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DESTINATIONS
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Wenatchee-Chelan Route Description
Begin at Confluence State Park, the northernmost of a series of Wenatchee parks along the west bank of the Columbia River. Abundant parking makes this a good jumping-off point for a long ride; if you plan an overnight stay in Chelan, a parking fee will apply ($5.00 in 1996). The ride starts at the park check-in/fee collection booth.
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| | Practicalities |
 | Distance: 87.9 miles (in two parts, 43.0 miles and 44.9 miles). |
| Difficulty: Challenging. |
| Terrain: Rolling road with two major climbs. |
| Highlights: The cities of Wenatchee and Chelan, the Columbia River, and Lake Chelan. |
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Day or Part One
| 0.0 | Leave the check-in/fee booth, head uphill and out of the park to the north.
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| 0.2 | Stop sign at the top of the park exit drive. Turn right on Old Station Rd., then almost immediately turn left on Isenhart. The mile from the park to the highway winds through a fruit-packing industrial area; be alert for turns.
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| 0.5 | Turn left at T-intersection stop sign (Euclid Ave.).
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| 0.55 | RR Crossing and stop sign. |
| 0.6 | Stop sign. Turn right on Penny Rd.
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| 0.9 | Washington Apple Commission Visitor Center on your left. Follow the signs for East Hwy. 2 toward Okanogan/Spokane (get in the left lane). Enter the highway, staying on the shoulder and exercising caution, and proceed up the incline to cross the river.
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| 1.4 | Begin crossing the Columbia River. Road continues to incline. Prepare to turn left at the T-intersection after the bridge at the top of the incline. Turn left following Hwy. 2/97 East towards Spokane/Okanogan. This good, two-lane road with narrow shoulder takes you through orchard land and high sagebrush desert with almost constant views of the Columbia River all the way to Chelan.
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| 7.2 | Convenience store/gas station on right.
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| 7.4 | Rocky Reach Dam access and Lincoln Rock State Park on your left, along with another convenience store. Restroom facilities. Rocky Reach Dam includes an art gallery, geology displays, an electrical museum and fish viewing. Lincoln Rock (so named for the rock outcropping across the river, said to resemble our 16th president) offers camping, boating, swimming and restrooms.
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| 10.4 | Lake Entiat overlook pull-off on the left.
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| 14.3 | ENTERING ORONDO sign.
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| 15.0 | Y in the road; cafi.
Hwy. 2 East goes off to the right toward Waterville. Continue north (straight) on Hwy. 97. |
| 16.6 | Orondo Elementary School on the left.
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| 17.7 | Orondo Park on the left, on the river.
Restroom facilities. |
| 21.4 | Begin a 3/4-mile steeper incline.
Daroga State Park is visible on our left. |
| 21.8 | Entrance to Daroga State Park.
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| 26.7 | Brays Rd. intersects on the right.
Continue straight. |
| 37.0 | Sign for BEEBE BRIDGE & STATE PARK.
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| 37.7 | Access road to Beebe Bridge Park on your left.
Continue straight to cross bridge. |
| 38.0 | Cross the Columbia River on the Beebe Bridge.
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| 38.3 | Turn left, toward Chelan via Hwy. 150 West.
Crossing, followed immediately by a sharp bend to the left. |
| 38.5 | RR.
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| 38.8 | Chelan Falls Park on your left.
Begin a long, steep, winding ascent into Chelan. Excellent (and well-earned!) views of the river valley as you ascend. |
| 40.3 | Top of the worst part of the ascent, as you enter an industrial fruit packing area.
Still climbing. |
| 41.5 | T-intersection; stop sign.
Top of the hill! Alternate Highway 97 North toward Okanogan to the right; turn left on Alt. Hwy. 97 South toward Chelan, Wenatchee and Manson. You can now see the sparkling waters of Lake Chelan, straight ahead. |
| 41.7 | Chelan Middle and Senior High on your right; entering Chelan.
The road you are on is now called Woodin Ave. |
| 42.3 | Sanders St. intersection; signs indicate turns toward South and North Shore Recreation Areas.
Go straight ahead and follow the road as it bends left to cross the picturesque bridge that separates the Chelan River (on your left as you cross) from Lake Chelan (on your right). |
| 42.8 | Wenatchee National Forest Ranger Station on the right.
(You are still on Woodin Ave.) |
| 43.0 | T-intersection where Woodin meets Webster Ave.
Turn off computer. End of first ride. |
Day or Part Two
| 0.0 | Begin at the T-intersection of Woodin and Webster avenues.
Head west on Alt. Hwy. 97 South (turning right off Woodin at the T) toward the south shore of the lake, which you will skirt for the first portion of the ride. |
| 0.5 | Slidewaters waterslide park and Waterslide Drive intersection.
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| 0.6 | Chelan Airways airplane tours on the right, followed immediately by the Lady of the Lake passenger ferry to Stehekin at the north end of the 55-mile lake.
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| 2.2 | Lake Chelan tourist information sign on the right.
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| 2.7 | First sign mentioning Lake Chelan State Park.
We will be following signs toward this park. |
| 3.3 | Take right fork toward Hwy. 971 South/Fields Point Landing, continuing along the south shore of Lake Chelan as Alt. Hwy. 97 peels off and heads south.
Residential development along this section necessitates caution due to driveways and crossroads. |
| 9.55 | Lake Chelan State Park on the right; camping, boating, swimming, water-skiing, scuba diving.
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| 9.6 | Turn left on Navarre Coulee Rd., the continuation of Hwy. 971.
This begins the most infamous stretch of the Wenatchee Apple Capital Century, a winding, steep climb through the edge of the Wenatchee National Forest back to Alt. Hwy. 97 South. The two-lane road is well-paved, with shoulder in places. Stunning views of the lake as you catch your breath on the hairpin turns. |
| 11.0 | You made it!
The worst climb of the day is behind you. Now enjoy a mile-long downhill. The scenery changes from forested ranchland to high desert dotted with orchards. |
| 18.3 | Another nice downhill as you descend toward Alt. Hwy. 97.
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| 18.6 | CAUTION: tight left-hand curve begins a series of S-curves in your final descent toward the highway and the Columbia River.
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| 19.2 | T-intersection with Alt. Hwy. 97.
Turn right to head south along the Columbia River and the Burlington Northern railroad tracks. The ride back to Wenatchee from here is a net downhill. |
| 23.0 | Vast volcanic cliffs in front of you are Ribbon Cliffs, part of Ribbon Mesa.
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| 24.3 | Historical marker on the right, commemorating Earthquake Point, site of a violent earthquake in December 1872.
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| 25.35 | ENTIAT CITY LIMITS.
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| 28.0 | Entiat State Park on the left.
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| 28.5 | Access road to Entiat River Recreational Area on the right.
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| 28.7 | Cross the Entiat River.
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| 37.8 | Vista Point on the left, overlooking Lake Entiat, the name given to this part of the Columbia behind the Rocky Reach Dam.
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| 39.6 | Rocky Reach Dam Visitor Center and Fish Viewing turnoff on the left.
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| 43.0 | Access to Ohme Gardens County Park on the right.
This 9-acre alpine-style garden park is situated on a rocky bluff with spectacular views of the river, the valley, and the Cascade Mountains. |
| 43.4 | Hwy. 2/Seattle exit forks to the right; continue straight, under the overpass.
Using caution, move into the left lane. |
| 43.9 | Right lane exits toward Hwy. 2/Spokane.
Continue straight, retracing your route to Confluence State Park. |
| 44.3 | Turn left onto Euclid Ave., followed by railroad crossing.
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| 44.4 | Turn right onto Isenhart.
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| 44.6 | T-intersection; turn right onto Old Station Rd, then immediately turn left into Confluence State Park.
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| 44.9 | Ride ends back at park fee station.
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View: Wenatchee-Chelan Overnight: Trail Map
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