Location: Eastern Washington
Address: 21588 State Route 207, Leavenworth
Acreage: 489
On a winter Seattle day it’s nice to daydream about a sunny summer vacation. Turquoise water, the smell of pine trees and bright blue skies make Lake Wenatchee the perfect place to let your mind water to.
I stopped by Lake Wenatchee on my way to Leavenworth on an August day last summer and immediately was put under the spell of this magical place. I spend several weekends each year in Leavenworth, so I couldn’t believe I hadn’t been here since I was a child. As soon as you step out of your car, the warm, dry air smells like a summer in Eastern Washington.
The shoreline is the draw here, and despite pretty cold water, it’s a popular place for swimming and boating. The swimming area is enclosed, and a lovely sandy beach is fun for kids for hours. Around the corner from the swimming area you’ll find a boat launch, which on the day I visited was almost too windy to get your boat safely in and out of the water. On a calm day, I can imagine a peaceful outing on the lake as being heavenly. The lake is often busy with kayakers, wind surfers, sail boats and motor boats.
If you like camping, Lake Wenatchee has two campgrounds totaling 197 sites (42 with water and electricity for RVs). If you’d like to do a short hike, the Lake Loop Trail (it doesn’t actually loop the whole lake) leaves from the north campground. Near the south campground is an equestrian center where you can ride horses.
If all this talk about summer is bumming you out, there’s plenty of reasons to visit Lake Wenatchee in winter, too. The park has year-round access, and it’s one of the best places in the region for cross-country skiing with more than 10 miles of ski trails. If you’re not a skier, there are also scenic snowshoe trails and areas for sledding.
#434 (Visited 8/6/14)