Bridge, 11 miles up the road at the entrance to North Cascades National Park. The trip takes about an hour each way from the Landing to High Bridge. The bus also has planned stops at the bakery (1.9 miles from the Landing) and Harlequin Bridge (4.4 miles from the Landing). They also offer shorter Rainbow Falls tours that are ideal for those doing a Stehekin day trip. Stop by the General Store for a bus schedule and more information.

Discovery Bikes is close to the Stehekin Landing and they have a variety of bikes available for rent. They offer hourly and daily rentals at reasonable prices. The Stehekin Valley Road is paved and flat from the Landing to Harlequin Bridge (about 4 miles), allowing you to reach the Pastry Company, Rainbow Falls, the Old School House, and the Orchard by bike. However, after Harlequin Bridge the road is gravel and less flat, so it will be more challenging to bike in that area. The Stehekin Valley Ranch offers electric bike rentals as well.

When all else fails, you can walk too! We walked from the Lodge to the Pastry Company, which is about 1.9 miles one way, with our two kids aged 9 and 7 at the time. It’s a flat, easy, and scenic walk with the reward of pastries and ice cream!

•dining in stehekin•

The Lodge does have a restaurant that is open in the non-winter months. It is the only restaurant in Stehekin that offers all three meals, and they also serve adult beverages and ice cream by the scoop. We found the food to be enjoyable, and you can’t beat the convenience if you are staying at the Lodge. You can also purchase a limited selection of groceries and souvenirs at the General Store.

Stehekin Valley Ranch is open mid-June through early October. Dinner is the only meal offered to those that aren’t staying at the Ranch, and advance reservations are required. And of course, there’s the Stehekin Pastry Company, which is generally open 7:30-5 during the summer (hours vary in the off-season).

If we stay in a cabin with a kitchen, we like to bring a cooler with food to make most of our meals. But if you stay at the lodge in a room without a kitchen, there are no microwaves or mini fridges, so plan accordingly.

•when to visit stehekin•

We have always visited Stehekin in the fall, right before the lodge and Pastry Company and other businesses close for the season. During the fall the days are generally crisp and clear with cold evenings and mornings, and the fall colors are absolutely magical! In the fall there is a greater chance of rain in Stehekin, and snow at higher elevations, than in the summer. However, we have found this time of year to be not very crowded and quite enjoyable.

In the spring the weather is also cool with daytime temperatures reaching between 50 and 70 degrees. Summer is warmer with daytime highs between 80 and 90. There is no air conditioning in Stehekin, so in the summer you may want to plan to enjoy cooling off in the lake! Winter in the Stehekin Valley is quite cold with 4-6 feet of snow on average, and many businesses are closed during the winter.

While you can take a daytrip to Stehekin, I really recommend staying at least two nights in order to experience more of what this little town has to offer. If you like to hike and enjoy being off the grid, you may even want to stay longer! It won’t take long for you to feel like you’ve left the city life of Seattle far behind. For me, the only stressful part of the trip is the point of the boat ride back to Chelan where your cell service returns and your phone fills with notifications from all that you have missed over the past few days…

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