Lake Wenatchee
Lake Wenatchee Real Estate
Lake Wenatchee real estate is some of the most desirable property in the Leavenworth area.
Two roads skirt Lake Wenatchee and serve as separate neighborhoods. One of your big decisions when thinking about Lake Wenatchee real estate is to decide if it matters to you which side of the lake you are on. Cedar Brae (aka South Shore road) runs along the South Shore. It starts at the South entrance of Lake Wenatchee State Park and passes Kahler Glen Golf Club. At the other end of the road is Camp Zanika Lache, a Campfire Camp, a number of cabins on leased Forest Service land, and a trail to Hidden Lake.
On the north side of the lake, North Shore Drive runs from the Lake Wenatchee Highway near the YMCA camp to near the White River road near the former site of the Cougar Inn. The north shore of Lake Wenatchee is often preferred because it faces South and gets more sunshine in the short days of winter. The West end of the lake is mostly U.S. Forest Service and the East end is the mouth of the Wenatchee River and Lake Wenatchee State Park.
Only eleven homes were listed for sale on Lake Wenatchee between 2020 and 2024. The average waterfront home on Cedar Brae sold for $1,065,000 while the average lakefront home on North Shore Drive sold for $2,367,000.
Where is Lake Wenatchee?
Lake Wenatchee is located between Leavenworth and Stevens Pass at an elevation of 1,875 feet. It shares the 98826 zip code with Leavenworth and houses here have a Leavenworth address.
Lake Wenatchee is a glacier and snowmelt fed lake fed by the White River and the Little Wenatchee River. The lake covers 2,480 acres and reaches a depth of 244 feet. Lake Wenatchee is the source of the Wenatchee River which travels down Tumwater Canyon to Leavenworth and then through Cashmere and Monitor. The Wenatchee River enters the Columbia River at the city of Wenatchee. It takes about an hour to drive the 42 miles from Lake Wenatchee to the city of Wenatchee.
Lake Wenatchee Boating and Fishing
Popular recreation on the lake includes power boating and use of personal watercraft like jet skis. Canoes, sea kayaks and windsurfing are also popular. Visitors to Lake Wenatchee can launch boats from private docks or from a boat launch at Lake Wenatchee State Park. Fishing opportunities on the lake generally revolve around kokanee which are available after April most years. The most anticipated fishery is a short season for sockeye salmon. The Lake Wenatchee sockeye season is dependant on the number of fish that make it up the rivers and does not occur every year.
Lake Wenatchee in Winter
Winter recreation at the lake includes cross country skiing on groomed trails at the state park and Kahler Glen golf course. Snowmobiling is also available nearby in the Chiwawa loop area. Historically, Lake Wenatchee has frozen in the winter, but in recent decades this has not always been the case. In 2007 and 2008, the lake has frozen.