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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Tonasket
Skip unless you need a fuel stop on US 97 or are attending the Barter Faire. Half a day covers the main street and a lake; one night if you ski at Sitzmark.
Tonasket is a small agricultural town on US 97 in north-central Washington, 20 km south of the Canadian border. It has a grocery store, a few cafés and a ski hill 30 km east. Most travellers pass through on the way to Osoyoos or Omak; the town itself is a 30-minute stop.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- May–Sep for driving and fishing; Dec–Feb for skiing
- Avoid
- Nov (mud season, many places closed)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $60–100 excl. bed · Mid $100–160 excl. bed · High $160+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911 · Tonasket Police (non-emergency) 509-486-2121
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee (diner) | $2–3 |
| Burger and fries | $10–14 |
| Beer (tap) | $4–6 |
| Gas (per litre) | $1.00–1.20 |
| Motel room (basic) | $70–120 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- MWH · Grant County International Airport (Moses Lake)
- About 2 h 30 min drive; check
- YLW · Kelowna International Airport (Canada)
- About 1 h 30 min drive via Osoyoos border; check
Typical fares
- Trango bus Tonasket–Omak
- about $2, check schedule
- Taxi (if available)
- call ahead, no app service
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Car required. US 97 runs north–south through town; Sitzmark and Chopaka Lake are on gravel or paved county roads. Trango bus connects Tonasket to Omak and Oroville on weekdays.
See and do
Known for
- Okanogan Family Barter Faire
- Sitzmark Ski Area
- Chopaka Lake fly fishing
- US 97 border stop
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Omak | US 97 south, about 20 min | 20 min |
| Oroville, Washington | US 97 north, about 15 min | 15 min |
| Osoyoos (Canada) | US 97 north, cross border, about 20 min | 20 min |
| Chopaka Lake | East on Chopaka Lake Road (gravel), about 30 min | 30 min |
| Sitzmark Ski Area | Havillah Road east, about 30 min | 30 min |
Sleep
- US 97 corridor
- A couple of motels near the highway; basic, no frills.
- Omak
- 20 min south, more chain hotels and dining options.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hello |
| Thank you | Thank you |
| How much? | How much? |
| Where is the gas station? | Where is the gas station? |
| Do you have a menu? | Do you have a menu? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Sitzmark Ski Area hours and snow conditions vary: check Facebook before driving up.
- Barter Faire has no ATMs on site; bring cash.
- Cell service can be spotty east of town toward Chopaka Lake.
Very low crime. Watch for deer on US 97 at dusk and black ice in winter.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Tonasket yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Okanogan Family Barter Faire
- Sitzmark Ski Area
- Chopaka Lake fly fishing
- US 97 border stop
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- City of Tonasket official website: www.tonasketcity.org
- Okanogan County Transit Authority (Trango): okanogantransit.com/
- BLM – Chopaka Lake: www.blm.gov/visit/chopaka-lake-and-chopaka-mountain-wilderness-study-area
- Sitzmark Ski Area Facebook: www.facebook.com/SitzmarkSkiArea/
- Okanogan Family Barter Faire: okanoganfamilyfaire.net/
- Wikivoyage: Tonasket, revision 5114909 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5114909
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Tonasket
Take me to this address
Take me to this address
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
- Tonasket Police (non-emergency)509-486-2121
English is universal; no phrasebook needed.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/tonasket). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.