Our recent trip to Leavenworth was highlighted by a picnic along the Wenatchee River. There’s a delightful little national forest service picnic spot right on the river, west of The Alps Gift Shop and lodging.
The day was partly cloudy and a bit cool, just as you’d expect in May in the mountains. We were quite comfortable in sweatshirts.
Before setting out for our favorite picnic spot we stopped in at The Cheesemongers. There we got a mild butterkase, a smoked gouda and an English cheddar with rosemary.
Next we popped into Cured by Visconte’s to pick up cold cuts, a yummy onion mustard and a little pot of raspberry/pear champagne jam. The clerk at Cured very kindly ran upstairs to the restaurant and procured for us a loaf of delicious Italian bread and a bit of butter. She was so very helpful, even cutting the loaf for us when we told her that we were picnicking. The cold cuts were delicious. Visconte’s cures many of its own meats. The meat that’s not shop cured is imported. We selected smoked ham, thuringer, and buckboard bacon (a cured meat that you eat as it comes.) I also snagged a taste of buffalo jerky. I’ve had the jerky before and love it.
After a stop for soft drinks we headed west out of Leavenworth along Highway 2, into the Wenatchee National Forest. It was a great day for a drive. Everywhere you look the views are lovely. Once we passed the historic Tumwater Canyon Dam (the first hydroelectric dam in Washington) and The Alps on the south side of the highway (traveling west the river was on our left) the picnic area was just a short distance further. It too is on the south side of the highway, right on the Wenatchee River. The area has plenty of off road parking.
The picnic area consists of several tables and some fire pits. If you plan to use a fire pit to roast hotdogs or toast marshmallows, be sure you check for campfire restrictions in the Wenatchee National Forest and bring some firewood. There’s a lavatory, but no running water-except for the river, of course!
Lunch was delicious. The cured meats and the cheeses were scrumptious in the fresh, mountain air. I really liked the smoked ham paired with the champagne jam on the crusty bread. The river was right there in all of its spring thaw glory. Green and swift, it rushed by providing a great soundtrack.
The picnic area was populated by several Stellar’s Jays. These territorial birds are pretty common in campgrounds and picnic areas all over the west. We managed to get several photos but they’re quick things and easily startled so only a couple of the photos came out clearly. The birds reminded us that the Leavenworth Bird Fest was coming up. We couldn’t be there this year, but we looked up the program and it was chock full of many family-friendly activities and celebrations.
Across the river from our picnic site you can see firsthand how the forest is recovering from the Rat Creek and Hatchery Complex fires. These were two of the fires that devastated Chelan County in the summer of 1994. The canyon opposite the picnic area is a good reminder of how forest fire renews and replenishes the forest ecosystem.
Once the bread was gone and we felt rested, we got on the road east, back to Leavenworth. We made a stop at The Alps. It’s a great place to pick up some tasty condiments, like the honey mustard we put on just about everything back home. They had a fire early in 2009 that destroyed the store and the manufacturing plant, but have rebuilt and are back stronger than ever.
While in Leavenworth we encourage you to get out of town and into nature. One of the most wonderful features of our favorite town is its locale in and near so many natural wonders. We encourage you to make Leavenworth your base of operations for birdwatching, picking mushrooms, camping or hiking, and fishing.
