Lake Chelan State Park is a 139-acre park run by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission on the south shore of Lake Chelan, about 9 miles west of downtown Chelan. The lake is a 50-mile glacial trough that State Parks calls the deepest in Washington, and the park sits on its lower basin a few miles below The Narrows. The state bought the old Stevenson and Barrin homesteads here in 1943 to keep a stretch of this fast-developing shoreline open to the public, and it has been one of the busiest parks in the system ever since.

From Chelan, follow South Lakeshore Road west along the water to the entrance at 7544 S Lakeshore Road. Coming from Wenatchee on US 97A, take SR 971 (Navarre Coulee Road) over the ridge and it drops straight into the park. The swim beach is in the middle of the park, a short walk east of where First Creek enters the lake. A small day-use lot sits just above the sand, with steps down to the beach, a playground and a sand volleyball court close by. The lot is small for a park with a campground this size, so arrive early on summer weekends.

The designated swim area is a roped section of sandy beach roughly 100 meters long in front of the day-use lawn. The water is clear and cold. Lake Chelan is fed by snowmelt from the North Cascades and reaches 1,486 feet at its deepest point, so expect cold water away from the shallows even in August. The park page lists no lifeguard service, so swimming is at your own risk and kids need an adult close by. The boat ramp and dock are just north of the swim area, and motorboats, paddleboards and rental kayaks use the water right outside the ropes.

A Discover Pass is required to park for the day: $10 for a one-day pass or $45 for an annual pass. That is Washington's state day-use fee, and there is no separate charge to swim. Launching a boat costs $7 per day, and overnight moorage is $12 a night for guests with a campsite reservation. Park hours are 6:30 a.m. to dusk year round. The day-use area stays open in winter, while the campground loops close in stages after September.

The lake level is set by Chelan County PUD's hydroelectric project and normally moves between 1,084 and 1,100 feet above sea level, drawn down through fall and winter to make room for spring runoff. The PUD has warned that the lake may sit lower than in recent years during winter and early spring 2027 because of planned maintenance at the project, which means more exposed shoreline and a longer walk to the water here. As of late September 2026 the park was under a Level 2 burn ban, with wood fires limited to the fire pits. Dogs must be on a leash.

The campground has more than 100 tent and utility sites spread over the Beach, West and Trailer loops, plus a hiker-biker site, showers and a trailer dump. Paninis in the Park sells hot food, espresso, ice cream, ice and firewood from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily through Labor Day, and the rental stand beside it has kayaks, SUPs and hydro bikes. The short Little Bear Trail loops through the forest above the campground with interpretive signs, and a monument one mile east of the park marks the 1945 school bus accident on South Lakeshore Road. Twenty-Five Mile Creek State Park is farther up the same shore.