CountiesChelan County
WashingtonReservoirChelan County
Lake Chelan
Lake Chelan is a 33,359-acre reservoir on the Chelan River in Washington. You will find it in Chelan County. Management is in the hands of Washington State Parks / Chelan County PUD. The gauge last read 1,098.67 ft.
Water level today: 1,098.67 ft · see the full record
Coordinates47.8411, -120.0464
Surface area33,359 acres
Max depth1,486 ft
RiverChelan River
Managed byWashington State Parks / Chelan County PUD
Swimming beaches on Lake Chelan
1 named swimming spot and shoreline access points, from USGS GNIS, Recreation.gov and the Forest Service. None is staffed by a lifeguard unless the operating agency posts one.
Lake Chelan on the map
Lake center, swimming spots and access points.
Weather and water temperature
Air temperature and wind from Open-Meteo. Water temperature only when the lake has a public sensor.
Weather data by Open-Meteo
Water level today
Station 12452000, LAKE CHELAN AT CHELAN, WA, publishes the water surface elevation used here. Over the record shown on the level page the gauge has moved between 1,089.39 ft and 1,099.52 ft (low on 2026-03-17, high on 2025-08-08). The last value stored here, 1,098.67 ft, is from 2026-09-09. A low pool exposes stumps and mud in the shallow arms of the lake.
1,098.67 ft -0.26 ft in 7 days
Lake Chelan: access and conditions
Lake Chelan sits at 47.8411, -120.0464. It reaches roughly 1,486 feet at its deepest. The Chelan River carries the outflow. The surface sits around 1,099 feet above sea level.
Nearby water includes Lake Entiat (Washington, 9 mi), Lake Pateros (Washington, 11 mi) and Rufus Woods Lake (Washington, 23 mi). Washington has 45 lakes on this site in total.
Public access at Lake Chelan covers 1 named swimming spot. These come from USGS GNIS. They include Minneapolis Beach. Parking is the usual limit on busy summer weekends.
Station 12452000, LAKE CHELAN AT CHELAN, WA, publishes the water surface elevation used here. Over the record shown on the level page the gauge has moved between 1,089.39 ft and 1,099.52 ft (low on 2026-03-17, high on 2025-08-08). The last value stored here, 1,098.67 ft, is from 2026-09-09. A low pool exposes stumps and mud in the shallow arms of the lake.
Freshwater advisories are issued locally, so check the state health department before you swim. There is no water temperature sensor here, so only air conditions are shown. Season dates vary by park; the operating agency publishes them each spring.
Questions about Lake Chelan
Can you swim in Lake Chelan?
Yes. This guide maps 1 named swimming spot around the lake, including Minneapolis Beach. None is staffed by a lifeguard unless the operating agency posts one.
How big is Lake Chelan?
About 33,359 acres. Maximum depth is around 1,486 feet.
What other lakes are near Lake Chelan?
The closest in this guide is Lake Entiat, about 9 miles away in Washington.
Lakes near Lake Chelan
Other lakes in this guide, ordered by distance.
Lake Wenatchee
Fed by the Wenatchee River, Lake Wenatchee holds roughly 2,481 acres of water in Washington. It lies in Chelan County. It is…
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Banks Lake
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Moses Lake
Moses Lake covers about 6,715 acres of the Crab Creek in Washington. Its shoreline falls inside Grant County. It is managed by…
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Cle Elum Lake
Fed by the Cle Elum River, Cle Elum Lake holds roughly 4,566 acres of water in Washington. You will find it in Kittitas County.…
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Kachess Lake
Kachess Lake covers about 4,540 acres of the Kachess River in Washington. The lake is in Kittitas County. It is managed by US…
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Diablo Lake
Fed by the Skagit River, Diablo Lake holds roughly 909 acres of water in Washington. Its shoreline falls inside Whatcom County.…
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Explore around Washington
All lakes in Washington Swimming spots in Washington Lakes near Wenatchee Lakes near East Wenatchee
Sources
Every figure on this page comes from one of these public sources.