We stayed at the lodge for two nights while touring the PNW National Parks. We have stayed at many parks, but none quite as magical as Stehekin. We had a wonderful time our first day exploring the valley on electric bikes. We picked apples at Buckner Orchard, watched salmon swimming upstream, sampled goat cheese at Karl’s Garden and pastries at the bakery. The next morning, we hiked 6 miles along the Purple Creek trail, and never saw another person- we had the trail to ourselves. We ate dinner at the Stehekin Valley Ranch, and had a great time talking with fellow adventurers and PCT Hikers.
Rustic, yes, but a great place to hang out for a few days of complete unwinding. No cell service - no problem. You really don’t need it, you can sit back and relax, or explore some of natures best work. Saw the salmon near Harlequin Bridge. Enjoyed the walk back. Next day did High Bridge. Room was great - spacious. Knew about Restauarnt in advance, and brought food accordingly. Enjoy the stars at night, and the sight of truly clean and clear water. This is a great location to u wind.
We were notified in advance that the restaurant in the lodge had to close because of staff shortage. We decided to go ahead with the visit but that turned out to be a mistake. The daily "search for food" dominated the conversations and took away from the relaxing environment. The contract with the current vendor should be reviewed and perhaps terminated. The rooms were missing basics and a leaky faucet was never repaired. The lodge store was poorly supplied. Where were the managers? I doubt that I will ever visit the North Cascades Lodge until there is a change in management.
No AC in Swissmont rooms. This week we have over 100 degrees every day we are staying. Two fans in our room don’t help much. . It cools over night but you would need to keep your balcony door open. People can get through the balcony if you are on the lower level. No privacy. The blind that covered the glassy door only shows a leftover from one. People next room are looking into our room while we are on the bed. No fridge or microwave! That is sad since their restaurant closes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays! But when open food is so good!!! They have a microwave for guests in the store and above it. We didn’t know until our arrival that the restaurant will be closed for two days during our stay but we made a reservation over a year ago. Food is limited here. The store carries limited items and closes early. The gardener a few miles away is charging a lot for little fruit. The bakery that closes around 5pm has some decent food. If it’s 100 degrees, it makes a walk that much longer to the bakery a few miles away from the lodge. You need to pay for the shuttle that runs limited schedule. Or rent a bike. More about the room: The shower needs to be updated. It’s old. And the water is hard to regulate. There is only one lamp in the whole room. (Very dark at night. ) Two tiny bottles of shampoo along with two tiny bar soaps for three night stay for a family of four! (Don’t forget temperatures over 100 degrees. One toilet paper as well. No refills left in the room.) On another note, they keep the room clean! The beds, pillows are so comfortable!! A nice looking room. And you can’t beat the views and the location. FYI: you need to pay $5 to use internet for 24 hrs for each guest using it. You need to ask for a voucher. Yes, I would stay here again. But I would play around their restaurant being open, not closed.…
This is my 7th year returning to this place. I've stayed in all the kitchen cabins and lodge room at this point, and you can't go wrong with any of them. The staff goes above and beyond to make sure that everyone has the best experience while there. Their attention to detail is noted. After 7 years, it just keeps getting better and better. Plan in advance, book your room, book your boat ticket, and then just lean in to being off the grid for a few days and enjoy it. Fishing, hiking, riding bikes, and lounging on your deck reading a great book. This is the one place I can think of in the United States where you can sit on the deck of the lodge and meet people from all over the world that have come down off the PCT trail to share stories. Magical.
I knew I had to take a ferry for about 90 minutes to get to this remote part of Washington. I was expecting rustic and worn down. BUT, the lodge is fresh and updated and rustic. It’s a perfect mix of remote and comfort. The services are awesome and the employees are friendly. This lodge is embedded in the National Park system but also resides in a national recreational area. I’m not sure I’ve ever been in a more relaxing place. The food in the “mess hall” or cafeteria was decent enough for counter service. The people working there were extremely accommodating and friendly. They only served lunch and dinner while I was there. The seating is plentiful and the deck overlooks the water.
My sister and I shared a room with twin beds. It was clean and quiet and perfect for our two night stay. I loved the common area above the store on the second floor. It overlooks the bay and was a good spot to have our morning coffee and chat with some of the other guests. The staff was extremely helpful and accommodating for our special need of ice for our cooler of freshly caught fish from Lake Chelan. Also, thanks to the deer for making a special appearance right outside our bedroom window.
First trip to Stehekin and will not be our last. The lodge is a great location for first time visitors and the accommodations are more rustic similar to what you find in national park lodges. Views were great and the rooms were clean. I would give credit to the resort management as they had issues in late June but everything was nearly back to normal for our stay during 1st week of July. Due to its remote setting I would bring extra snacks just in case. The bakery is a must. We at there several times.
I came to the lodge annoyed that the restaurant was closed and we had to haul our cooler onto the Lady of the Lake Ferry. I left 5 days later renewed and sad that I couldn't stay longer. The lodge faces Lake Chelan and the dock where the ferry comes in. There's a fair amount of activity on the lodge deck as the ferry unloads arriving passengers and their gear and loads up departing passengers. However, this happened infrequently during the day and didn't bother us as we were usually out and about hiking during the day. We stayed in a lake view room, and while the decks are close together, we were usually the only people out and felt we had privacy. The lake view was stunning, with the crystal clear turquoise waters set against the back drop of the snow capped Northern Cascades. We managed meals via our own food we brought with (microwave available in general area), the Stehekin Pastry Company (open until 5 with breakfast foods, sandwiches, soup and salads), and dinner at the Stehekin Valley Ranch (both of which are owned by members of the Courtney family). There are ebikes available for rent which you can use to get to the Pastry Company or the Ranch, or shuttle busses. We are not young (66 & 59) and opted to rent regular mountain bikes. Evenings were quiet and the late sunset over the lake was so serene and beautiful. There was no Wifi or TV which was fine as we wanted to unplug. There is a free satellite phone which I used to check in with college age adult children. There was basic soap/shampoo/conditioner, and comfortable beds and linens. Room was clean with vinyl wood-look flooring and had a rustic lodge look. Yes, they are short staffed as many places are, but staff were very helpful. Jackson brought us extra towels, Mary gave us lots of interesting tidbits about Stehekin, and another staff member helped us with kayaks. Very happy with my stay -came here to decompress and disconnect and be in nature and got that and more. I would stay again.…
No frills, minimalist room that was clean with a comfy bed and cute little deck overlooking the lake. Downside: no fridge, no microwave, no privacy on the deck.at.all. When all the guests are out at once, you may as well be in a room together. Also, no air-conditioning, just fans. But we stayed comfortable with 87 degree weather (it cooled down at night). No TV or wi-fi, but we knew that going in. This is a place to unplug. Lots of stairs, no elevator or ramp. Full size drip coffee-maker in the room. Shampoo, conditioner, bar soap, no lotion. Complimentary deer on arrival!
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