Transportation

Find all the travel info you need for your Stehekin Vacation here!

Stehekin is a tricky place to get to – no roads connect from the rest of the world. Whether you are looking to come on a boat or hike in on the trail, click here for information about planning your trip.

Once you get here, how do you get around? Have no fear! Click here for info on transportation options within the Stehekin Valley.

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Travel to Stehekin

The journey to Stehekin is half the fun of vacationing here, but DO YOU HOMEWORK before starting your trip!

You will NOT be driving your car to my cabin. There are no roads connecting Stehekin to the rest of the world. Plan to park your car and finish the journey by boat, plane, or walking on your own two feet!

What’s the most common way to get here?

Most of my guests use one of the commercial passenger ferries on Lake Chelan to get to Stehekin. I recommend boarding at Field’s Point Landing if you need a place to park your car, and all of the commercial vessels use this dock. There is more info about your boating options below.

Other Options:

Bring your own boat: If you decide to arrive in your own boat, here are some things to keep in mind: During July and August, most private boats should be able to get to this dock. However, you should be aware that Lake Chelan is regulated by a dam, and the lake level will go down early and late season, making it impossible to get to this shallow dock. In this case, you will have to dock at the main marina ($5/day or $40/season dock permit required), but you can drive our loaner car from there. There is also quite a bit of wood and shallow areas at the head of the lake, so if you are unfamiliar with this area, slow down and exercise caution after passing the main marina at Stehekin. Click here to see a map and directions for travelling the upper end of the lake to the Cabin.

Hike in: There are many trail options for hiking in as well. The National Park Service is a great resource for determining trail conditions and route information.

Passenger Ferry Services on Lake Chelan:

The most common way to get to Stehekin is via one of the passenger ferries:

PLEASE NOTE: There are TWO separate companies which operate passenger ferries on Lake Chelan. Make sure you know which one you are using, and where/when to board.

If you are driving to the boat dock, I recommend parking and boarding at Field’s Point Landing, which is 20 miles up the South Shore of the Lake from the town of Chelan. It does not add driving time to your trip, but does make the boat ride shorter. Both passenger ferry companies will pick up and drop of here as well.

Stehekin Ferry: This is the perfect schedule for checking into my cabin. (Check-in is 2:30pm, Check-out is 11am.) The Ferry arrives in Stehekin at 2:30pm, and departs at 10:40am.

The Stehekin Ferry is a relatively new option – they started operations in 2020. Owned and operated by Colter and Logan Courtney, this company focuses on providing a comfortable trip with a schedule aimed to please folks planning to stay overnight in Stehekin.

This is a great option if you have a long drive to get to Lake Chelan. The Stehekin Ferry will pick you up at Field’s Point (located on the south shore of the lake, 25 miles from the town of Chelan) at 1pm. Visit their website for full info on rates, schedules, and other policies. You can buy tickets online, and I recommend doing so early with this option – it only takes 32 passengers, and can fill up quickly. www.StehekinFerry.com

Lake Chelan Boat Co: The Lady Express and Lady of the Lake (aka Lady II) passenger ferries will take you from Chelan (or Field’s Point) to Stehekin. Their boats leave Chelan at 8:30am, and will get you to Stehekin mid-day. Go to their website (www.ladyofthelake.com) or call their office (888-682-4584) for full schedule, rates, driving directions, or to make reservations for one of the boats.

Getting Around in Stehekin

Complimentary Vehicle

I provide a complimentary vehicle with the cabin. It will be at the landing for you to use to get to and from the cabin, as well as driving around to various destinations in Stehekin while you are here. It is an SUV with an automatic transmission. It will hold quite a lot, but larger groups may have to make multiple trips. Conveniently, it is under 2 miles from the boat landing to the cabin. All drivers must carry their own insurance and be over 21.

Stehekin Shuttle Service

There is a bus service serving the lower 11 miles of the Stehekin Valley Road. You’ll see them coming – they are the “Big Red Buses”. Cost is $8 per person each way. This cabin is located about 200 yards from the Stehekin Valley Road, so you can just walk to the end of the driveway and catch the bus right there at the road. The bus will pick you up or drop you off at any point along the road, so you can use it to get to trailheads or other points of interest such as Rainbow Falls and Buckner Orchard.

Other Methods of Travel

Many points of interest are within walking distance of the cabin. The Stehekin Pastry Co. is an easy walk up the road (less than 1/2 mile). The Garden – an organic garden where you can purchase produce and other locally produced foods – is located directly across the Stehekin Valley Road from the driveway. Also within 2 miles are Rainbow Falls, the Old School House, Buckner Orchard, and the Landing.

Bicycles are also a great option for getting around the valley. There are some cheap bikes here at the cabin, and you can also rent some higher quality ones from Discovery Bikes (located near the boat landing). Or, you can bring your own bike on the Passenger Ferry boats. If you want to spoil yourself, you can also rent Electric Bikes from Stehekin Valley Ranch.