Backpacking The Enchantments Trail — Washington

The Enchantments is a region in Washington state with a group of pristine alpine lakes accessible only by foot. This 20-mile hike passes through numerous shimmering alpine lakes and rewards hikers with some of the most spectacular mountain scenery in the Pacific Northwest. You may have heard about Aasgard Pass being responsible for most of the trail's infamy — none of that is false, but with the right preparation and mindset, it is absolutely conquerable.

The Enchantments Trail Hiking Guide

The trail can be hiked in two ways:

• Through hike (day hike): For those unable to secure camping permits months in advance. A very long and strenuous day — permits are still required for day hikers entering certain zones.
• Backpack (recommended): We highly recommend spending at least one night camping in the Core Enchantments Zone. This elevates the entire experience and allows you to truly soak in the views instead of rushing through.

Enchantments Zone & Trail Map

Hike Stats

Alternate Route Options

• Roundtrip from Stuart Lake Trailhead: Avoids shuttle logistics but means hiking back up the same elevation you just descended. Tough.
• Point to point — Snow Lake TH to Stuart Lake TH: Adds 2,000+ ft of elevation gain. Not recommended.

Permits for Backpacking the Enchantments

Permits are required to camp in any of the five zones between May 15 – October 31. Overnight camping permits are obtained via an online lottery held between February 15 – March 31 each year.

• Create an account at recreation.gov and review all information before applying
• An Overnight Visitor Parking Pass is included with the camping permit
• Vehicles without a permit, NW Forest Pass, or America the Beautiful Pass must pay a day-use fee

Our Experience

We had a 1-night permit to camp in the Core Zone on September 20th. We drove to Leavenworth the previous evening from Redmond, WA and were on trail by 4am with headlamps on.

Our first stop was Colchuck Lake — a little over two miles in there's a junction where the right fork leads toward Stuart Lake and the left toward Colchuck. Until this point the climb is gradual through forest with a stream nearby. Past the junction the trail becomes rocky with some steep scrambling sections.

We made our way down to Colchuck Lake for a quick break — that's when we really noticed Aasgard Pass. From the lake shore the gradient looks genuinely intimidating. But it's one of those climbs that feels worse in anticipation than in execution, as long as you pace yourself.

After admiring the reflections of Dragontail Peak in Colchuck Lake, we moved toward the base of Aasgard. The approach requires walking along the lake shore counterclockwise before the real climbing begins.

General Tips for Hiking the Enchantments

• Start as early as possible (3–4am) — Aasgard Pass is best tackled in cool morning air before the sun hits
• Carry microspikes — snow can linger in Aasgard well into summer
• September is the best month: larches turn gold, crowds thin, weather still stable
• Mountain goats are everywhere — keep food stored properly and don't feed them
• Water sources are plentiful but always filter before drinking
• Pack out everything — Leave No Trace is strictly enforced in this area