Lake Chelan / Campgrounds

Lake Chelan State Park

Lakefront state park campground on the south shore of Lake Chelan with beach access, hookups, showers, a boat launch, and wooded sites close to town.

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Overview

Lake Chelan State Park sits on the forested south shore of Lake Chelan, about 15 minutes from downtown Chelan. It is the most established campground near town, with direct lake access, a large swim beach, a boat launch, moorage, showers, and a mix of tent and RV sites spread through several campground loops.

The campground has a mix of full-hookup, partial-hookup, standard, walk-in beach, hiker-biker, and seasonal overflow sites. The map below uses campsite points from OpenStreetMap where individual pitches are mapped, so it favors accurate marker placement over the reservation system's schematic campground-map positions.

On-site recreation is easy: swim from the beach, launch a boat, rent paddling gear seasonally, or hike the Little Bear Trail from inside the park. The campground is also close enough to Chelan and the south shore wineries that it works well as a base camp for a broader Lake Chelan trip.

151

campsites

127 acres

park size

Year-round

open season

Reserve at parks.wa.gov →

Fit Snapshot

A quick read on who this campground suits — and where it falls short — so you can decide in under a minute.

At a glance

Key facts

check_circle Best for

FamiliesFirst-time Lake Chelan campersRV hookupsBeach and boat access

cancel Avoid if you need

Quiet summer weekendsLast-minute reservationsRemote campingNo-fee camping

forest Camping style Developed lakefront state park

groups Crowds Busy in peak summer

route Access Easy paved south shore access

rv_hookup RV suitability Strong RV option with hookups

nights_stay Stay length Best for 2–5 nights

Fit indicators

Out of 10

Family Friendly

9/10

Quiet & Secluded

3/10

Scenic Views

7/10

Lake Access

10/10

Hiking Access

6/10

RV Friendly

9/10

Beginner Friendly

9/10

info Subjective ratings based on Rob's visits — not a substitute for your own homework.

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availability

How booked is it right now? % of sites already reserved · updated 3x per week

Source · Washington State Parks

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Things to Know

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Lake Chelan State Park is one of the most popular campgrounds on the lake. Hookup sites and lake-adjacent tent sites can fill as soon as reservation windows open for peak summer dates.

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If you are camping, your camping reservation serves as your parking pass for the park. If you are visiting for the day, you need a Discover Pass or must pay the day-use fee.

waves

The park has a swimming beach, boat launch, moorage, and seasonal paddling rentals. Expect the waterfront areas to be busy on hot summer weekends.

hiking

The Little Bear Trail starts inside Lake Chelan State Park and is a convenient option for a short hike without driving from camp.

near_me

Lake Chelan State Park is about 9 miles from downtown Chelan on the south shore, usually a 15-minute drive depending on summer traffic.

storefront

There is seasonal food service and basic camp supplies inside the park, and Watson's Alpenhorn Cafe is just across the road. For a longer stay, stock up before you arrive.

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Compare Nearby Campgrounds

Showing the five closest drive-in campgrounds to Lake Chelan State Park.

Campground	Tent	RV	Reservations	Lake Access
Lakeshore RV Park	Yes	Yes	Reservable	Yes
Beebe Bridge Park	Yes	Yes	Reservable	No
Summerhill Farm RV Park	No	Yes	Reservable	No
Twenty-Five Mile Creek State Park	Yes	Yes	Reservable	Yes
Snowberry Bowl Campground	Yes	No	First-Come	No