Lake Chelan National Recreation Area
Encyclopedia
Lake Chelan National Recreation Area is a U.S. National Recreation Area (NRA) located about 35 miles (56.3 km) south of the Canadian border in Chelan County, Washington. It encompasses an area of approximately 62000 acres (25,090.5 ha) including the northern end of Lake Chelan
and the surrounding area of the Stehekin Valley and the Stehekin River
. The area is managed by the U.S. National Park Service
as part of the North Cascades National Park Service Complex
.
Lake Chelan NRA is adjacent to the North Cascades National Park
South Unit. There are no roads that lead into Lake Chelan NRA. The recreation area and Stehekin
, a small town located within the park with fewer than 100 permanent residents, are accessible only by floatplane
or passenger ferry
from the south end of Lake Chelan near the town of Chelan, Washington
. The area can also be accessed by hiking trails through the Cascade Range
during the summer months. During the summer, an off-road bus service operated by the NPS carries weary hikers to the town from the Pacific Crest Trail
.
Visitors to Lake Chelan NRA can get general information about the area at the Golden West Visitor Center located near the ferry landing. The Buckner Homestead Historic District
, Purple Point-Stehekin Ranger Station House
, and the one-room Stehekin School
are located within the Lake Chelan NRA. They are all listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
Lake Chelan
Lake Chelan is a narrow, 55-mile-long lake in Chelan County, northern Washington state, U.S. It is the largest natural lake in Washington state...
and the surrounding area of the Stehekin Valley and the Stehekin River
Stehekin River
The Stehekin River is a river located in Washington state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. It is the main river flowing into Lake Chelan. Miners arrived in Stehekin River Valley in the late 19th century. They were followed by homesteaders in the early 20th century...
. The area is managed by the U.S. National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
as part of the North Cascades National Park Service Complex
North Cascades National Park Service Complex
North Cascades National Park Complex is a complex of the United States National Park Service located in the north-central portion of the state of Washington...
.
North Cascades National Park
North Cascades National Park is a U.S. National Park located in the state of Washington. The park is the largest of the three National Park Service units that comprise the North Cascades National Park Service Complex. Several national wilderness areas and British Columbia parkland adjoin the...
South Unit. There are no roads that lead into Lake Chelan NRA. The recreation area and Stehekin
Stehekin, Washington
Stehekin is a small unincorporated community in Chelan County, Washington. It is part of Wenatchee–East Wenatchee Metropolitan Statistical Area. Located at the northwest end of Lake Chelan, it lies just south of the North Cascades National Park at . It is within Lake Chelan National...
, a small town located within the park with fewer than 100 permanent residents, are accessible only by floatplane
Floatplane
A floatplane is a type of seaplane, with slender pontoons mounted under the fuselage; only the floats of a floatplane normally come into contact with water, with the fuselage remaining above water...
or passenger ferry
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
from the south end of Lake Chelan near the town of Chelan, Washington
Chelan, Washington
Chelan is a city in Chelan County, Washington, United States. The population was 3,890 at the 2010 census. It sits on the southeast tip of Lake Chelan, where the lake flows into the Chelan River....
. The area can also be accessed by hiking trails through the Cascade Range
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America, extending from southern British Columbia through Washington and Oregon to Northern California. It includes both non-volcanic mountains, such as the North Cascades, and the notable volcanoes known as the High Cascades...
during the summer months. During the summer, an off-road bus service operated by the NPS carries weary hikers to the town from the Pacific Crest Trail
Pacific Crest Trail
The Pacific Crest Trail is a long-distance mountain hiking and equestrian trail on the Western Seaboard of the United States. The southern terminus is at the California border with Mexico...
.
Visitors to Lake Chelan NRA can get general information about the area at the Golden West Visitor Center located near the ferry landing. The Buckner Homestead Historic District
Buckner Homestead Historic District
The Buckner Homestead Historic District, near Stehekin, Washington in Lake Chelan National Recreation Area incorporates a group of structures relating to the theme of early settlement in the Lake Chelan area...
, Purple Point-Stehekin Ranger Station House
Purple Point-Stehekin Ranger Station House
The Purple Point-Stehekin Ranger Station House is a National Park Service ranger residence located in the Lake Chelan National Recreation Area of northern Washington. The building was built at Purple Point above Lake Chelan in the small, unincorporated community of Stehekin, Washington...
, and the one-room Stehekin School
Stehekin School
The Stehekin School is a log structure built in 1921 as a school for the community of Stehekin, Washington. The property includes two outhouses and a separate kindergarten cabin. The school was used from 1921 to 1988, when a new school was built....
are located within the Lake Chelan NRA. They are all listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.