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Directions to Lost Lake

For all of the direction sets below, once you arrive at Lost Lake, here is how you find the Preserve:

  • Drive past Camp ORTOHA.
  • Drive past entrance to Forest Service Campground and Camp Tokiwanhee.
  • Continue driving straight on Forest Service Road 050 that follows the east side of the lake.
  • Drive past all of the cabins.
  • The road begins to curve and begins to rise in elevation.
  • Look for the covered signboard / kiosk that marks the entrance to the Preserve.
  • Welcome!

Directions to Lost Lake from Tonasket via Havillah:

  1. Take the Havillah Road out of Tonasket as though driving to Havillah.
  2. At Havillah, turn right on West Lost Lake Road and follow to Lost Lake.

Directions to Lost Lake from Tonasket via Bonaparte Lake:

  1. Take Hwy 20 eastbound from Tonasket heading toward Bonaparte Lake and Wauconda. Drive 20.24 miles.
  2. Turn left onto Bonaparte Lake Road. Drive 5.58 miles.
  3. Drive past Bonaparte Lake and the Boy sSout camp. Look for signage to Lost Lake and turn left.
  4. Follow to Lost Lake.

Directions to Lost Lake from Chesaw:

  1. Drive through the town of Chesaw and continue on Chesaw Road as though going to Beaver Canyon and Toroda Creek Road.
  2. At the Pine Chee wetland, turn right on Myers Creek Road. 
  3. Continue to Lost Lake. Myers Creek Road will turn into Forest Service road when you get closer to the lake.

Get Lost! Lost Lake Trail Race 2018

Runners gathered at Lost Lake in the Okanogan Highlands on Sunday, July 15, 2018, to participate in the first annual Get Lost! Trail Race event. The event was a fundraiser for OHA, and offered half-marathon and 7-mile distances, in addition to a free 1k kid’s race. Twenty-six runners participated in the adult distances, which included varied terrain and ascended Strawberry Mountain for a panoramic view of the highlands.

The women’s 7-mile winner, Stella Crutcher of Tonasket, stated, “This was my first trail race, and the course was mentally and physically challenging to say the least. Whether it be the course’s 850-foot climb within the first 1.5 miles, or the mental challenge of completing the race.” The morning mountain run treated runners to cooler temperatures and wildflowers provided a serene backdrop to the challenging course. “The landscape was very beautiful and it encouraged me to keep on running.” Crutcher explained. The men’s half-marathon winner, Jason Llewellyn of Chesaw, spoke highly of the race, stating, “Running the 1st annual Get Lost trail race was an awesome experience,” later adding, “The volunteers from OHA did an amazing job putting this all together. What an awesome organization to be a part of!”

Permit Needs Enforcement

Water quality at the Buckhorn Mine is regulated by the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, under the Clean Water Act. The continuous water quality permit violations at the Buckhorn Mine started shortly after mining operations began and have increased to the present day. The Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) has the responsibility to uphold and enforce the discharge permit. Over the past decade, OHA has regularly suggested corrective actions that would increase understanding of the contaminant flows at the mine site and lead to long-term solutions to the water quality problems.

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Birds

Raising the water level to the historic floodplain facilitates wildlife access to the creek!