Fishing
Fishing is one of the top recreational activities at Lake Chelan, and in this deep lake's clear waters, you'll find chinook and kokanee salmon, lake (mackinaw) trout, rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, and freshwater lingcod. Although there is bank fishing for stocked rainbows in the lower lake, most other fishing requires a boat. Up in Stehekin, there is good fly-fishing for native cutthroat and rainbow trout. If you want to make sure you come home from Lake Chelan with some good fish stories, get in touch with Terry Allan of Allan's Fishing Guide Service (tel. 509/687-3084; www.fishlakechelan.com). Guided fishing trips cost $175 for a day of fishing.
Golf
Right on the edge of town, golfers will find the municipal Lake Chelan Golf Course, 1501 Golf Course Dr. (tel. 800/246-5361 or 509/682-8026; www.lakechelangolf.com), where greens fees range from $26 to $37. However, anyone out this way with golf clubs is probably headed to Desert Canyon Golf Resort, 1201 Desert Canyon Blvd., Orondo (tel. 800/258-4173 or 509/784-1111; www.desertcanyon.com), just 17 miles south of Chelan and voted the best public course in Washington. Greens fees range from $55 to $79.
Hiking
Beyond the ends of the roads at the south end of Lake Chelan lie thousands of acres of unspoiled forests and many miles of hiking trails. Access to the trails is from trailheads at road ends or from flagstops along the route of the Lady of the Lake II. However, the best trails begin in the Stehekin area. For more information on hiking opportunities, contact the Wenatchee National Forest's Chelan Ranger District, 428 W. Woodin Ave., Chelan, WA 98816 (tel. 509/682-2576; www.fs.fed.us/r6/wenatchee).
Mountain Biking
During snow-free months, the extensive network of cross-country ski trails at Echo Ridge becomes a mountain-bikers' playground. The area has 20 miles of dirt roads and trails that are open to mountain bikes. The trailhead for this trail system is just under 10 miles from downtown Chelan. Take the Manson Highway (Wash. 150) west to Boyd Road, turn right and follow signs for Echo Valley Ski Area. From the ski area, continue on Forest Service Road 1821-100. Unfortunately, no one in town rents mountain bikes anymore, so you'll have to bring your own.
Watersports
Opportunities for aquatic activities abound on Lake Chelan. Good places to swim include Lakeside Park on the South Shore Road, Don Morse Memorial Park on the edge of downtown Chelan, and Manson Bay Park in Manson. Lake Chelan State Park and 25-Mile Creek State Park, both on South Shore Road, offer swimming, picnicking, and camping.
You can rent powerboats and personal watercraft from Shoreline Watercraft Rentals (tel. 800/682-1561 or 509/682-1515; www.shorelineofchelan.com). Expect to pay around $165 per day.
If you've got the kids along, you'll find it impossible not to spend some time at Slidewaters, 102 Waterslide Dr. (tel. 509/682-5751; www.slidewaters.com), which has eight waterslides, an inner-tube river ride, a 60-person hot tub, and a swimming pool. Admission is $16 for adults, $13 for children under 4 feet tall. You'll find this water park just outside town off the South Shore Road.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
