sunflower
Travel

Alta Lake State Park Offers Great Camping, Fishing Destination

SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURESBy Leslee Jaquette
If you are looking for a cozy camping and fishing destination for this summer’s “stay-cation,” consider Alta Lake State Park. I suggest making reservations for mid-week or Sunday nights because this popular and accessible park is probably booked on weekends throughout the season. But check out Alta Lake soon because this little gem of a state park in Eastern Washington near Pateros, offers a lot of charms in a compact area.
This lake is human-sized at about two miles in length and a half-mile in width. While Alta Lake is known for abundant trout fishing, it still provides enough area for other boating activities such as personal watercraft, jet-skiing, runabouts pulling inflatables, stand-on-top paddleboards, canoeing and kayaking. For those who do not own watercraft, the park is armed with two ramps, docks and boat rentals, making it easy to glam up a camping trip with a boating experience.
On a recent pilgrimage from Seattle, eight of us ventured east to revel in the park’s elegant, high-desert location. We camped in sites 101 and 102 of the 181-acre park which features scores of well-kept sites and spotless restrooms. Over this Father’s Day Weekend we experienced a gorgeous sunny Saturday in the mid-70s and to our delight, no bugs!
SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURESThe park is surrounded by high country pine and fir forests to the west and virtually barren desert to the east. After morning hikes to a stunning viewpoint, the swim area beckoned. We discovered the central swimming beach has everything you need for an afternoon of waterplay: a concession stand with chow and a dozen flavors of shakes, restrooms with showers, playground, grassy picnic area and roped off swimming beach. We were pleased that everyone followed the pets-on-a-leash rule. But when one excited golden retriever got loose and bounded around the beach, no one cared a bit – especially the dozing Saint Bernard!
Alta Lake is also a keen day-use area for those exploring the North Cascades. You need to bring your “Discover Pass” or buy a day use permit. The park provides one kitchen shelter without electricity, two sheltered picnic tables and 18 unsheltered picnic tables. All day-use facilities are first come, first served.  Adjacent to the park is a pretty little, public 18-hole golf course. Not to be left in the Dark Ages, the park also boasts WiFi.
SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURESFrom Seattle, visitors can access Alta Lake via I-90 or Highway 2 to Wenatchee. From there, drive  north on Highway 97 to Pateros. Realistically, the drive takes about three-plus hours, but either route is beautiful.
I’m headed back to Alta Lake as soon as possible. Maybe I will return next fall when life calms down a bit. I would really like to grab a sturdy hiking buddy and head up into the hills to the west of the park for what we call “booneying” – as in scrambling in the boondocks.
I cannot recommend this close-to-home destination enough for campers, RVers, boaters, anglers, day-trippers and families. This lovely state park, nestled among the mountains and near the great Columbia River (best place for waterskiing), is one of those getaways that promises a special outdoor experience for most every age, sort and style of visitor.
For more information:
Alta Lake State Park: 1B Otto Road, Pateros, WA 98846
509-923-2473; http://www.parks.wa.gov/239/Alta-Lake
FYI – State Park Free Days: Mon, Aug. 25, Sat. Sep. 27, Tues. Nov. 11