The zone is named after Snow Lake, the final lake before you climb up into the Core zone. Mile 13.5: If you prefer to travel a litter further on your final day, a few campsites are located near Nada Lake. Another option is tapping into local hiking groups. Yay, congrats! Just beyond Aasgard Pass, the area known as the Core Enchantments Zone offers otherworldly views completely different from the forest below. In early September, Mrs. For the broadest swim experience, do the Enchantment Traverse, a 21-mile hike starting at the Colchuck Lake Trailhead (Mountaineer Creek) and ending at the Snow Creek Trailhead. 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. You can also choose an alternate leader. They are pit toilets, but its good for a last minute bathroom break before hitting the trail! If you arent up to completing the entire thru-hike, there are multiple shorter trails in the Enchantments. The environment here has turned from granite rocks to alpine marsh and meadow, full of grass and heather. 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. This is what we planned to do, but Mother Nature had other ideas. With over 2,000 feet of elevation gain in less than a single mile in distance, the climb challenges both stamina and determination. 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. Some links in this post may be affiliate links. And she got permits! Redwood National Park in California - (https://youtu.be . 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? places in Washington and in this guide were 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 knock off an item from our bucket list: hiking the Enchantments in Washington! Day 4: Hike out through Colchuck. Thankfully Christie applied and was able to bring us along! From the Stuart Lake Trailhead, the trail heads first towards Colchuck Lake a 4-mile hike from the trailhead. $18.95 Alpine Lakes East Stuart Range, WA No. 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) 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. The descent from here is long and tedious, and the large decline in elevation challenges most hikers. 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. We got there late afternoon on a Saturday and snagged that spot, which fit 6 of us with plenty of other space and was an easy walk down to the lake to get water. Very brutal.. Its also important to note theres a lot to consider before hiking the Enchantments. The map below shows the area that make up the Enchantments. The final group of campsites is at Snow Lake and Nada Lake, after quite a bit of descent and just a few miles from the Snow Lakes Trailhead. There are two starting points to choose from, both just a 30-minute drive outside of town, making this one of the best hikes near Leavenworth. For most hikers, this is the hardest day hike they've ever done. Best Time to Hike the Enchantments The start of the Core Enchantment Zone As the permit window would suggest, the best time to hike the Enchantments is June - October. Once we reached the top of the pass, however, it was all worthwhile! Hiking the Enchantments means your jaw will drop at every turn. Near the Bavarian town of Leavenworth (but hidden from sight), The Enchantments loom. A rainy day at Rune Lake (Perfection Lake) in September. Wildlife in the area is accustomed to visitors, making it easy to get good pictures of any you spot during your trip. As you head down from Isolation and Tranquil Lakes, the terrain changes from the smooth granite rocks to alpine meadows. We highly recommend getting the Alltrails app so you can see the map (even without cell service) and make sure youre going the right way. Its not scary, but you will need to go slow. Whenever you decide to continue on, be prepared for continuation of the rocky trail. 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. Its a unique, labor-intensive process that has an extremely low success rate (the odds of winning a permit are about 2% at best), but well worth it. However, there is no easy way to get there. Colchuck Lake: Stuart Lake Trailhead to first view of the lake4.2 miles (one way)2,200 ft elevation gain. They only give out one permit per zone per day, with up to 8 people per permit. 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. 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. We day hiked to Eightmile Lake a couple years ago and it was beautiful, although not as scenic as some of the other Enchantment lakes (like Colchuck). Most people prefer to backpack in the Enchantments during the summer months, to enjoy the clear blue lakes and granite rocks. If you click through a link on Small Town Washington, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. If you make a purchase through one of these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The trail through the Enchantments is also very rocky and uneven, further increasing the difficulty of the hike. We had to go about 3 mph in the van (not joking lol! The elevation gain and loss are large, meaning that you will be working hard at most points during your hike. 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. Local groups often provide introductory courses on backpacking and camping, which would be good practice before embarking on an Enchantments trip. 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. (Sa. September 8, 2016. The Core Enchantments area is accessible by two different trailheads: Stuart / Colchuk Lake and Snow Lakes Trailheads. 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. 4.73 out of 5. 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!). With shimmering alpine lakes, glaciers, rugged mountain peaks, wildflower-dotted meadows, and the ubiquitous mountain goats, this wilderness area has a pristine, untouched beauty that is getting increasingly difficult to find. Everything you bring in needs to be taken out this includes trash, fruit peels, etc. Hiking with music can be fun but it is good practice to use headphones so that other hikers dont have to listen to it. Obviously, for this, you will need two drivers in your party and two cars! The best time to go hiking in the Enchantments is mid-July through early October. will reward you with views of a lifetime. Please see our. But we couldnt miss the opportunity to go, so we committed to the permits and figured we would make it all work. 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. The only way to visit the Enchantments is by hiking and it is no easy task. Arrive by 7:30 AM to enter the walk-up lottery. Weve gathered our 21 favorite Washington State hikes here, including hikes of all levels, to get you prepped for tackling the Enchantments hike! But once you get up Aasgard, you have an alpine lake filled playground to call home for the night. The Enchantments don't come easy. We managed to score a 5 day permit in the snow zone for Aug 30-Sept 3. The trail is steep and rocky, resembling your climb up Aasgard Pass. The maximum group size is 8 people. Those on the shorter end trail run a portion of the trail. The permits for the Enchantments area are divided into zones. In fact, this stunning mountain landscape has been termed the "Crown Jewel of Washington Hiking" by the Washington Trails Association, the leading expert on hiking in Washington.And after doing the full thru-hike of the Enchantments ourselves, we couldn't agree more: it is absolutely incredible. 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. 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. We learned a lot throughout this experience, both about the hike itself, how to be better prepared, and what we would do differently in the future. Tucked away in a particularly rugged area of Washington, just accessing this beautiful environment takes substantial planning. It would be reasonable to plan up to 12 hours plus drive time if you want to take. Some route-finding is also necessary, as the hike becomes more of a boulder scramble with hands and feet required for balance. However, obtaining wilderness permits has become increasingly competitive in recent years, which throws in another logistical obstacle. We camped probably 1 mile from where you start the hike to the Core from the Snow Lakes area. Its also nice to see how far you have to your next stop . No clue if this is beneficial but it does feel like it's getting easier. Talk about timing! Were Adam, Kathryn, and Kona, an adventurous married couple (+ pup!) And the quote about toilet paper is directly from the LNT website, but we agree that you should pack everything out and we carry ziplocs and trash bags to do so. Located in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness of Washington state, this is a wonderland of alpine lakes, jagged mountains, and waterfalls. It is a great option if you have been to Colchuck Lake before and hate the idea of Aasgard Pass! However, you obviously cant rely on or plan around hitch-hiking and not everyone is comfortable with it. 208SX by Green Trails Maps . ), but we made it down the road in one piece. To mitigate the heat, it is suggested that you start hiking early in the day and aim to arrive at your evening campsite before midday. For this blog post, we will specifically be covering the Colchuck, Core, and Snow zones, which is what makeup the super popular portion of the Enchantments. Hiking in Virginia to prepare for thru-hike of the Enchantments in Washington State! 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. 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. Stuart Lake is at the end of this valley, but youre actually going to detour and gain a bit more elevation in order to reach stunning Colchuck Lake. 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. If you use the links provided and make a purchase, we get a small commission at no extra cost to you. This way, youll knock out most of the elevation gain in the first quarter of the hike. 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. Maybe you'll get lucky and have good weather. Once winners are notified, theres actually a second step youre required to go back into Recreation.gov and claim and pay for your permit, plus provide your intended exit date. The trail down to Inspiration Lake is steep the first taste of the downhill you will encounter on the remaining trail. Core: The most popular (and coveted) area is the Core zone, which is where the majority of the lakes reside. McClellan Peak, Little Annapurna, Dragontail Peak, and Pusik Pass are all accessible from the Core. Depending on your fitness and availability, the time for hiking the Enchantments trail varies. We hope to inform, inspire, and empower you to get outside, see this incredible world, and find your WILD! Some links throughout this site are affiliate links. There is little if any cell service available on this trail, and emergency help is far away. This website contains affiliate links from websites such as Amazon.com, Booking.com, and Rentalcars.com. October 11, 2021. 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