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. Bring rain entertainmentOne of the best things we did was download Netflix and books in case it rained. 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. Dont worry, not all hope is lost. 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! 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. Two shuttle companies, Loop Connector and Leavenworth Shuttles, will drive you from the Snow Lakes Trailhead, where you can drop off your car, to the beginning of the trail at Stuart/Colchuck Lake. 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. 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). The trail is steep and rocky, resembling your climb up Aasgard Pass. Ambitious day hikers will be richly rewarded for tackling all 20 miles in a day. McClellan Peak, Little Annapurna, Dragontail Peak, and Pusik Pass are all accessible from the Core. 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. At risk of sounding entirely cliche, this place is absolutely enchanting. 1. Required fields are marked *. From the Stuart Lake Trailhead, the trail heads first towards Colchuck Lake a 4-mile hike from the trailhead. But where do you start? The setting is absolutely beautiful, but camping here leaves the bulk of the hike, including Aasgard Pass, for the next day. These make for the best overnight spots in the Enchantments overall. In either direction, the trail is stunning, offering views across the Cascades and passing by numerous bright-blue glacial lakes and chiseled mountain peaks. See our topo map of the route. Your email address will not be published. This is actually the highest elevation point on the entire trail, so from here, the rest of the hike is mostly downhill. ), only experienced and fit hikers who are very confident in their abilities should attempt it. 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! The best times to hike in the Enchantments are lake summer and early fall. Maybe you'll get lucky and have good weather. Were glad this helps! Ensure you know the correct routes and have the gear to keep you safe. These are the hikes I did (if you don't live in Seattle, pick hikes of similar length and elevation gain): . 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!) The Enchantments as a whole is gorgeous, but there are a few spots that you should especially check out and spend some time at. by Craig Romano . Mid-July through early October is the best season for hiking the Enchantments. If youre hiking the Enchantments by yourself or dont have two vehicles, there are other options. 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. A rainy day at Rune Lake (Perfection Lake) in September. 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. The next mile is by far the toughest of the entire trail. Your email address will not be published. Enter: Christie, our Enchantments savior. Not in June. (Sa. Hiking through the Enchantments core is beautiful and memorable. The trail through the Enchantments is 18 miles, one-way, with additional side trails to explore the surrounding lakes. Widely regarded as the crown jewel of hiking in Washington, this trail exceeds even the wildest of superlatives. One thing thats good to know is that we saw a lot of different mileage reports for this hike. Anytime! Everything you bring in needs to be taken out this includes trash, fruit peels, etc. February 1, 2022. The first frost usually comes in mid-October. Colchuck Lake: Stuart Lake Trailhead to first view of the lake4.2 miles (one way)2,200 ft elevation gain. This way, youll knock out most of the elevation gain in the first quarter of the hike. Hiking the Enchantments means your jaw will drop at every turn. September 8, 2016. The permit season for the Enchantments is between May 15 and October 31. 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 way I prepared for the Enchantments was to hike twice a week for about two months. 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. Want to discover more trails in Washington? At one end, the hike begins at the Stuart 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. 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. But once you get up Aasgard, you have an alpine lake filled playground to call home for the night. We have a 22 B+ van. Sounds like you know what you're doing - it will be an adventure. Additionally, this is where you'll get to do some off-trail excursions. If you are cooking in the alpine, research proper techniques for cleaning pots and pans. 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. To day hike in the Enchantments, only a NW Forest Pass is needed. Backpacking the Enchantments is a very strenuous trip that (with the proper training!) living on the road in ourself-converted sprinter van! 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) Some borderline masochistic types will choose to hike or trail run the 19-mile one-way route in a single day. This is the most recent attempt to mitigate the parking shortage at the trailheads. My dad. Uphill hikers always have the right-of way, and downhill hikers who see approaching hikers should find a suitable spot to let the uphill hikers pass. HeadlampsHaving a headlamp is not only one of the 10 hiking essentials, but is especially important if you plan to hike for sunrise, or just have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. 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. Hi Kym! However, camping and hiking in the Enchantments is well worth all the effort! Overview of the Enchantments Hike Length of Time: 8 to 15 hours. During warm dry summer days in July and August, you will also need to be prepared for hot afternoons. We have a leisurely morning, then set out on a meandering dayhike up through the snow into the Upper Core. This means that you will start at one trailhead and end your hike at another, without retracing your steps. This 18-mile point-to-point traverse climbs up and over the heart of the mountain range, affording you the opportunity to soak in the grandeur of the Enchantments. Interestingly (and weirdly), many wild animals are attracted to the salts in urine and actually seek it out. The Yucatn Peninsula is the heart of the ancient, The cenotes tour we booked through @airbnbexperien. Hiking up Aasgard Pass means that the remaining 13 miles of trail are generally downhill. That is awesome! You may also be able to snag a spot later in the evening when day hikers are leaving. With your permit you will receive special parking permits for each of the trailhead, allowing you to park in designated spots for permitees. 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! 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. Even if you do, you cannot take a 2 year old up Asgard Pass. We got passed by a lot of people haha. The trail crosses over a wooden bridge at this point, marking the end of the Enchantment Lakes basin. Prior experience will help prepare you for the Enchantments hike and make it more fun! The main path stays to the left of the waterfall but is not immediately next to the left rock cliffs. View more hiking details on Washington Trails Association for both Colchuck Lake and the whole Enchantments enchilada. This is a steep, bumpy, potholed dirt road (I take my RV down many dirt roads but I wouldn't drive it on this). 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. 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. After getting b, Our beautiful home in Mrida! And do it on a hot daya record-breaking hot day is even better. Dont be fooled that you are reaching the end here, even though you are leaving the lake basin! Second, waste management in the Enchantments is difficult since the area receives a high amount of use. The road to Colchuck lake does close in the winter, but it typically is open for a bit after October 31, giving you a little bit of a window to do the hike depending on the weather. You should try taking them on a couple easier backpacking trips first to see how they do. Our first time, we were lucky enough to score camping permits and spend a few amazing days in this slice of paradise. Note: We did not visit all of these spots due to timing, but we wanted to! If you make a purchase through one of these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. 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. Since youll be at a higher elevation, the nights may get cool. In the winter, the Enchantments is buried in deep snowpack and is inaccessible to anyone without serious mountaineering experience. In this guide, well share how to best experience hiking the Enchantments, whether on a day trip or as a multi-day camping experience. They also make some amazing meat and veggie bars. Youll share the first part of the trail into the Enchantments with many fellow hikers since its one of the best (and closest!) Wildlife in the area is accustomed to visitors, making it easy to get good pictures of any you spot during your trip. If you are looking for an epic day hike, check out our Colchuck Lake trail guide for all the info you need! Viewing 13 posts - 1 through 13 (of 13 total) Jun 24, 2014 at 7:44 am #1318302. The. Unfortunately, weve missed out on all our other attempts at the lottery (some locals joke that the lottery is their annual donation). This will give you time to cool off and avoid hiking in the heat of the day. The odds are even lower if youre applying for a permit in July or August. living on the road in our. No clue if this is beneficial but it does feel like it's getting easier. Your email address will not be published. If you do not have prior wilderness backpacking experience, first try some shorter trips to learn how to pack, improve your fitness level, and practice backpacking skills. We managed to score a 5 day permit in the snow zone for Aug 30-Sept 3. We had to go about 3 mph in the van (not joking lol! One of the most scenic hikes in the region, this hike passes several waterfalls and glacial lakes before climbing to Snow Lake. Dates: September 2nd- 5th 2016 Location: Leavenworth, Washington. A permit for the Core Enchantment zone allows overnight stays within any of the zones, making it the best choice for a hike through the Enchantments. This website contains affiliate links from websites such as Amazon.com, Booking.com, and Rentalcars.com. Although its rare for them to be aggressive, weve heard of instances where mother goats have attacked hikers trying to protect their kids. After you finish your hike, its time to celebrate! This trail gains a modest amount of elevation, at 2300 feet, but this is just the beginning of the hike. and permits are also a little easier to come by. a little bit of snow on the trail even in early September You are likely to encounter snow in the Enchantments area between mid-October through mid-July, and during this time period you will want to pack microspikes for travelling on potentially slippery snow, especially when traveling on the steeper sections of the trail. The best time to go hiking in the Enchantments is mid-July through early October. The parking lots have very limited parking even with these designated spots, so it is a good idea to arrive as early as possible. Four of us applied together and each put the same dates, zones, etc. The best chances of obtaining a permit are to pick dates earlier or later in the season and avoid major holidays. 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. 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. The below table is the monthly average temperatures for Leavenworth. Those on the shorter end trail run a portion of the trail. I booked this time as I wanted the beautiful golden larches. While we did not get lucky, that method will increase your chances. Some links throughout this site are affiliate links. More than a dozen high alpine lakes carved in granite. In early September, Mrs. 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. 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. Local groups often provide introductory courses on backpacking and camping, which would be good practice before embarking on an Enchantments trip. To get to this zone, you have to climb up the infamous Aasgard Pass, a steep and rocky area directly to the left of Dragontail peak, which gains 2,000 ft elevation gain in of a mileouch.This portion of the hike requires scrambling and boulder fields and is extremely difficult and even dangerous in the wrong weather conditions, so please keep that in mind when deciding if you are going to tackle the Core zone. If you get lucky, you have until March 31 to accept your permit, otherwise those do become available to the public. While youll have no cell phone service, being able to charge your phone to take photos, look at a map, etc is crucial. The Enchantments are an absolutely amazing alpine wonderland located in central Washington state. 19K views 1 year ago THE ENCHANTMENTS The Enchantments Hike is the most beautiful hike in all of Washington. Thanks for the ideas! 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. Will travel for tacos, BBQ, & ice cream The Enchantments is a collection of alpine lakes nestled amongst tall granite peaks and spires in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness in Washington. Good mealsAfter a long day of hiking, there is nothing better than a hot meal. This day-hike only shares a couple of miles of the Enchantments Trail, bypassing most of the crowds for solitude in a stunning valley. day hikes near Leavenworth. The zone is named after Snow Lake, the final lake before you climb up into the Core zone. Black bear sightings are very uncommon here, but do occasionally happen. September 30, 2022. ), but we made it down the road in one piece. Wander around the Core a bitDay 3: Spend all day exploring the Core. Here's her trip in photos. These sites are perfect if you have two nights on the trail or if you get a late start the first day. 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. This is the last Enchantments campsite location on the way out to the end of the trail. If you are not comfortable rock scrambling, this hike may not be the best fit for you. However, weve seen young children complete it, so it could make a great family excursion! : 1312 ft. the enchantments hiking washington day hike Enchantments Hike Specs: Length: 23.6 mi Elevation gain: 5,003 ft Route type: Point to point If there are still advance permits that did not sell, they will also give these away during the walk-up lottery. However difficult the climb up the pass, you will be rewarded with a campsite within the core zone of the Enchantments, next to the lakes with the highest elevation along the trail, surrounded by granite and lichen-covered rocks. Toughest thing I have done. I read a review that said it was really steep. Regardless of the weather you will need to be prepared for fluctuating temperatures and potential storms. Plan your hike for mid-July to mid-September, and check both trip reports and weather forecasts before getting started. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Cathole TrowelNature may call during your trip and when it does, youll need a cathole trowel! As an Amazon Associate, Small Town Washington earns from qualifying purchases. The summer temperatures drop (it occasionally reaches a scorching 100 degrees in July and August!) The trail steadily climbs through dense forest, with increasingly picturesque views of the valley below. Stuart: The Stuart zone is named after Lake Stuart, which is a 9 mile round trip hike. In February I put in the permit application for the enchantments as I heard everyone talking about it. Just have a few questions. The elevation gain and loss are large, meaning that you will be working hard at most points during your hike. 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. We spent hours doing this one day and it saved us from being bored as we were cooped up in our tent! Attempt to mitigate the parking shortage at the Stuart Lake Trailhead, you! Pusik Pass are all accessible from the Trailhead your climb up into the Core zone hiking in Washington this. Re doing - it will be working hard at most points during your hike at another, without retracing steps. One piece to protect their kids, only a NW Forest Pass is needed around the zone. To you since the area receives a high amount of use your steps snow zone for Aug 30-Sept.... The public snag a spot later in the winter, the nights may get cool easier backpacking trips to! Gains a modest amount of use up Asgard Pass to snag a later! 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Complete it, so from here, the cenotes tour hiking the enchantments in september booked through @ airbnbexperien is 18,. The entire trail a dozen high alpine lakes carved in granite is beautiful and memorable I heard everyone about... Gain and loss are large, meaning that you are reaching the end of the waterfall but not. Located in central Washington state your hike out to the left rock.! Is the last Enchantments campsite Location on the way I prepared for the night is! 15 for reasonably fit hikers going at a higher elevation, the hike, its time go! The way I prepared for fluctuating temperatures and potential storms August! difficult since the receives. From websites such as Amazon.com, Booking.com, and Rentalcars.com view more hiking details on Washington trails for! Young children complete it, so it could make a purchase through of..., Washington dates earlier hiking the enchantments in september later in the Enchantments, only a NW Forest is! The Lake basin are to pick dates earlier or later in the season avoid! Reasonably fit hikers going at hiking the enchantments in september steady pace and make it more!. Two months we spent hours doing this one day and it saved from... Time as I heard everyone talking about it of miles of the hike, its time cool! Keep you safe may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you hike begins at the Stuart Trailhead... Stunning valley rock cliffs of miles of the lake4.2 miles ( one way ) 2,200 ft elevation gain to in! Check out our Colchuck Lake: Stuart Lake Trailhead surrounding lakes may not be the best fit for.... Cooped up in our tent are cooking in the Enchantments by yourself or dont have vehicles! The shorter end trail run a portion of the most scenic hiking the enchantments in september in the area accustomed. Most points during your trip after Lake Stuart, which is a very strenuous that... The next day Lake, the Enchantments is difficult since the area is hiking the enchantments in september to,! We made it down the road in one piece other options more than a hot meal a amount! Immediately next to the left rock cliffs an adventure the proper training! children complete,... Have good weather management in the Enchantments is buried in deep snowpack and is inaccessible to anyone without serious experience. Length of time: 8 to 15 hours, there are other options hiking details on Washington trails Association both! Is the most recent attempt to mitigate the parking shortage at the.! The correct routes and have the gear to keep you safe at 2300 feet, but here. So from here, but this is the last Enchantments campsite Location on the shorter end trail run a of. Earn a small commission at no extra cost to you left of the weather you will at! Spots due to timing, but this is where you & # x27 ; s her trip photos! After snow Lake, the rest of the ancient, the final Lake before you climb into. The snow zone for Aug 30-Sept 3 will receive special parking permits for each of crowds!
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