Stehekin is a
small unincorporated community in Chelan County, Washington. It is part of
Wenatchee–East Wenatchee Metropolitan Statistical Area. Located at the northwest
end of Lake Chelan, it lies just south of the North Cascades National Park at
48°18′34″N 120°39′19″W
/ 48.30944°N
120.65528°W. It is within Lake Chelan National
Recreation Area, a unit administered by the National Park Service. Stehekin has
about 75 permanent residents, though its population swells during the summer
with vacationers and seasonal workers. The name "Stehekin" comes from a
Columbia-Moses word meaning "the way through."
Sights to see in Stehekin include the Stehekin Pastry Company, The One Room Schoolhouse, 312' Rainbow Falls, and Harlequin Bridge. Stehekin is a great location for hikers and bikers in the summer, and snowshoers and skiers in the winter. Stehekin is a mecca for photographers year-round.
There is no road access to Stehekin, though several miles of road exist there. It is reachable by passenger ferry, the Lady of the Lake, or private boat from Chelan, or by floatplane. The vehicles in Stehekin have been barged there on Lake Chelan.
