Alta Lake State Park

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Alta Lake State Park is a land of fire and water. Tucked into the hills between Winthrop and Lake Chelan, Alta Lake has long been a hub for anglers, water sports enthusiasts and families that love to camp. When the Carlton Complex fire swept through the region in 2014, it damaged parts of the park and left a landscape of twisted black trees and scarred earth. But the Alta Lake story is one of recovery, replanting and restoration. Trees and shrubs have begun to grow back, and campers again pitch their tents and bring their RVs to the campsites above the lake. Boaters take off for far corners, many with fishing poles. Children’s laughter can be heard on the shore. Summer at Alta Lake is a tradition for many families. As the park evolves, it continues to offer a social lakeside experience, and now it provides something new: a chance to witness the power of nature and its amazing resilience.

Park features

Alta Lake State Park is a 174-acre camping park where mountainous pine forests meet the desert. The lake is about 2 miles long and a half-mile wide and offers good trout fishing, conditional water skiing, and windsurfing during summer months. Lake Chelan, with its many activities, is 30 minutes away.

Discover Pass: A Discover Pass is required for vehicle access to state parks for day use. For more information about the Discover Pass and exemptions, please visit the Discover Pass web page.

Park Wi-Fi Service


Link to Washington State Parks WiFi information page Opens in new window
Free, high-speed Wi-Fi access is available in limited coverage areas at Alta Lake. For more information on coverage areas and hours of service at Alta Lake and our growing list of parks with Wi-Fi service, visit our parks Wi-Fi page.


  1. Activities
  2. Boating
  3. Camping
  4. History
  5. Maps

ada amenities/facilities

  • Campground
  • Restroom

Use our interactive ADA recreation map to search for other state parks with ADA amenities and facilities.

Picnic and day-use facilities

The park provides one kitchen shelter without electricity, two sheltered picnic tables, and 18 unsheltered picnic tables. All day-use facilities are first come, first served.

Activities

Trails

  • 2 miles of hiking trails

Water activities & features

  • Boating
  • 60-foot dock
  • Fishing (freshwater)
  • Paddleboarding
  • Personal watercraft use
  • Swimming
  • Waterskiing
  • Windsurfing

Other activities & features

  • Bird watching
  • Golfing
  • Wildlife viewing

Additional information

  • Sailboarding is popular with park visitors.
  • There is an 18-hole golf course in the Alta Lake area.
  • Wi-Fi is available at the park.
  • Waterskiing can be dangerous on this small lake. There are waterskiing opportunities 4 miles away on the Columbia River.
  • A recreational license is required for fishing and shellfish harvesting at Washington State Parks. For regulations, fishing season information, or to purchase a recreational license, visit Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.
  • Printable park brochure (PDF).