Lake Chelan

Lake Chelan is the deepest lake in Washington State and the third deepest in the United States — 1,486 feet deep, 55 miles long, and surrounded by the dramatic peaks of the North Cascades in one of Washington's most spectacular landscapes. The lake's extraordinary depth creates cold water conditions that support Lake Trout (Mackinaw) and Kokanee Salmon in productive populations, while Rainbow Trout inhabit the shallower inlet areas near the Stehekin River at the lake's remote upper end. The lake is split between accessible and genuinely remote. The lower lake (Chelan town to Twenty-Five Mile Creek) is road-accessible and receives regular recreational use. The upper lake (Twenty-Five Mile Creek to Stehekin) is accessible only by boat, floatplane, or the Lady of the Lake ferry — one of Washington's most scenic boat trips, passing through the deepening canyon of the North Cascades to reach the isolated community of Stehekin at the lake's head. The Stehekin River inlet is the lake's finest fly fishing area — wild Rainbow Trout and Bull Trout stage near the river mouth in spring and fall, and the Stehekin Valley's extraordinary wilderness scenery makes the upper lake one of the most rewarding fishing destinations in the Pacific Northwest for anglers who value solitude and setting alongside fish quality. Mackinaw Lake Trout averaging 5–15 pounds provide the most accessible large-fish opportunity in the lower lake, particularly in fall when they move toward the shallows for spawning.