Colchuck Lake: Hiking Tips For Washington’s Most Beautiful Lake

Colchuck Lake is without a doubt the most hiked-to alpine lake in Washington State, and for good reason. This lake is located in what is known as “The Enchantments.” It is an area of alpine lakes and mountains with some of the most amazing mountain hiking and wildlife in the state. The lake itself sits at the base of Dragon Tail Peak, which is the jagged peak towering over the lake.

Colchuck Lake sits in a bowl surrounded by high mountain peaks, deep turquoise water. In the fall, yellow Larches are scattered around the treeline. The water is crystal clear, drawing in people looking for a summer day dip. Colchuck Lake is also the first lake in a chain of lakes along the most popular hike in the area.

On the other side of Colchuck Lake sits a steep, boulder-filled pass known as “Aasgard’s Pass.” The pass takes backpackers and day hikers to what is known as “The Core”. This area is not only a challenge to hike to but only a handful are lucky enough to win backpacking permits to it every year. For those wanting to see it but can’t obtain a pass, you can always do the very challenging day hike.

In this guide I’ll be sharing everything you need to know about day hiking or backpacking to Colchuck Lake. This trail is extremely busy and popular so I’ll share how to avoid peak crowds and the best time of year to hike here. Although the difficulty and crowds may make some people hesitant to visit this spot, the beauty of this place will always be worth it.

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Things to Know About Hiking to Colchuck Lake

• Colchuck Lake and the surrounding area draws large crowds of people every year. The parking lot fills up in no time. Cars will line the road for over a mile down from the parking lot. On top of that there’s people taking shuttles to the trailhead. It’s extremely busy and honestly can’t be enjoyable being in one spot with that many others. Below I’ll share how to find times where it’s less busy if you’re wanting more solitude, what little you may find.

• In order to keep this place beautiful, everyone on the trail needs to do their part to help preserve it. How can we do this? Practice the Leave No trace Principles. Stay on the designated trails, use the vaulted toilets provided and be sure to pack all food wrappers, fruit peels or nut shells. Keep the lake pristine by making sure sunscreen and bug spray is wiped off prior to jumping in and never use soap at the lake.

• You have to have a permit to camp anywhere within The Enchantments between May 15th and October 31st. I will discuss that process below for those wanting to attempt to backpack to Colchuck Lake. Most people are day hikers here. You will need to fill out a day use permit located at the trailhead, sign and attach it to your backpack for day hiking. It’s a simple process and just seeks info on how many people are in your group and where you intend to go. This information is helpful for trail management but also important to share in case you need rescuing for some reason.

• It is an alpine lake and the trail follows a river- there will be bugs. Mosquitoes are present the entire trail so go prepared to encounter them. I’ve been lucky and haven’t had many mosquito issues while hiking here, but I’ve hiked others lakes from this trail and have been eaten alive.

Colchuck Lake Location

Colchuck Lake is located in an area known as “The Enchantments”, which is just outside of Leavenworth, Washington. Leavenworth is an adorable Bavarian-themed town and a must visit stop or stay if you are doing this hike! Nothing beats a good pretzel with beer cheese after this hike. The trailhead to Colchuck Lake is located off of Eight Mile Forest Service Road. From Leavenworth you take Icicle Road which takes you up a canyon. This road is paved and easy to travel.

Once you turn onto Eight Mile Forest Service Road, it turns to gravel/dirt. This road is easily traveled by a low clearance car, but it is extremely potholed. No matter the car you take, you will need to go slow and navigate these large dips. I will say I’ve driven it three times: twice in a low clearance car and once in a small SUV. The low clearance cars actually felt smoother over the large bumps than the SUV because they weigh less and don’t bounce as much. Take your time and pull over if there are cars behind you so they can pass.

The trailhead has limited parking despite having so much trail activity. You will notice very large signs around the perimeter of the parking lot stating those spots are for permit holders. DO NOT park in one of these spots unless you have a backpacking permit. You will get a ticket or potentially towed.

If there are no available parking at the trailhead lot, cars can park on the right side, and right side only, of the road. There are signs on the left stating no parking, so if you park there you will receive a ticket or be towed. Cars will be parked along the road for over a mile at times so be prepared to potentially add 2+ miles round trip to your hike.

Best Time of Year to Hike Colchuck Lake

The best time to hike Colchuck Lake is summer to fall. In early summer, there will be snow on the trail and at the lake depending on the year’s snowfall and spring weather. Be sure to check apps like AllTrails for any current trail conditions before going. If you want to avoid snow, July-September will be the best chance to see the trail snow-free.

Although this is a popular hike in the summer for being able to take a nice alpine dip, it’s extremely beautiful in the fall! The temperatures will be cooler and you may have more inclement weather like rain or snow, but hiking late September to October is amazing. The first time I hiked this trail was in October and the lake had patches of larches around it. Larches are deciduous conifers that turn an orangish-yellow every fall and are only located in certain high alpine terrains. If you want to see this stunning alpine lake and get a larch experience in, late fall is the best time for this hike!

Tips For Parking

You will need to have a Northwest Forest Pass or you can purchase a $5 pass at the trailhead. The parking lot is extremely small so I’m going to share tips for being able to enjoy this hike without having to walk an extra mile each way to and from your car.

If you are able to get a backpacking permit, you will be able to park in the parking lot most likely. There are a large amount of spots along the perimeter designated for backpacking hikers. So long as there’s a spot still open, you can park in the lot.

Most people doing this hike will be day hikers. This means you will either need to take a shuttle to the parking lot, park in the parking lot or walk up the road to the trailhead. If you google “Colchuck Lake shuttle” you will find multiple companies you can choose from to shuttle with. Taking a shuttle will take the stress of parking off of you. You are also then tied to a shuttle schedule and may have to be flexible with timeframes.

If you plan to park you own car, which I did, here are a few tips to snag a coveted spot:

• The first option is to go on a weekday. Weekdays are less busy than weekends for any hike, but especially this one. Even if you hike on a weekday, the parking lot will still fill up early. Plan to start as close to sunrise, if not before. This also allows you to avoid hiking up in the heat and enjoy some calm before the crowds hit the lake. It’s my favorite time to be up there.
• If you can only do this hike on a weekend, you will definitely want to use a headlamp and start this hike before sunrise if you want to beat the crowds and get a decent parking spot.
• Another great way to avoid the crowds is to save this hike for fall. A weekday or weekend in fall will be ideal for having less people on trail. It’s still a popular area because of the larches, but if you start early you can still park close.

How Difficult is The Hike to Colchuck Lake?

Colchuck Lake is rated as a hard hike but this one truly depends on your hiking ability and skill level. To some it may be extremely difficult and to others it may be more of a moderate hike. This hike isn’t extremely long of a hike for someone who hikes a lot of miles, but the second half of the trail is quite steep and can be difficult for newer hikers. The key to this hike is to give yourself plenty of time not only to work your way up the trail and take breaks as needed, but also allow yourself time to enjoy it once you get to the lake.

Always listen to you body and be willing to turn around and try another day if your body is saying it’s too much. If you’re new to hiking, try to build up to this hike before jumping into it. Build up to a higher elevation and start with hikes with less mileage. If you’re new to hiking and you work your way up to this hike, it will be a more enjoyable experience and you’ll be more likely to reach Colchuck Lake.

Trail Info

The trailhead is called Stuart Lake Trail because both lakes begin at the same trailhead. The trail begins with a very gradual uphill mile through the forest. There will be multiple sections of elevation gain and loss before reaching one of two river crossings. A little before the bridge crossing is a vaulted toilet to the left of the trail, near the horse ford. After crossing the bridge, there is a little under a mile to the Stuart/Colchuck trail junction. The trail is well marked with a sign. This junction has a vaulted toilet on the right side of the trail.

The Colchuck trail veers to the left at the sign and shortly after crosses back over the river. There is a short boulder section on the other side of the bridge. You will need to be able to comfortably maneuver over some boulders, but by sticking to the right near the river, it is mostly dirt to the trail again.

After the boulder section, the trail quickly begins the uphill climb and the steepest part of the trail. The upper part of the trail has a lot of tree roots and rock steps the entire way up, making it the most strenuous section. There are a few large boulders you can walk out on to take a break and enjoy the views of the valleys below. Take your time up here and if you need a break to rest, take it.

As you reach the lake, there are a few established trails that lead you to the water’s edge. Take these trails and avoid creating new trails around the lake. There’s some large boulders if you go straight when you first see the lake and down to the left. They are great spots to enjoy the views or go for a swim. If you continue on the trail that leads around the lake and towards Aasgard Pass, there is a large clearing with a great viewpoint of Colchuck Lake and Dragon’s Peak.

If you want to really explore the lake, continue on the main trail. There are multiple campsites along here as well as vaulted toilets. There are some fun spots to peek out at the lake from different angles and if it’s fall, you’ll see some larches closer to trail. The trail will hit a very large boulder field on the far side of the lake. Many of these boulders are so large I had to sit and slowly work my way off of them.

If you do not feel comfortable scrambling over large boulders, this should be your ending point. I remember feeling like it never ended, so it will take a long time to get through. At the end of the lake is a small beach area as well as the beginning of Aasgard Pass, which sits to the right of Dragon’s Peak.

Backpacking Colchuck

Colchuck Lake has a handful of campsites around the lake but they are only available through a permit system. The permit system covers backpacking throughout the entire Enchantment area. The Enchantments are broken up into five zones, which you can see here. Colchuck Lake permits are in the Colchuck zone, but people who obtain permits for “The Core” can also camp at Colchuck. The Core zone refers to the area of alpine lakes that sit above Colchuck Lake, above Aasgard Pass.

Snagging a permit here can be one of the most difficult permits to get and takes many people years of applying before getting lucky. In 2021, there were 39,695 permit applications received but only 2,444 permits were granted for the season. So how do you get one of the hardest permits to come by? Every year between mid-February and the first of March, applications for the lottery are open to apply for at recreation.gov. You will want to pick Colchuck for your zone. You can also camp here if you apply for “The Core” but that is the most sought after and harder to win. Permit winners will be contacted in the beginning of March.

If you are unable to win a permit (welcome to the party, I’ve been trying for years with no luck) you can try to win one on April 1st. All unclaimed permits become available on the same recreation.gov page as a first come, first serve and they go quickly! If you still aren’t able to snag a permit for Colchuck, there’s still hope.

There used to be a walk-up permit at the ranger station in Leavenworth, but since Covid it has moved online, maybe permanently. Every Sunday during permit season, any canceled permits will be posted at a random time. These can also be hard to snag because they don’t post them at a given time, so you have to check regularly.

What to Bring

The right gear can help make or break a hiking experiences. For this hike, I’ll share what gear is best for this specific trail and the environment you will encounter.

The 10 Essentials

Even if the trail is short, you should always carry a backpack with the 10 essentials. You can learn more about these item in my “The 10 Essentials” guide.

Backpack

Every person hiking should always have their own backpack with water and supplies. Never rely on someone else to carry your gear because if there is an emergency everyone should be individually prepared.

Water and water filter

This hike is steep and in the summer can feel hot and humid in the trees. Luckily with the lake and waterfall, there are plenty of options to filter out water. Bringing mine allowed me to carry a little less water weight up the hills because I knew I could replenish my stock. Plus carrying a lot of water up a large hill just adds to the difficulty of the stairs. Plan to have one liter of water per 2 hours of hiking, but because this is a difficult hike, carry at least an extra .5 per two hours.

An insulated water bottle is a great choice to keep the water cold if you able to filter new water. A water bladder is another great option to be able to carry a larger amount of water and easily be able to drink throughout the hike.

Hiking Shoes

Always wear proper shoes when hiking. This means trail runners or hiking boots because they will provide the best traction over rocks, tree roots and loose terrain. Sandals and tennis shoes are not great footwear for the trail. Hiking boots will provide extra stability for your ankles while moving over the boulders and tree roots. If you plan to take a dip in the lake, sandals are great to pack in your backpack.

Bug Spray

Hiking to an alpine lake always comes with mosquitoes. Hiking in the fall will reduce how many mosquitoes are at the lake, but there is always a mosquito presence, so go prepared. Carry bug spray for your clothes and skin. If it’s early in the summer season, consider extra clothing layers to keep them off your skin and a bug net for you head.

Hiking Poles

Hiking poles will be extremely helpful on this hike if you want to save your knees from the constant downhill stepping. They are also great for helping keep you balanced on uneven terrain. I always carry poles in my pack and find my knees hurt less when I use them.

Extra Layers

This is part of the 10 essentials for any hike, but is especially important when hiking in the mountains. The weather can change quickly despite the weather forecast. Extra layers are also amazing at keeping mosquitoes at bay. I always carry a rain coat and can throw it on if they are bad.

Reminders

• Permits! There is a day use permit you must fill out located at the trailhead. Please fill this out so the forest service can adequately maintain the trail for the amount of travel it sees. You do not need an enchantments online permit for this trail if you plan to do any day hiking in the area. If you want to backpack here, you will need to win a permit in the lottery or get a walk up permit prior to backpacking or receive a large fine.

• Be respectful of your fellow hiker. Share the trails and the viewpoints. Try to sit where you aren’t blocking views from others. Others want to take photos and if you sit in the middle of a viewpoint it makes it hard for others to do so. Take photos and then sit to the side. Let faster hikers pass and be aware of your surroundings on trail.

• Always practice Leave No Trace. This means never carving or marking on the rocks. Use the vaulted toilets throughout the trail and at the lake. Pack out all food wrappers, trash and fruit peels. Do not feed or approach wildlife. Stick to the trail and durable surfaces.

• Pack plenty of bug spray and layers to keep the bugs off, especially early in the season. Camping at alpine lakes will always have bugs. You can coat your gear in permethrin to help keep them at bay. June to July will be the worst for mosquitoes.

• There is no cell service on the road into the trailhead or at Colchuck Lake. Have your maps downloaded, a paper map or a GPS device to help you navigate if you need it.

Colchuck is known as Washington’s most beautiful alpine lake, and if you’re lucky enough to do this hike you’ll see why. If you have any questions or are able to use this guide for you hike, please leave a comment and let me know!

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