Quote of the Month:
“Nature gives to every time and season some beauties of its own." - Charles Dickens
Population: 41,193
Area: 5,315 square miles
County Seat: Okanogan
OVERVIEW
Okanogan County is the largest county in Washington State. The territory of the county is 5,315 square miles. It borders with Ferry, Lincoln, Grant, Douglas, Chelan, Skagit, Whatcom County, Fraser Valley Regional District of British Columbia, Okanagan-Similkameen Regional District of British Columbia and Kootenay Boundary Regional District of British Columbia.
The population of the county is 41,193. Its’ largest city is Omak, but the county seat is Okanogan. It should be mentioned that the first county seat was the city of Ruby, but now it is a ghost town. About 20% of all the residents live in the Great Omak Area.
HISTORY
Okanogan County was created out from Stevens County in 1888. The name of the county is derived from the Okanagan language and is also referred to the part of British Columbia. The word “okanogan” means “a meeting place”.
Before first white settlers, the territory of the future county was home for Northern Okanogans. Men hunted bears, fished and hunted deer, and women from the tribe gathered berries, roots and nuts.
Okanogan County territory was one the last counties in Washington State that was settled by white people. The main industries here are tourism, forestry and agriculture.
COUNTY SEAT
The county seat of Okanogan County is a city of Okanogan. The population of the city is not big, about 2.5 thousand people within the Greater Omak Area.
The city of Okanogan is a small and cozy town with numerous possibilities for tourism and recreation.
ATTRACTIONS
Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest
The Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest is more than 4-million acre forest, which is located in Washington State and stretches to the Canadian border. This National Forest is known for a great number of recreation opportunities: wonderful hiking trails, water recreation opportunities, camping, wildlife watching, etc.
Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest was established on July 1, 1911 and was created out of a part of Chelan National Forest.
Pasayten Wilderness
Pasayten Wilderness is a protected area that is located within Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. The area of the wilderness is adjacent to the Ross Lake Recreation Area and North Cascades national Park. The western part of the wilderness offers stunning and breathtaking views of the Cascades, while the eastern part is known for its tundra and grasslands.
Sa Teekh Wa Trail
The Sa Teekh Wa Trail takes its beginning from downtown Winthrop, Washington and is considered to be a nice walk through a pine forest along a scenic river.
This is a 1-mile-round-trip trail that runs along the Chewuch River and features historic and environmental interpretive signs.
Alta Lake State Park
Alta Lake State Park is a 181 acre camping park where tourist will find the mountainous pine forests and the desert. Alta Lake is about 2 miles long and offers trout fishing possibilities.
Address: Alta Lake Rd, Pateros, WA 98846
Phone: 509 923-2473
Information: Marina Petrova
Leave your comment