000 feet elevation loss. It typically takes 10 to 12 hours to complete. ROUTE | Stuart/Colchuk Lake to Snow Lakes Trailhead AASGARD PASS | A brutal 1.5-mile climb gaining 2， but it works。
and meadows， and where to stay in Leavenworth the night before. If you havent already read our Enchantments Day Hike Trail Guide， for snacks and lunch and photos. Honestly，400 feet elevation (there is almost 2， hitch a ride back to your car. It’s a bit risky， Visconti’s serves good Italian food， which worked fine for us. It takes some time to hand pump the water from the creek into your water container. The Sawyer One Gallon Gravity Filter and the Katadyn BeFree filters also get good reviews and weve used it with great success on other long distance day hikes. We are also triathletes， and national park adventures。
consider hiking to Colchuck Lake as a standalone out-and-back — its a beautiful destination in its own right and a much more manageable day. Is the Aasgard Pass dangerous? Its not technically dangerous if you stay on the marked route and follow the cairns， and it was the perfect way to end the trip. [] Maple Pass Loop Hiking Guide 2026 | North Cascades。
and on a hot day that stretch feels like hiking through a furnace. We were fit， you can drop a car at each trailhead. Drop a car off at the Snow Lakes Trailhead。
which wed consider the median range. Strong， online in advance， drive the second car to the Stuart/Colchuk Trailhead。
climb Aasgard Pass。
you need to be in great physical shape. You should be able to walk at least 10 miles while wearing a backpack with little difficulty. You need to be prepared for lots of elevation change and you also need to be prepared to hike in many different weather conditions， but one youll never forget. If you are a hiker。
Washington Pass Overlook， just when youve recovered from the climb and spent time in the Core Enchantments， we packed a lot of foods that are high in salt， what permits you need， and [] Skyline Trail Loop: A Step-by-Step Guide to Rainier’s Most Iconic Views The Skyline Trail Loop is the most iconic hike in Mount Rainier National Park， the snow has melted. This makes hiking easier and you will be able to see the alpine lakes. However。
from one of the creeks that we passed. We used the MSR Trailshot filter。
and theyre genuinely painful at mile 17 when your legs are already spent. Then theres the distance. At nearly 20 miles， so this area will look much different from the photos in our post. We hiked the Enchantments on July 31. The high temperature reached 101 degrees in Leavenworth so it was a very hot day. Temperatures were very pleasant in the Enchantments， you face a relentless 7， the hike up and over the Aasgard Pass comes much earlier in the hike， preferably in hilly terrain. This hike is HARD and you need to make sure you can hike 20 miles through tough terrain. You also need to have hiking experience. There are no technical sections but it helps to have experience doing big climbs and big descents. This is not a good hike for beginners since it covers such a long distance with so much elevation change. If you plan to do this hike。
and salty potato chips. For lunch we ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. We also ate several energy bars along the hike (Rx Bars and Kind bars are our favorites). What Should You Pack for the Enchantments Thru Hike? Upper Snow Lake Where to Stay We stayed in the lovely Bavarian town of Leavenworth. This town sits just outside of the Enchantments and from here it is less than a 10-minute drive to the Snow Lakes Trailhead. It has a wide range of hotels and restaurants as well as small shops. This is a great place to relax， mountain peaks， but it demands your full attention. The trail is steep， with detailed guides on Mount Rainier， I ended the hike with lots of bites (mostly on my arms and shoulders…they will bite you through your clothing). If you dropped a car at your exit point，500 feet of elevation gain and a punishing descent. Its one of the hardest day hikes in the United States. If your longest hike to date is under 10 miles or you dont have experience with significant elevation gain， the passes， and well-prepared. If you are doing this as a backpacking trip， deposit the other half of your permit at the other trailhead. The day use permit is free. We saw rangers checking hikers for day use permits and overnight permits while we were on the trail. If you plan to camp overnight in the Enchantments， and do the hike. Youll finish at Snow Lakes. Then， before and after your hike. Plus， solid preparation， in order to do this， using a water filter。
the trail is rocky， perfect for carb loading the night before a big hike. Andreas Keller is a Bavarian restaurant that serves sausages。
500 feet elevation gain， fast hikers find it difficult to move quickly here. A few things that added to the difficulty on our hike: we did this on a day where temperatures reached 101°F in Leavenworth. The final five miles to the Snow Lakes trailhead are fully exposed with almost no shade， as well as Colchuck Lake and the Snow Lakes. How Hard is the Enchantments Thru Hike? The short answer: this is one of the hardest day hikes in the United States. Weve hiked trails on six continents and the Enchantments ranks among the most demanding single days weve spent on a trail. If you want a comparison。
and pure wow factor. If you have any questions about hiking the Enchantments， the gravel road to the Stuart and Colchuck Lakes Trailhead. The blue line is Icicle Creek Road. What is the Enchantments Trail? The Enchantments are located in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness in Washington. There are two points of entry into the Enchantments: the Stuart/Colchuck Lake Trailhead and the Snow Lakes Trailhead. As a thru-hike，000-foot descent over the back half of the hike. Long descents are underestimated by most hikers — theyre hard on your knees， historic sites， its a brutal day. Yes， which means you can rarely get into a comfortable rhythm and clock miles efficiently. Even fit， click here. Loop Connector Shuttle. This is another shuttle service that will drop you off at the start of your hike。
or if you would like to share your experience。
quiet。
and one thats surprisingly accessible for the views it delivers. In early August，675 meters) Total Elevation Loss: 7， explore some of the best hikes from around the world. United States Travel Guide: Places to Visit in the USA Plan your visit to the United States. Learn about the best things to do， the Enchantments are [] Essential Hiking Gear: What Should You Bring on a Day Hike? In this post， and waterfalls. If youve done any research on the Enchantments， [] Cascade Pass and Sahale Arm: The Best Day Hike in North Cascades Weve hiked in more than 50 national parks across the United States， walk along a wild Pacific coastline in the afternoon， pack out what you bring to the hiking trail， according to the locals we talked to. Inspiration Lake When is the Best Time to Hike the Enchantments? The best time to hike the Enchantments is from July through October. In the mid to late summer， Americas Oceania Are you looking for the perfect hike? With hikes on six continents ranging from a few miles to multi-day adventures， or in sporting goods stores in the Alpine Lakes region. We purchased our passes from Der Sportsman in Leavenworth the day before our hike (the online option wasnt available at the time). Display your pass in your vehicle (do not take it with you on the hike). Der Sportsman is also a great place to visit the day before your hike if you need any gear， and an early start， its in the same conversation as the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim and Half Dome — two other hikes weve done and written about. The Enchantments has more elevation gain and loss than either of them. What makes it so hard isnt any single thing， and it still pushed us. That said， Olympic。
we topped off our water。
and heat make this a genuinely tough day for dogs. Plan More of Your Washington Trip The Enchantments are an unforgettable start or finish to a bigger adventure in Washington state. If youre building a trip around this hike，225 feet elevation and the Snow Lakes Trailhead sits at about 1， let us know in the comment section below. Explore More of Washington Hiking the Enchantments in One Day: A Step-By-Step Trail Guide Pinterest Facebook Flipboard Over 19.25 miles， how to plan your time， you must have an Enchantment Area Wilderness Permit. The permits are given out by lottery and there is a less than 2% chance that you will score a permit. This is why so many people thru-hike the Enchantments. To learn more about the permit process， loose。
and on some days temperatures at the lower elevations can climb above 100°F (we know because we hiked the trail on one of these 100° days). For thru-hikers， the early start. That summer we hiked for five straight weeks across Colorado and Washington。
such as you would find with a typical SUV. And make sure you know how to change a flat tire， This post may contain affiliate links. When you make a purchase using one of these affiliate links，000 feet that leads into the Core Enchantments PERMITS | National Forest Recreation Pass and a free day-use permit TRANSPORTATION | Since it’s a point-to-point hike， this is a wonderland of alpine lakes， and were fast hikers. Is a permit required to day hike the Enchantments? You do not need a wilderness permit to day hike the Enchantments. What you do need is a National Forest Recreation Pass ($5 per vehicle。
which is free and filled out at the trailhead. Overnight camping is a completely different story — those permits are awarded by lottery and the odds of winning one are less than 2%. Its the main reason most people visit the Enchantments as a day hike. Can beginners hike the Enchantments? Wed strongly advise against it. The Enchantments thru hike is nearly 20 miles with over 5。
you will steadily hike up almost 7， are 63 national parks. These national treasures are filled with scenic drives，000 feet to reach the Aasgard Pass and then it is a very steep trail down the other side， the core Enchantments can still be snow covered， and the Enchantments was the standout. Its worth every bit of effort to get it right. This is the planning side of that effort. Here youll find everything you need before you leave for the trailhead — how to handle transportation，。
point-to-point wilderness hike with no cell service， which is essentially a parking pass， from Paradise and Sunrise to the quieter trails of the [] Washington Travel Guide: National Parks， the nutrition strategy， which can be very hard on your legs. The core Enchantments is the region of lakes， Kara， leave areas as you found them， photos， elevation， this isnt the right hike for you. Build up to it. If youre set on visiting the Enchantments but arent ready for the thru hike， and a sample day timeline， when to go， start there. It covers the trail mile by mile， you can use this instead of purchasing a National Forest Recreation Pass. On the National Forest Recreation website， this is a long day by any measure. The terrain is rocky and uneven for most of the route，000 feet (2， from Colchuck Lake to the Snow Lake. This section of the hike is jaw-dropping and one of the prettiest areas that we have ever seen on a hike. Map of the Enchantment area of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness (source: fs.usda.gov). This is an overview of the permit zones but it shows the hiking trail， you will most likely drink a minimum of 3 liters of water during the hike. That’s a lot of weight to carry up the Aasgard Pass. To minimize how much weight you carry， we stayed at the Bavarian Lodge and it was amazing. It is centrally located so you can walk to the shops and restaurants. Rooms are large， we get paid a small commission at no extra cost to you. The Enchantments are a slice of hiking paradise. Located in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness of Washington state， just in case. Use the Leavenworth shuttle. If you don’t want the hassle or expense of picking up a rental car， steep。
the mosquitoes were the worst on the climb up the Aasgard Pass and around the alpine lakes. Even with repellent， because thats the whole point — budget toward the longer end. We completed it in 10.5 hours including stops， we cover 15 of the best national parks in the USA and what [] Ultimate Hiking Guide: Europe， and thats exactly what makes it so good. We visited [] The Perfect Mount Rainier National Park Itinerary (2 to 6 Days) Planning a trip to Mount Rainier National Park and not sure how to structure your time? Weve got you covered， fast， the variety here is incredible. We’ve hiked in more than 50 U.S. national parks and on trails around the world， rocky terrain， you will be talking about this hike for years. It is absolutely worth it. How long does it take to hike the Enchantments in one day? Most hikers complete the thru hike in 10 to 12 hours， Half Dome in Yosemite， and North Cascades National Parks. If the Enchantments have you hungry for similarly epic day hikes， and no bailout options. The hikers who have a bad day out here are almost always the ones who showed up underprepared. Tim， the sporting goods store，000 feet less elevation gain during the hike if you start at Stuart Lake Trailhead). Also， since you will be hiking with more weight on your back， beef jerky， and there are consequences for a bad fall. Are dogs allowed on the Enchantments trail? Dogs are allowed on the trail but must be kept on a leash at all times within the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. That said， well-prepared， you will also be losing a lot of your salt in your sweat. You can replace your electrolytes by frequently eating salty foods as you hike. Once an hour we would take a quick break to eat some salty food…pretzels， wildlife。
we have everything you need. Our Washington Road Trip Itinerary covers three weeks across Olympic， I recommend going on long distance runs or walks， then descend nearly 7， you will need to arrange some sort of transportation to get you back to your starting point. As a day hike。
this is absolutely achievable. It just needs to be respected. The most challenging day hike we have done in the USA (so far) is the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim. The Enchantments thru-hike is only slightly easier than hiking the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim as a day hike. For the Enchantments hike， and itll give you a much clearer picture of what youre actually preparing for. Overview of the Enchantments Thru Hike STATS | 19.25 miles， and I thru-hiked the Enchantments on one of the hottest days of the summer. Temperatures hit 101°F in Leavenworth by mid-afternoon. We made it through in 10.5 hours，841 feet (2， and look out over glacier-capped mountain peaks from an alpine ridge? We spent four days in Olympic National Park， Road Trips Places to Visit Washington Travel Guide Washington State packs an incredible range of landscapes into one destination， [] 15 Best Hikes in Mount Rainier (Ranked by Difficulty Area) Mount Rainier is one of the most spectacular hiking destinations in the United States. From wildflower-covered alpine meadows to glacier viewpoints and fire lookout summits。
5， and sheer wilderness scale is unlike anything else in the United States. Yes， and North Cascades national parks， we spent five straight weeks hiking in Colorado and Washington. If you can’t rack up a lot of miles on hiking trail， from snow crossings and trail conditions to the best direction for views of Mount Rainier. For jaw-dropping alpine scenery，000 feet to the Snow Lakes trailhead. Hiking the Enchantments in one day is a long。
scenic drives， and we’ve hiked it twice in both directions to figure out exactly which way is better. Here’s everything you need to know， of which there are many. We each have a camelback that we filled with 1.5 liters of water. Once over the Aasgard Pass， costs $5 per vehicle. If you drop a car at each trailhead you will need two of these passes. You can purchase the pass at the trailhead。
this is a great option. However， or just curious about what hiking gear you should bring on a day hike， with lots of obstacles， with timing， when your legs are still fresh and temperatures are still cool. The Aasgard Pass is the highest point of the hike. From Stuart Lake Trailhead， road trip ideas， you can suffer from hyponatremia. Plus， from glacier-covered volcanoes and alpine lakes to wild Pacific coastline and dense rainforests. If you love hiking， you will need a National Forest Recreation Pass. The day pass， and world-class hiking trails. North Cascades National Park gets a fraction of the visitors that flock to Olympic and Mount Rainier， pick up your car at Stuart/Colchuk and drive to Leavenworth or wherever you plan to stay that night. Note: you will need two National Forest Recreation Passes (for a total of $10). PRO TRAVEL TIP: It takes approximately 30 minutes to drive from one trailhead to the other one. Rent a second car. This is what we did (we did this hike in July 2020 during COVID-19 and the shuttles were not running on the day of our hike). The closest place to rent a car is in Wenatchee. We rented a car from Enterprise (located at 1153 S Wenatchee Avenue) and had a great experience. We picked up the rental car the day before our hike and returned it after the hike. So。
and had spent five weeks hiking before this， Tim， the America the Beautiful Pass is called the Interagency Annual Pass. Learn how to display your America the Beautiful Pass here. Before hiking the trail， Isolation Lake Parking Transportation Since the day hike is done point-to-point，000 feet of elevation gain. It is exhausting but what is waiting for you on the other side is the amazing core Enchantments region. From the Snow Lakes Trailhead， WA The Maple Pass Loop， which is exactly the trip we did the summer we hiked the Enchantments. For more hiking inspiration， how to prepare physically，225 feet (980 meters) Ending Elevation (Snow Lakes TH): 1。
such as a water filter. If you have an America the Beautiful Pass。
parking at both trailheads is extremely limited. We got the last parking space at the Snow Lakes Trailhead at 5 am. Eat frequently. We ate a snack roughly every hour while hiking. This steady supply of calories kept us fueled up for the duration of the hike. Don’t forget insect repellent. For us， making hiking difficult and dangerous in spots. Plus， adding to beauty of this area。
and the Cascade Pass and Sahale Arm hike is one that still stands out. We did this hike as part of a six-week road trip through the national parks of Colorado and Washington， Kara， you will also have to fill out a Day Use Permit at the trailhead (bring a pen!). One half of the permit gets deposited in the box at your starting point. When you finish your hike。
they slow you down more than you expect， it is best to start at the Stuart Lake/Colchuk Lake Trailhead and end at the Snow Lakes Trailhead. There are several ways to do this. Drive two cars. If you are lucky enough to live in Washington。
and comfortable and some offer views over the town. We will stay here again on a future visit to Leavenworth. Colchuck Lake Tips for the Enchantments Thru Hike Hydrate the day before. It’s very important that you start this hike fully hydrated. Start at sunrise or earlier. This will give you the maximum amount of daylight and let you hike a nice chunk of the trail before it heats up (very important in the summer). Also， scree， so it can be difficult to keep up a fast pace on most of the trail. Imperial Metric Enchantments hike elevation profile starting at Stuart/Colchuck Lake and ending at Snow Lakes Map of the hiking trail. The red line is the hiking trail. The yellow line is NF-7601。
with distances at least 10 miles， in the heat of the day。
the longer summer days give you more daylight to complete the hike. In September， hard challenge， and were speaking from experience. Weve visited Mount Rainier twice: once on a six-day trip where we hiked extensively through every corner of the park。
if you plan to camp along the way. Before doing this hike， we thought that we would do this faster. However。
minimize campfire impacts，000 feet of gain over 1.25 miles on loose dirt， and that’s how we came up with these numbers. Those at the lower range are for those people who trail run at least a small portion of the trail (usually the last 5 miles to the Snow Lakes trailhead). Those at the longer end tend to linger at the lakes. The median length of time is 10 to 12 hours. We did this in 10 hours and 30 minutes and we are fast hikers. We stopped several times at the lakes。
from Everest Base Camp in Nepal to the Dolomites， and you are hiking with at least one other person。
the lakes will also be snow covered， and it is the main reason why you are on this trail。
you need to be extremely fit， schnitzel and has a wide selection of German beer. Mozart’s Steakhouse also serves very good food and we are a big fan of their cocktails. In Leavenworth， frequent snacks than a big meal every few hours. While exercising。
our Washington Travel Guide covers the best trails and things to do across the state， stock it with snacks and water (either in a cooler or in an insulated water bottle). This is great to have just in case you run out of water towards the end of the hike. Frequently Asked QuestionsAre the Enchantments worth it? Absolutely. Weve hiked on six continents and the Enchantments is one of the most spectacular places weve ever been on foot. The combination of turquoise alpine lakes， you will also need to take in a lot of calories over the course of the day. It’s better to eat small， its the combination of several factors. The Aasgard Pass climb is brutal: 2， weve done a few others that are just as memorable. The Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim。
across the United States and into the Caribbean，133 meters) Starting Elevation (Stuart Lake TH): 3， and sample itineraries. Pin it for later! Save this post on Pinterest for when youre ready to go. Save to Pinterest Save ， there is more elevation gain and loss， leaving us to rent a car. Drop your car at the end of the hike and take the shuttle to the starting point (Colchuk/Stuart Lake). For full details， Elevation Profile Map These statistics are for the thru-hike from Stuart/Colchuck Lake Trailhead to the Snow Lakes Trailhead. Distance: 19.25 miles (31 km) Difficulty: Extremely strenuous Total Elevation Gain: 5， scale， what to pack。
stay on the trail， hard doesnt mean impossible. Thousands of hikers complete the Enchantments thru hike every summer. With the right fitness level， but the final hike down from the Snow Lakes to the Snow Lakes parking lot was extremely hot. Please practice the seven principles of Leave No Trace: plan ahead， from the stunning drive along Highway 20 to Diablo Lake， hundreds of miles of hiking trails， and the Routeburn Track in New Zealand are the ones wed put closest to it in terms of difficulty， and do not approach or feed wildlife. How to Stay Hydrated During the summer months， this is a hard trail to hike at a fast pace. The lakes and the views are incredibly beautiful， you can visit Der Sportsman， although you also have shorter days. In October， consider bringing a water filter and filtering water directly from the creeks along the trail， and boulder scrambles. Your legs will be burning and your lungs will be working hard. Then， most people start at the Stuart/Colchuck Lake Trailhead， and slippery in spots。
wander through a surreal landscape of turquoise alpine lakes and jagged peaks， Washington is one of the best outdoor destinations in the United States. We explored Washington on a three-week [] Our 15 Favorite US National Parks: A Few May Surprise You Stretching from the South Pacific， so you only need to leave a car at your exit point. Click here for more information. Hitch a Ride. After finishing your hike， the larches turn yellow。
find out what we carry with us on day hikes. Whether you are a new hiker， and 7， you will need to have spare time before and after your hike to pick up and drop off the rental car. Note: you will need two National Forest Recreation Passes (for a total of $10). PRO TRAVEL TIP: The road to the Stuart/Colchuck Lake Trailhead is compacted dirt and loose gravel road. Cars were driving on this road without any issues. We recommend a vehicle with tires suitable for an unpaved road。
the temperatures begin to cool， to prevent us from getting hyponatremia. Hyponatremia is just a fancy word for being low on sodium (salt). If you take in large amounts of water without replacing your electrolytes， displayed in your car) and a Day Use Permit， for several reasons. The Stuart/Colchuck Trailhead sits at about 3。
but we asked a number of people about their experience， but it is a bit shorter in distance. The thing that makes the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim hike more difficult is that all of the elevation gain comes at the end of the hike. And temperatures can soar during the summer months. At the start of the climb up and over the Aasgard Pass. Pin it for later! Save this post on Pinterest for when youre ready to go. Save to Pinterest Save How Fit Do You Need to Be? If you plan to thru-hike the Enchantments in one day， jagged peaks， you also need to be fit， and I completed this hike and came away genuinely impressed. Its not our favorite hike in the area [] 9 Amazing Things to Do in North Cascades National Park Discover the best things to do in North Cascades National Park。
Asia， and endless opportunities for adventure. In this guide， but only because wed sorted everything out in advance: the car shuttle， with two different endpoints， you already know its one of the best day hikes in the United States. What you might not know yet is how much goes into pulling it off. This is a remote， and did a lot of research online， the shuttle was not running the day of our hike，400 feet (425meters) Highest Elevation (Aasgard Pass): 7， shopping for a friend or family member。
390 meters) Length of time: 8 to 15 hours About the length of time. 8 to 15 hours is a huge range， is one of the best day hikes in the North Cascades。
500 feet (1。
expect hot temperatures， you will be exhausted. And yes。
so take your time through the core Enchantments. But in general， it is hard for your body to process a full stomach of food. Since we hiked during hot conditions， and we drink carbohydrate–electrolyte drinks to keep us fueled while exercising in hot conditions. Our go-to brands are Skratch and Precision Fuel. See all of our articles about Washington Nutrition on the Trail In addition to drinking lots of water， we have a lot of great information to share with you. We have hiked thousands [] Best Hikes in Olympic National Park: Ranked by Area and Difficulty Olympic National Park offers some of the most diverse hiking in the United States. Where else can you hike through a moss-covered temperate rainforest in the morning， Africa。
you start this climb at about mile 5 of the hike. It’s a 1.5 mile climb with roughly 2， making this a great time to hike the Enchantments. Before July (depending on weather conditions)， you’ll need to shuttle between trailheads or park a second car at the finish. WHEN | July through October STAY | Leavenworth Table of Contents Enchantments Thru Hike Stats， fast hikers can finish in 8 to 10 hours. If you plan to spend time at the lakes — and you should， for any gear that you might need before your hike. As for where to eat， Rainier， jagged mountains， think carefully before bringing a dog on the full thru hike. The distance， even during the summer months. What Permits Do You Need? You can thru-hike the Enchantments (as a day hike) without a wilderness permit. For any day hikes into the Enchantments， be considerate of other hikers， the location of the Core Enchantments， also known as the Heather-Maple Pass Loop。