Destination Lake Chelan

We will be hauling the sailboat to Lake Chelan in about two weeks, I hope to have some tips and a few pictures to post when I get back.

btw, this is Cypress Island DNR not Chelan

OK, OK, were back from Lake Chelan, see some pictures and tips

This is the ramp at Old Mill Park in Manson, its about 8 miles up lake from Chelan.
This is where you should put in, very big long term parking lot is $7 daily (ticket machine doesn't give change), you're not supposed to overnight here but there is no one to tell you not to and there is a very convenient dock right in front the the bathroom. If its late in the day stay here, if you have time head for Lake Chelan State Park across and uplake  about 5 miles.

Old Mill Park in Manson, good ramp, easy staging (watch trees), lots of long term parking

Lake Chelan State Park at First Creek

This is the free public dock at the State Park, you can camp for free on a first come basis. On shore close by are all the park facilities, bathrooms concession etc. This is where your boat would be tied up if you camped on shore. There's a launch ramp off picture.  Lots of campers keep their boat on trailer and launch each day.  This dock can get very nasty at night, with high wind and waves, bring your biggest fenders. The city of Manson is around point on left, Chelan just beyond.

This is what they call a watercraft site for $18 night. You share a two boat dock, but you have no facilities on shore except bathroom, no picnic table, no fire pit. those tents on shore are other camp sites. Ideally you would reserve two sites, watercraft and regular tent camp next door. Then you would have it all.

Not the best picture, but this is the view looking uplake from  just off shore of Lake Chelan State Park. The lake is about 1 to 1.5 miles wide and wanders around following the canyon. The first fifteen miles or so of shoreline is wall to wall houses, each with their own dock and vacation land. Many many docks have systems to lift boats clear of water  testimony  to how vicious the waves get. Some local boaters told us to be sure to find a hiding place before the wind and waves kick up in the evening. I spotted very few sailboats along shore or sailing,  Our sailboat is mostly motoring, we are cutting the trip short due to lack of good wind.

This is the dock and Park store at 25 mile State Park. This is the end of the road.  Further uplake travel is by boat or airplane. Notice the solid concrete seawall protecting the basin. Did I mention big waves and high wind?  Off picture to right is the campground.

This was as far as we went, when we come back at some future date we will bring a power boat more suitable than sailing. Uplake from here are a number of boat in campgrounds, I'm a little suspicious of their breakwaters, from the ones we've seen already at DNR parks they are minimal at best.

When you see a wall like this at a State Park, you've got to wonder why

As you can see the skipper has thoughts best left alone.

We borrowed the ferry dock for a few minutes, this is where people park their cars and then ride the ferry the last 25 miles to Stehekin

I wish I had more to detail, but we quit early due to poor sailing conditions.  Lake Chelan as a whole is a wonderful place to enjoy water sports, its just in my opinion not a sailing lake. Sorry.  If a family had the money, I think renting a vacation place right on the water and bringing your boat would be great.