NOTE: Click Here for
Upper Lake Chelan Hikes
From a simple walk around Riverwalk Park to a more strenuous hike in the downlake region to a real mountain adventure in the upper regions of the lake and the Cascades, Lake Chelan offers numerous alternatives depending on what you're looking for.

Riverwalk Park
This popular park and loop trail is a favorite for early morning and evening walkers, joggers, rollerbladers and bicyclists needing exercise prior to going to work. Owned and maintained by Chelan County PUD, this park is located on the Chelan River just below the old bridge. It is also a good warm-up for a longer walk, run or ride in the lower basin.
Best time of year: All year long.

It is not a long hike, but it offers some great views of Chelan and the lake.

Chelan Butte
There is an old double track road crossing the face of the Butte that is a local favorite for running and hiking. The High School cross-country team runs this route. It is not a long hike, but offers some great views of Chelan and the lake.
How to get there: Visitors can park at Lakeside Park and walk up the Butte Road until they hit dirt. About 150 feet down the dirt road is the jeep trail that leads out to the Face of the Butte hike. Or, drive to dirt road and park along side the road and begin your hike there. There are several trails off the jeep road that head up Chelan Butte. They are not traveled very much and recreationists will want to keep an eye out for rattlesnakes. There are several other trails that take off from the jeep road towards Chelan that end up overlooking the lake and town.

The other way to access this trail is from the other end. Drive across the new bridge and take a left just before the high school. Follow that road to apartment complex and park. The Face of the Butte trail begins on the Butte right there. Another hike on the Butte is up the Chelan Butte Road towards the top.
Best time: Early morning or evening because it is very hot during the day.

Chelan Gorge
The Chelan Gorge Road is another local favorite for walking, running and riding mountain bikes. Many locals take their dogs for long runs on this 4.5 mile dirt road. It gets the recreationist out of town and into a country setting quickly. There are some great overlooks of the Chelan River and Chelan River Gorge on this route. Be careful.
Best time of year: Spring, Summer and Fall

...a favorite mountain biking and hiking area for visitors of the Valley.

Echo Ridge
Built by the Forest Service for cross-country skiing, this trail system located eight miles out of town is a favorite mountain biking and hiking area for visitors to the Valley. There are 18 miles of trail and numerous other old grown over jammer (logging) roads to explore in the area. The difficulty of these trails varies, but the suitability for families with children is excellent. You will walk over open ridge tops and through a young, emerging forest recovering from a devastating 1968 wildfire that swept the area.
To get there: Drive out of Chelan towards Manson and follow the signs to Echo Valley and Echo Ridge.
Best time of Year: Spring, Summer and Fall (This is a premiere cross-country ski area in the winter).

North Fork 25-Mile Creek Trail (No. 1265)
This Forest Service trail is located out the south shore of Lake Chelan with a trail head at the Snowberry Bowl Campground.
To get there: Drive to 25-Mile Creek State Park and drive to the trail head where you will be required to pay a $5 fee or display a Northwest Forest Pass which can be obtained from the Chelan Ranger District or 25-Mile Creek State Park for $30. The pass allows you to park at any National Forest and Park Service trail head without further cost.

The North Fork trail is open to hiking and mountain biking. This scenic trail parallels the north fork of 25-Mile Creek. Parts of the trail were burnt over in the 1998 North Fork wildfire, so there could be windfall over the trail. It is a very pleasant down-lake hiking trail, suitable for children, with shady spots and cool creek side nooks spread along the path. The trail climbs gently for three miles and then turns steep so it is rated Easy to More Difficult. Take water or a water purifier.
Best time of year: Late spring to late fall.

Pot Peak
The Pot Peak Trail is also accessed from Snowberry Bowl and is rated Most Difficult even though it is only four miles to the top of Pot Peak. Take plenty of water and a hiking stick. You will be hiking through a mature pine forest. The trail doesn't actually end at Pot Peak, but continues up to the 6,500 foot elevation where it connects with the epic Devil's Backbone. This trail is a motorcycle trail and is well-maintained by the local riders. Chances of running across a motorcycle is small.
Best time of year: Late spring to late fall.

There are a number of other trails located in the down-lake region. The best way to find out where to access them is a visit to the Chelan Ranger District located at 428 W. Woodin Avenue. (509) 682-2576.

SAWTOOTH BACKCOUNTRY
Safety Harbor Creek - Uno Peak - Summer Blossom Trails:
If you are looking for some serious hiking trails suitable for the entire family and are ready for a drive into the mountains, these three trails offer some high country hiking without a trip up-lake. While a family car can drive to these trail heads, it is not recommended. It really takes a SUV with all-wheel drive or four wheel drive to negotiate the rocky and rutted Forest Service Roads in the area.

Safety Harbor Creek Trail & Uno Peak Trail
This trail head is located 35 miles from Chelan. To get there, drive towards Manson and turn at Wapato Lake Road (casino turnoff) and follow the signs to Antilon Lake. Once at Antilon, continue out Forest Service Road 8200. You will drive in and out of a number of drainages and the driving is slow. When you reach FS 200, turn left and follow it to the trail head one mile down. It is a fee based trail head and will cost you $5 per car ($30 yearly Forest Pass).

The Safety Harbor Trail connects with the Uno Peak loop after three miles. After another 3.3 miles you will end up at Miners Basin with is where the Uno Peak Trail takes a left and guides you back to the trail head nine miles away. This hike will take you along Safety Harbor Creek and is a pleasant way to spend a day, but it is a 15 mile loop so be prepared with water, food and clothing for the possibility of changing weather. Snow fall in early September is not unheard of up in the Sawtooths.

These trails are open to motorcycles, horses, mountain bikes and hikers.
Best time of year: July through late fall (depending on snow conditions).

Driving gets a little more difficult... but it's worth the effort.

Boiling Lake Trail (South Navarre Campground)
This horse camp and trail head is another four miles up the FS 8200 road. Driving gets a little more difficult as you drive the ridge line to South Navarre, but it is worth the effort. From here, Trail 1259 takes the hiker into Miners Basin. At the juncture for Uno Peak, turn right and head towards Horsethief Basin and on to Boiling Lake (11 miles) or Cub Lake (13.2 miles). This puts you right on the edge of the Lake Chelan Sawtooth Wilderness. The fishing is great at Cub Lake.
Best time of year: July through late fall (depending on snow conditions).

Summer Blossom
If you are looking for serenity, the six mile hike into Miners Basin from the Summer Blossom trail head is the hike you are looking for. It is a hiker only trail that takes the user through high country alpine meadows bursting with wildflowers. It is a great day hike for the family. Start early though because the drive into these trail heads is a minimum of two hours on rough, primitive Forest Service Road.
Best time of year: July through late fall (depending on snow conditions).

NOTE: Click Here for Upper Lake Chelan Hikes

Essentials:

• Water or purifier
• Clothing for weather changes
• Food or energy snacks
• A camera with plenty of film
• A compass
• A knife

Trail Courtesy & Safety
Remember, public lands belong to all of us. Respect other types of trail users.

• Stay on the trails... short cutting switchbacks or traveling off trails kills vegetation and causes erosion.
• Practice minimum impact: take only photographs, leave only tracks - Tread Lightly.
• Stop when approaching horses, move off the trail on the downhill side and speak softly so the horse knows you are there.
• Know your abilities and ride or hike appropriately.
• Carry water or a water purifier. Stream or lake water must be boiled or treated before drinking.
• Carry a first-aid kit and sun screen - the sun is intense in the high country.
• Be careful with fire... use only approved fire rings and make sure your fire is Dead Out before leaving your campground.
• Carry your garbage out.
• Tell someone where you are going and when you expect to return.

Site Design by Sun Graphic