How To Prepare for the Enchantments Hike
- Tiff
- Sep 14, 2024
- 9 min read
Everything you need to know before your adventure in the Enchantments Wilderness
The Enchantments hike is one of the most sought-after, allusive, magical trails in Washington State. The enchantments may be one of the best hikes in all of the United States, in regard to the absolute awe you experience with the added pleasure of feeling extremely accomplished.
Saying the Enchantments is a difficult hike is an understatement. I definitely finished the hike feeling like I should pursue rock climbing since there were so many scrambles up, over, and down boulders on this trail. I probably will, I’ll keep ya updated.
What You'll Learn in This Post
I will answer many Enchantment FAQs from the perspective of someone who backpacked it for the first time. I recently hiked the Enchantments with a Snow Zone permit. We had a team of four backpackers- Ryan, Max, Eric, and myself. We spent three nights and four days hiking, scrambling, jumping in lakes, and camping out under the stars. It was an amazing experience.
I have new eyes and am writing this just days after finishing the thru-hike, so I remember details clearly. You’ll learn answers to the questions I had leading up to the trip that I wish I had before going. I hope this helps as you apply and prepare for the Enchantments.
What This Blog Post Is Not
This post is not an in-depth play-by-play of the trail from Stuart to Snow Lake trailhead. I’ll review the course, but this blog is here to answer all the questions I had as a newby applicant before doing the hike.
For those reading who have applied for years, please don’t be upset. A team member of mine got the permit, and we got Stuart lol. We only hiked because we threw it back and got the walk-up lottery. If you have no idea what any of that means, stay tuned and you’ll learn!
Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s get to the juicy questions about the Enchantments!
What Are the Enchantments, Anyway?
If you have no idea what the Enchantments are, this blog is for you! Turns out, a lot of people don’t! Unless you’re deep in hiking forums or live in the PNW- specifically Seattle - you may have never heard of it. Let me open your eyes to the magic.
The Enchantments is not just a hike, but a wilderness area. It is a permit-required zone in the Cascade Mountains in Washington State. The Enchantments is a specified area that lives in the heart of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness.
Multiple trails exist within the permit zone, and outside of it! However, everyone talks about the Enchantments Traverse trail. Though it is one of many, it is the primary thru-hike that most hikers seek.
The Enchantment Zones
The Enchantments are broken up into five (5) zones:
Eightmile/Coraline Zone
Stuart Zone
Colchuck Zone
Core Enchantments Zone
Snow Zone
***NOTE: you can ONLY CAMP in the zone you have a permit for UNLESS you have Core Zone, in which case you can camp in all five zones. Let me say it another way:
If you have a permit for either Eightmile, Stuart, Colchuck, or Snow, you can only camp within your permitted zone.
If you have Core Zone, you can camp in Eightmile, Stuart, Colchuck, Core, and Snow.
YOU WANT CORE ZONE. This makes Core Zone high in demand, which according to the basic economics of supply and demand, is nearly impossible to obtain. Sounds harsh? Only 24 people (not groups) get permits for Core each day. 16 people obtain those permits through the advanced lottery. Eight obtain core permits through the “walkup” lottery system. Best of luck to ya!
What Is the Enchantments Hike?
We’ve gone over the wilderness area, but what you probably care about is the Enchantments thru-hike.
It is an allegedly 18-mile hike (it’s not??) that has two entry points. I’m going to discuss the route I took, which is the most popular.
The trail is a horseshoe-shaped route that starts at Stuart Lake Trailhead and ends at Snow Lake Trailhead. Those are the links to Google map directions if you want to see where they’re at.
The Trek
The trail starts in the Stuart Zone
Goes by Colchuck Lake
Up Aasgard’s Pass- a 2000-foot elevation gain in 1.5 miles, ending your ascent at an astounding 7,800 feet elevation
Through the Core- which is a basin with a bunch of alpine lakes that all connect by streams and is probably the most majestic place you’ll ever lay eyes on
Down the mountain to Snow Lake
Past the upper and lower sections of Snow Lake
Beside Nada Lake
And out to Snow Lake trailhead.
Think of it "over the river and through the woods" but on steroids. The total elevation gain in the Enchantments is roughly 4,500 feet.
Another option is doing this course in reverse, but I advise against it.
So there ya have it, an overview of the Enchantments hike! I can go on and on about the hike itself. I probably will in another blog post! But this blog focuses on how to prepare for the Enchantments, not hike it. Sorry!
Do I Need a Permit To Hike the Enchantments?
Short answer: yes, you need a permit. You need a backcountry wilderness zone permit to camp overnight, and a day permit to do a day hike.
You also need a Northwest Forest pass to park at the trailheads. If you're doing. an overnight backpacking trip, make sure to display your overnight permit in your car's dash.
Permits are a great way to control foot traffic and continue conservation efforts in the beloved nature that surrounds us. As much as I appreciate the reason behind permits, they can be a pain. If you apply and don't get Core, join the club. Just know that it will all work out in the end!
What Zone Should I Apply For?
Core!!!!!! Apply for Core Zone!!!!!
The second best option is Snow Zone, in my opinion. But the ideal situation is to get Core.
I made the mistake of applying for Stuart because I had never applied before and rec.gov asked for which “entrance” I would like to apply to. If my tone doesn’t sound bitter, kindly re-read that sentence in a bitter voice. I am still bitter, but that is neither here nor there. If rec.gov hasn’t changed the verbiage from last season, IGNORE THE WORD ENTRANCE. What they really mean is "What permit do you want." The answer is Core.
In hindsight, I should have known this since Core is an option and there are only two ways to get there. But I didn’t think through it well enough so applied for Stuart. Rookie mistake. My group and I won not one but two Stuart permits, most likely because most people don’t want Stuart Zone. After all, that is not where the popular hike is. But that’s a story for another time…
How Long Is the Enchantments Hiking Trail, Really?
Nobody knows!
Just kidding, kind of. AllTrails says 18 miles, which is technically accurate if you are simply tracking the route on a map. However, 18 miles doesn’t account for losing the trail, extra steps that lead to extra mileage while attempting to scramble up, over, and down boulders, or side quests (accidental or on purpose).
If you join Facebook groups that follow the Enchantments, the majority rule is that the trail is closer to 25 miles in length. Not much more than that, though. So, depending on your GPS tracker, you may hit anywhere between 18 to 25 miles in total.
Should I Use AllTrails When I Hike the Enchantments?
You absolutely can! We did! It’s pretty accurate, especially with the pre-downloaded map feature. However, the mileage is always a little bit off. When you need to get back on track, though, AllTrails is a great resource.
How Hard Is It To Get the Permit?
Hard. Unless you apply for Stuart Zone, apparently. But since you’re not, it’s difficult to obtain a permit. Let’s talk about the advanced lottery first.
The only official breakdown the US Forest Service provides only dates from 2019 to 2022. There are only 2,920 people allowed in the core throughout the season (May through October). The applications submitted for just the core enchantment zone are as follows:
2019: 18,835 applicants
2021: 27,061 applicants
2022: 26,988 applicants
Note that the number of applicants does not equal the number of people who received permits. a single applicant can apply for up to eight permits.
I believe these lottery statistics include the walkup lottery, which probably fundamentally changed the stats in 2023 and 2024. The walk-up lottery now requires the applicant to be in a one-mile geofence area around the ranger station the day before your wanted departure date.
Also, remember the number of applicants differs from the number of people. Those were the numbers of APPLICATIONS; each applicant can apply for up to 8 people. That means the percentages next to the number of applicants are only if each applicant applied for one permit per person. 0% likelihood of that.
If you include every application submitted (36,827) and every permit awarded (2,528), the likelihood of obtaining a permit is 6.865% in 2022.
Advanced Lottery or Walk Up?
Try for the advanced lottery. If you get it, hooray! But if you don’t and you can walk up, try that instead.
I talked to the rangers at the Wenatchee Ranger Station who said you're much more likely to get permits doing the "walk-up" lottery than you would if you submit during the advanced lottery. I don’t have numbers to back that up, but that’s what they said. They also mentioned the odds of you getting a permit on weekdays are far higher than if you apply to hike on weekends.
Can I Start My Hike at the Snow Lake Trailhead?
You can! But you probably shouldn’t (eek). I only say that because it’s uphill the whole way. Then you get to the top of Aasgard. Then you need to scramble down the pass. Then you need to hike out five miles.
The only downhill you have on the hike starts as a pretty treacherous boulder garden nearly straight down for 2000 feet of elevation loss over 1.5 miles. So, yes, it is possible to start your hike from Snow Lake Trailhead. BUT as someone who hiked down that zone, it was a much better downhill than I imagined it would be going up.
Is Aasgard Pass Really That Hard?
Yes.
It's honestly a tough scramble, but I was mentally prepared for it since it's what everyone talks about. I'm curious to see how much easier it is without a big pack on.
How Long Does It Take To Get Up Aasgard Pass?
It took my group and me 2 hours and 59 minutes exactly. I can proudly claim a sub-three-hour ascent! For most hikers, especially with big packs, it can take anywhere from three to five hours. I’m not sure how long it would take with a day pack. I’ll get back to you when I’ve done the day trip!
Core Zone or Snow Zone?
Core zone as primary, snow zone as secondary.
Should I Apply to Other Zones?
Only if you don’t want to do the sought-after hike.
You can absolutely hike and camp in Eightmile, Stuart, or Colchuck, but it will make it much harder to do the actual Enchantments hike.
How Many People Should I Go With?
That depends on how many permits you get. If/when you form a group, every person in that group should apply for a permit (for the same amount of people). Other than that, it’s up to your preference. If you want to backpack as a solo hiker, do it! If you want to get a big group, you can for sure apply!
The only thing I give warning on is that core permits are handed out per person, whereas the other zones are given per permit.
How Many Days Does It Take To Hike the Enchantments?
You can technically spend up to 14 days in the Enchantments! My group spent three nights/four days and had a wonderful time. It really depends on your schedule and flexibility. If you have two weeks off and want to be in the wilderness for that long, why not?
Can I Day Hike the Enchantments?
Yes you can! You just need to fill out a day permit slip at the trailhead you’re starting at (Stuart, do Stuart lol).
Make sure you’re equipped with a water filter and snacks, not to mention the physical ability to do it all in one day. We saw a ton of day hikers hiking with headlamps because the sun had gone down. Obviously they were prepared for it to get dark because of the headlamps! Doing the hike is all about knowing your ability and, if need be, you are able to hike in the dark.
What’s the Car Sitch? Is There an Enchantments Shuttle?
If you want to shuttle, I’ve heard that Loop Connector Shuttle and the Leavenworth Shuttle & Taxi are legit options.
If you have multiple people with cars in your party, you can also self-shuttle by leaving one car at the Snow Lake trailhead and driving the other to the Stuart Lake trailhead.
Is It Worth It To Hike the Enchantments?
Yes, yes, one thousand times yes. It will kick your ass (unless you’re a seasoned boulderer/climber or an ultramarathoner or some freak of nature). And it is so worth it. I’d do it again in a heartbeat, and I hope to.
More Questions?
There ya have it folks! All of pre-hike Tiff’s questions were answered by post-hike Tiff. I know this wasn’t as personal as my usual posts, so thanks for hanging in here with me! Don’t worry, I have some fun ones coming for you soon.
For all those interested in hiking the Enchantments, I hope this helps! If you have any more questions, comment below or send me a message. Keep on trekking :-)
Lots of amazing information, photos, possibilities, and even costs and so on. Super informational!