Permit-zone traverse

The Enchantments Traverse

Okanogan-Wenatchee National ForestVery strenuous

Best window

Late July - early October

Booking opens

Feb 15 lottery; daily lottery in season

Distance (elevation)

18.5 mi

7,440 ft gain / 9,530 ft loss

Typical days

3-4 days

Start

Stuart Lake Trailhead

Finish

Snow Lakes Trailhead

Overview

One of Washington’s classic alpine traverses, the Enchantments runs from Colchuck Lake over Aasgard Pass and through the granite basins above Snow Lakes, with larches, high camps, and one of the most coveted permit systems in the state.

How to book

Booking the The Enchantments Traverse

Enchantments permits are issued by zone, but most hikers are still trying to put together the same basic trip: reach the high country, spend a night or two among the lakes, and walk out with enough time left to enjoy it.

The annual lottery opens February 15. Unclaimed permits return to Recreation.gov on April 1, and one permit from each zone is held back for the in-season daily lottery.
Core permits give the most freedom because they can camp anywhere in the permit area, but Colchuck or Snow permits can still work if you are open to a slightly different pace through the route.
An overnight visitor parking pass comes with the permit. Sort out the Stuart-to-Snow shuttle before you start so the finish does not become the hardest logistical part of the trip.

Open Enchantments permits

Getting there & finishing

Access, transport, and finish logistics

Start

Most through-hikes start at Stuart Lake Trailhead, climb past Colchuck, and cross Aasgard Pass before the route opens up in the Core.

Finish

Snow Lakes Trailhead is a long, knee-heavy exit even after the alpine section. Treat the shuttle or car swap as part of the route plan, not an afterthought.

Stuart and Snow trailheads are on different sides of Leavenworth, so most groups need a second car or a prearranged ride.
Most shuttle departures leave from Snow Lakes early in the morning so hikers can start from Stuart Lake without backtracking at the end of the day.
The overnight parking pass comes with the permit, but trailhead parking still fills early in prime summer and larch-season weekends.
If you are not committed to a through-hike, an out-and-back from Stuart or Snow changes both the route feel and the permit you should watch.

Enchantments trailhead shuttle booking Shuttle schedule details

Route map

Open plannerPopular route

Stuart TH Colchuck Aasgard Pass Viviane Snow Lakes TH

Difficulty & terrain

How hard is the The Enchantments Traverse?

Aasgard Pass is the crux for most traverse itineraries. With an overnight pack, it is steep, loose, and much slower than the map suggests.
Snow can linger into early summer and reappear in shoulder season, especially around Aasgard, the Core, and the upper Snow basin.
The Snow Lakes descent is long enough to blow up a final day even after the hardest alpine terrain is behind you.

Recommended gear

What to carry for this route

Trekking poles
useful for Aasgard and the long Snow Lakes descent
Traction plan for shoulder season
snow and ice can linger well outside peak summer
Sun + bug protection
exposed granite basins and lake camps can both be punishing
Water treatment
easy lake access does not remove the need to filter
Shuttle plan + trailhead parking details
Weather check for Aasgard Pass
conditions up high matter more than the town forecast

Live permit availability

Current route snapshot

Current openings for the route-relevant zones: Colchuck, Core, Snow.

Create permit alert Open permit page

Open dates

Dates with at least one current opening

Next available

None

No current openings

Last checked

5 min ago

May 26, 2:44 AM

Open full availability calendar

May 2026

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Not open now

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Currently availableNot currently openNo recent snapshot

Planning notes

Route notes

Camp detail

The route changes a lot depending on where you spend the night.

Perfection, Viviane, and Upper Snow may all live on the same broad traverse, but they create very different second and third days. One turns the trip into a short stop after Aasgard, another gives you a calmer final day, and another helps break up the long exit.

That is why this page keeps the permit side simple but still treats camp placement as the real route decision. The lake you sleep beside changes how the whole traverse feels.

Perfection is a natural high camp if you want to stop not long after Aasgard Pass.
Viviane works well for groups that want more time in the Core without making the final day feel punishing.
Upper Snow helps split the long descent before the route drops lower toward Nada and Snow Lakes.

Permit fit

A little permit flexibility usually makes the route easier to pull off.

Most Enchantments trips fall apart when the permit watch is too rigid. If you are willing to shift the first or last night a little, more alerts become useful and the route is much easier to salvage.

That is why the camp nodes on this page stay tied to real route choices while still rolling up to the official zones the permit system actually uses.

Track Core if your goal is the classic traverse and you want the most freedom once you are in the high country.
Add Colchuck if you are open to a lower first night and an early climb over Aasgard the next morning.
Keep Snow in the mix if you would gladly trade a little alpine drama for a softer exit day.

Trip FAQ

Common planning questions

Which of these camp nodes match the official Enchantments permit zones?

Colchuck Lake Zone maps to the Colchuck permit, Perfection, the Core, and Viviane map to the Core permit, and Upper Snow, Snow Lake, and Nada all map to the Snow permit zone.

Should I only track Core permits for an Enchantments traverse?

Core is the strongest option, but not always the only useful one. If you are willing to stage the traverse differently, Colchuck or Snow alerts can still save a trip that would otherwise never happen.

Do I need a shuttle for the classic Stuart-to-Snow traverse?

Yes, unless you deliberately want an out-and-back. The standard traverse starts at Stuart Lake Trailhead and exits at Snow Lakes Trailhead, so most parties either stage two cars or arrange a ride before they start hiking.

Route references

OfficialOfficial route page BookingBooking / permit page PermitUSFS permit instructions LotteryDaily lottery MapPermit zone map WeatherAasgard Pass weather AllTrailsAllTrails: The Enchantments Trail

Related routes

Similar trips to plan next

Hoh River Trail

Olympic National Park

High Divide Loop

Olympic National Park

Wonderland Trail

Mount Rainier National Park

Planning estimates only. Verify permits, camps, maps, trail conditions, weather, and closures with official sources before travel.