Washington Town Known as One of the Best Small Towns to Visit

Summer in Washington this year has been, for lack of a fancier word, hot. Record temperatures have been set already throughout the State, including here in Yakima, where June saw a record number of consecutive days (5) above 100 degrees. One of those days was a record high for Yakima - 113 degrees. Where are we, Phoenix?

One of the best places to be during this heat spell, which looks as though it's going to continue all summer, is Lake Chelan. Frankly, as someone who grew up 30 miles from there, in Wenatchee, Chelan has been a treasured part of my life as far back as I can remember. Nothing is more beautiful or feels better than a dip in Lake Chelan's cold, glacier-fed waters on a 100 degree+ day.

LAKE CHELAN HAS BEEN GORGEOUS AND ICY COLD FOR A LONG TIME

Lake Chelan was formed more than 10,000 years ago, carved out by a valley glacier that extended from the crests of the Cascade Mountains to the Columbia River. Now, that was before my time, just so you know. Impressive is the fact that the lake is fairly long and narrow. Lake Chelan at its widest point is only two miles across. I have personally witness deer swim across it. Of course, this was during a wildfire about 26 years ago, so I guess the buck and two does I saw were just doing what they had to do. The Lake is long though, roughly 50 miles from Stehekin to the town of Chelan where it dumps into the Chelan River, which then spills into the mighty Columbia River.

LAKE CHELAN IS DEEP

How deep you ask? Well, officially, it's 1,500 feet deep at its greatest depth, which makes it the deepest lake in Washington and the 3rd deepest lake in the Country. Many locals will tell you the legends about it being bottomless, legendary lake monsters, and bus-sized lake trout that 'got away'.

CHELAN IS ONE OF THE BEST SMALL TOWNS IN WASHINGTON STATE

This town's size will fool you because year-round the population is roughly 4,000. But when the tourist season is at its most robust, there's said to be 25,000 Chelan fans hanging around. Fabulous restaurants, award-winning wineries, unique local shops, and warm, friendly people. It can be difficult to find available rooms during peak season, but that shouldn't stop you from trying. There's a lot to learn at lakechelan.com. Check out the photo gallery and take a look at the video. You will definitely get in the mood.