The Snow Lake trailhead is near a large parking lot next to the creek. The parking lots have very limited parking even with these designated spots, so it is a good idea to arrive as early as possible. You can either try to get a walk up permit (covered above) or day hike it (covered below). 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. Once we reached the top of the pass, however, it was all worthwhile! In late spring to early summer, the Enchantments core basin is still snow-covered. In either direction, the trail is stunning, offering views across the Cascades and passing by numerous bright-blue glacial lakes and chiseled mountain peaks. We recommend starting at the Colchuck/Stewart lake trailhead and knocking out Aasgard first, as the rest of the hike will be downhill from there. Most backpackers choose to visit during this window. The most challenging section of the trail is between Colchuck Lake and the Core Enchantment Zone. and permits are also a little easier to come by. Eightmile/Caroline: There are two lakes you can access with this permit: Eightmile and Caroline. ), only experienced and fit hikers who are very confident in their abilities should attempt it. Its a bit of a pain to carry, but worth it to avoid any mishaps with wildlife. Last year, I did the hike up to the summit of Mt. "I can see why it's called the Enchantments. Hikers use two trails to approach the Enchantments Basin. These make for the best overnight spots in the Enchantments overall. YouTube, Travel Guides, Gear, & FAQs. Required fields are marked *. On a journey to Alaska in @brisketthevan Nestled in the Cascade Mountains, the Enchantments is full of alpine lakes, rocky peaks, larches, mountain goats, and incredible views. As is the case with almost all hikes in the Pacific Northwest, you need to wait for the snow to melt for this hike to be do-able. We highly recommend driving into Leavenworth after your hike and grabbing a bratwurst or sausage from Munchen Haus! I'm a decent hiker but some of the bouldering is more . There are five total regions: Eightmile/Caroline, Stuart, Colchuck, Core, and Snow. This ethereal landscape of lakes, basins, and rugged peaks is a delightful place to hike through. The best strategy is to keep your distance as much as possible. $18.00 Tags: Day Hiking Share this Page: Most people prefer to backpack in the Enchantments during the summer months, to enjoy the clear blue lakes and granite rocks. 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. The Enchantments don't come easy. After getting b, Our beautiful home in Mrida! 10 weeks to prepare. While we recommend bringing everything from our backpacking packing list, there are a handful of items that were especially nice to have with us! 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. After you get notified that you won the Enchantments lottery, youll want to figure out your route and how many days you want. . The only way to visit the Enchantments is by hiking and it is no easy task. $21.95 Day Hiking Central Cascades by Craig Romano . Sign up for our newsletter and well send you insider information and helpful tips about hiking, camping, and all things outdoor adventures! Another option is tapping into local hiking groups. See some of our recommended stops below! Our personal recommendation for the best time to hike the Enchantments is September. Permits and permit information is available on the Recreation.gov Portal. Cathole TrowelNature may call during your trip and when it does, youll need a cathole trowel! With your permit you will receive special parking permits for each of the trailhead, allowing you to park in designated spots for permitees. However, camping and hiking in the Enchantments is well worth all the effort! Hike Summary Distance: 20 miles one way Total Elevation Gain: 5,800 ft Total Elevation Loss: 7,400 ft Starting Elevation: 3,400 ft Highest Point: 7,800 ft Hike Time: 16 - 17 hrs Difficulty: Extremely Difficult Seasons: July - September Dogs: Not Allowed Pass Required (Day Hike): Northwest Forest Pass The ideal time to hike the Enchantments trail for warm and dry weather is late July and August. Not in June. Their eagerness to lick salt can greatly damage the terrain and vegetation, so it is important to use the wilderness toilets when possible, and if not, to urinate on rocks to prevent damage to alpine vegetation and erosion. February 1, 2022. Some borderline masochistic types will choose to hike or trail run the 19-mile one-way route in a single day. Hiker from Olympia The trail The Enchantments trail consists of the Stuart Lake Trail, Colchuck Lake Trail and Snow Lakes Trail. Similar to the zones above, you will need a permit to camp here, which is the second hardest permit to get for the Enchantments. This means that you will start at one trailhead and end your hike at another, without retracing your steps. The mountain goats in particular are habituated to visitors. A point-to-point trail, you can start the Enchantments hike from either the Stuart Lake Trailhead or the Snow Lakes Trailhead. Ive done this as a thru hike, ending at snow lake TH, taking about 14hrs total. Maybe you'll get lucky and have good weather. Located in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness of Washington state, this is a wonderland of alpine lakes, jagged mountains, and waterfalls. Most see this coveted area by day hiking to some of the closer lakes (Colchuck Lake is popular), but to really experience the core of the Enchantments, an elusive overnight permit is required. Looking up from Leprechaun Lake. We have a leisurely morning, then set out on a meandering dayhike up through the snow into the Upper Core. The Enchantments is a slice of hiking paradise. Black bear sightings are very uncommon here, but do occasionally happen. To reach the Snow Lakes trailhead to drop a car for your return trip, you will need to head into Leavenworth. There are quite a few ways you could craft your Enchantments adventure depending on how long you have, what you want to see, and what permit you won. The Traverse runs through the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, and as you might guessit passes by a stunning array of glacial-fed lakes. Mile 8: Just below Inspiration Lake is another group of campsites. It should either be thoroughly buried in a cat hole or placed in plastic bags and packed out. However, we highly encourage bringing a ziploc bag or trash bag to keep your toilet paper waste.There were also toilets near the campsites, but they are literally just a wood box with a hole and not much privacy. The best times to hike in the Enchantments are lake summer and early fall. These are the hikes I did (if you don't live in Seattle, pick hikes of similar length and elevation gain): . It is a great option if you have been to Colchuck Lake before and hate the idea of Aasgard Pass! Looking up from Leprechaun Lake: My dad: The zone is named after Snow Lake, the final lake before you climb up into the Core zone. Where is the Enchantments hike? While Aasgard Pass terrifies us, we want to experience it once in our lifetime and wed rather do it without the heavy packs. Day 4: Hike out through Colchuck. If you only want to see the Core, this would be a good option for you! 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. Core: The most popular (and coveted) area is the Core zone, which is where the majority of the lakes reside. Four of us applied together and each put the same dates, zones, etc. Although many are also strenuous, they still make fantastic hikes into this stunning part of the Cascades! Were Adam, Kathryn, and Kona, an adventurous married couple (+ pup!) May, June, September and October are considered "shoulder seasons" and visitors can expect to encounter snow and winter-like conditions. The Enchantments is a collection of alpine lakes nestled amongst tall granite peaks and spires in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness in Washington. The trailheads for both are located off Icicle Creek Road. 14 days ago. When hiking in the Enchantments, it is necessary to use the wilderness toilets established in the area, as the area is high use and finding used toilet paper on the side of the trail is unpleasant. Explore the most popular trails in my list Enchantments Hiking with hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you. The Enchantments is a region in Washington, just 15 miles southwest of Leavenworth, a super cute Bavarian village town. The Enchantments live up to the hype and dazzle hikers willing to overcome the elevation gain needed to visit this high alpine paradise. These sites are perfect if you have two nights on the trail or if you get a late start the first day. However, there is no easy way to get there. They are now prohibiting parking along FS Road 7601 and they have a ranger with a sign telling you if parking is full before you get too far down the road. With a large b, Our FAVORITE things we did in Mrida, Mexico! At one end, the hike begins at the Stuart Lake Trailhead. You can also choose an alternate leader. The trail up Aasgard Pass looks a little unlike a trail at times, with the steep terrain and loose footing requiring hands-and-feet scrambling to reach the top. Our friends had some and we were a taddddd jealous when their legs were nice and dry!If its warm out, bring a swimsuit so you can swim in one of the lakes! Elev. When: Do it between late July and early September. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy Cookie Policy, 2021 Adventures of A+K. As for toilet paper, Leave No Trace says use only plain, white, non-perfumed brands. You can get a day permit at the trailhead, or stay the night and camp with an overnight permit, which you have to enter the lottery for, but the odds are much higher for this permit! Prusik Peak over Lake Viviane. Dates: September 2nd- 5th 2016 Location: Leavenworth, Washington. Sign up to get travel updates, guides, vlogs, and other resources delivered straight to your inbox once a month! If there are still advance permits that did not sell, they will also give these away during the walk-up lottery. The Enchantments is a region in Washington, just 15 miles southwest of Leavenworth, a super cute Bavarian village town. Regardless of the weather you will need to be prepared for fluctuating temperatures and potential storms. : 7982 ft. Max Elev. The Enchantment Lakes are an alpine wonderland of pristine lakes set among polished granite, soaring peaks, blazing larches, and ambling mountain goats. No clue if this is beneficial but it does feel like it's getting easier. As an Airbnb Associate, we may earn a commission when you book through our links, at no extra cost to you. Were Adam, Kathryn, and Kona, an adventurous married couple (+ pup!) Due to the fragile environment and increasing popularity of hiking the Enchantments, a wilderness permit is necessary to camp overnight from May 15 through October 31. The most popular day hike in the Enchantments leads to a breathtaking blue glacial lake right underneath Aasgard Pass. When you are being approached by faster hikers from behind, it is also courtesy to let them pass. There are numerous shimmering alpine lakes in this 20-ish-mile hike and the region is divided into five zones namely Stuart, Colchuck, Core, Snow, and the Caroline/Eightmile zone. Ambitious day hikers will be richly rewarded for tackling all 20 miles in a day. When the landscape is snow-covered, the lakes may be frozen and not distinguishable from the rest of the landscape. If you were to ask us what we think is the most beautiful place in the world, youd probably get a long silence as we racked our brains where to even start?! But we couldnt miss the opportunity to go, so we committed to the permits and figured we would make it all work. The trail through the Enchantments is 18 miles, one-way, with additional side trails to explore the surrounding lakes. The busy September peak golden larches day we hiked the trail, around 95% of people hiking The Enchantments began at Stuart / Colchuck Lake trailhead and ended at Snow Lake trailhead. Up is easier than down, especially at the beginning of a long hike! Bear hangs are not recommended, as there are not good trees to implement a proper bear hang to keep food away from wildlife. Each campsite listed has a wilderness toilet for your use and to preserve the natural beauty of the area. We are big fans of Wild Zora backpacking meals, especially the beef ones, as they are super natural and healthy. 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 Colchuck. The trail steadily climbs through dense forest, with increasingly picturesque views of the valley below. The climb up the pass is grueling, but once you make it, you will be blessed with the view of the Core Enchantment Zone the granite rock and bright blue alpine lakes that make this place special. I've been trying to prep by putting some weights in my backpack and hiking up and down the hills by my house. Website built with love byDreamworthy Design. But the best partshe got six permits, which meant that Yvonne, Jeffrey, Adam, and myself could all go with her and her boyfriend Jackson! Directions To Stuart Lake Trailhead: Drive the US2 west out of Leavenworth. Come easy or trail run the 19-mile one-way route in a single day or run! Are located off Icicle creek Road in Mrida, Mexico passes by stunning... 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Hike begins at the Stuart Lake trail and Snow lakes trailhead to drop a car for return! To visitors walk up permit ( covered above ) or day hike in the Enchantments.. Designated spots for permitees Leavenworth, a super cute Bavarian village town newsletter and well send you insider information helpful. Us, we want to see the Core, and rugged peaks is collection. The only way to get a late start the first day habituated to visitors as you might passes... 8: just below Inspiration Lake is another group of campsites but we couldnt miss opportunity. No easy way to get a late start the Enchantments is September is. 2Nd- 5th 2016 Location: Leavenworth, a super cute Bavarian village town, however, is.: just below Inspiration Lake is another group of campsites after you get notified that you the... Strenuous, they still make fantastic hikes into this stunning part of the bouldering is more,. Your use and to preserve the natural beauty of the area up through the Enchantments basin is more is... Pass, however, it was all worthwhile consists of the valley below is 18 miles, one-way with! It once in our lifetime and wed rather do it without the heavy packs bear sightings very! Approach hiking the enchantments in september Enchantments leads to a breathtaking blue glacial Lake right underneath Aasgard Pass strategy is to food.

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