Entiat River Swimming Holes in the Washington Cascades

Looking for more adventures along the Entiat River?
Hike to stunning Silver Falls and camp along the river at Lake Creek Campground.

CURRENT INFO

Information about Entiat Falls is available on the National Forest Service (NFS) website. For information about Stormy Creek Preserve, visit the Chelan-Douglas Land Trust webpage.

WE WERE HERE

Late August/early September 2024

SWIM

The Entiat River is cold, clear mountain water at its best, but it isn’t always easy to find a good swimming hole. There are few easy access spots from the road, and even where you find access, the river is often shallow or rocky. Conversely, in spring and early summer the water may be too high and swift for safe swimming. Always be mindful of the conditions, and save your swim time for when the flow is slow.

If the time is right and you’re ready to jump in, here are two publicly accessible swimming holes to explore on the Entiat River:

ENTIAT FALLS

Entiat Falls features a classic swimming hole at the base of a small but mighty waterfall. Here, the river squeezes through a tight channel in the rock, plunging into a narrow passage that widens into a larger pool before flattening out to a shallow, rocky stream. The water is clear and inviting, but be prepared — it’s also bone-chillingly cold. OK, maybe that’s a slight exaggeration, but no joke, this water is cold!

We visited in late summer, and while the current was still strong at the base of the falls, it quickly slowed to a gentle flow. A large rock shelf above the Entiat Falls offers a great place to sit and soak up the sun, and some of the lower rocks make a nice platform for jumping. Be careful, however, as the water here wasn’t especially deep. My husband’s feet touched the riverbed when he jumped in from a rock located right above the water’s edge.

The river bottom here is alternately sandy and rocky. The sandy area laps up against a small beach, and is ideal for bare feet. If you venture out among the rocks, I recommend water shoes or sandals, as this area is slippery and tricky to navigate.

STORMY CREEK PRESERVE

Stormy Creek Preserve is a true hidden gem. To find this riverside paradise, you’ll need to turn west on an unmarked dirt road from Entiat Valley Road. The turnoff is 16.8 miles north of Highway 97A, and there is no signage whatsoever at the turnoff. Heading north on Entiat Valley Road, look for an unassuming dirt road leading into the trees just before the main road crosses Stormy Creek. If you miss it and cross the creek, turn around and go back. Like magic, a parking area will appear almost immediately once you turn down the dirt road.

Now, about the swimming. The water at Stormy Creek Preserve is a beautiful translucent green, and the river bottom is a mix of sand and rock. It’s cold, but not quite as cold as Entiat Falls, so is a better option if you want to spend more time in the water. A small group was lounging at the closest beach when we arrived, so we walked around the bend to find more privacy. This involved walking through the river itself, so be prepared to get wet!

The Entiat River is generally shallow here. There are still several nice pools deep enough for swimming, but we didn’t find any spots suitable for jumping. The water was very slow moving in late summer, ideal for splashing around and simply having a little fun in the sun.

PADDLE

Stand up paddlers should head to Stormy Creek Preserve if they want to ply the waters. Here, you can navigate a good section of the Entiat River as it winds around a series of bends, but note there may be a few places where you need to come ashore to avoid log dams or rocky shallows. While good for paddle boards or float tubes, I think this area may be a little too shallow for kayaks. The swimming hole at Entiat Falls is small, so I don’t recommend it for paddling.

Another option suitable for kayaks as well as paddle boards is Entiaqua Park. This roadside park along Entiat River Road near Highway 97A doesn’t offer much other than parking and river access. There is no beach here or rocks to lounge on, so I don’t recommend it as a swimming hole. However, it’s a lovely spot to launch if you can carry your craft down the very short but steep riverbank. The Entiat River is wider and deeper here, but still completely calm when we stopped by in early September.

GOOD TO KNOW

• Entiat Falls is located on National Forest land, so an America the Beautiful pass (or other national parks pass), Northwest Forest Pass, or $5.00 day pass is required for parking. Purchase a pass ahead of time, as they are not available at the falls. I prefer the America the Beautiful Pass, which covers the entrance fees for National Parks and other national lands throughout the U.S. Check ahead of time to see if you qualify for a free or reduced price pass — seniors, fourth graders and active military do!
• Parking is free at Stormy Creek Preserve.
• Port-a-potties are available at Stormy Creek Preserve.
• No toilets are available at Entiat Falls. There is a vault toilet located three miles south at the Silver Falls trailhead.
• Accessing the river at both locations requires navigating a very short, brushy trail from the parking area. Be prepared to take a few awkward, steep steps to get down to the shore. These are definitely not “accessible” trails!
• Bring water, sunscreen, shade hats, and snacks. There is no potable water available at these sites.
• I recommend water shoes or sandals. You may not always need them, but the rocky areas of the creekbed are slippery and difficult to traverse with bare feet.
• If you’re camping, I recommend Lake Creek Campground. This beautiful forest service campground is located midway between Stormy Creek Preserve and Entiat Falls. It’s also near the Silver Falls trailhead.
• Always follow Leave No Trace principles.

HIGHLIGHTS

The Entiat River is a beauty, a wild mountain stream that froths and churns as it passes through boulder-strewn canyons, then turns docile and tame as it winds through flat, sandy valleys. Entiat Falls and Stormy Creek Preserve showcase these different sides of the Entiat. I’s well worth stopping at both if you have the time, even if you don’t plan to swim. But on a hot day, a dip in that cold mountain water can’t be beat!

THE KIDS’ TAKE

Both Entiat Falls and Stormy Creek Preserve were a big hit with the kids. They weighed the pros and cons of each and had a hard time coming up with a favorite. Stormy Creek Preserve was better for tubing and offered a much longer stretch of river to explore, while Entiat Falls had those cool rock shelves to climb near the waterfall, and a spot where you could (with caution) take a leap into the water. They would return to both in a heartbeat!

WHILE YOU’RE HERE

The Entiat River Valley offers great hiking opportunities and campgrounds. The most popular day hike, for good reason, is Silver Falls, a gorgeous trail that takes only one to two hours to complete. It’s short, but steep, and the trailhead is located just three miles south of Entiat Falls. For an even shorter, easier option, try the flat, 1.2-mile Silver Falls Interpretive Trail, which is accessed from Silver Falls Campground along the river. Be sure to make a quick stop at the beautiful Box Canyon Viewpoint, located 1.7 miles south of the Silver Falls trailhead.

Several Campgrounds dot the Entiat River, including lovely Lake Creek Campground, where we stayed. From here, it’s easy to explore numerous multi-use trails, such as the South Tommy Trail or Myrtle Lake.

I left our campsite at Lake Creek Campground after lunch with a mission: find a swimming hole on the Entiat River. I won’t bore you with details of my two hour driving trek (which was actually pretty fun), but I did succeed in finding a swimming hole, and a well-signed one at that. Entiat Falls is a scenic viewpoint with a small parking area alongside Entiat Valley Road. From the parking area, look for a small, scrubby trail through the brush leading down to a small beach near the base of the falls. The trail is unkempt and involves a few steep steps, but it takes only a minute or two to reach the water.

After my discovery, I brought the rest of the camping crew back for a late afternoon swim. It was past 4pm by this time, and the parking pullout at Entiat Falls was empty. Although the sun was sinking fast, we had enough time for a swim, and having the place to ourselves was an unexpected bonus.

The shallow area is sandy, making it easy to walk barefoot into the cold, clear river water. Of course, when I say easy, take that with a grain of sand… er, salt. The water at Entiat Falls is bracingly cold, to put it politely. My older son, J, was the first to finally take the plunge and fully immerse himself, jumping in from one of the low rocks below the waterfall.

Soon, the kids were clamoring for the float tubes. I obliged and they began a series of short runs starting at the rocks below Entiat Falls and ending a few hundred yards downriver where the stream becomes shallow and rocky. The current close to the waterfall is strong, making it difficult to swim all the way to the falls. In the swimming hole, the water was calm, but still moving enough to push the tubes downstream. I imagine that in spring and early summer, the current could be much stronger, and swimming may not even be an option.

Eventaully, Michael also jumped in, letting out a load whoop in response to the cold. I’m one of those people who prefers to wade in slowly, eventually submersing myself for a swim. After adjusting to the temperature, I helped my younger son push his tube upstream against the current, but didn’t stay in for long. When I emerged, my entire body was tingling.

But despite the cold water, Entiat Falls was a lot of fun, not to mention a fantastic place to relax on the rocks and enjoy the setting sun. Perhaps you noticed the burned trees in the photos. Yes, this area has been affected by forest fires in the recent past. With new undergrowth taking hold, it’s still a lovely place to appreciate the beauty of the Entiat River Valley and surrounding mountains. And if you get the chance to take a swim, well, that’s pure icing on the cake.

Compared with Entiat Falls, Stormy Creek Preserve is a little harder to find. We stumbled across it by accident while exploring the southern end of the Entiat River the following day. Once again, I was in search of a swimming hole, or at least a good place to access the water, but this time I had my friend and our kids with me. As we drove back up Entiat Valley Road, I made an impulsive decision to turn down an unassuming dirt road. Boy, were we in for a treat!

In less than a minute, we found ourselves in a small parking area sheltered by pine trees. It was obviously a public access point, complete with a port-a-potty and signage. The signs identified this as Stormy Creek Preserve, and offered an overview the local flora and fauna, as well as current plans for habitat restoration. They also noted that public recreation is allowed. We had found our mecca!

Just one look at the emerald green water in the swimming hole below the parking area and I was entranced. A few other groups had already set up camp on the shore, and music wafted across the water. I now interrupt this post for a public service announcement: Regardless of one’s DJ skills, public parks and outdoor spaces are not the place to hone one’s talent. Save the tunes for the drive home! Fortunately, the music wasn’t too loud, and I figured we could easily find a quiet spot further downstream.

Fortunately, this proved to be true. We had to cross the river a few times to find a shady spot, but with the help of our float tubes we were able to safely transport the picnic supplies. The water was well above my waist at times, and I noticed it wasn’t quite as cold as Entiat Falls.

With such a beautiful place to explore, it was tough to get the kids interested in lunch, but we managed to convince them to eat a few bites before they jumped back into their tubes. I, too, headed out for a lazy float along the Entiat. The river at Stormy Creek Preserve is extremely slow-moving. No white-water thrills here, but it sure is relaxing.

One thing that may get some people’s adrenaline pumping, however, is the snakes. We spotted several of these reptiles quietly cooling off in the sunny shallows. They were, I believe, wandering garter snakes, which are quite harmless to humans. As they prefer to stay out of your way, you’re not likely to encounter any while splashing around. Any ruckus scares them off. I mention them here to prepare you in case you spot one, and not to scare anyone away from enjoying this special place.

Eventually, it was time to head back to Lake Creek Campground. The boys had wound their way further and further downstream, and were now stuck with the task of carrying their float tubes back to the car. I don’t think they minded too much.

Getting back took some time, but no one was in a hurry. We were still soaking in the sun, the sparkling water, and the scent of pine trees along the riverbank. It just goes to show, you never know what treasures await when you choose the road less taken.