I stumbled onto this gem while planning our labor day long weekend near Lake Chelan. I have never been to Lake Chelan but heard it’s a popular local spot for vacations. I didn’t find any camping options at Lake Chelan State Park or affordable vacation homes but I did find Stehekin, a remote community nestled in the northwest end of the lake. The more I read about it, the more intrigued I was. 

Stehekin is only accessible by boat, plane, or foot. There are no connecting roads from the main outside world. It is also the gateway into North Cascades National Park, which already won my heart. From that, I was easily sold on visiting and invite my old co-worker/friend, Andrew, and his girlfriend, Lindsay along. 

Saturday, September 5, 2020

It was early… a very early morning where we started our 3-hour drive at 4:00 am to catch the Lady of the Lake ferry at 8:30 am. The ferry was still pretty busy given it was at 50% capacity due to Covid-19. We sat on the upper open deck for better air circulation and napped for most of the 2.5-hour ride. 

The landscape transformed from dry yellow hills to green forests and a snowcapped mountain. Stehekin was beautiful and it felt like I was transported to a tiny European lakeside village.

We tried checking in early to the North Cascade Lodge but didn’t have any luck. Reception just told us to leave our luggage unsupervised outside the office and come back later. She reassured us that our luggage is safe and they’ve never had any missing or stolen bags. We enjoyed a pretty tasty lunch from the lodge —surprising considering they are the only restaurant in Stehekin. 

After lunch, we rented a Polaris Ranger, a UTV to drive to Rainbow Falls. The owner mentioned the High Bridge, the entrance to the North Cascades National Park. I wasn’t sure what to expect there and there was no cell reception to google it. But we decided to drive all the way there and work our way back to Rainbow Falls. 

I was surprised to see a turquoise river on our journey. The Stehekin River as vivid and blue as Diablo Lake from North Cascades National Park.

When we arrived at the High Bridge, I was stunned at the beauty of this spot! It wasn’t about the bridge but the river and its surroundings. Our spontaneous decision to visit was greatly rewarded.

I could have stayed there for hours but we had to visit Rainbow Falls before we return our UTV. We zipped through the forest with the wind in our hair. It felt somewhat like a lazy hike, where you’re not doing any actual work but reaping all the sights. At Rainbow Falls, it was a short trek to see a tall two-tier waterfall with a visible rainbow from the mist.

After returning the UTV, Chi and I checked into our cabin and freshen up for an early dinner. After our takeout dinner from the lodge, we started a short hike along the Lakeshore Trail. 

The trail was 17-miles long but we turned back after 1-mile. We admired the sunset over the mountains. Once it got dark, Chi and I observed the stars on this peaceful night. 

Sunday, September 6, 2020

We rented bikes to visit the only bakery for breakfast. The bakery had many options—some better than others but I was just glad to get fresh baked goods during these pandemic days.

We planned to eat outdoors but the mosquitos were in full force so we opted to stay indoors. It wasn’t too busy and the tables were spaced out.  

There was also a gift shop next door. The shopkeeper told us a local secret spot called the Emerald Pool. She gave us vague directions that I loosely remembered. She told us to bike north and look for the first trail marker sign about Rainbow Creek on the right. From there, hike, keep right, and look for the pipe to get to the pool. When a local gives you a hidden gem, you have to find it! With no cell service or WiFi, we could only rely on these directions.  

We biked to the trailhead and found the information marker. We hiked for a bit but wasn’t sure what she meant by “look for the pipe” or “keep right”. We hiked towards the creek but noticed the trail heading uphill and veering away from the creek. We must have missed a step and we hiked back out. On our way out, we noticed a beaten path to the right of the main trail. Maybe this is what she meant by “going right” because it was headed towards the creek. We followed this and it led us through someone’s yard, but eventually to the creek. We thought… this could be the swimming hole…

It was a nice area to dipped our feet but felt underwhelming to be the local hidden gem. We returned to our bikes and continued to the Stehekin old school. It felt like visiting a pioneer school. 

We stopped at “The Garden” —the only small garden patch for fresh fruits and vegetables. The nectarines we bought were very sweet and juicy. 

Still unresolved and curious, I returned to the gift store on the ride back and asked the lady again. Her directions were still muddled and she didn’t assure me if the creek was the “emerald pool”. She did mention that “it’s definitely a pool that you’ll know when you’ve arrived” and it’s about a 1-mile hike in. We didn’t hike that far in so I knew we never found it. She told us to ask her granddaughter for better directions in the bakery. This was a quest and so, I followed her tip. She gave me directions that you continue on the trail for a while and when it splits, keep right to follow the creek. She also wrote down directions for us— “Trail. Right. Uphill.” We decided to continue our search in the early evening.

It was getting hot! So, after a quick lunch, we went out on to the lake with motorboats. Little did I know, they were mini-catamarans. They didn’t go too fast but they did crash into waves. It was refreshing and fun. 

As the lake got more shallow towards the Stehekin River, the turquoise color became more vivid. It was beautiful and I’ve never seen this color so close. Unfortunately, the water is 5°C year-round, so swimming is not comfortable. 

We returned to the cabin to freshen up before venturing out to find the secret pool. I was pretty doubtful given how tired we were from the first attempt and our deadline return by 7 pm for dinner before the only restaurant closes. We hiked the trail and then Chi, leading us finally said “the pipe!” It was clearly a black pipe that followed a beaten path along the creek. We followed it and it was getting hopeful. We hiked a little uphill and it was getting bushwhack as the granddaughter explained.

The path ended at the creek but I remember the granddaughter mentioning crossing the river and getting your shoes wet. I spotted a path on the other side and we kept walking following it as the sounds of a waterfall got louder. We made it! The path ended and it was a serene spot. There was an intentionally placed log and rock towards the waterfall. I knew that had to be the emerald pool. 

The fun was definitely the quest but the destination didn’t disappoint. I can see why the locals go for a cold dip here. 

We felt so accomplished and we would make it back in time for dinner. Dinner was in front of our cabin with some fun conversations. As the night got dark, I watched Andrew woo Chi over with astrophotography pictures taken on his Google Pixel 4a phone. 

Monday September 7, 2020

We biked to the bakery for breakfast one more time before returning our bikes. We checked out of our cabin and waited for the ferry by the kayak house. This spot was relaxing and overlooked the lake into the snowcapped Mcgregor Mountain. 

We boarded the ferry back to Lake Chelan. As we approached the dock, the skies turned gray and smoky from a nearby wildfire. Ash was falling and the color of the sky was an eerie beige. It was an unreal experience but we were lucky to have had perfect weather this weekend. 

Reflecting on my summer, Stehekin was my favorite weekend getaway. It was slow and relaxed at a quaint lakeside village surrounded by mountains. The views, High Bridge, Emerald Pool, and the turquoise waters exceeded my expectations. Getting around on bikes and being disconnected felt like I was in a small village in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland. It was the perfect way to close out summer.