US 97 joins US 2 near Peshastin, traveling southeast on a divided highway along the Wenatchee River to the Wenatchee area.
The highway bypasses Wenatchee and crosses the Columbia River on the Richard Odabashian Bridge before turning north onto a two-lane road at a junction with SR 28. US 2 and US 97 travel along the east bank of the Columbia River, opposite US 97 Alternate on the west side, to Orondo, where US 2 turns east. US 97 continues north and east along the river to Chelan Falls, where it crosses the Beebe Bridge and is rejoined by the alternate route near Chelan.