The town is surrounded by a wealth of fishing, hiking, mountain biking and hunting opportunities. Or just stop and take advantage of the fresh air and natural beauty of the area.  Two scenic loop drives give you a view of our rural countryside. Points of historical interest and lakeside recreational areas are all within a leisurely day's tour.

The area is a natural playground. Winter activities include ice fishing, skiing, and snow mobiling. Spring, Summer, and Autumn activities can range from hunting, stream and lake fishing, camping, swimming, hiking, mountain climbing, and many others.

The original town site of this western village was located on the west side of the Okanogan River, about one mile south of its present location. Elva Helm and Henry Colbert note in their book “All Roads Lead to Tonasket” that the town was once called Parry’s Ferry, or Parry’s Landing, for Watkins W. Parry, an early pioneer settler who had extensive holdings in the area.

The present site of the town was purchased from the Bonaparte Land Company in 1910 and was soon platted. It was named Tonasket after Chief Tonasket of the Okanogan Tribe.

Nearby in the hills surrounding Tonasket are several small pioneer communities, some still have a few amenities, while others are more part of the area’s past, yet still offer many tourism and recreational possibilities.