WASHINGTON

Travel America, May, 2001 by Paul Hurd

Lake Chelan, the third deepest lake in the U.S., has become the summer recreation destination in the Cascades. Summer skies are generally clear and average temperatures are in the 80s, perfect for a dip into the lake's cool waters. Journey in any season up the 55-mile lake to the isolated village of Stehekin aboard the Lady of the Lake.

East of the Cascades the weather is perfect for apple growing (warm summers, cool winters), especially near Lake Chelan, the Wenatchee Valley, and the rich Okanogan Highlands. To the south, from Yakima to the Tri-Cities, is one of America's fastest growing wine-producing regions.

Eastern Washington is highlighted by the rugged, sparsely populated hill country of the northeast and the fertile plains of the south. Grand Coulee Dam, one of the world's largest concrete structures, forms the 100-mile long Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake. Popular with houseboaters, the lake stretches past the Selkirks and the Kettle River Range clear to the Canadian border.

Spokane is the business and cultural center for the "Inland Empire." Stroll through the city's Riverfront Park to view the roaring Spokane Falls. Cavanaugh's Inn at the Park and the Doubletree City Center are excellent choices for park-side lodging. The Cheney-Cowles Memorial Museum gives an insight into the pioneer spirit that led to Washington becoming a territory in 1853 and a state in 1889.

The undulating hills of the Palouse, south of Spokane, are known for their incredibly rich, wheat-producing soil. Clarkston, at the confluence of the Clearwater and Snake Rivers, is the launching point for exciting Beamers Jet Boat Tours deep into the awesome Hells Canyon of the Snake. Imagine zipping along at up to 50 m.p.h, over rapids less than a foot deep! Just another wonderful Washington adventure.

For information, contact Washington Travel Development, (800) 890-5493; www.tourism.wa.gov.