The main path stays to the left of the waterfall but is not immediately next to the left rock cliffs. Colchuck: One of the most popular day hikes in Washington is Colchuck Lake. This is a helpful article as I plan my permit asks and hopeful my hike. For this multi-night backpacking adventure, make sure you are prepared with the right gear. Check out our 37 favorite hikes in Washington! After entering the permit lottery in 2018 and failing to get permits, we didnt feel too confident going into the 2019 lottery. Enchantments Hike Specs: Length: 23.6 mi Elevation gain: 5,003 ft Route type: Point to point Were Adam, Kathryn, and Kona, an adventurous married couple (+ pup!) CRAZY! Maybe you'll get lucky and have good weather. Top 10 Hiking 100 Classic Hikes: Washington, 3rd Ed. Although it may look too formidable to even attempt, the beautiful craggy peak behind Colchuck Lake is where the Enchantments hike continues. I think it was definitely one of the best spots out in the Snow Lakes area! We are big fans of Wild Zora backpacking meals, especially the beef ones, as they are super natural and healthy. The first campsites are at Lake Colchuck, about four miles into the hike. (Sa. When to Hike The Enchantments. The sights are spectacular, with views of surrounding peaks and Colchuck Lake dwarfed into a gleaming blue jewel far below. Mile 8: Just below Inspiration Lake is another group of campsites. The trailheads for both are located off Icicle Creek Road. 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. 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. But where do you start? One of the most scenic hikes in the region, this hike passes several waterfalls and glacial lakes before climbing to Snow Lake. Sounds like you know what you're doing - it will be an adventure. Please dont bury TP; pack it in, pack it out. Overview of the Enchantments Hike Length of Time: 8 to 15 hours. Overview of the Enchantments Hike These statistics are for the thru-hike from Stuart/Colchuck Lake Trailhead to the Snow Lakes Trailhead. Theres no sense in minimizing it: the Enchantments hike is very strenuous. 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 Note to everyone: Aasgard Pass is a misnomer. This way, youll knock out most of the elevation gain in the first quarter of the hike. We hope to inform, inspire, and empower you to get outside and see this world, while doing your part to respect and protect the lands beneath your feet. And if we were to backpack again, wed love to spend one more day out there so we had more time to explore and to have an extra day in case the weather was bad. Day 4: Hike out through Snow Lake. 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. The views are dramatic, but they come at a price, as the trail is a near-constant climb through rocks and forest. To obtain one of these, you will need to arrive at the ranger station early in the morning on the day you wish to start your trip. Eightmile/Caroline: There are two lakes you can access with this permit: Eightmile and Caroline. Water filterWhile we have a pretty large Camelbak bladder to store water, it wasnt enough water for a three day hike. The trail down to Inspiration Lake is steep the first taste of the downhill you will encounter on the remaining trail. The Enchantments Thru-Hike point-to-point Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest Hiked on 10/9/2021 Start: Stuart Lake Trailhead Destination: Snow Lakes Trailhead View Hike Track View Gallery Distance: 18.12 mi. When to Hike The Enchantments The Enchantments overnighting permit season runs from May 15th to October 31st, however the trail is frequently covered in snow both early and late in the season. How late can you hike the Enchantments? While taking pictures and enjoying the company, you will need to keep your distance to keep yourself and the animals safe. The Enchantments overnighting permit season runs from May 15th to October 31st, however the trail is frequently covered in snow both early and late in the season.To be on the safe side, plan your hike for mid-July to late-September. In order to enter the lottery, you must state your hike date, party size, and permit zone (which trailhead youre starting from), and name a group leader. Your email address will not be published. Most hikers start from Stuart Lake, and we recommend this direction as well. If youre hiking the Enchantments by yourself or dont have two vehicles, there are other options. This 24 mile, 6,200 elevation gain permit only hike leads to the tallest mountain in the contiguous US. Comment below if you have questions about hiking the Enchantments in Washington state and well do our best to get back to you! 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. 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. You can also find information on AllTrails (Colchuck Lake, the Enchantments). Each campsite listed has a wilderness toilet for your use and to preserve the natural beauty of the area. Interestingly (and weirdly), many wild animals are attracted to the salts in urine and actually seek it out. After getting b, Our beautiful home in Mrida! 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. We hope to inform, inspire, and empower you to get outside, see this incredible world, and find your WILD! You will want to make sure you have cars at both trailheads (see The Trailheads section below). Leave a car here for your return and continue down Icicle Creek Road towards the Stuart Lake Trailhead. You'll need that chill hike day, because you will have just come over Aasgard Pass at 7,800 feet. But the wait, stress, and uncertainty of getting to access this area is worth it!Note: Dogs are not allowed in the Enchantments. But similar to Eightmile/Caroline, this permit is much easier to get! 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. But dont worry, if you dont get one, a day hike is still super worth it! Some particularly adventurous skiers and snowshoers attempt the trail during the winter, but thats only advised for very experienced winter sports enthusiasts. Wildlife sightings are extremely common while hiking the Enchantments, including mountain goats, marmots, deer, picas, and the very occasional black bear. Redwood National Park in California - (https://youtu.be . Tucked away in a particularly rugged area of Washington, just accessing this beautiful environment takes substantial planning. My favorite waterfall's still in its winter coat. If you do not get a permit through the lottery, there is still hope! Day-to-day, the weather can be unpredictable. 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. 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. Nestled in the Cascade Mountains, the Enchantments is full of alpine lakes, rocky peaks, larches, mountain goats, and incredible views. 19K views 1 year ago THE ENCHANTMENTS The Enchantments Hike is the most beautiful hike in all of Washington. It is important that you choose a designated campsite to help preserve the fragile alpine vegetation in the lake basin. Over the years, the hike has become increasingly popular, making winning a permit in the lottery almost like winning the actual lottery. Some borderline masochistic types will choose to hike or trail run the 19-mile one-way route in a single day. All rights reserved. Although its only 4.5 miles in, there are lots of uneven rocks and only a few flat sections this hike isnt easy! All Rights Reserved. living on the road in ourself-converted sprinter van! Our personal recommendation for the best time to hike the Enchantments is September. The last hiking practice Ill mention here is to be courteous of other peoples trips. 10 weeks to prepare. We recommend this RAVPower Charger, which has two charging ports! The map below shows the area that make up the Enchantments. But on March 20, we got the disappointing news that we did not get permits. Adventure joined a group of our friends on a trip up to the Enchantments in Washington. With a daypack, the scrambling isnt too bad (I hate rock scrambling and didnt cry! If you use the links provided and make a purchase, we get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Alltrails says that from Stuart/Colchuck trailhead to the Snow Lake trailhead it is 23.6 miles, but we confirmed with a ranger during our hike that it is 19. Inspiration Lake is tucked away in a pool surrounded by steep granite on three sides. Day Hike: As we mentioned above, if you do not get a permit to backpack, you can dayhike it! Mile 7: The next campsites are located just below the Upper Enchantment Lakes just before the trail descends down the ridge. If you have more time, there is plenty to enjoy and explore, and shorter hiking days will provide more time to relax at camp by the lakes. Prusik Peak over Lake Viviane. 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) An irregular pond due to its shape, not because of the presence of a real leprechaun, Leprechaun Lake sits under the steep ridges of McClelland Peak. Youll pass through dense forests, blankets of wildflowers, and high-elevation mountain passes to reach an otherworldly tree-less environment filled only with ancient rocks molded by wind and water. Drive 8.4 miles and turn left onto Forest Service Road 7601. At this time, applicants must choose an exit date and provide payment for the permits. Posted by CoolTrails September 17, 2022 September 25, 2022 Posted in Enchantment Basin Thru Hike When is the best time of year to day hike through the Enchantments? Ive done this as a thru hike, ending at snow lake TH, taking about 14hrs total. Widely regarded as the crown jewel of hiking in Washington, this trail exceeds even the wildest of superlatives. For a challenging side adventure, there is a trail that branches off near Perfection Lake and heads up Prusik Pass. We will only ever recommend products we truly love, actually use during our adventures, and think you can benefit from too! Hiking the Enchantments is one of the most memorable PNW experiences. The. 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. The trail in this area passes by stunning spots like aptly-named Lake Perfection and Lake Vivianne while continuously dropping in elevation towards Snow Lake. Was the road to Stuart Lake Trailhead scary or just extremely bumpy? This is the most ideal route, with a coveted permit for the Core Zone, 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 best chances of obtaining a permit are to pick dates earlier or later in the season and avoid major holidays. 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. Bonus: during the tail end of the month and into October, the foliage turns to a beautiful vibrant yellow-orange! In 2018 (still waiting on 2019 numbers), 17,586 people applied for 708 Core permitsgiving them a 4% chance to snag one. As the trail winds through the lakes surrounded by lichen-covered rocks beneath the rugged mountain peaks, you will find more campsites. Some links throughout this site are affiliate links. The permit season for the Enchantments is between May 15 and October 31. These campsites are located along the shoreline and provide excellent views of the brilliantly blue lake. Whenever you decide to continue on, be prepared for continuation of the rocky trail. 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. Overview. The Enchantments area is full of wildlife, and you have a high chance of seeing wildlife on your visit including mountain goats, squirrels, marmots, pika, and marten. Note: We did not visit all of these spots due to timing, but we wanted to! The Enchantments are one of the most enchanting (sorry, we had to!) Having said that, dont let the challenge dissuade you! 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. The main reason to day-hike the Enchantments is that doing so means you dont need a hard-to-get camping permit. Hiking with music can be fun but it is good practice to use headphones so that other hikers dont have to listen to it. If you spend any time in Washington, it won't take long to hear about the Enchantments. 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. Last year, I did the hike up to the summit of Mt. The Enchantments is a classic Washington hike. Looking up from Leprechaun Lake: My dad: But once you get up Aasgard, you have an alpine lake filled playground to call home for the night. If you make a purchase through one of these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Before setting out on this trip, make sure you are physically ready for a strenuous hike through the wilderness! After you finish your hike, its time to celebrate! Warning: this will be a long and exhausting day! Through-hiking the Enchantments in one day will challenge and reward you, but it's not for everyone. 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. This is a great campsite if you are planning a short first day of hiking. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 12 h 12 min to complete. Mile 13.5: If you prefer to travel a litter further on your final day, a few campsites are located near Nada Lake. Wander around the Core a bitDay 3: Spend all day exploring the Core. 14 days ago. 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! It should actually called "Asskick Pass". These permits can be difficult to secure, as most of them are drawn on a lottery. Perfect for swimming and relaxing, the lake is accessed via a steady climb, mostly through shady forest. Weve gathered our 21 favorite Washington State hikes here, including hikes of all levels, to get you prepped for tackling the Enchantments hike! Hiking in Virginia to prepare for thru-hike of the Enchantments in Washington State! Instead of backpacking, wed love to try day hiking it next time. Negative Elev. Its a bit of a pain to carry, but worth it to avoid any mishaps with wildlife. However, there is no easy way to get there. Once here, depending on your schedule, you may want to camp overnight. You should try taking them on a couple easier backpacking trips first to see how they do. The trail through the Enchantments is 18 miles, one-way, with additional side trails to explore the surrounding lakes. Pin this blog post to prep for your trip! 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. This is a very popular area for backpacking, camping, and hiking, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring. This is another hike that is a doable day trip, but if youd like to stay overnight, youll need to enter the Enchantments lottery for a permit. If you have more time, you wont get bored spending more time in this beautiful area! The elevation gain and loss are large, meaning that you will be working hard at most points during your hike. 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. Welcome to Go Wander Wild. Can you drive to the enchantments? That is awesome! Drop one off at the hikes endpoint, then drive everyone to the starting point. May, June, September and October are considered "shoulder seasons" and visitors can expect to encounter snow and winter-like conditions. will reward you with views of a lifetime. Ever since moving to Washington and learning about this beautiful region, we had our sights set on backpacking there. During warm dry summer days in July and August, you will also need to be prepared for hot afternoons. Required fields are marked *. 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. The maximum group size is 8 people. Bear hangs are not recommended, as there are not good trees to implement a proper bear hang to keep food away from wildlife. 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. This trail gains a modest amount of elevation, at 2300 feet, but this is just the beginning of the hike. The way I prepared for the Enchantments was to hike twice a week for about two months. These are the hikes I did (if you don't live in Seattle, pick hikes of similar length and elevation gain): . Many avoid the Permit hassle doing the Enchantments as a long day hike. Ambitious day hikers will be richly rewarded for tackling all 20 miles in a day. Your email address will not be published. The Whole Core Enchantment Loop Stuart Lake Trailhead to Snow Lake Trailhead:Approximately 19 miles6,000 ft gain and 7,800 ft loss, Snow Lake: Snow Creek Trailhead to the Upper Snow Lake Dam6.5 miles (one way + another 1.5 miles to the far end of the lake)3,800 ft elevation gain. Toughest thing I have done. If you have two nights, spend some extra time exploring the side trails and lakes in this area. Those on the longer end tend to linger longer at the lakes. The trail down here is long, but if you can remember to enjoy the continued beauty, it will make the rest of the trip less painful. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Hello there! by Craig Romano . And to watch our experience, check out our vlog below! If you do not get a permit during the permit window, or happen to be visiting outside of that window, there is a small chance you can hike in the area during other times of the year, but you will likely encounter a lot of snow. Will travel for tacos, BBQ, & ice cream Hiking the Enchantments means your jaw will drop at every turn. Once you finish hiking, you can use the vehicle at the end to go back and retrieve the other one. Wander around the Core a bitDay 3: Spend all day exploring the Core. Permits: Once the trail reaches Leprechaun Lake, you are in the Lower Enchantment area, a section marked by narrow rock ledges and the towering McClellan Peak.
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