CRAZY! Once you reach Colchuck Lake, the trail proceeds around the edge of the lake, passing by the campsites until it crosses the boulder field on the other side of the lake and then begins the steep passage up Aasgard Pass. If you have more time, you wont get bored spending more time in this beautiful area! The challenging 20-mile trail requires advanced planning, so weve broken it down in a comprehensive hiking guide. To visit the Enchantments, you can either thru-hike the entire distance as one long day hike, or you can backpack and complete the hike over the course of multiple days and nights. 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!). Insider tip: Since these campsites are outside the Core Enchantment zone, theyre easier to obtain and open to groups, rather than just individuals. YouTube, Travel Guides, Gear, & FAQs. Widely regarded as the crown jewel of hiking in Washington, this trail exceeds even the wildest of superlatives. To do the car shuttle, you will need to first drop a car off at the Snow Lakes trailhead, then gather at the Stuart Lakes Trailhead to begin your hike. En route, youll spot the craggy peaks of the Enchantments without a thigh-burning climb. To overnight between May and October, however, a lottery permit is required. 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! The Traverse runs through the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, and as you might guessit passes by a stunning array of glacial-fed lakes. This was our base camp from where we would climb the steep Crystal Creek valley and . The Enchantments is a classic Washington hike. Permits and permit information is available on the Recreation.gov Portal. Water filterWhile we have a pretty large Camelbak bladder to store water, it wasnt enough water for a three day hike. The trail steadily climbs through dense forest, with increasingly picturesque views of the valley below. Are you planning on carrying them the entire way? 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. Will travel for tacos, BBQ, & ice cream Heres a quick rundown of each one! Near the Bavarian town of Leavenworth (but hidden from sight), The Enchantments loom. Check out our the enchantments hiking selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. Many avoid the Permit hassle doing the Enchantments as a long day hike. Required fields are marked *. The below table is the monthly average temperatures for Leavenworth. Prusik Peak over Lake Viviane. 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 . I think it was definitely one of the best spots out in the Snow Lakes area! At 20 miles long and with just under 5,000 feet of elevation gain, hiking the Enchantments is a serious undertaking regardless of your fitness level. Weve done multi-day hikes in the area (after obtaining the illustrious Enchantments Wilderness Permit), and weve also thru-hiked this 19-mile trail in one day. 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! 25. r/hiking. Mile 4: There are many campsites at Colchuck Lake around mile 4 from the trailhead. Whitney in CA as a day hike. Something we wish we had brought were waterproof pants. Just outside of the Bavarian town of Leavenworth, the Enchantments are part of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness filled with pristine glacial lakes surrounded by towering granite peaks. Some route-finding is also necessary, as the hike becomes more of a boulder scramble with hands and feet required for balance. We recommend this RAVPower Charger, which has two charging ports! But we couldnt miss the opportunity to go, so we committed to the permits and figured we would make it all work. October 11, 2021. Your email address will not be published. Talisman Lake The trail continues to be rocky and steep and several sections require scrambling using both hands and feet. 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. Local groups often provide introductory courses on backpacking and camping, which would be good practice before embarking on an Enchantments trip. You can either start and end at the same trailhead or start and end at different trailheads depending on the route youre going to take. After doing the hike, seeing what others have done, and researching the options, here are four of the best options (in our opinion) if you receive a Core or Snow permit. Overview of the Enchantments Hike These statistics are for the thru-hike from Stuart/Colchuck Lake Trailhead to the Snow Lakes Trailhead. At one end, the hike begins at the Stuart Lake Trailhead. 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. 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. Youll want to make sure you go to the bathroom 200 feet from a water source and that you dig a hole 6-8 inches deep and 4-6 inches in diameter. Almost immediately beyond the lake, the trail becomes littered with large boulders and scree, making a bit of route-finding a sudden necessity. Pre- Enchantments: A lot went into this 4 day/3 night backpacking trip. Nestled in the Cascade Mountains, the Enchantments is full of alpine lakes, rocky peaks, larches, mountain goats, and incredible views. They are pit toilets, but its good for a last minute bathroom break before hitting the trail! Hikers use two trails to approach the Enchantments Basin. But dont worry, if you dont get one, a day hike is still super worth it! Enchantments Backpacking Trip. The main path stays to the left of the waterfall but is not immediately next to the left rock cliffs. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy Cookie Policy, 2021 Adventures of A+K. Hiking through the Enchantments core is beautiful and memorable. 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. In February I put in the permit application for the enchantments as I heard everyone talking about it. The total hiking time ranges from 8 hours for ultra-fast trail runners to about 15 for reasonably fit hikers going at a steady pace. We bought a new water filter for the trip and the water filtered super fastit was amazing! The Enchantments are one of the most enchanting (sorry, we had to!) 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! Bring rain entertainmentOne of the best things we did was download Netflix and books in case it rained. 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. Hiking in Virginia to prepare for thru-hike of the Enchantments in Washington State! With your permit you will receive special parking permits for each of the trailhead, allowing you to park in designated spots for permitees. Enchantment Area Wilderness Permits The rugged and beautiful Enchantment Permit Area is contained within the Alpine Lakes Wilderness in the Cascade Mountains of Washington State. This informative video shows you how! . But similar to Eightmile/Caroline, this permit is much easier to get! No clue if this is beneficial but it does feel like it's getting easier. Second, waste management in the Enchantments is difficult since the area receives a high amount of use. While youll have no cell phone service, being able to charge your phone to take photos, look at a map, etc is crucial. During warm dry summer days in July and August, you will also need to be prepared for hot afternoons. Last year, I did the hike up to the summit of Mt. The setting is absolutely beautiful, but camping here leaves the bulk of the hike, including Aasgard Pass, for the next day. Plus, Stuart Lake is a couple thousand feet higher than Snow Lakes, so your total elevation gain is lower! living on the road in ourself-converted sprinter van! You may be able to find a ride back to the Stuart Lake trailhead from someone else completing their hike, but for overnight trips, most people leave a car at both trailheads. 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. This will give you time to cool off and avoid hiking in the heat of the day. Hiking in North Cascades National Park in Washington. The only way to visit the Enchantments is by hiking and it is no easy task. 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. day hikes near Leavenworth. Day 4: Hike out through Colchuck. One of the most scenic hikes in the region, this hike passes several waterfalls and glacial lakes before climbing to Snow Lake. In this video, we provide a complete day hiking guide so you can complete the. Dates: September 2nd- 5th 2016 Location: Leavenworth, Washington. This is the most recent attempt to mitigate the parking shortage at the trailheads. As you approach Leavenworth from the west on Highway 2, you will turn onto Icicle Creek Road on the edge of town. Tucked away in a particularly rugged area of Washington, just accessing this beautiful environment takes substantial planning. Website built with love byDreamworthy Design. Some particularly adventurous skiers and snowshoers attempt the trail during the winter, but thats only advised for very experienced winter sports enthusiasts. 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 you get lucky, you have until March 31 to accept your permit, otherwise those do become available to the public. Unfortunately, weve missed out on all our other attempts at the lottery (some locals joke that the lottery is their annual donation). Another good spot to check out is Yodelin. ), understanding campfire rules and always fully extinguishing your fires, respecting wildlife, and being considerate of other visitors. For this multi-night backpacking adventure, make sure you are prepared with the right gear. Starting your hike at the Stuart Lake trailhead as I recommend, you will need to find a ride back to this trailhead from the Snow Lakes trailhead. Wildlife in the area is accustomed to visitors, making it easy to get good pictures of any you spot during your trip. And she got permits! ), only experienced and fit hikers who are very confident in their abilities should attempt it. As an Airbnb Associate, we may earn a commission when you book through our links, at no extra cost to you. I've read trip reports at nwhiker.net and portlandhikers.org for the off season that inspired my warning : ) Also just the cascades in general in June. In late spring to early summer, the Enchantments core basin is still snow-covered. 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