Top 5 Kid-Friendly Lake Chelan Spring Hikes
Fresh-air and beauty await!
Family hikes offer a great way to get exercise and build memories, and spring is the season for hiking in Lake Chelan. Think wildflowers and velvety green hills. Here are my five top kid-friendly Lake Chelan hikes.
My daughter, age 6, leads the way across the flanks of Little Butte.
Spader Bay Beach Walk - All Ages
Every spring the level of Lake Chelan drops to make run for late-spring runoff. And for a brief few weeks an expansive playground emerges in Spader Bay.
I like to take this walk on a warm day. Park at Don Morse park and head to the water’s edge then walk up lake. After walking under the Darnell docks, the bay opens up. Let the kids run free!
This hike is great for all ages of kids. The toddlers can wobble along in the soft sand. Older kids can wade into the lake and skip rocks. Here’s a full blog post on Spring Beach Walks.
Riverwalk Park Planet Walk - All Ages
My Rotary club, led by Russ Jones, created this fun walk a few years ago. You will find the Sun on the south side of the old bridge near the Grandview. From there, walk down river and enjoy the inner planet signs spaced at proportional distances from the sun.
This walk is as great way to teach kids about the solar system. You will hit Saturn rather quickly but beyond that, get ready for a jaunt. Pluto is 1.2 miles from the sun. (1 Planet Walk inch = 48,000 miles)
This hike is also good for all ages. Your toddlers likely won’t make it to Pluto, but they can wobble along to Mars. Here’s a full blog post on the Planet Walk.
Upper Gorge Trail - Ages 6+
The Upper Gorge Trail system is a quick ten-minute drive from downtown Chelan. These trails were built by the Lake Chelan Trails Alliance. Directions and trail maps can be found on their website.
The Eagle and Cutthroat trails offer an enjoyable 2.9 mile round trip outing suitable for ages six and up. Make sure everyone has walking shoes (no flip-flops) and take appropriate protection from the sun depending on weather.
A longer route would involve the Eagle, Cutthroat, and Coyote loops. Rather than backtrack, at the end of the Coyote loop consider walking back along the county road.
Kids will enjoy throwing rocks in the river from the Cutthroat trail. Adults will enjoy the soothing sound of running water. Add in the flowers and soft air of spring and it is a perfect outing!
Lucas Homestead - Ages 6+
The Lucas Homestead is found on the south side of the Chelan Butte. It was built in the 1920’s by my great-great grandparents, Frank and Elizabeth Lucas.
Like the Upper Gorge Trails, this hike is suitable for kids six and older. This blog post offers all of the details.
Aside from the family connection, I enjoy this hike because it reminds me of how life was during the pioneer days. Our ancestors knew a level of work and tenacity that is hard to imagine today. I also enjoy it for the quiet and serenity.
Little Butte Hike - Ages 6+
The Little Butte hike requires the most path-finding skills. This hike follows a deer trail that appears and occasionally disappears along a side-hill traverse.
I took my daughter on this hike when she was six (see top photo). I may have promised her a small LEGO reward to coax her along. You will enjoy big views of Lake Chelan and the Butte as you follow the deer trail out to a promontory.
Here is the full blog post on the Little Butte hike.
Rewards
I realize that getting some kids to hike can be a challenging proposition. In my experience, some incentives may be needed to coax attitudes and feet.
Towards this end, consider a trip to Chelan Toys and Sweets after a hike. They have a great lineup of candy, games, puzzles, and toys.
For those ten and older, the Lakeside Surf is open on the weekends in May. Hike on Saturday. Surf on Sunday!
