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Washington State Parks

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USA Parks
Washington
North Cascades Region
Alta Lake State Park
Alta Lake State Park © Johannes Cater--Jaretac (talk) 15:13, 17 June 2009 (UTC) / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Alta Lake State Park, Washington, USA
Alta Lake State Park Lake Alta from trail © Leslie Mahady
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ALTA LAKE STATE PARK
ALTA LAKE STATE PARK
1B Otto Road
Pateros, Washington   98846
(lat:48.0283 lon:-119.9377) map location

Phone: 509-923-2473
Reservations: 888-226-2473
Alta Lake State Park is a 181-acre camping park where the mountainous pine forests meet the desert. Alta Lake is about two miles long and a half mile wide. The park offers good trout fishing during summer months. Lake Chelan, with its many activities, is 30 minutes away.
Nature of the Area
The mountainous terrain that surrounds Alta Lake was formed by glaciation. The native rock is primarily igneous.
History of the Area
The Alta Lake area was given to State Parks by the city of Pateros and was established "Alta Lake State Park" in 1951. The lake was named "Alta" in 1900 by Mr. Heinz, a jeweler from Wilbur, who was mining in the area. Finding the lake without a name, he called it after his daughter, Alta Heinz
Passes
A Discover Pass is required for vehicle access to Washington state parks for day use. For more information about the Discover Pass and exemptions, please visit the Discover Pass web page.
FACILITIES AND ACTIVITIES OVERVIEW
GeneralLand, acres174
Day-UseHiking Trail, miles2
 Picnickingyes
 Picnic Shelters, #2
BoatingBoat Rentalyes
Camping
The park has standard campsites, full-hookup sites, trailer dump, four restrooms, and showers. The park also has an ADA hookup campsite and an ADA standard campsite.

The park offers two group camps. RVs are allowed, but there are no RV hookups. Fees vary with size of the group.
Boating
There are two boat ramps with 60 feet of dock space. Waterskiing and personal-watercraft use on the lake is restricted to the hours of 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Okanogan County safety ordinance).



Picnicking
The park provides one kitchen shelter without electricity, plus two sheltered and 18 unsheltered picnic tables. All day-use facilities are first-come, first-served.
Trails
1. Lakeside Trail: This is a 2-mile loop trail that offers stunning views of Alta Lake and the surrounding mountains. It's an easy hike, perfect for families or beginners.

2. Whistler Mountain Loop: A moderate difficulty level trail stretching over 3 miles with panoramic vistas of the lake and nearby peaks from its highest point.

3. Pateros Creek Pathway: An approximately one mile long flat pathway along Pateros creek suitable for all skill levels including children and seniors.

4. Cougar Ridge Trail: A challenging uphill trek spanning about four miles offering breathtaking views at every turn; ideal for experienced hikers seeking adventure in their journey.

5. Coyote Run Nature Walk: Easy half-a-mile nature walk through dense forested areas providing opportunities to spot local wildlife like deer, birds etc., great option if you're hiking with kids.

6. Alta Peak Summit Hike: Strenuous six-miles round trip leading up to Alta peak summit which provides spectacular view points overlooking entire park area.

7. Pine Forest Exploration Route: Moderate two:and-half mile route winding through pine forests giving unique experience of exploring diverse flora & fauna within state park boundaries.

8. Lake Shoreline Ramble: Gentle three:quarter-of-a-mile stroll alongside beautiful shoreline allowing close-up encounters with waterfowl species inhabiting this region.

9. Mountain View Track: Roughly five-miles track traversing steep terrains rewarding hikers by opening out onto scenic overlooks featuring majestic mountain ranges around.

10. Wildflower Wander: Seasonal springtime path showcasing vibrant wildflowers blooming across meadows making it popular among photographers as well as casual walkers.
Area Attractions

Sailboarding is also popular with park visitors.

Waterskiing can be dangerous on this small lake. There are waterskiing opportunities four miles away on the Columbia River.

There is an 18-hole golf course in the Alta Lake area.

Horseback riding is allowed at the park.

Visitor Comments, Memories and Reviews
June 25 Great Family Location by m_cherry
park review stars; one to five Our first time here, June 2017, great place to camp, has hot showers, a great swimming beach, a little town 2 miles away if you need anything, and fishing was great, mostly bass and trout. Also great start glazing at night.
July 29 Park Ranger Sharon...
park review stars; one to five ...helped us out immensely - especially since it was our first time to the site and we had some campsite confusion. While both professional and kind, her assistance made our trip to Alta Lake excellent.
June 22 by jaedoe ( jay-dow )
park review stars; one to five cant wait to go here next week it has been my favorite place in washington for more than 15 years now
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Directions
Located four miles southwest of Pateros, Wash., on Highway 153. From Pateros:Drive two miles west on Hwy. 153. Turn left on Alta Lake Road. Continue two miles to the park.

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Washington State Parks

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