Alta Lake State Park is a 181 acre park located in the mountainous northwest interior of Washington, southwest of Pateros, Washington. The Park contains Alta Lake, which offers good trout fishing, "conditional" waterskiing, and windsurfing during summer months. The park is small but is still a very popular summer camping location. The Park and Alta Lake lie beneath towering stone cliffs formed by glaciation that rise 1000 feet above the valley floor.
The Alta Lake area was given to State Parks by the city of Pateros and was established "Alta Lake State Park" in 1951. The lake was named "Alta" in 1900 by Mr. Heinz, a jeweler from Wilbur, who was mining in the area. Finding the lake without a name, he called it after his daughter, Alta Heinz.
Popular activities at the park are hiking, fishing, boating, sailboarding, waterskiing, and golf at the nearby Alta Lake Golf Course. Lake Chelan, with its many activities, is 30 minutes away.
There is an 18-hole golf course in the Alta Lake area. The park provides one kitchen shelter without electricity, plus two sheltered and 18 unsheltered picnic tables. All day-use facilities are first-come, first-served. The park has 168 tent spaces, 32 utility spaces, four restrooms (one ADA) and 12 showers. Maximum site length is 38 feet (limited availability). The park also has one ADA hookup campsite and one ADA standard campsite reservable by qualified individuals. Call (509) 923-2473. All campsites are first-come, first-served. There are two boat ramps with 60 feet of dock space. Waterskiing and personal-watercraft use on the lake is restricted to the hours of 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Okanogan County safety ordinance). Seasons/Operating Hours: Summer: 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Winter: Closed Oct.31, reopens March 23. Restrictions: A daily permit is available for watercraft launching, vehicle parking and trailer dumping at the park for $5. Annual permits also may be purchased at State Parks Headquarters in Olympia, at region offices, online, and at parks when staff is available. Camping: Check-in time, 2:30 p.m. Check-out time, 1 p.m. Quiet hours: 10 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. A vehicle parking permit is no longer required for day visits. Location: Alta Lake State Park is located four miles southwest of Pateros, Wash., on Highway 153. From Pateros: Drive two miles west on Hwy. 153. Turn left on Alta Lake Road. Continue two miles to the park. Contact Information: Phone: (360) 902-8844 (8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday - Friday) E-mail: infocent@parks.wa.gov
