When the landscape is snow-covered, the lakes may be frozen and not distinguishable from the rest of the landscape. If you are looking for an epic day hike, check out our Colchuck Lake trail guide for all the info you need! Day 1: Hike to Snow Lake and set up campDay 2: Explore the Core area all day and then head back your campsite at Snow LakeDay 3: Hike out through Snow Lake. Over the years, the hike has become increasingly popular, making winning a permit in the lottery almost like winning the actual lottery. Your email address will not be published. Once here, depending on your schedule, you may want to camp overnight. Because of the popularity of the area, backpacking permits to camp in the core Enchantments area are required May 15-October 31st, and they are in high demand -- I've applied three years in a row without any luck. Permits. As the trail winds through the lakes surrounded by lichen-covered rocks beneath the rugged mountain peaks, you will find more campsites. We hope you snag a permit! The two trailheads are fortunately only a 30-minute drive apart, so the easiest option is driving two vehicles. If you choose to climb up Aasgard Pass, as recommended in this guide, you will be carrying a full overnight pack with the food up 2,000 feet of elevation gain in less than a mile. There are five total regions: Eightmile/Caroline, Stuart, Colchuck, Core, and Snow. Thankfully Christie applied and was able to bring us along! Since the Enchantments trail is at a higher elevation, the temperature will generally be cooler than in town. More than a dozen high alpine lakes carved in granite. May, June, September and October are considered "shoulder seasons" and visitors can expect to encounter snow and winter-like conditions. If you click through a link on Small Town Washington, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Hiking up Aasgard Pass means that the remaining 13 miles of trail are generally downhill. Nestled in the Cascade Mountains, the Enchantments is full of alpine lakes, rocky peaks, larches, mountain goats, and incredible views. Spread out over a few days, its incredibly rewarding, with once-in-a-lifetime views and experience to match your efforts. If you begin at the Stuart Lake Trailhead and go up by way of Colchuck Lake and Aasgard Pass, you'll have 6,000 vertical feet of elevation gain and 7,800 vertical feet of elevation loss. The zone is named after Snow Lake, the final lake before you climb up into the Core zone. In fact, people have died doing so from falling into crevasses or waterfall holes. Permits are required for day and overnight use in this area. Day 4: Hike out through Colchuck. (Sa. The next set of campsites is along the lakeshores of the five lakes situated in what is known as the Enchantments Core: Isolation Lake, Inspiration Lake, Perfection Lake, Leprechaun Lake and Lake Vivianne. Before July (and sometimes even into July! After you finish your hike, its time to celebrate! If you make a purchase through one of these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The main reason to day-hike the Enchantments is that doing so means you dont need a hard-to-get camping permit. This is the route we did. They are pit toilets, but its good for a last minute bathroom break before hitting the trail! Always maintain a very safe distance from wildlife, and take care of your business well away from the trail and campsites! Day 1: Hike to Colchuck Lake and set up campDay 2: Hike up Aasgard Pass and find a good camping spot in the Core. The. Wander around the Core a bitDay 3: Spend all day exploring the Core. And after you eat dinner, make sure to go grab some ice cream from Whistlepunk! We bought a new water filter for the trip and the water filtered super fastit was amazing! The Enchantments as a whole is gorgeous, but there are a few spots that you should especially check out and spend some time at. There are over 6,000 cenotes on the Yucatn Penin, One of our favorite ways to experience a new place, Where to go after hiking the Enchantments, https://www.alltrails.com/explore/trail/us/washington/the-enchantments-trail?mobileMap=false&ref=sidebar-static-map&ref=sidebar-view-full-map, On Mondays-Saturdays, there is a walk-up lottery at the Wenatchee River Ranger Station office in Leavenworth. Even when youre not tackling the pass, its necessary to pay attention to your footing and maintain consistent stamina through the strenuous ups and downs. You will want to make sure you have cars at both trailheads (see The Trailheads section below). We hope to inform, inspire, and empower you to get outside, see this incredible world, and find your WILD! Additionally, an overnight or multi-day journey into the Enchantments allows you to experience swimming and relaxing on alpine lakeshores, the chance to explore side trails, and waking up in some truly stunning camping spots. The trail is steep and rocky, resembling your climb up Aasgard Pass. However, the Forest Service warns that hiking or camping on snow is highly likely during May, June, late September and October, so keep that in mind when planning your trip. You can often find us driving all around the US and Canada, scoping out the best coffee shops, eating tacos and ice cream (were a 5+ taco and 2+ scoop household), and enjoying nature. Try this 20.5-mile point-to-point trail near Leavenworth, Washington. However, you obviously cant rely on or plan around hitch-hiking and not everyone is comfortable with it. The hope for most is that dry sunny weather will coincide with whatever dates the luck of the draw has bestowed on them. 15 Best Hikes in North Cascades National Park, 11 Best Waterfalls in Washington State + Hikes to Find Them, How to Get From Seattle to Bainbridge Island (By Ferry or Road Trip! Now the hard part: getting a permit. Talk about timing! Hi yall! Here is a sample packing list for your trip, More Hiking: 21 Bucket List Hikes in Washington State, More North Cascades: 15 Best Hikes in North Cascades National Park, Waterfall Hikes: 11 Best Waterfalls in Washington State + Hikes to Find Them, Hiking Near Seattle: 11 Best Day Hikes Near Seattle. Here you will also encounter larches, the iconic coniferous tree with deciduous needles that turn bright yellow before they drop for the winter. These campsites are located along the shoreline and provide excellent views of the brilliantly blue lake. The weather in the mountains can change quickly, so always bring a rainjacket just in case! This is a very popular area for backpacking, camping, and hiking, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring. However, weve seen young children complete it, so it could make a great family excursion! Talisman Lake Tucked away in a particularly rugged area of Washington, just accessing this beautiful environment takes substantial planning. Your email address will not be published. These make for the best overnight spots in the Enchantments overall. The best strategy is to keep your distance as much as possible. So I'm also going to try to do the Enchantments this year. This website contains affiliate links from websites such as Amazon.com, Booking.com, and Rentalcars.com. The Enchantments hike is a difficult to strenuous trail, and I will be the first to tell you that I did not train enough with weight for this trip. If you are not comfortable rock scrambling, this hike may not be the best fit for you. Enter: Christie, our Enchantments savior. Regardless of the time of year of your hike, this is a mountainous alpine hike, and it is important to pack a range of layers for clothing, including enough warm layers in case the weather turns bad. On a four day backpacking trip you can take day trips from camp to explore over a dozen crystal clear lakes, summit surrounding peaks, and camp at an alpine lake of your choice! But the wait, stress, and uncertainty of getting to access this area is worth it!Note: Dogs are not allowed in the Enchantments. They have two parking lots in this area (the first one is for Eightmile and next one is for Stuart/Colchuck), as well as an overnight only parking area for those with overnight permits. Since the Enchantments hike is a point to point trail, its necessary to consider transportation logistics. The Core Enchantments area is accessible by two different trailheads: Stuart / Colchuk Lake and Snow Lakes Trailheads. Backpacking The Enchantments The Enchantments is a region in Washington state with a group of pristine alpine lakes that can only be accessed by foot. This is a great campsite if you are planning a short first day of hiking. You cant go wrong with overnighting at any of the five lakes; theyre all stunning! The lakes and rocks will be melted off, allowing you to fully see them. Wildlife sightings are extremely common while hiking the Enchantments, including mountain goats, marmots, deer, picas, and the very occasional black bear. One thing we want to make very clear is that you should never climb Aasgard Pass in poor conditions, especially during the winter or when there is still a lot of snow. Was the road to Stuart Lake Trailhead scary or just extremely bumpy? On a journey to Alaska in @brisketthevan As you approach Leavenworth from the west on Highway 2, you will turn onto Icicle Creek Road on the edge of town. Required fields are marked *. While some people spend up to five days on the trail, we think 2-3 days in the Enchantments is the sweet spot a long weekend escape thats easy to plan and pack for. These days experience the least precipitation and are most likely to have clear skies and warm days. While its entirely possible to hike the trail in a single day (remember, weve done it! Obtaining the permit to backpack the Enchantments is a much more difficult process, so we opted instead to camp out at Lake Wenatchee for the weekend and day-hike . Prusik Peak over Lake Viviane. Overview of the Enchantments Hike These statistics are for the thru-hike from Stuart/Colchuck Lake Trailhead to the Snow Lakes Trailhead. The first campsites are at Lake Colchuck, about four miles into the hike. To be on the safe side, plan your hike for mid-July to late-September. Negative Elev. Day 4: Hike out through Snow Lake. : 1312 ft. the enchantments hiking washington day hike For most hikers, this is the hardest day hike they've ever done. Maybe you'll get lucky and have good weather. Each campsite listed has a wilderness toilet for your use and to preserve the natural beauty of the area. Best 2-Person Tents for Camping & Backpacking, 17 Best Hikes in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, Dispersed Camping: What is It & How to Find Dispersed Campsites, 25 Hiking Lunch Ideas to Keep You Fed on the Trail, Cracker Lake Trail Guide for Glacier National Park, Tips for Eco Camping: A Guide for the Environmentally Conscious Camper, navigation: physical map, phone* with offline maps downloaded (or both), layers (here is a great resource if youre wondering, sun protection: sunscreen, hat, sun glasses, water bottles and bladder for your Camelbak, way to purify your water (we used our Grayl water bottles on this trail and they were fantastic! While our experience hiking the Enchantments wasnt the traditional experiencewe didnt have a Core permit and we skipped Aasgard pass due to weather concernswe had such a fun, rainy and memorable three days. We lived in Leavenworth for a while, and have been lucky enough to hike in the Enchantments a few times, and each experience has been pretty different. Continue reading. We would love to do this hike again in the future, however, we think we would do it a bit differently. Didnt get a permit? There are so many spots youll want to sit and relish the view! I've been trying to prep by putting some weights in my backpack and hiking up and down the hills by my house. Although its rare for them to be aggressive, weve heard of instances where mother goats have attacked hikers trying to protect their kids. For this multi-night backpacking adventure, make sure you are prepared with the right gear. There are five unique areas amongst the Enchantments zone which covers about 75 square miles. The trail steadily climbs through dense forest, with increasingly picturesque views of the valley below. Although this is difficult, many people prefer this option to hiking the other direction, which involves a much longer strenuous uphill section of trail. Those on the longer end tend to linger longer at the lakes. Note: Winners are drawn at random, so it makes absolutely no difference when you apply, as long as its within the application period. While Aasgard Pass terrifies us, we want to experience it once in our lifetime and wed rather do it without the heavy packs. Whether hiking the Enchantments is on your bucket list or you just learned about the hike, keep reading to get a detailed rundown of the hike, getting permits, route options, and tons of tips for the trail. Mile 11: The shores of the Snow Lakes are the last large group of campsites. But on March 20, we got the disappointing news that we did not get permits. The Enchantments are one of the most enchanting (sorry, we had to!) This beautiful glacial gem is the perfect spot for a snack, swim, and at least a few minutes of relaxation from here, things are going to get much harder. a little bit of snow on the trail even in early September When to go: The Enchantments overnighting permit season extends from May 15 to October 31st, but the trail is frequently covered by snow both early and late in the season. It is never acceptable to clean pots by submerging them in a natural body of water. ! One thing thats good to know is that we saw a lot of different mileage reports for this hike. As you head down from Isolation and Tranquil Lakes, the terrain changes from the smooth granite rocks to alpine meadows. Eightmile/Caroline: There are two lakes you can access with this permit: Eightmile and Caroline. In the summer, these will look like any other green coniferous tree unless you look for the distinctive bundles of needles coming off the branches. While taking pictures and enjoying the company, you will need to keep your distance to keep yourself and the animals safe. Distance: 19.25 miles (31 km) Difficulty: Extremely strenuous Total Elevation Gain: 5,500 feet (1,675 meters) Total Elevation Loss: 7,000 feet (2,133 meters) - Stock Photos provided by our partner Depositphotos, Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, Hi yall! 4.73 out of 5. 14 days ago. If you do not get a permit through the lottery, there is still hope! ), most of the high alpine terrain is still covered in snow and the lakes are frozen. The Enchantments are an absolutely amazing alpine wonderland located in central Washington state. 25. r/hiking. September 8, 2016. Early Summer While hiking in June still requires a permit, you run the risk of the trail being heavily covered in snow. We coordinated with two friends (Yvonne and Jeffrey) on the dates we wanted, zones we wanted to apply for, and other logistics. However, camping and hiking in the Enchantments is well worth all the effort! Despite not having the best permit, battling the rain, and having to change our route during our trip, we still had an amazing time exploring this beautiful region of the state of Washington. Camping spots are limited, but when possible, put your tent up away from other tents to give other campers privacy. Bear CanisterWhile we did not see any bears during our trip, we always pack a bear canister when in the wilderness to safely store our food. places in Washington and in this guide we're sharing all of our tips for hiking the Enchantments, including how to get permits, what to pack, different route options, and things to know before you go!This past September we got to kn. Four of us applied together and each put the same dates, zones, etc. The environment here has turned from granite rocks to alpine marsh and meadow, full of grass and heather. Are you planning on carrying them the entire way? living on the road in our. We have a 22 B+ van. How late can you hike the Enchantments? There are two trailheads for the Enchantments: Stuart/Colchuck Lake and Snow Lake. There are five permit zones: Core Enchantment, Snow Lake, Colchuck Lake, Stuart Lake, and the Eightmile/Caroline zone. The 18-mile trail through the Enchantment Lakes, up to the high alpine at almost 8,000 feet above sea level, is perhaps the state's most infamous and beloved route. Once you finish hiking, you can use the vehicle at the end to go back and retrieve the other one. PS: the trailheads all have bathrooms! Hiking The Enchantments in Washington . Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. I did this as a thru hike in September, the trail was harder than I anticipated. Very brutal.. It is easy to lose the main path up Aasgard Pass, but you will want to take the extra time to stay on it, since it is more solid and easier, especially if you are carrying a heavy overnight pack. The map below shows the area that make up the Enchantments. Turn left onto Icicle Creek Road. As an Amazon Associate, Small Town Washington earns from qualifying purchases. However, there is no easy way to get there. This is a helpful article as I plan my permit asks and hopeful my hike. For a challenging side adventure, there is a trail that branches off near Perfection Lake and heads up Prusik Pass. Mile 4: There are many campsites at Colchuck Lake around mile 4 from the trailhead. Snow: This is the zone we camped in during our time in the Enchantments. All Rights Reserved. The Enchantments hike is most commonly completed as a one-way thru-hike since the hike is long and the terrain can be difficult. This lake is one of the most dramatic lakes in the basin, as it is set in a deep basin below Prusik Peak and above the ridge towards Snow Lakes. To preserve the experience of other hikers and the wilderness character of the trail, it is important to follow common hiking etiquettes. The setting is picture-perfect; however, hiking here in just one day from Stuart Lake is challenging. As you descend, you will reach Snow Lakes and Nada Lake, both with a variety of campgrounds for the weary hiker. Pin this blog post to prep for your trip! If youre not very familiar with the Enchantments Wilderness Area, you may be surprised to know that it requires a bit more planning and preparation than simply lacing up your hiking boots and hitting the trail. And it's tough getting there. The trail through the Enchantments is 18 miles, one-way, with additional side trails to explore the surrounding lakes. And our favorite way to celebrate? Understandably, the trail gets busy and snagging an overnight permit is extremely tough. Please dont bury TP; pack it in, pack it out. Starting at Stuart / Colchuck Lake trailhead means you climb 4,549 ft and descend 6,688 ft. As we mentioned, we did not end up going to Aasgard Pass, so we cannot speak to that experience, but we can attest that the lakes at the top are magical! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy Cookie Policy, 2021 Adventures of A+K. Once you ascend the Enchantments Core, youll be able to enjoy the spectacular scenery without constant exertion. The sights are spectacular, with views of surrounding peaks and Colchuck Lake dwarfed into a gleaming blue jewel far below. Widely regarded as the crown jewel of hiking in Washington, this trail exceeds even the wildest of superlatives. As you proceed down the trail, the next and final lake of the Enchantments is Lake Viviane. Although some things may biodegrade over a long period of time, they do not belong in the alpine, they are unsightly and spoil the view of your fellow hikers, and they are unhealthy for animals who will eat them. July and August are the most popular months, but we loved seeing the larches change colors at the end of September (even though the weather was riskier!). Posted on September 5, 2011 September 6, 2011 by Rick Mc. "I can see why it's called the Enchantments. A hard-to-acquire permit is required to camp in any of the area's five zones, with the Enchantment Core permit being the most desirable. Thanks! The maximum group size is 8 people. See some of our recommended stops below! Core Enchantments:From Colchuck Lake to the top of Aasgard Pass:2.5 miles (one way)2,500 ft elevation gain, From the inlet of Upper Snow Lake to Lake Viviane:1.5 miles (one way)1,400 ft elevation gain. If youre hiking the Enchantments by yourself or dont have two vehicles, there are other options. Mar 18, 2012 at 6:00 pm #1855705. If youre hiking the Enchantments with another person but only have one vehicle, another option is to rent an additional car to drop off at the endpoint. . Finally, although it sounds funny at first, hitch-hiking is another good option. Were talking beautiful wilderness full of clear alpine lakes, granite rocks, and vistas of sharp peaks. Heres a quick rundown of each one! Mid-July through early October is the best season for hiking the Enchantments. The elevation gain and loss are large, meaning that you will be working hard at most points during your hike. We hope this blog post helped give you some more information to help plan your trip to the Enchantments! In addition to the lottery permits, a very limited number of permits are reserved for walk-ins available at the Leavenworth Ranger Station. This ethereal landscape of lakes, basins, and rugged peaks is a delightful place to hike through. To avoid these food thieves when camping or hiking through, youll want to keep your food in an animal-proof container. One awesome thing about this permit is that you can camp in any of the zones, which gives you a lot of flexibility in your trip! There was a catch though: we got Snow Lake permits, not Core permits (If all of this sounds like a foreign language, dont worry, we will explain it all down below!) Hikers use two trails to approach the Enchantments Basin. Day Hike: As we mentioned above, if you do not get a permit to backpack, you can dayhike it! In late spring to early summer, the Enchantments core basin is still snow-covered. There are usually more people present than permits, so they have to draw names, which occurs at 7:45 AM. The Enchantments is a slice of hiking paradise. After you get notified that you won the Enchantments lottery, youll want to figure out your route and how many days you want. With a daypack, the scrambling isnt too bad (I hate rock scrambling and didnt cry! Bonus: during the tail end of the month and into October, the foliage turns to a beautiful vibrant yellow-orange! Soon, the forest reappears and its a foot-battering descent down to the Snow Lake trailhead. To apply, you will need to choose an entry date, group size, permit zone, assign an alternate group leader, and pay the application fee. Day-to-day, the weather can be unpredictable. On average, 10 active hours for typical hiking speed of 1000 ft/hr. Black bear sightings are very uncommon here, but do occasionally happen. The odds are even lower if youre applying for a permit in July or August. 19K views 1 year ago THE ENCHANTMENTS The Enchantments Hike is the most beautiful hike in all of Washington. Take a left at this intersection, then follow the dirt road for 4 miles until reaching the Stuart Lake trailhead. 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