Long Weekends in Seattle: Backpacking Stehekin

travelintinerarieswashingtonbackpackinghiking
Written By Patricia

Why Visit: 

Also known as the Alaska of Washington, Stehekin is a remote town in the North Cascades region most known to be only accessible by boat or on foot. Boasting beautiful lake views against a backdrop of the breathtaking Cascade Mountains, Stehekin definitely categorizes as a must-visit Washington destination.

Where is Stehekin: 

North Cascades - northern tip of Lake Chelan

Best Season to Visit: 

Late Spring/ Early Summer

How to get there: 

There are several ways to get to Stehekin, the easiest of which is driving to Chelan or Field Point from Seattle and taking a boat straight into Stehekin and exploring from there. However, this article will focus on backing in through the Lakeshore Trail from Prince Creek.

Ideal Number of Days Required: 

3.5 days

Quick Itinerary:

Day 1 (half day): 

  • Drive from Seattle to Chelan or Field Point, ~3.5hrs

  • Camp at 25 Mile Creek State Park Campground or Snowberry Bowl Campground

Day 2: 

  • Board the Ferry to Field Point (Lady of the Lake), arrive by either 11a or 12p depending on the boat

  • Hike 10 miles to Moore Point Campground; Camp at Moore Point overlooking the water.

Day 3: 

  • Wake up, hike the remaining 7 miles into Stehekin, camp at one of the many campgrounds

  • Assuming you get into Stehekin around noon or slightly after, depending on your hiking speed, spend the rest of the evening exploring Stehekin

Day 4:

  • Explore Stehekin, board the 2pm boat back to your car, drive back to Seattle



Detailed Itinerary:

Day 1 (half day): 

  • Drive from Seattle to Chelan or Field Point, ~3.5hrs

  • Camp at 25 Mile Creek State Park Campground or Snowberry Bowl Campground 

    • Communal’s Note - we tried finding an overland spot here without much luck despite being in the National Forest. We would plan on using a campground instead of searching for a free spot. There are a few pull offs on the way to Snowberry Bowl CG, but we found them to be in tricky areas given road traffic or too uneven for our liking.

Day 2: 

  • Board the Ferry to Field Point (Lady of the Lake), arrive by either 11a or 12p depending on the boat

    • Communal’s Note - if you are coming on a holiday weekend, prepare for the boat to be crowded and standing room only if you are arriving close to departure time

  • Hike 10 miles to Moore’s Point Campground; Camp at Moore’s Point overlooking the water

Lady of the Lake Stops

Lady of the Lake Stops

Day 3: 

  • Wake up, hike the remaining 7 miles into Stehekin, camp at one of their many reservable campgrounds. 

    • Communal’s Note - Harlequin campground is first come first served before Memorial Day and High Bridge Campground is always first come first served in case the reservation-based options are unavailable.

    • Communal’s Advice -  Rent a bike to get around the area. Although there aren’t that many things to do in Stehekin, the things to do are pretty spread apart - Harlequin CG is around 4.5 miles from the Ferry Landing where the Lakeshore Trail ends. While there are shuttles that run throughout the day, they are infrequent and we really enjoyed the freedom of being able to explore on our own schedule. Bike rentals are $45 for a 24-hour rental and the shuttle is $10 per ride to anywhere except the bakery, which is $5/ride.

  • Assuming you get into Stehekin around noon or slightly after, spend the rest of the evening exploring Stehekin

    • Communal’s Note - the restaurant in town is only open for lunch and dinner and closed in between. Check their hours here and confirm before heading out if you plan on dining here. Otherwise, the pastry company (which is amazing) doesn’t close in between meal services and is a great option if getting it at an odd hour. Otherwise, I recommend packing in your own food for your meal to enjoy at camp!

Harlequin CG was a dream - set up right by the river, this was literally the view from my tent

A sticky bun from the much loved Stehekin Pastry Company

Day 4:

  • Explore Stehekin, board the 2pm boat back to your car, drive back to Seattle

  • Can’t miss sights in town:

    • Visit Rainbow Falls - a dramatic waterfall that is a quick spur off the main road (longer hikes available if desired)

    • Visit the Old School House

    • Eat at the Pastry Company, visit the gift shop next door

    • Communal’s Note: Stehekin is a one-road type of place - you’ll see most attractions are you bike up and down the road, especially if you end up staying in Harlequin CG

Map of Attractions and CGs in Stehekin

Map of Stehekin Attractions

Patricia