Wenatchee, WA
This is Confluence State Park overlooking the confluence of the Columbia and Wenatchee Rivers.
Our spacious campsite at the state park.
Soon after arriving we took a bike ride along the 11 mile Apple Capital Loop Bike Trail.
The river was smooth as glass.
The big event for this location was a four-hour cruise up Lake Chelan to Stehekin.
The cruise took us by vacation homes and vineyards along the southern section of the lake.
The west side of the lake had an older looking homes than the east.
Further up the lake, we saw many examples of the rugged Cascade range.
The cruise stops twice at remote enclaves along the way to Stehekin.
Unfortunately there was a prescribed burn going on at Stehekin as we arrived.
Looking back down the lake just before we returned to our starting point.
On another day we toured the Rocky Reach Dam facility near Wenatchee.
Using this ladder the fish climb 100 pools over a distance of 1 mile to reach the river above the dam.
Susan watches as the fish dart by in their quest to go upstream.
These generators produce power for the large area served by this facility.
The dam had a nice interpretive center located within the building.
We found a little gem in the form of Ohme Alpine Gardens overlooking Wenatchee.
Over 5 decades the craggy, rock-strewn bluff was transformed into a beautiful 9-acre alpine garden.
This garden is definitely NOT wheelchair accessible.
Pools were located throughout the garden.
Flowers and water made for very picturesque settings.
Literally, this garden is on the side of a mountain.
In route to Leavenworth we stopped at a farmers market decked out for fall.
We enjoyed the harvest creations.
Obviously, children were the focus of the decorating.
In Leavenworth we arrived just in time for the parade in honor of Octoberfest.
Styled in a Bavarian theme, Leavenworth was a departure from most anything else in the area.
A view of the Wenatchee River from our lunch venue.