Enchantments Traverse

Enchantments Traverse is a long, point-to-point thru-hike in Washington’s Alpine Lakes Wilderness, mapped here as a ~30.22 km (~18.5–22 mile) day-length route.

Most commonly, hikers move west-to-east with a higher start at Stuart Lake Trailhead and finish toward Snow Lakes Trailhead; the traverse can be done in either direction, but the big pass is the crux.

The signature climb is Aasgard Pass, including the steep, bouldery ascent that gains roughly 2,200 ft in about a mile from the Colchuck Lake side, and it’s also the highest point on the route.

From the top of the pass you drop into the high-alpine core basin, a short sequence of rolling lake country that includes lakes named Perfection, Inspiration, and Leprechaun (the “Core” area).

After the core, the route heads out through the lower lakes toward Snow Lakes Trailhead; doing the route in reverse is widely avoided because the steep pass becomes a difficult, tired-legs descent.

Logistics matter: because it’s point-to-point, plan transportation between trailheads ahead of time (commonly by shuttling or using a key-car arrangement).

If you’re hiking it as a day hike, be prepared for a permit process for day and/or overnight access in this managed area; camping in the core is quota-controlled.

More information: Hiking the Enchantments Traverse in Leavenworth, Washington, Enchantments Thru-Hike (~20 miles, ~7000 ft gain, A Backpacker's Guide to The Enchantments in Washington