Outside the Lodge

The Lodge Beach and Palmer Lake

Palmer Lake is a hidden gem in Okanogan County, WA. The lake is surrounded by mountains, rolling hills, and orchards. It covers 2,100 acres, is about 5 miles long, and 80 feet deep. Palmer Lake provides a myriad of outdoor opportunities throughout the year. The boat launch is just a quick 3‑minute drive from the lodge.

The Beach

The Lodge sits on 30 acres with over 300 feet of low‑bank waterfront shoreline. The beach is made of small, smooth stones—perfect for little ones to wade safely close to shore, yet deep enough for a swim or to tie up your boat just off the beach.

A local road to Loomis divides the property: the lodge on one side, the lake on the other. Bring your boat – we've got a dock, plus a large anchor and buoy ready for you.

Water Sports

Swimming
Waterskiing
Wakeboarding
Wakesurfing
Tubing
Sailing

There are very few boats, the lake is often like glass. In summertime the water gets quite warm. In the wintertime many people get out on the lake for ice skating and ice fishing.

Fishing

Fishing at Palmer Lake offers year-round opportunities to catch a wide variety of fish in a scenic mountain valley setting. Popular species include kokanee salmon, rainbow trout, smallmouth and largemouth bass, yellow perch, black crappie, and even burbot in winter. The lake has produced trophy-sized fish and is known for its spring kokanee run and hard-fighting bass.

Guests at the lodge can fish from our private dock. Loomis has a small convenience store with fishing supplies and gas. For more information, see Fishing at Palmer Lake. Or, dive even deeper with reference information available in this blog post.

Summer Activities in the Area

There are a lot of fun places to explore and activities.

Hiking and Walking

The Similkameen Trail: A scenic riverside path that follows the former rail line along the Similkameen River, offering easy, mostly flat terrain perfect for walking or biking. It is 9.7 miles as a there-and-back route, so you can make it shorter if you like. Here is a link to the trailhead.

Wineries

Osoyoos and the surrounding area are home to more than 80 wineries, ranging from large estate producers to boutique family-run operations, several of which feature exceptional on-site restaurants and tasting rooms. Take a drive or schedule a tour, and check out panoramic views of vineyards and Lake Osoyoos, set against the striking Okanagan desert landscape.

Golf

You have multiple options for golfing:

Oroville Golf Club‎ - 3468 Loomis Oroville Rd # A, Oroville, WA‎ - (509) 476-2390‎ (18 miles from the Lodge)
Osoyoos Golf & Country Club‎ - 12300 Golf Course Drive RR 4, Osoyoos, BC, Canada‎ - (250) 495-7003‎ (27 miles from the Lodge)
Sonora Dunes Golf Course‎ - 1300 Rancher Creek Road RR 6, Osoyoos, BC, Canada‎ - (250) 495-4653‎ (31 miles from the Lodge)

Goldpanning

The Similkameen river (that connects to Palmer Lake) is a hotspot for gold panning. It was the site of Washington's first documented gold strike in the mid-1850s. This early gold discovery helped launch a wave of prospecting and played a big role in opening up the Okanogan to settlers and miners. We have pans you can use to let the kids try their hand at finding real gold.

ATV Trails

There are extensive ATV trails just a few minutes from the lodge. You can drive your rigs legally on the country road from the trails right to Loomis to gas up.
Google 'Okanogan County ATV Guide' for the latest annual information. Click here for a map of ATV trails near the Lodge.

Winter fun at the Lodge

Winter transforms Palmer Lake into a magical wonderland with unique opportunities for cold-weather outdoor recreation.

Ice Fishing

Try your hand at ice fishing, walk right out on the lake. Palmer Lake is very popular for it. Be sure to watch the eagles feast on any left-overs the next morning. We have seen 20 of them all gathered in one spot.

Snowmobiling and Sledding

Use the Lodge as your base camp for snowmobiling miles of groomed trails located close by. Here is a map from the Washington State Snowmobile Association web site showing trails and the location of the Lodge (purple represents groomed trails). For sledding, the lodge property extends another 27 acres where we have a large field plus a loop road through the woods to play on.

Day trips for skiing

Apex is an hour and a half away with 4 lifts, 1112 skiable acres, a high speed quad, a Tube park and more.