Lady Express, Chelan to Stehekin, per the operator's schedule page updated October 16, 2026: daily from October 11 to November 9, then Friday to Monday from November 13 to April 30. The year of April 30 is not printed; it is shown as 2027 because the window starts in November. Times are marked approximate by the operator, and the page says the booking calendar has the most current departures. · Representative sailings only — check the operator for today's full schedule
Departures 1–10 / 10
Departures 1–10 / 10
Crossing time
~150 min
Operator
Lake Chelan Boat Company (Lady of the Lake)
Map – Chelan - Stehekin Ferry
| Fare type | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult, Chelan to Stehekin or back on the Lady Express, one way | $43.00 |
| Lucerne/Holden Village to Stehekin, hopper ticket | $10.00 |
| Bicycle on the Lady Express, one way | $20.00 |
| Electric or oversized bicycle, one way | $35.00 |
| Pet on the Lady Express, one way | $25.00 |
| Overnight parking at the Chelan dock, per night | $12.00 |
| Stehekin Ferry (Field's Point Landing - Stehekin), adult, one way | $39.00 |
| Stehekin Ferry, child under 12 in a seat, one way | $20.00 |
Tickets are one-way and must be bought in advance to guarantee a seat; the operator says reserving is the only way to guarantee passage. Cards are taken in the office and aboard. The Lady Express adult fare is $43 each way; the operator's pages do not print a child fare for it. Booking up and back on the Lady Express earns a discount code, the amount of which is not published. Lady Express cancellations get a full refund or credit with 7 days' notice. The separate Stehekin Ferry from Field's Point Landing charges $39 for an adult each way, $20 for a child under 12 in a seat, and nothing for children under 3 in a lap. All fares in US dollars (USD).
The National Park Service says no outside roads lead into Stehekin, a village at the head of Lake Chelan in the North Cascades. The year-round boat is the Lady Express, run by Lake Chelan Boat Company, whose website is ladyofthelake.com. She leaves the company dock at 1418 W Woodin Ave in Chelan and takes about two and a half hours to reach Stehekin, with stops at Field's Point Landing, Prince Creek and Lucerne, the landing for Holden Village.
The days are the thing to get right in autumn. On the operator's schedule page updated October 16, 2026, the Lady Express sails daily from October 11 through November 9. From November 13 she sails Friday to Monday until April 30, and the Tuesday-to-Thursday service is listed under a separately named Stehekin Ferry, which leaves from Field's Point Landing. The National Park Service describes them as two ferry companies; the Stehekin Ferry website now gives Backcountry Travels, LLC as its business name and the same phone number and email address as Lady of the Lake. Its winter boat runs Tuesday and Wednesday from November 10 and Thursday from November 12, with a morning departure from Stehekin on Thursdays. The fast summer boat, Lady Liberty, finished its daily run on October 10.
The winter day is short. Leaving Chelan at 9:30 am and reaching Stehekin at 12:00 pm, the Lady Express turns round at 1:30 pm, which leaves about an hour and a half in the village before the 4:00 pm arrival back in Chelan. The operator also sells overnight stays as a one-way ticket for each leg.
The Lady Express adult fare is $43 each way. Bikes cost $20 one way, or $35 for electric and oversized ones, and pets are $25. Tickets must be bought in advance; the operator says that is the only way to guarantee a seat, and it also uses booking to send out schedule changes. Day parking at the Chelan dock is free, and a fenced overnight lot across the highway costs $12 a night.
One caution: the operator's own pages disagree on the October 16 to November 9 dates, so confirm in the booking calendar or on 509-682-4584.
- Arrive at the terminal several minutes before departure; vehicle lanes close earlier than the foot-passenger gate.
- Check the operator's service alerts before you set out — weather, tides and vessel maintenance change sailings.
- Confirm accepted payment methods: some crossings are card-only and some take cash only.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. The operator says the Lady Express operates all year. On its schedule page updated October 16, 2026 she sails daily from October 11 to November 9, then Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday from November 13 to April 30. A separate Stehekin Ferry from Field's Point Landing covers Tuesday to Thursday.
The Lady Express is listed at 9:30 am from Chelan, arriving in Stehekin around 12:00 pm. The return leaves Stehekin at 1:30 pm and reaches Chelan around 4:00 pm. The operator calls all times approximate and asks passengers to arrive 15 minutes early.
The Lady Express adult fare is $43 each way. A bicycle is $20 one way ($35 if electric or oversized) and a pet $25. The separate Stehekin Ferry from Field's Point Landing charges $39 for an adult each way and $20 for a child under 12 in a seat. The Lady Express child fare is not printed on the operator's pages.
About 2.5 hours each way from Chelan to Stehekin. The Stehekin Ferry from Field's Point Landing takes about 90 minutes to Stehekin, per its booking page.
Yes, buy tickets in advance. The operator says reserving is the only way to guarantee passage. You can book on its website or call 509-682-4584, and cards are accepted in the office and aboard the boats.
The Chelan dock is at 1418 W Woodin Ave, about a mile south of downtown on Highway 97A. Day parking is free; the fenced overnight lot across the highway costs $12 a night. Boarding starts about 30 minutes before departure. Field's Point Landing, 17100 S Lakeshore Rd, charges for day and overnight parking.
On the published Lady Express times the boat arrives at 12:00 pm and leaves at 1:30 pm, about an hour and a half on the ground, on the days she sails. The operator also sells overnight stays as one-way tickets for each leg.
The Stehekin Ferry's policies page states there is no service on Thanksgiving Day or Christmas Day. The Lady of the Lake pages do not state a holiday rule, so confirm with the operator at 509-682-4584.