Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
(U.S. 97A), operates three passenger ferries—
Lady of the Lake II, Lady Express,
and
Lady Cat
—between Chelan and Stehekin. The trip encompasses some of
the most spectacular scenery in the Northwest as you travel from gentle rolling
foothills to deep within the rugged North Cascades mountains. Wildlife, includ-
ing deer, mountain goats, and even bears, are frequently seen from the boats.
The
Lady of the Lake II
takes 9
1
⁄
2
hours for the round-trip (including a 90-min.
layover) and charges $26 per person, while the
Lady Express
takes about 6 hours
(including a 60-min. layover) and charges $45. The
Lady Cat,
the fastest of the
three boats, makes the round-trip in only 4 hours (including a 90-min. layover)
but costs $90. Children ages 2 to 11 pay half fare, and children under age 2 ride
free. Unless you plan to stay overnight, you won't have more than 90 minutes to
look around Stehekin unless you book a combination ticket that allows you to
go up on one of the boats, spend 3
1
⁄
4
to 7
1
⁄
4
hours in Stehekin, and return on a
boat other than the one you went up on. These combination tickets are only
available in summer.
If you want to get to Stehekin in a hurry, you can make the trip by floatplane
on
Chelan Airways
(
&
509/682-5555;
www.chelanairways.com), which leaves
from the dock next to the ferries. The fare is $120 round-trip. This company
also offers flight-seeing trips for between $80 and $150.
A variety of day trips are also operated in conjunction with the two passenger
ferries of the
Lake Chelan Boat Company
(
&
509/682-4584;
www.lady
ofthelake.com). Tours include the popular bus ride to 312-foot Rainbow Falls
($7 adults, $4 children 6-11, free for children under 6), and a narrated bus trip
up the valley to High Bridge and then a picnic lunch ($20 adults, $10 children
6-11, $5 children under 6). Other hiking and biking tours are also available.
Although a road (paved for the first 4 miles) once led 23 miles up the Ste-
hekin Valley to Cottonwood Campground, a flood in 1995 damaged much of
the road toward the upper end of the valley and another flood in October 2003
did even more damage. Currently, the road is only open as far as High Bridge
(10 miles up valley). Transportation up the Stehekin Valley Road is provided by
two different buses. The National Park Service's shuttle operates between mid-
May and mid-October and, depending on how far up the valley you go, costs
between $6 and $12 ($3-$6 children 12 and under). Reservations for this bus
should be made at least 2 days ahead of time (preferably much farther in
advance) by calling the
Golden West Visitor Center
(
&
360/856-5700,
ext. 340,
then 14). Between late May and the end of September, another bus runs four
times a day between Stehekin Landing and High Bridge. No reservations are
required for this bus, and the cost is $6. If you just want to ride as far as the Ste-
hekin Pastry Company, the fare is only $1.
A wide range of recreational activities can also be arranged in Stehekin
through the
Courtney Log Office
(
&
509/682-4677
), which is located 150
yards up the road from the boat landing. Horseback rides are offered through
Cascade Corrals
(
&
509/682-7742
) at Stehekin Valley Ranch. A 2
1
⁄
2
-hour ride
costs $38. White-water rafting trips on the Stehekin River are operated by Ste-
hekin Valley Ranch and cost $45 per person. Mountain bikes can be rented for
$20 per day from
Discovery Bikes
(no phone; http://stehekindiscoverybikes.
com), which is located at the Courtney Log Office. Discovery Bikes also does a
very fun Ranch Breakfast Tour that includes a hearty breakfast at Stehekin Val-
ley Ranch and then a bike ride down the valley.
Along the length of the Stehekin Valley, there are many miles of excellent hik-
ing trails ranging from easy strolls along the river to strenuous climbs high into
