Leavenworth — Things to Do
Colchuck Lake
A glacial lake under Dragontail and Colchuck Peak — the day-hike destination that sits at the door of the Enchantments.
Things to Do Guide →beExploring / Leavenworth
Overview
Colchuck Lake is the alpine lake people mean when they say they hiked “the Enchantments” in a day. The water is a hard glacial blue, backed by the granite of Colchuck Peak and Dragontail Peak, and it is a complete destination without continuing over Aasgard Pass. The hike is 8.2 miles round trip with 2,360 feet of gain from the Stuart Lake Trailhead — a real workout, not a walk to a viewpoint.
Day hikers do not need an Enchantments permit to reach the lake. Overnight camping in the Colchuck zone and the core Enchantments between May 15 and October 31 does, via the Recreation.gov lottery, and those permits are among the most competitive in the country. The practical constraint for a day hike is parking: the lot fills by 7–8 AM on summer weekends, and overflow along FR 7601 adds miles.
Snow timing at the lake lags the lower trail. WTA reports put the typical melt-out window around late May to mid-June (median around June 4), with some years still holding snow into August. A June visit can be a dry trail to a lake that still has ice in the corners. For photos and what one June weekday actually felt like, see the Colchuck Lake trip report.
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At a Glance
The destination
Colchuck Lake
Where you park
Stuart Lake Trailhead
The rocky crux
Boulder Field
Alpine Lakes Wilderness
Colchuck Lake
Best For
Why Go
The lake appears suddenly after the last rocky switchbacks, and the scale is hard to overstate: granite walls, lingering snowfields, and water cold enough that the people on inflatable rafts make noise about it. Shoreline rocks give you a place to sit. Continuing to Aasgard Pass is a scramble, not the rest of this hike.
What to Know
- 8.2 miles round trip and 2,360 feet of gain from the Stuart Lake Trailhead. Plan 6–8 hours with time at the lake.
- Day hikers do not need an Enchantments permit. Overnight camping May 15–October 31 requires a Recreation.gov permit for the Colchuck zone or the core.
- Dogs are not allowed on the Stuart Lake or Colchuck Lake trails.
- Typical snow-free window at the lake is mid-June through fall. Upper sections hold snow after the lower trail melts. Some years stay patchy into August.
FR 7601
Stuart Lake Trailhead
Best For
Why Go
Every Colchuck day hike starts here. From Leavenworth, follow Icicle Road 8.5 miles, turn left onto NF-7600, then right onto NF-7601 and continue 3.6 miles. The road is washboard, not high-clearance, but it is slow. Overnight-permit parking is signed and off-limits to day hikers.
What to Know
- Northwest Forest Pass required. Vault toilet at the trailhead. Sign in at the kiosk.
- On summer weekends the lot is often full by 7–8 AM. Overflow is along the road — read the signs for which side is legal.
- Bridge Creek Campground sits at the Icicle Creek Road junction, 1.6 miles below the trailhead. It has six first-come sites and fills even earlier than the lot.
- The first stretch follows Mountaineer Creek on a moderate grade. The character changes after the Colchuck junction.
Colchuck Lake Trail
Boulder Field
Best For
Why Go
After the Colchuck junction and the second wooden bridge, the trail leaves the woods for a boulder-and-scree traverse along the water, then steepens into rock-and-root switchbacks. This is where poles help, where pace drops, and where the valley views open. It is not technical, but it is the part people underestimate when they treat Colchuck like an easy alpine lake.
What to Know
- Stay right along the water through the boulders. The route is obvious in snow-free season; cairns help when it is not.
- The last mile to the lake is the steepest. Footing is rocks and roots, not dirt switchbacks.
- If you are still on snow here, you are early. Typical melt-out for this elevation is late May into mid-June.
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Permits, Snow, and Access
Day hike vs overnight
You can day-hike to Colchuck Lake without an Enchantments permit. Overnight camping in the Colchuck zone or the core Enchantments from May 15 through October 31 requires a permit from the Recreation.gov lottery. That lottery runs in the spring and is extremely competitive. A day hike is the reliable way to see the lake.
When the snow leaves
Based on hundreds of WTA reports, the trail typically moves from snow travel to mostly snow-free between late May and mid-June (median around June 4). The earliest melt-outs land in early May; the latest stretch toward mid-August. The lower forest melts first. The lake and Aasgard Pass hold snow longer. Mid-June through October is the usual snow-free hiking season.
Parking is the quota
There is no day-hike quota, but the Stuart Lake lot behaves like one. Arrive before 7 AM on summer weekends or plan to walk from roadside parking. Spots reserved for overnight permit holders are signed. A Northwest Forest Pass is required.
Dogs and Aasgard
Dogs are not allowed on these trails. The route along the lake and up Aasgard Pass is a scramble, not the second half of the day hike. Turn around at the lake unless you came prepared for that.
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Tips for Colchuck Lake
Start early. The lot, the heat on the boulder field, and the crowds at the shoreline all get worse after 9 AM on a summer weekend.
Bring poles for the boulder field and the rocky descent. The last mile up is slow; the last mile down is where ankles get tired.
Leave the dog in town. Stuart Lake and Colchuck Lake trails do not allow dogs, and that is enforced.
Have the Northwest Forest Pass on the mirror before you leave Leavenworth. Do not count on buying one at the lot in the dark.
If you are going in late May or early June, check recent trip reports for snow on the upper trail. Microspikes can still be useful in a heavy year.
Bridge Creek Campground is the closest camp, with six first-come sites at the FR 7601 junction. It is not a substitute for an early trailhead arrival.
beExploring / Leavenworth
Explore Leavenworth
Colchuck Lake Trip Report
Photos and notes from a June weekday
Leavenworth Hikes
Icicle Gorge, Icicle Ridge, and more
Icicle Creek
The road, campgrounds, and trailheads
Camping
Bridge Creek and the canyon camps
Things to Do
All Leavenworth activities
Leavenworth Overview
Full guide and trip planning
beExploring / Leavenworth