Wenatchee calls itself the Apple Capital of the World, and the claim is not idle: the hills around the town, along the Columbia and Wenatchee rivers, are covered in orchards of apples, pears and cherries, irrigated with water from the rivers in an otherwise dry landscape. In spring, the orchards are a sea of blossom; in autumn, the trees are heavy with fruit, and the fruit stands along the roads sell crisp apples and fresh cider.
The town sits on the west bank of the Columbia, one of the great rivers of North America, where it flows through a broad valley lined with basalt cliffs, the remains of vast lava flows that covered this part of the continent millions of years ago. At the end of the last ice age, enormous floods from a glacial lake in Montana swept through the region, carving the cliffs and coulees that make the landscape so dramatic. A paved riverside trail loops along both banks of the Columbia.
Just north of town, Ohme Gardens is a remarkable alpine garden created on a rocky bluff above the river by a single family over decades, with pools, waterfalls and evergreens, and views over the valley. Further north, the Rocky Reach Dam has a visitor centre explaining the history of the river and the hydroelectric projects that transformed the region.
The riding around Wenatchee is varied and rewarding. To the south, US Highway 97 climbs over Blewett Pass through pine forests, with good curves and views. To the north, the roads along the Columbia towards Chelan follow the river through dramatic canyons. To the east, the plateau is open and dry, with long, straight roads through wheat fields. Wenatchee has fuel, supermarkets and restaurants, and a shady table there is welcome. Summers are hot, often over thirty-five degrees, so ride early and carry water.