Chelan, Washington
Chelan is a city of 4,350 people in Chelan County, Washington, founded in 1902.
Why visit Chelan
Townapedia lists 6 museums and landmarks, 18 parks and trails, 38 places to eat, 14 places to stay and 5 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Beebe Bridge, Deer Mountain, Ruby Theatre and Lake Chelan Historical Society Museum.
August is the warmest month, with average highs of 87°F; January lows average 22°F, and about 20 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Chelan
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Chelan
Chelan is a city in Chelan County, Washington, United States. The estimated population was 4,222 at the 2020 census. It lies on the southeast tip of Lake Chelan, where the lake flows into the Chelan River.
From the Wikipedia article Chelan, Washington (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do5
Museums and landmarks6
Ruby Theatre
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Movie theater in Chelan, Washington, United States
135 East Woodin Avenue, Chelan
Parks, trails and playgrounds18
6 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes38
Endless Orchard Ciders
Bar and pub · Sandwich · 1.4 mi
203 Bighorn Way, Chelan
Mo-Tu off; We-Th 11:00-19:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-20:00; Su 11:00-17:00
Local Myth Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza · 0.4 mi
122 South Emerson Street, Chelan
Tu-Su 11:30-19:00
Farmer's Kitchen + Bar
Diner · American · 0.4 mi
138 East Woodin Avenue, Chelan
Lake Chelan Artisan Bakery
Bakery · 0.4 mi
246 West Manson Road
Mo-Sa 07:00-15:00; Su 07:00-14:00
26 more on the map.
History
The original inhabitants of the Chelan area were the Chelan, a tribe of Salish-speaking Native Americans. Relatively little is known about the culture and lifestyle of the early Chelan, as the tribe had adopted the dress, beadwork, and equestrian culture of the Plains Native Americans by the time of European contact. Infectious diseases including smallpox and measles arrived sometime prior to white settlement of the area, and had killed an estimated 90% of the Natives by the time explorer David Thompson arrived on the Columbia in 1811.
From the History section of Chelan, Washington on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay14
WorldMark Chelan - Lake House
Motel and hotel · 0.5 mi
402 West Manson Highway, Chelan
Churches and places of worship6
St. Andrews Episcopal Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church
Church · Episcopal · 0.4 mi
120 East Woodin Avenue
Lake Chelan United Methodist Church
Church · Methodist
206 North Emerson Street, Chelan
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Church · Latter Day Saints · 1.8 mi
195 State Route 150, Chelan
Shopping14
Gas and EV charging6
Schools, colleges and libraries7
Chelan Senior High School
School · 0.7 mi
215 West Webster Avenue, Chelan
Healthcare3
CVCH Chelan Medical, Dental, & Behavioral
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.2 mi
105 South Apple Blossom Drive, Chelan
Map of Chelan
117 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34°F | 22°F | 1.5 in | 7.7 in |
| Feb | 42°F | 24°F | 1.2 in | 2.0 in |
| Mar | 52°F | 30°F | 1.1 in | 0.7 in |
| Apr | 62°F | 38°F | 0.8 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 72°F | 46°F | 1.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 78°F | 53°F | 0.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 87°F | 59°F | 0.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 87°F | 58°F | 0.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 77°F | 49°F | 0.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 62°F | 39°F | 1.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 46°F | 30°F | 1.5 in | 1.4 in |
| Dec | 35°F | 23°F | 1.8 in | 8.7 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Chelan (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Chelan County has had 47 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 2026-08-03: Wildfires (Fire)
- 2026-04-07: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2025-12-12: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2025-09-26: Lower Sugarloaf Fire (Fire)
- 2022-03-29: Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding (Flood)
- 2021-08-18: Twentyfive Mile Fire (Fire)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Pangborn Memorial Airport (EAT) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 32 miles away.
- Manson 7 mi west, about 12 min by car
- Waterville 14 mi south, about 22 min by car
- Entiat 15 mi southwest, about 24 min by car
- Pateros 15 mi north, about 25 min by car
- Bridgeport 19 mi northeast, about 31 min by car
- Brewster 21 mi northeast, about 34 min by car
- Sunnyslope 28 mi southwest, about 46 min by car
- Cashmere 31 mi southwest, about 50 min by car
- Wenatchee 32 mi southwest, about 51 min by car
- East Wenatchee 32 mi southwest, about 52 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Chelan, WA - Campbell's, Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Chelan, WA - Ruby Theatre 01, Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Chelan, WA - St. Andrews Episcopal Church 01, Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 3.0
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