Washington's Tiny Village Is A Quiet Escape Into Nature With A Nearby Abandoned Ghost Town To Explore

Deep in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by mountain peaks and national parks in the scenic highlands of Okanogan (Washington's largest and most sparsely populated county), is a tiny, unincorporated village that offers all the peace and quiet you could want. Estimates place the population around Wauconda at between 50 to230, but it's difficult to be precise because this region is very popular with people living off the grid.

Wauconda, a former mining community next to a ghost town, sits near the Canadian border, 284 miles northeast of Seattle. The town center consists of a community hall, post office, church, and permanently closed general store, so most of what makes up Wauconda is scattered homes surrounded by trees, fields, and yellow hills. To reach Wauconda, drive along Highway 20, over a stretch of quiet road and watch blue mountains bump across the horizon. The nearest hint of civilization is the small town of Tonasket, 24 miles away.  Despite this, there are a few accommodation options to choose from in Wauconda. You'll find rustic farmhouses and cabins listed on Airbnb, Joes Town campsite is centrally located, and both Diamond Belle Guest Ranch and Lazy C Mini RV Park, Campground, and Airbnb are only 3 miles away. The closest place to fly from is Spokane International Airport, 146 miles south of Wauconda.

The first Wauconda was built in the late 1890s upon the discovery of quartz and gold. By the early 1900s, Old Wauconda had a general store, four saloons, three hotels, and a post office. The boom didn't last, however, and the mines closed just a few years later. In 1929, Highway 20 was built, but it didn't go past Wauconda, so most of the citizens packed up and moved 4 miles away to be closer to the road — taking their post office and general store with them.

Today, you can explore the ghost town of Old Wauconda and peek at the forever unfinished German-style Pflug mansion, which has been uninhabited for more than 100 years. There are also spooky shacks sitting in empty fields, information plaques detailing the town's history, and hidden former mining spots. Washington State is no stranger to these kinds of places: In fact, just 38 miles away, there's another off-the-radar ghost town — Molson, Washington.

In 2008 Wauconda was owned by Daphne Fletcher, who sold it on eBay for $360,000. The new owners didn't last long and left in 2015. While the general store and cafe are permanently closed, New Wauconda isn't a ghost town. Residents still use their community hall for events, such as family movie potlucks, pie auctions, town hall meetings, and an annual flag day celebration. 

Wauconda is a great springboard for exploring nearby wildlife areas, national forests, and mountain peaks. Parts of the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail system (1,200 miles of remote hiking routes) are located near Wauconda. For a challenging adventure, travel 11 miles up to Toroda Creek Road and embark on the 22-mile Bonaparte Lake trail. This 11-hour hike takes you through the wilderness of Colville National Forest, passing lakes, mountains, and woodland views. Make sure you stock up on provisions while you can; you might not see another shop for days. Before you set off, consider memorizing this easy mnemonic that could save your life if you get lost while hiking.

For a shorter walk, Mount Bonaparte is 8 miles from Wauconda. It contains a 6.7-mile trail that is said to be difficult because of the steep ascent, but it contains breathtaking views of mountain peaks merging into the sky.  If that's not enough summits for you, Storm King Mountain, Maple Mountain, Mount Annie, and Copper Butte are some of the other peaks less than 50 miles from Wauconda. Curlew Lake State Park, 25 miles from Wauconda, is 87 acres of meadows with idyllic lake views where you can fish, boat, hike, and set up camp. Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest (3.8 million acres of valleys, woods, glaciated peaks, and arid grassland) and Sinlahekin Wildlife Area (where moose, big-horn sheep,  215 types of birds and 90 varieties of butterfly live inside 22,500 acres of wilderness) are also accessible from Wauconda.