Aeneas Valley, Okanogan County
Fifteen miles of open grassland in the Okanogan Highlands. Named for a Syilx leader who chose this valley over conflict.
Explore the ValleyA Valley Shaped by Ice, Named for a Peacemaker
Aeneas Valley is a 15-mile north-south depression in the western slopes of the Okanogan Highlands, carved by the Cordilleran ice sheet and dotted with kettle lakes. In 1863, Syilx leader Chief Aeneas Someday left his people to avoid bloodshed and settled here, ranching the valley until his death in 1905. Today, the valley remains a quiet community of ranchers, homesteaders, and newcomers drawn by affordable land, 300 days of sunshine, and thousands of acres of adjacent National Forest.
The Land
The valley sits at 2,336 feet between the ridges of the Okanogan Gneiss Dome to the west and the slopes of the Mount Bonaparte pluton to the northeast. Moses Mountain (6,774 feet) rises to the southwest, home to the tallest fire lookout tower in the Pacific Northwest. The valley floor was shaped by glacial advance and retreat, leaving behind kettles, kettle lakes, and flat benches of deposited sediment. It straddles two watersheds: Bonaparte Creek to the north and the Sanpoil River to the south.
The People
Chief Aeneas Someday was a Syilx leader who chose peace over war. As tensions escalated between settlers and his young men in the 1860s, he gave up his leadership and moved east into the Okanogan Highlands with his family. He ranched the full 15-mile valley for 25 years, raising cattle, horses, and oats. New settlement laws eventually reduced his holdings to 160 acres, where he lived until 1905. His name lives on in the valley, a creek, a lake, and a mountain.
Today
Aeneas Valley is a small, unincorporated community in the largest county in Washington state. The only business is the Aeneas Valley Country Store at milepost 11, which serves as gas station, grocery, post office, and community gathering place. The nearest town is Tonasket, 25 miles northwest on State Route 20. People come here for affordable land, self-sufficient living, and proximity to hundreds of miles of National Forest trails. Properties run on wells, septic, and in some cases, solar power.
Explore
History
Chief Aeneas Someday, the Syilx people, early settlers, and the opening of the Colville Reservation.
Geography & Climate
Glacial origins, the Okanogan Highlands, kettle lakes, and four distinct seasons at 2,336 feet.
Wildlife & Nature
Mule deer, elk, bear, moose, cougar, and over 200 bird species in the surrounding highlands.
Recreation
Fly fishing at Aeneas Lake, hunting, hiking, camping, and access to the Tonasket Ranger District.
Living Here
Off-grid living, homesteading, property basics, and what draws people from Western Washington.
Getting There
Directions from Seattle, Spokane, and the Tri-Cities. Road conditions and seasonal access.
Local Amenities
Schools, hospital, shopping, and services in Tonasket and the surrounding area.