Lake Chelan — Winter

Sledding in
Lake Chelan

Where to find family sledding, tubing, snow conditions, and winter gear around the valley.

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Overview

The Lake Chelan Valley can get quite cold during the winter months, and can be blanketed with snow during the heart of the winter. What better way to enjoy the cold weather and snow than sledding with the family? While there is no guarantee there will be enough snow to sled, your best bet is December and January, although it can certainly snow in the end of November and throughout February. Check the web cams and forecast to see if there is snow on the ground to allow for Lake Chelan sledding!

Winter spots

Dec–Jan

Best snow odds

Check first

Webcams help

View Map →Sledding Spots →Webcams →

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Sledding at a Glance

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Best easy option

Chelan Municipal Golf Course sledding hill

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Best tubing setup

Echo Valley Ski & Tubing Area

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Best snow odds

Higher-elevation spots after fresh storms

visibility

Check first

Use webcams before driving uphill

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Before You Go

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Snow is Variable

Lake level snow comes and goes. December and January are usually the safest bet, but webcams matter more than the calendar.

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Passes Matter

Antilon Lake Sno-Park requires a Sno-Park pass in winter, and there may not be a way to buy one on site.

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Respect Closures

Echo Ridge is great for skiing and snowshoeing, but sledding is not allowed there.

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Sledding & Tubing Spots

These are mapped winter places, so they use the same directory-style treatment as hikes and campgrounds: compare the details, then jump to the map when you want to place them.

Chelan Sledding Hill

Free Sledding

Why Go

While there are many hills in the area suitable for sledding, the Lake Chelan Municipal Golf Course just above the city of Chelan provides a convenient option, with a designated sledding hill right next to the club house. Drive on up, and you will see signs directing you towards the sledding hill. There is no fee to sled on the hill, and there is also a restaurant, Albatross, open year round near the hill perfect for adults to relax while the kids sled, or for the family ot grab a bite to eat after a fun day of sledding.

Details

Best For: Easy family sledding close to town
Fee: No sledding fee
Snow Odds: Best after fresh valley snow

Antilon Lake Sno-Park

Sno-Park Pass

Why Go

There is no designated sledding hill at the sno-park, however it's pretty easy to find a slope suitable for sledding. Follow the groomed Grade Creek Road up a ways to find some smaller slopes right off the road, just be aware of snowmobiles using the road. Sno-Park pass is required to park at Antilon Lake during the winter months, and there is no facility to pay for a pass at the Sno-Park.

Details

Best For: Finding higher-elevation snow after storms
Fee: Sno-Park pass required
Watch For: Snowmobiles on groomed routes

Tubing

Why Go

Echo Valley Ski & Tubing Area has six lane tubing hill, and tubing is included in the price of a ski ticket for $35 dollars, or a tubing only ticket for $15. Echo Valley provides the tubes, so no need to bring your own. There are a couple of smaller tubing lanes for younger children available as well and children 3 to 5 years of age tube free! You will be required to haul the tube up the hill, so have appropriate footwear with decent traction. The tubing hill is typically open the week before Christmas through President's Day Weekend in February, conditions permitting.

Details

Best For: Managed tubing lanes and provided tubes
Fee: Tubing or ski ticket required
Season: Typically winter holidays through Presidents Day, conditions permitting

Echo Ridge

No Sledding

Why Go

Sitting at 3,500 feet, it can be tempting to drive up to Echo Ridge for some sledding, especially when snow hasn't yet blanketed the lower slopes. However, sledding is not allowed at Echo Ridge - there is signage in the various parking lots prohibiting sledding, so unfortunately, you will have to look elsewhere to get your sledding on while in Lake Chelan.

Details

Best For: Skiing and snowshoeing instead
Sledding: Not allowed
Why Listed: Common point of confusion because it has reliable snow

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Sledding Equipment

There are no dedicated sled rentals in the Lake Chelan area, so bring your own sled or buy one before the snow arrives. Plastic sleds and tubes are usually better than metal-runner sleds in softer, unpacked snow.