Wenatchee Confluence State Park is a beautiful space that combines an urban setting with nature, plenty of activities, and 51 campsites with full hookups for motorhomes. Located in the town of Wenatchee, Washington, Wenatchee Confluence State Park is situated along the meeting place of the Columbia and Wenatchee Rivers. The Chelan County Public Utility District purchased a 100-acre pear orchard from the Horan family in 1990 to construct a man-made wetland area, known today as the Horan Natural Area. Since the original purchase, the park was expanded to almost 200 acres and is currently managed by Washington State Parks.
The confluence at the Wenatchee and Columbia Rivers was the traditional homeland of the Wenatchee Indian Tribe. The tribe encountered their first European settlers in 1811 when David Thompson of the British Northwest Fur Company paddled down the Columbia River. The tribe lived peacefully with the settlers for numerous years from gold seekers to farmers. In 1888 the town of Wenatchee was founded by Don Carlos Corbett. Today, members of the Wenatchee Indian Tribe reside on the Colville Reservation in the Chelan Valley area.
The campground at Wenatchee Confluence State Park is situated north of Wenatchee River and is connected to the Horan Natural Area to the south by a footbridge that spans the Wenatchee River. Activities at the park are plentiful with summertime watersports being the most popular. Hiking in the natural area is superb, and there are several miles of shared trails for hikers and bicyclists. RVs will need to bring plenty of recreational equipment such as tennis rackets, basketballs, and horseshoes to take advantage of the campground amenities.
The weather at Wenatchee Confluence State Park is lovely in the summer months between May and September. Temperatures range in the mid-70s to high 80s with less than one inch of rain per month. Winter months have temperatures in the mid-30s to mid-40s along with possible snow accumulations of more than ten inches in December and January.
RVers can access Wenatchee Confluence State Park off of Old Station Road to the west. Drivers will find Old Station Road at the junction with Washington Route 285, also known as North Wenatchee Avenue, to the west. RVers navigating with large rigs from the south on Route 285 will find congestion while traveling through the city. Accessing Old Station Road from the north is more difficult where you will need to go along Washington Highway 2 until you reach Route 285. The junction of the two highways includes several clover leaves which make navigating more challenging.
Once inside the state park, there is one road that connects the two-looped campground with numerous amenities such as picnic facilities and boat launches. RVers can expect congestion at all day use area parking lots and the boat launch areas. The campgrounds are navigated easily with no problems around the two loops with larger rigs or trailers. The best form of transportation once your camp is established is by bicycle. When driving within the state park, please adhere to all posted speed limits. You can expect to share the road within the park with plenty of pedestrians, bicyclists, and children playing.
The Wenatchee Confluence State Park Campground is situated along two loops connected by one road and contains 59 campsites, including 51 campsites with full hookups for RVs. The campground offers 28 pull-through sites for RVers that have larger rigs. The campground boasts privacy and plenty of shade at most campsites along with views of the Columbia River. Each campsite is furnished with a picnic table, charcoal grill and a paved parking pad that may require leveling. RVs and trailers are limited to 65 feet in length. There is a dump station near the entrance of the park. Please do not empty full holding tanks at your campsite. Amenities in the campground include flush toilets, showers, playground, horseshoe pits, ball field, tennis courts, volleyball area, and basketball courts. Generators may be used from 8:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. Pets must be restrained by a six-foot leash at all times.
Pack your rod and reel in your campervan to experience some world class fishing at Wenatchee Confluence State Park. There is plenty of shoreline allowing you to cast your line into each of the rivers. Fishing in the Wenatchee River brings opportunities for numerous species of trout including rainbow, brown, and golden. The Columbia River offers you a perfect place to throw your line in the water for steelhead, salmon, and trout. There is a boat launch for those who wish to go trolling or seeking deeper water for that prize catch. Please state regulations before dipping your line for bag and size limits.
There are a plethora of watersports for RVers to enjoy while visiting Wenatchee Confluence State Park. The most popular in the summer is swimming. There is a swimming beach along the Columbia River that is protected within an easy walk from the campground. Kayaking and canoeing at the confluence of the rivers is awesome and you can pack your windsurf to take advantage of the consistent winds on the Columbia River. Other watersports of interest include jet skiing and sail boating.
Attach your bike to your camper and get ready for a stellar ride on a mixed-use trail. The ten-mile Apple Capital Loop Trail runs through the park and continues along the banks of the Columbia River. There are several extensions you can peddle including the five and one-half mile Rocky Reach Trail to Lincoln Rock State Park or take the shorter two-mile extension. Bikers also find an easy ride into town for some quick shopping or a cup of coffee.
Hiking is an ideal thing to do in Wenatchee Confluence State Park. First, there is the ten mile Apple Capital Loop Trail where hiking ranges from easy to moderate over a mixed-use gravel/paved trail. Another great place to hike is in the adjacent Horan Natural Area where you will find two miles of trail and over 15 interpretive signs explaining the unique ecosystem of the area. If that is not enough, try the trail along the Columbia River where you will be astonished watching the acrobatics and quickness of windsurfers on the river.
Pack all of your campground games in your RV because there are plenty of opportunities to find excellent recreational options in the campground. The campground boasts two horseshoe pits, two tennis courts, and basketball courts too. Another option is to form a team of family members and play a game of softball or soccer on the sports field. There are also volleyball courts and a playground for children to enjoy all year round.
Wildlife watching and birding are spectacular options while you are in Wenatchee Confluence State Park. Within the connected Horan Natural Area, RVers can expect to see a wide variety of birds including bald eagles, ospreys, mallards, belted kingfishers, and red-winged blackbirds. Other bird species of interest are the northern flicker, brown-headed cowbird, hairy woodpecker, and you may spot up to 100 white-crowned sparrows. Wildlife is plentiful too with deer, muskrats, and an occasional river otter playing around the confluence.
