Growing up in the Seattle area, backpacking the Enchantments was high on our bucket list. We felt extremely lucky to score permits, and suddenly we were living the ultimate PNW dream. We spent two nights and three days soaking in the incredible views of the Cascades and we are so excited to share our experience with you.
Below is our guide to everything you need to know about backpacking the Enchantments, from getting permits, planning the route, and finding the best spots along the trail. We hope you enjoy!
What are the Enchantments?
The Enchantments is a region located in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness of the Cascade Mountain range in Washington. Just 30 minutes outside the cute town of Leavenworth, and about a 3 hour drive east of Seattle.
Quick Facts:
- Length: 20 miles
- Elevation gain: 4,500 feet
- Difficulty: hard
- Type of hike: through hike
- Days to complete: 3-4 days
Best time of year
The permit season for camping in the Enchantments is between May 15 and October 31. While you can technically hike in late spring, there may still be snow until mid-summer. We visited at the end of July and snow was just starting to melt on some areas of the trail. July and August are the most popular months to visit.
Permits
The Enchantments is a well-protected area and for this reason, it is required to have a permit to camp. Permits are available through Recreation.gov from May 15 to October 31.
No permits are required for day hikers, so if you’re feeling extra ambitious, this can be completed as a day hike.
When applying for a permit, you will need to choose one of the five zones of the Enchantments.
Eightmile/ Caroline Zone
This is located off the main route, and would not be feasible for the through hike.
Stuart lake zone
This a 5 mile hike from the main Stuart trailhead, slightly off the main Enchantments route, but an option for camping.
COLCHUCK LAKE ZONE
This is the second most popular zone to camp and has gorgeous lake views. This is also a beautiful day hike!
Core Enchantment Zone
The Core Zone is the most sought after zone to score a permit to camp in. To access the Core Enchantment Zone, you ascend up Asgard pass.
Snow Lake Zone
This is the final lake to descend upon completing the route.
The Core Enchantment Zone is the best zone because it allows you to camp in any of the zones. The next most popular option is Colchuck Lake because it is located near the Core Zone.
How to get a permit
Be sure to look at the important dates listed on Recretion.gov website to know when the lottery permits are available. Typically, the lottery entry starts in February and closes in March. If you are unsuccessful with securing a permit during the initial lottery phase, remain hopeful, because there is another option to get a permit once unclaimed permits go live in April. We were able to get our permits during the re-claiming period.
When applying for a permit you will need to select an entry date, group size, and permit zone. There is a limited quota for permits, and it is for this reason that scoring a permit can be extremely challenging. We hope you get as lucky as we did!
Which direction to hike?
You can either hike starting at Stuart Lake or at Snow Lakes. We highly recommend starting at Stuart Lake and finishing at Snow Lake. We prefer this route because it entails climbing up the steep Asgard Pass, rather than an abrupt descent down (to save the knees!).
Parking
If leaving your car at one of the trailheads, you will need to purchase a parking pass from the National Forest Service. The cost is $5 for a day pass and $30 for an annual pass.
Shuttle
Itinerary
We will share our itinerary, as well as the recommended “ideal” itinerary. For our itinerary, we got Stuart Lake Zone for night 1 and Colchuck Lake for night 2. This allowed us to complete the entire Enchantments hike, but resulted in a very long final day of hiking. Ideally, getting an overnight in Colchuck or the Core Zone would be the best.
Our itinerary:
Day 1: hike from Stuart Lake trailhead to Stuart Lake (4.5 miles)
Day 2: hike from Stuart Lake to Colchuck Lake (3.5 miles)
Day 3: hike from Colchuck Lake to Snow Lake trailhead (12 miles)
Ideal itinerary:
Day 1: hike from Stuart Lake trailhead to Colchuck Lake (4 miles)
Day 2: hike from Colchuck Lake to Core Zone (2 – 4 miles)
Day 3 or 4: hike from Core Zone to Snow Lake trailhead (10 miles)
What to expect when hiking the Enchantments
Stuart Lake
Colchuck Lake
Asgard Pass
Core Zone
Snow Lake
Tips:
-
- Don’t forget the bug spray! There were tons of mosquitoes near the lakes
- Be aware of bear sightings and pack a bear canister. We came across a momma bear and her cub eating berries
- Enjoy a cold plunge in Colchuck lake
- Embrace the snowmelt! We decided that sledding down was more efficient than hiking in some areas.
Our weekend backpacking through the Enchantments was one of our favorite trips and is definitely a place we hope to visit again soon. We hope you found this guide helpful! Check out the All Trails Map for our exact route.
