Lake Wenatchee State Park

You've pulled into North Campground, the larger of the two camping areas at Lake Wenatchee State Park. Take a moment to get your bearings. The sites spread out through a mix of shade and open sky, and you'll find a good range of options here — 55 standard sites, 42 partial utility sites with water and electric hookups, and 2 ADA-accessible sites. If you're towing a trailer, this is also where the dump station is located, so keep that in mind when you're choosing your spot.

Each site accommodates up to two vehicles. If you've got a third in your group, overflow parking is available nearby. A centrally located comfort station offers hot showers, which you'll appreciate after a day out on the water or the trails.

The campground sits close to glacier-fed Lake Wenatchee, a five-mile-long lake that also connects to the Wenatchee River. This is active wildlife habitat — bears are present in the park, so store your food securely and be aware of your surroundings from the moment you set up camp.

Reservations open on a rolling schedule each spring, with all North Campground sites available starting in early May. Once snow settles in for the season, the campground closes, and winter camping shifts to a designated area over in the South Park day-use lot.

When you're ready, take a slow walk through the loop to find a site that suits you — and then we'll talk about what's waiting for you just beyond the trees.

You arrive at South Campground, tucked along the southern shore of Lake Wenatchee — a glacier-fed lake stretching five miles through the eastern Cascades. The smell of conifer and cool water greets you as you pull in, and the canopy overhead filters the afternoon light into long, shifting patterns across the ground.

This campground holds 100 standard sites, sized for tents, camper vans, truck campers, and smaller vehicle-and-trailer combinations under twenty feet. Each site accommodates up to two vehicles, and if your group runs larger, overflow parking is available nearby. A credit card machine sits in the South Park area for registration, though self-registration with cash or check works fine if the booth is unstaffed on a limited-schedule day.

Centrally located comfort stations are within easy walking distance of most sites, offering hot showers — a welcome detail after a long day on trail or water. Keep in mind that park gates close at dusk; if you're arriving after dark, the gate will be unlocked, but please close it behind you.

One important note for your stay: this is a genuine wildlife corridor. Bears are present in the park, so store food and scented items securely and stay alert, especially at dawn and dusk.

Reservations open in phases — a limited number of sites come available in mid-April, with full campground access after early May. Snow typically signals the campground's seasonal close, so if you're planning a shoulder-season visit, check the park's current alerts before you head out.

When you're settled, the lake and river are just a short walk away, and more of the park is ready whenever you are.

You arrive at South Beach, and the first thing you notice is the water — Lake Wenatchee stretching out ahead of you, fed by glaciers high in the Cascades and running five miles end to end. The lake is cold and clear, and on a calm day the surface reflects the ridgeline above.

Before you step onto the sand, take a moment to look at what's laid out here. Two designated picnic areas sit along this stretch of beach, and both are connected by Mobi-mats — firm, flat pathway material that gives visitors using wheelchairs, walkers, or other mobility devices a stable surface all the way from the upland path down to the water's edge. One picnic table sits higher on the beach in the shade of the tree line. The other is right at the water's edge, open to the sun. Each spot has accessible amenities, so this part of the park is genuinely usable regardless of how you move through the world.

The lake itself sits inside a natural wildlife area. Bears are present here, so keep food secured and stay aware of your surroundings, especially near the tree line at the edges of the beach. This is their habitat as much as yours.

If you're camping, the South Campground is just behind you — one hundred standard sites sized for tents, camper vans, and rigs under twenty feet, with hot showers available at the comfort station. From here, when you're ready, the Wenatchee River corridor and the trailheads to the north give you more of the park to explore at your own pace.

You pull into the South Park Day-Use parking lot and cut the engine. Right away you're looking out toward Lake Wenatchee — a glacier-fed lake stretching five miles through the Cascades, fed by snowmelt and draining into the Wenatchee River just below. The lot around you does double duty depending on the season, and that's worth keeping in mind before you wander too far.

During the warmer months, this is your launching point for the South Beach. Two ADA-accessible picnic spots are set up down there, connected by Mobi-mats — firm, stable pathways that carry wheelchairs, walkers, and other mobility devices right down to the sand. One table sits higher in the shade; the other sits at the water's edge in full sun. Both are designed so you're not navigating loose ground to get there.

Come winter, this same parking lot becomes the designated area for first-come, first-served winter camping when the main campgrounds close after snowfall. Heated restrooms and showers remain available, and groomed cross-country ski trails, a sled hill, and marked snowshoe routes all become accessible from the park. If you're here in winter with a vehicle, you'll need a Sno-Park Permit — available online or at the park itself.

One thing that applies year-round: this is active wildlife habitat. Bears are present in the park, so stay aware of your surroundings and secure any food or scented items before you step away from your vehicle.

When you're ready, the beach and trailhead access are just ahead.