You may also be able to snag a spot later in the evening when day hikers are leaving. Hiking the Enchantments takes you through a variety of diverse terrain, which can be roughly broken down into three sections. Day 1: Hike to Snow Lake and set up campDay 2: Explore the Core area all day and then head back your campsite at Snow LakeDay 3: Hike out through Snow Lake. Viewing 13 posts - 1 through 13 (of 13 total) Jun 24, 2014 at 7:44 am #1318302. Its also important to note theres a lot to consider before hiking the Enchantments. Permits are required for day and overnight use in this area. In addition to physical preparation, an understanding of wilderness travel and first aid will greatly improve your trip if anything goes wrong. Explore the most popular trails in my list Enchantments Hiking with hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you. If you make a purchase through one of these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. These sites are perfect if you have two nights on the trail or if you get a late start the first day. Its also nice to see how far you have to your next stop . After entering the permit lottery in 2018 and failing to get permits, we didnt feel too confident going into the 2019 lottery. 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. To enter the permit lottery, you will first need to apply during the annual permit lottery (exact dates vary by year). 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. Posted on September 5, 2011 September 6, 2011 by Rick Mc. Insider tip: Since these campsites are outside the Core Enchantment zone, theyre easier to obtain and open to groups, rather than just individuals. The two trailheads are fortunately only a 30-minute drive apart, so the easiest option is driving two vehicles. 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. Depending on your fitness and availability, the time for hiking the Enchantments trail varies. How late can you hike the Enchantments? 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. 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. Having said that, dont let the challenge dissuade you! Although it may look too formidable to even attempt, the beautiful craggy peak behind Colchuck Lake is where the Enchantments hike continues. 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. Dont be fooled that you are reaching the end here, even though you are leaving the lake basin! Sign up to get travel updates, guides, vlogs, and other resources delivered straight to your inbox once a month! We couldnt get enough of this section, and highly recommend it as the best for camping! With your permit you will receive special parking permits for each of the trailhead, allowing you to park in designated spots for permitees. You will want to make sure you have cars at both trailheads (see The Trailheads section below). 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. The next mile is by far the toughest of the entire trail. The division of With the added weight of a pack, some training or backpacking experience is highly recommended before attempting to hike the Enchantments. The main path stays to the left of the waterfall but is not immediately next to the left rock cliffs. Winning is completely up to luck, which is the hard part of the lottery system. Pin this blog post to prep for your trip! 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. These are the hikes I did (if you don't live in Seattle, pick hikes of similar length and elevation gain): . 1. 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! 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. These make for the best overnight spots in the Enchantments overall. Thankfully Christie applied and was able to bring us along! And to watch our experience, check out our vlog below! The route is described below beginning at the Stuart Lake Trailhead. . Check out our the enchantments hiking selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. Talk about timing! 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. Mile 6: Once you pass Colchuck Lake, you will have to ascend Aasgard Pass before finding the next campsites near Isolation and Tranquil Lakes. More than a dozen high alpine lakes carved in granite. In this guide, well share how to best experience hiking the Enchantments, whether on a day trip or as a multi-day camping experience. The Enchantments live up to the hype and dazzle hikers willing to overcome the elevation gain needed to visit this high alpine paradise. Mileage: 20ish, 4600 Elevation gain/ 6000 elevation loss. 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 trail through the Enchantments is 18 miles, one-way, with additional side trails to explore the surrounding lakes. The elevation gain and loss are large, meaning that you will be working hard at most points during your hike. 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. Even if you dont see other hikers, there are probably other people who can hear your music. However, its worth the effort! 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. During warm dry summer days in July and August, you will also need to be prepared for hot afternoons. ), but with backpacking packs on, it can be pretty brutal at times. 208SX by Green Trails Maps . Go Wander Wild are participants in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Permits: 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. The only way to visit the Enchantments is by hiking and it is no easy task. Over the years, the hike has become increasingly popular, making winning a permit in the lottery almost like winning the actual lottery. Drive 4 miles past the Snow Lakes parking lot until you reach FS Road 7601. If you have two nights, spend some extra time exploring the side trails and lakes in this area. Some links throughout this site are affiliate links. ), understanding campfire rules and always fully extinguishing your fires, respecting wildlife, and being considerate of other visitors. 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. 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. When to go: The Enchantments overnighting permit season extends from May 15 to October 31st, but the trail is frequently covered by snow both early and late in the season. 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. In fact, people have died doing so from falling into crevasses or waterfall holes. https://linktr.ee/kraig00:00 Hiking Aasgard Pass in the Enchantments4:29 Leavenworth Bavarian Village5:46 Hiking Guide and Behind the Scenes My dad. But similar to Eightmile/Caroline, this permit is much easier to get! 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. A rainy day at Rune Lake (Perfection Lake) in September. Always maintain a very safe distance from wildlife, and take care of your business well away from the trail and campsites! The permits are a lottery system, which means that you enter between specific dates, typically February 15-March 2 and then on March 20 you find out if you won. Very brutal.. After our experience hiking The Enchantments and experiencing a few mishaps, we have a few tips that will help ensure your trip is a success! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Hello there! We saw tons of people doing this, but make sure you get a very early start so you can finish before dark and also have time to enjoy it without rushing. This is a great campsite if you are planning a short first day of hiking. 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. If you arent up to completing the entire thru-hike, there are multiple shorter trails in the Enchantments. Thanks! We got passed by a lot of people haha. Maybe you'll get lucky and have good weather. Turn left onto Icicle Creek Road. If you click through a link on Small Town Washington, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. To overnight between May and October, however, a lottery permit is required. If you decide to start and end at different trailheads and cannot park a car at each trailhead, there are a couple shuttle options to check out: Leavenworth shuttle and Loop Connector shuttle. If youre hiking the Enchantments by yourself or dont have two vehicles, there are other options. 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. Camping here is best on two-night backpacking trips. The below table is the monthly average temperatures for Leavenworth. Some borderline masochistic types will choose to hike or trail run the 19-mile one-way route in a single day. Wildlife in the area is accustomed to visitors, making it easy to get good pictures of any you spot during your trip. On average, 10 active hours for typical hiking speed of 1000 ft/hr. day hikes near Leavenworth. Understandably, the trail gets busy and snagging an overnight permit is extremely tough. Were diving deep into each portion of this hike, starting from the Stuart Lake Trailhead. 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. We would love to do this hike again in the future, however, we think we would do it a bit differently. Day 1: Hike to Colchuck Lake and set up campDay 2: Hike up Aasgard Pass and find a good camping spot in the Core. Backpacking the Enchantments is a very strenuous trip that (with the proper training!) YouTube, Travel Guides, Gear, & FAQs. Our friends also brought water treatment liquid that worked great too! Negative Elev. Try this 20.5-mile point-to-point trail near Leavenworth, Washington. : 7835 ft. Min. This 24 mile, 6,200 elevation gain permit only hike leads to the tallest mountain in the contiguous US. Into each portion of this hike again in the area is accustomed to visitors, making winning a permit the. 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