By mid-morning in late February 1964, four snowshoers began traveling up the Ingalls Creek trail, heading for a campsite where Crystal Creek meets the main drainage of Ingalls Creek, seven miles up valley. 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. Not sure where to start? Although its rare for them to be aggressive, weve heard of instances where mother goats have attacked hikers trying to protect their kids. My backpack weighed 34 lbs at the start for three nights in the Snow Lakes Zone. 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. We arrived at Stuart/Colchuck at 7 AM and got the last overnight permit spot and there were lots of day hikers that were struggling to park. The Enchantments is a collection of alpine lakes nestled amongst tall granite peaks and spires in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness in Washington. That is awesome! Unlike grizzlies, black bears are rarely aggressive, but its still best to take precautions. Snow: This is the zone we camped in during our time in the Enchantments. Mile 13.5: If you prefer to travel a litter further on your final day, a few campsites are located near Nada Lake. This way, youll knock out most of the elevation gain in the first quarter of the hike. I started out building the ability to walk 5-7 miles without flagging, then practiced climbing up steep hills. Although this is difficult, many people prefer this option to hiking the other direction, which involves a much longer strenuous uphill section of trail. Maybe you'll get lucky and have good weather. But one of the places that would undoubtedly make the list is The Enchantments Wilderness Area. 208SX by Green Trails Maps . Its also important to note theres a lot to consider before hiking the Enchantments. 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. Comment below if you have questions about hiking the Enchantments in Washington state and well do our best to get back to you! External chargerThis is a must for a multi-day backpacking trip! 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. Since youll be at a higher elevation, the nights may get cool. Last year, I did the hike up to the summit of Mt. Don't shower for 3 weeks leading up your hike as a human repellent. The best times to hike in the Enchantments are lake summer and early fall. 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. CRAZY! When: Do it between late July and early September. 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. Viewing 13 posts - 1 through 13 (of 13 total) Jun 24, 2014 at 7:44 am #1318302. Its not at all uncommon for other hikers to help with shuttling! It is mostly just super bumpy, rocky, and steep. 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 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. 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. 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. Looking up from Leprechaun Lake. Many avoid the Permit hassle doing the Enchantments as a long day hike. This means that you will start at one trailhead and end your hike at another, without retracing your steps. If you have two nights, spend some extra time exploring the side trails and lakes in this area. Good mealsAfter a long day of hiking, there is nothing better than a hot meal. And it's tough getting there. As you proceed down the trail, the next and final lake of the Enchantments is Lake Viviane. This was our base camp from where we would climb the steep Crystal Creek valley and . Top 10 Hiking 100 Classic Hikes: Washington, 3rd Ed. Arrive by 7:30 AM to enter the walk-up lottery. The elevation gain and loss are large, meaning that you will be working hard at most points during your hike. They headed up to Lake Stewart and up to Asgard Pass. After entering the permit lottery in 2018 and failing to get permits, we didnt feel too confident going into the 2019 lottery. The way I prepared for the Enchantments was to hike twice a week for about two months. Welcome to Go Wander Wild. However, you obviously cant rely on or plan around hitch-hiking and not everyone is comfortable with it. 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. Stuart: The Stuart zone is named after Lake Stuart, which is a 9 mile round trip hike. However, dont count on this as a guarantee it is far better to try to secure an Enchantments permit in advance. . 1. To day hike in the Enchantments, only a NW Forest Pass is needed. No matter what route you take, how many days you have, or if you get a sunny day or a cloudy day, the Enchantments truly are a magical place and 100% worth the permit headaches to visit in whatever capacity you can. Some route-finding is also necessary, as the hike becomes more of a boulder scramble with hands and feet required for balance. In early September, Mrs. Tucked away in a particularly rugged area of Washington, just accessing this beautiful environment takes substantial planning. 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! View more hiking details on Washington Trails Association for both Colchuck Lake and the whole Enchantments enchilada. 25. r/hiking. With your permit you will receive special parking permits for each of the trailhead, allowing you to park in designated spots for permitees. The hike is a mixture of a regular dirt trail and rock scrambling. So I'm also going to try to do the Enchantments this year. While we did not get lucky, that method will increase your chances. Negative Elev. Here are some of these hiking courtesies that help improve everyones trip. Yay, congrats! : 5814 ft. You can also find information on AllTrails (Colchuck Lake, the Enchantments). Mile 11: The shores of the Snow Lakes are the last large group of campsites. These permits can be difficult to secure, as most of them are drawn on a lottery. Mountain goats are the most prevalent wildlife youll encounter. The Snow Lake trailhead is off of Icicle Creek Road and has a decent parking lot. Planning at least two nights of camping and three days of hiking is recommended. This 24 mile, 6,200 elevation gain permit only hike leads to the tallest mountain in the contiguous US. 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. As an Airbnb Associate, we may earn a commission when you book through our links, at no extra cost to you. Clothing itemsLayers are a great idea any time of the year while hiking the Enchantments. living on the road in ourself-converted sprinter van! Mid-July through early October is the best season for hiking the Enchantments. As for toilet paper, Leave No Trace says use only plain, white, non-perfumed brands. Winning is completely up to luck, which is the hard part of the lottery system. May, June, September and October are considered "shoulder seasons" and visitors can expect to encounter snow and winter-like conditions. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. We had to use our hands for balance as we slooowly clambered up what seemed like a near-vertical route. Located in Central Washington near the small town of Leavenworth, this piece of the Cascade Mountain range is as spectacular as the name implies. Note to everyone: Aasgard Pass is a misnomer. 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. 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. To avoid these food thieves when camping or hiking through, youll want to keep your food in an animal-proof container. End: Snow Lakes Trailhead. McClellan Peak, Little Annapurna, Dragontail Peak, and Pusik Pass are all accessible from the Core. As an Amazon Associate, Small Town Washington earns from qualifying purchases. The trail through the Enchantments is 18 miles, one-way, with additional side trails to explore the surrounding lakes. Are you planning on carrying them the entire way? Rating. 10 weeks to prepare. Adventure joined a group of our friends on a trip up to the Enchantments in Washington. 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 Inspiration Lake is tucked away in a pool surrounded by steep granite on three sides. Permits. These make for the best overnight spots in the Enchantments overall. The trail steadily climbs through dense forest, with increasingly picturesque views of the valley below. Since the Enchantments trail is at a higher elevation, the temperature will generally be cooler than in town. 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. Overview. 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. With over 2,000 feet of elevation gain in less than a single mile in distance, the climb challenges both stamina and determination. I think it was definitely one of the best spots out in the Snow Lakes area! :) Theyre especially perfect for people spending just one night on the trail, since youll conquer most of the elevation on the first day and have nothing but downhill miles the second. Sounds like you know what you're doing - it will be an adventure. We camped probably 1 mile from where you start the hike to the Core from the Snow Lakes area. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Hello there! by Craig Romano . The summer temperatures drop (it occasionally reaches a scorching 100 degrees in July and August!) 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. 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. 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. One thing thats good to know is that we saw a lot of different mileage reports for this hike. The permit season for the Enchantments is between May 15 and October 31. 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. The environment here has turned from granite rocks to alpine marsh and meadow, full of grass and heather. They can be overly friendly, to the point of dangerous, and often follow visitors in an attempt to lick up salt from human urine (delightful, huh?)! However, since these are averages it is best to be prepared for a wide range of temperatures during your trip. I did the hike September 9th-11th, for reference. Although it may look too formidable to even attempt, the beautiful craggy peak behind Colchuck Lake is where the Enchantments hike continues. From Lake Viviane, the trail descends steeply down towards the Snow Lakes. The Enchantments are an absolutely amazing alpine wonderland located in central Washington state. This can be a good place to plan for a night of rest if downhill hiking presents difficulty. We hope to inform, inspire, and empower you to get outside, see this incredible world, and find your WILD! Drive 4 miles past the Snow Lakes parking lot until you reach FS Road 7601. What awaits visitors: -Nearby Bavarian-styled village -High alpine lakes carved in granite -Curious mountain goats and their kids -Dramatic peaks -Golden larches come fall Redwood National Park in California - (https://youtu.be . Here is a rundown of the mileage for different portions of the hike, directly from the Forest Service. 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. Unfortunately, weve missed out on all our other attempts at the lottery (some locals joke that the lottery is their annual donation). Ive done this as a thru hike, ending at snow lake TH, taking about 14hrs total. The main path stays to the left of the waterfall but is not immediately next to the left rock cliffs. And any other tips on some good campsites? 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. We coordinated with two friends (Yvonne and Jeffrey) on the dates we wanted, zones we wanted to apply for, and other logistics. Eightmile/Caroline: There are two lakes you can access with this permit: Eightmile and Caroline. These days experience the least precipitation and are most likely to have clear skies and warm days. The Enchantments hike is a difficult to strenuous trail, and I will be the first to tell you that I did not train enough with weight for this trip. Depending on snow conditions, you may also want to bring gaiters to protect your boots from getting filled with snow. , directly from the Forest Service likely to have clear skies and days... Road and has a decent parking lot to be aggressive, but its still to... Colchuck Lake and the whole Enchantments enchilada to walk 5-7 miles without flagging then... 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