What Are the Enchantments?
The Enchantments, Washington's crown-jewel alpine traverse, is a roughly 18-mile point-to-point route through the Alpine Lakes Wilderness near Leavenworth, about 2.5 hours east of Seattle. It passes through four distinct zones, Snow Lakes, Colchuck Lake, Core Zone, and Stuart Lake, and the Core Zone in the middle is the reason everyone comes. Think crystal-clear alpine lakes surrounded by granite peaks, mountain goats wandering through camp, and larches that turn gold in late September.
The honest truth: this trail is incredibly popular and access is strictly controlled by a permit lottery. If you try to show up without a permit during the core season (May 15 through October 31), rangers will turn you away at the trailhead.
The Enchantments at a Glance
| Zone | Permit difficulty | Why go |
|---|---|---|
| Core Zone | Hardest (~2% lottery odds) | The postcard lakes, golden larches, and mountain goats |
| Colchuck Lake | Easier (separate permit) | Turquoise glacial lake below Dragontail Peak |
| Snow Lakes | Less contested | Quieter forested approach and camps |
| Stuart Lake | Less contested | Alpine lake beneath Mount Stuart |
Distances and odds below are for the standard west-to-east traverse. Whichever zone you draw, the permit is non-transferable and checked at the trailhead.
Permit System
The permit lottery runs through recreation.gov. Applications open in mid-February and results come out in mid-March. You apply for a specific zone entry, most people want the Core Zone, which covers the most spectacular section from Snow Lakes to Stuart Lake.
Lottery odds are brutal. In recent years, roughly 1 in 20 to 1 in 30 applicants get a Core Zone permit for peak dates. A few strategies that actually help:
- Apply for shoulder-season dates (late May, early June, mid-October) rather than peak summer weekends, odds improve significantly
- Apply for weekday entry instead of Friday–Sunday
- Check the recreation.gov walkup availability each morning at 6am Pacific, cancellations happen
- The Snow Lakes and Stuart Lake zones are less contested and still beautiful
Day-use permits are also available for the Core Zone but are extremely limited. If you don't get a permit, reconsider, the trail sees heavy ranger enforcement.
Trail Stats
The standard traverse runs from Stuart Lake trailhead (west) to Snow Lakes trailhead (east) or vice versa. West-to-east is the more common direction: you gain most of the elevation early (Aasgard Pass at 7,800 ft is brutal, 2,000 ft in less than a mile), then it's mostly downhill on the other side.
- Distance: 18–19 miles one way
- Elevation gain: ~4,500 ft (west-to-east), ~5,500 ft (east-to-west)
- Typical time: 1–3 nights for backpackers; a brutal 12–16 hour day for day hikers
- Best season: Late June through early October; larch color peaks around the last week of September
Getting There
Both trailheads are near Leavenworth, WA. The Snow Lakes trailhead is at the end of Icicle Creek Road, about 4 miles from downtown Leavenworth. The Stuart Lake (Colchuck) trailhead is 8 miles up Icicle Creek Road. A Northwest Forest Pass or interagency pass is required for parking at both. Parking fills before 6am on summer weekends, seriously.
A shuttle between trailheads is almost mandatory for a one-way traverse. Several Leavenworth-based outfitters offer shuttle service, or coordinate with a second car.
What to Expect: Zone by Zone
Colchuck Lake (4.1 miles from Stuart Lake TH)
The trail climbs steeply through forest before leveling at Colchuck Lake at 5,570 ft. The lake's milky turquoise color comes from glacial flour. Dragontail Peak looms directly above. This zone is gorgeous on its own and requires a separate permit from the Core Zone.
Aasgard Pass (The Crux)
From Colchuck, the route climbs Aasgard Pass, a 2,000-foot scramble up loose talus and slabs in under a mile. This section is genuinely hard. Snow lingers here into early July and can make it dangerous without microspikes or an ice axe. Many people underestimate it. Allow 1.5–2.5 hours just for Aasgard.
Core Zone
Once through Aasgard, you're in the Core Zone, a chain of lakes including Isolation, Tranquil, Leprechaun, Viviane, and Perfection. This is the postcard section. Mountain goats are almost guaranteed; they're attracted to human urine for salt, so pack out everything and pee on rocks, not soil. Camp spots are scattered but fire rings are prohibited. Follow Leave No Trace strictly, rangers patrol regularly.
Snow Lakes Zone
The trail descends from the Core Zone past Upper and Lower Snow Lakes before a long switchbacking descent to the Snow Lakes trailhead. This section is forested and less dramatic but a solid 10+ miles. Your legs will know about it.
Gear Recommendations
This is not a casual hike. Even in summer, the Core Zone sits above 7,000 ft and afternoon thunderstorms are common:
- Microspikes or traction: Required for Aasgard Pass before mid-July
- Water filter: Sawyer Squeeze or BeFree, water is abundant but filter everything
- Bear canister: Not required but strongly encouraged; hang bags work but goats will investigate
- Layers: Temps drop fast above treeline even in August; bring a puffy and a hardshell
- Trekking poles: Almost mandatory on Aasgard and the long descent to Snow Lakes
Crowds & Realistic Expectations
The permit system controls overnight traffic but Core Zone can feel crowded relative to its size. September larch season is the most popular time, golden larches reflecting in alpine lakes are legitimately jaw-dropping, but expect other hikers. Weekday permits in late September are the sweet spot.
If you don't get a permit, Colchuck Lake alone (separate permit, easier to get) is one of the best day hikes in Washington. The Snow Lakes zone is also underrated and less competed for.
The Enchantments, Washington FAQs
The Enchantments are in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness near Leavenworth, Washington, roughly 2.5 hours east of Seattle. The two trailheads (Stuart Lake/Colchuck and Snow Lakes) both sit off Icicle Creek Road just outside town.
The full one-way traverse is 18 to 19 miles with about 4,500 feet of gain going west-to-east (Stuart Lake trailhead to Snow Lakes trailhead), or roughly 5,500 feet east-to-west.
Most people backpack it over 1 to 3 nights to soak in the Core Zone. Fit, acclimatized hikers do the whole traverse as a single 12 to 16 hour day, but it is a brutal push and not recommended for most.
Very hard. Core Zone lottery odds run roughly 1-in-20 to 1-in-30 for peak summer dates. Shoulder-season weekday applications have significantly better odds. Check recreation.gov for walkup cancellations each morning at 6am Pacific.
No, the Core Zone requires a permit May 15 through October 31. Rangers check at the trailhead. Day-use permits exist but are also lottery-based and very limited.
Genuinely hard. It's 2,000 ft of gain in less than a mile on loose talus. Lingering snow into early July can make it dangerous. Plan 1.5–2.5 hours for that section alone.
Typically the last week of September through the first week of October, but it varies by year. This is the most popular (and hardest to permit) time.
No. Aasgard Pass alone disqualifies it as a beginner hike. You should be comfortable with steep loose terrain, high altitude, and long distances before attempting this.
Not currently required, but mountain goats are persistent and will go after any food storage. A canister is the safest option; hanging bags work but require careful execution.
