In April of 1889 the BELLE OF CHELAN cast off her moorings and set sail on a maiden voyage to the head of Lake Chelan. She was the first of many commercial vessels to ply the waters of the lake. The BELLE started a tradition that spans three centuries. In the early days cargo consisted primarily of prospectors and their mighty dreams, but that era quickly gave way to tourists as word of the specta
cular natural beauty found in the upper reaches of Lake Chelan spread throughout the country. That tradition lives on in modern day boat travel. The only things that seem to have changed are the names of the boats and the means by which they are powered. Due to the rugged terrain, no roads were ever built to the end of the lake, which is the key reason the northern valley remains as pristine as the day man first laid his eyes upon her. As we travel uplake we will bridge the gap between desert and forest, traveling from the arid climate of the lower Lake Chelan Valley through the foothills, and finally deep into the Cascade Mountain Range. Along the way you will lay witness to some of Mother Nature’s finest work, though she certainly didn’t spend much time polishing up. She left behind some of the roughest mountain peaks anywhere in the world. We believe that this is more than just a boat trip, it is an experience to be remembered, encompassing scenery, history and people along the way.
