Prusik Peak and its jagged granite ridge above dark conifers and a blue lake in the Core Enchantments, with pale boulders in the foreground and a clear sky

Enchantments Thru-Hike: 3-Day Itinerary and Permits

About 18 miles (29 km) from Stuart Lake to Snow Lakes over Aasgard Pass, with a permit lottery in February.

18.1 mi · 3 days · Hard
By

Photo: Wilderness trespasser, CC BY-SA 4.0

The Enchantments thru-hike climbs from the Stuart Lake Trailhead past Colchuck Lake, up Aasgard Pass and across the Core Enchantment Zone, a basin of granite and alpine lakes, then drops to the Snow Lakes Trailhead. The line this page draws is 18 miles (29 km), and the climb to the pass comes on the first two days.

It can be done as one very long day, which needs no overnight permit: day users fill out a free day-use permit at the trailhead and display a Northwest Forest Pass for parking. The catch is that the pass comes after 4.2 miles (6.8 km) of climbing to Colchuck Lake and the day is long, so a late start or snow on the pass can turn it into a retreat. This page is written as three days with a Core Enchantment Zone permit: Colchuck Lake, a night in the Core, then out.

The decision that matters is the permit, and it comes in February. The Core allows 24 people a day: 16 through the advanced lottery, which runs once a year, and 8 through the daily lottery. The permit page says demand for overnight permits far exceeds the number available and links the historical lottery statistics, which is where to look for odds; this page does not quote any. The daily lottery is a phone application the day before, and only from inside Leavenworth (details under Permits), so it suits a flexible trip, not a booked one. The permit page also names a lesser trip: a Colchuck or Snow Zone permit (3 and 5 groups a day) with a day trip into the Core, which is an out-and-back from one lake, not this route.

Direction is your call. A Core permit lets you enter or exit by either trail, and the official pages state no preference. This page goes up Aasgard Pass: 4.2 miles (6.8 km) and 2,100 feet (640 m) to Colchuck Lake, the pass, then the long way down the Snow Lakes trail. The other way you climb the Snow Lakes trail (6.5 miles (10.5 km) and 4,100 feet (1,250 m), then steep granite slabs) and come down the pass, which the Forest Service's snow warning covers as much as the climb. In this direction the mapped line climbs about 5,000 feet (1,530 m) in total.

Dated note (1 November 2026): the 2026 overnight season ended on 31 October. From 1 November to 15 May overnight permits are not required and the Forest Service asks visitors to self-register at the trailhead, but the permit page says nothing about winter conditions, so check the Forest Service page before any trip in those months.

The Route on the Map

Each day in its own color, with the start and every night's stop numbered along the way.

Loading map...

Elevation Profile

Highest 7,820 ft (2,385 m) · lowest 1,310 ft (400 m)

7,820 ft1,310 ft12
0 mi18.1 mi (29.1 km)

Route line: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), simplified. Elevations: USGS 3D Elevation Program (public domain).

Day by Day

3 legs and 2 nights on the way, each in a different place.

  1. Dragontail Peak above snow-streaked slopes and the still water of Colchuck Lake, with conifers along the shore
    Day 1

    Day 1: Stuart Lake Trailhead to Colchuck Lake

    Stuart Lake TrailheadtoColchuck Lake campsites

    Distance
    4.2 mi 6.8 km
    Up
    2,240 ft 682 m
    Down
    70 ft 20 m

    Climb computed from USGS 3D Elevation Program (public domain), not an official figure.

    The Forest Service puts the Colchuck Lake Trail at 4.2 miles (6.8 km) and 2,100 feet (640 m) of climbing, with the lake in a subalpine setting. A Core Zone permit lets you camp in any zone on your entry or exit, so this is your first night. The lake is extremely popular with day users.

    Sleep
    Colchuck Lake campsites · Backcountry campsite · How to book
    Water
    Colchuck Lake.Reported Nov 2026, verify before you go

    Photo: Buidhe, CC BY-SA 4.0

  2. Colchuck Lake seen from the rubble slope of the Aasgard Pass climb, with golden larches on the shore and a granite wall on the right
    Day 2

    Day 2: Over Aasgard Pass into the Core

    Colchuck Lake campsitestoLeprechaun Lake

    Distance
    4.2 mi 6.7 km
    Up
    2,310 ft 705 m
    Down
    990 ft 303 m

    Climb computed from USGS 3D Elevation Program (public domain), not an official figure.

    Aasgard Pass is the climb that defines the trip: very steep, on loose rock, and where snow is the main hazard. After the pass the ground opens into the Core and the route is unmaintained, often marked only by cairns. The distance of this leg and the next is measured on the mapped line, not an official figure. The permit rules ask you to camp only in previously used sites in the Core, so pick an established site near the lake rather than a new one.

    Sleep
    An established site in the Core · Backcountry campsite · How to book
    Water
    Colchuck Lake, then lakes and ponds across the Core.Reported Nov 2026, verify before you go

    Photo: Buidhe, CC BY-SA 4.0

  3. McClellan Peak above Upper Snow Lake, with snow on its slopes, driftwood on the shore and a clear blue sky
    Day 3

    Day 3: Through the Core to Snow Lakes Trailhead

    Leprechaun LaketoSnow Lakes Trailhead

    Distance
    9.7 mi 15.6 km
    Up
    90 ft 27 m
    Down
    5,630 ft 1,715 m

    Climb computed from USGS 3D Elevation Program (public domain), not an official figure.

    The permit page describes the Snow Lakes trail as a steady climb of 6.5 miles (10.5 km) from the trailhead. This leg of 9.7 miles (15.6 km) is measured on the mapped line, not an official figure. Above Upper Snow Lake the route climbs slabs of bedrock that can be treacherous when icy.

    Water
    Lakes through the Core, Upper Snow Lake and Snow Creek on the way down.Reported Nov 2026, verify before you go

    Photo: Martin Bravenboer, CC BY 2.0

Permits

A permit is required

From 15 May to 31 October an overnight stay needs a permit, and a Core Enchantment Zone permit is the one that lets you cross the Core and camp in any zone. It costs $5 per person per day, plus a $6 non-refundable application fee, and the permit must be printed and signed; a permit on a phone is not valid. A group is up to 8 people, you need photo ID, and every member must start on the entry date and camp with the permit holder. The Core quota counts people, not groups, and you cannot add people after the lottery. An Overnight Visitor Parking Pass comes free with the permit. A day hike needs no overnight permit: day users fill out a free day-use permit at the trailhead and display a Northwest Forest Pass at the designated day-use parking at Stuart Lake.

The lottery

The advanced lottery runs once a year in February (dated example, 2026: 15 February to 1 March, results on 17 March, accept and pay by 31 March; unclaimed permits return to the reservation system on 1 April; the 2027 dates were not published on 1 November 2026). Of the 24 people allowed into the Core each day, 16 come from the advanced lottery and 8 from the daily lottery, which you enter on a phone inside the one-mile geofence around the Leavenworth Ranger Station, from 7:00 to 10:00 a.m. PT the day before.

The official permit page

Getting There and Back

How to reach the start of the Enchantments Thru-Hike, and how to get home from the end.

The start

Stuart Lake Trailhead. The permit page says parking is prohibited along the left-hand side of Forest Service Road 7601, and every car needs a valid day or overnight pass in the designated parking areas.

The end

Snow Lakes Trailhead. The permit's rules require a parking pass at every Enchantment trailhead, so a car left here needs the Overnight Visitor Parking Pass that comes with the permit.

Shuttle

The two trailheads are at opposite ends of the route, so your car is at the wrong end unless you plan for it. The permit pages do not offer a shuttle: arrange it yourself, either two cars (one left at each end before you start) or a ride back to the first trailhead from a person you trust. Either way the car at the finish is parked overnight and needs its pass. A routing engine (OSRM, 1 November 2026) puts the drive between the two trailheads at about 8 miles (13 km) and 24 minutes without traffic; treat that as a map estimate and check a current map.

Parking

Overnight cars need the free Overnight Visitor Parking Pass from the permit, dated for your trip, displayed on the dashboard. Day hikers park in the designated day-use areas at Stuart Lake and display a Northwest Forest Pass; you can buy one at the trailhead, online or at the Wenatchee River Ranger Station in Leavenworth.

Safety

  • Aasgard Pass: the Forest Service says it is not advised for hikers who are not prepared and equipped for steep snow travel, and describes the climb as very steep on loose, rocky ground. Use extreme caution on steep snow slopes, where hidden creeks and waterfalls lie underneath, and know that the service reports hikers who died after glissading into a creek or a hole in the snowpack. In May, June, September and October be ready for snow; if the pass is snowed over and you are not equipped, turn around at Colchuck Lake.

  • Weather: the Cascades can change fast and be extreme, and there are no refunds for bad weather. Check the forecast and the conditions page before you leave, and decide at Colchuck Lake, not on the pass.

  • The Core is unmarked: inside it, travel is on an unmaintained route often marked only by cairns. Stay on the established track so you do not trample fragile vegetation. Between Upper Snow Lake and Lake Viviane the route climbs bedrock slabs that the Forest Service warns can be treacherous when icy.

  • Human waste: use the toilets where there are some. If there is none, dig a cat hole 6 to 8 inches deep at least 200 feet (60 m) from water or camp, and pack out the toilet paper. In the shoulder seasons, when the toilets are under snow, the Forest Service encourages WAG bags, which you carry out.

  • Water: treat all water by boiling, purification tablets or filtering; the Forest Service says this is a high-use area. Bathe and wash dishes 200 feet (60 m) from lakes and streams.

  • Mountain goats are wild and habituated. Do not approach, feed or pose with them, and do not urinate on vegetation or within campsite areas (the rules suggest gaps between boulders, crevices, large flat rocks, sandy bare ground or a toilet), because the salt draws them and the Forest Service links this to aggressive behavior. Clap your hands or throw small rocks if one threatens you.

  • Fire and pets: campfires are banned above 5,000 feet (1,520 m) or within a half mile (0.8 km) of any lake, which covers most of the area, and wood-burning stoves are not allowed. Dogs and all pets are prohibited, except service dogs as the rules define them. Drones are not allowed.

Enchantments Thru-Hike: FAQ

Which direction is better, up Aasgard Pass or down it?

The Forest Service does not say. A Core Zone permit allows entering or exiting by either the Stuart Lake and Colchuck Lake trails or the Snow Lake trail. Going up the pass means 2,100 feet (640 m) to Colchuck Lake first and the long Snow Lakes descent last; the other way means the 4,100-foot (1,250 m) Snow Lakes climb and slabs first, then Aasgard on the way down. The snow warning applies to climbing and descending.

What are the odds of winning a Core Zone permit?

The permit page does not give odds. It says demand far exceeds the number of permits and links historical lottery statistics. The Core takes 24 people a day, 16 from the advanced lottery in February and 8 from the daily lottery.

Do you need a permit for the Enchantments thru-hike?

For an overnight stay between 15 May and 31 October, yes: you need an Enchantment Permit Area permit, and a Core Zone permit for this route. For a day hike you fill out a free day-use permit at the trailhead and display a Northwest Forest Pass at Stuart Lake.

Can I hike the Enchantments in one day?

Yes. A day hiker needs the free day-use permit and a Northwest Forest Pass, and the permit page says visitors typically plan at least three or four days for a Core trip because the terrain is steep and challenging with an overnight pack.

What is the best time to hike the Enchantments?

The overnight permit season runs 15 May to 31 October, and the permit page calls May, June, September and October shoulder seasons with snow and winter-like conditions. July and August are the two months it does not flag, and they are also the months when permits are hardest to get.

How much does an Enchantments permit cost?

An overnight permit is $5 per person per day, plus a $6 non-refundable application fee for the lottery. The Overnight Visitor Parking Pass is free with it. A day-use permit is free, but parking at Stuart Lake needs a Northwest Forest Pass.

Can I bring a dog?

No. Dogs and all pets are prohibited in the Enchantment Permit Area, except service dogs as defined by Department of Justice regulation.

Can I have a campfire?

No. Fires are banned above 5,000 feet (1,520 m) or within a half mile (0.8 km) of any lake, which covers most of the area.

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