Washington – The Enchantments Hike and Lakes
Each morning, I watched the steep granite peaks light up bright orange with a reflection in the lake below. I am becoming deeply enamored with the Cascade Mountain Range in Washington, and the Enchantments hike and lakes only furthered that admiration. I backpacked into the Enchantments and camped two nights at Upper Snow Lake and one night at Nada Lake. On the second day, I hiked into the Core Enchantment to explore the lakes and sights. In this post, I will breakdown my experience of hiking to Upper Snow Lake and into the Enchantments, brief descriptions of the lakes I visited, with route and training considerations.
I also wrote a separate post about getting permits and camping in the Enchantments. Getting a camping permit is a battle, so be sure to read that post before committing to the hike!
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Hike to Snow Lakes
The hike to Snow Lakes is a relentless climb. It is a consistent grade with about 4,400 ft of elevation gain over 7 – 9 miles with little breaks around the lakes and lovely scenery. The elevation gain begins pretty much right from the trailhead, where after you cross a stream, you will immediately enter switchbacks. It is best to start this hike in the early morning when the switchbacks are in the shade, and it is relatively cool. After what feels like an endless amount of switchbacks, you begin hiking further into the mountains away from the trailhead. There is an open shaded area where we took a morning snack break next to a stream.
The hike from the stream to Nada Lake is a steady climb punctuated by sections of steeper switchbacks. There are cooler areas under the trees and exposed areas across rocks. The lovely scenery slowly changes as you make your way deeper into the mountains.
Nada Lake
We had a lunch break at Nada Lake, a delightful place to take off the backpack and soak in some views. On one side of the lake, there is a beautiful granite peak. There is a peaceful atmosphere at Nada Lake, which we experienced a couple of nights later.
After our lunch break, the flat trail around the lake was a smooth reintroduction to hiking, which was heavenly. Especially compared to the climb we were about to endure. On the far side of Nada Lake, there is a long rocky incline with sweeping switchbacks. Once you reach the rocky area’s top, it is a bit further and downhill to get to the Snow Lakes.
Lower and Upper Snow Lakes
When descending to lake level, you are looking directly at Upper Snow Lake. Lower Snow Lake is on your left, which I believe there is a sign. Continuing on the trail will lead you across a stone dam that separates the two lakes and around Upper Snow Lake. Due to this feature, we did not explore Lower Snow Lake. Instead, we made our way to Upper Snow Lake’s far side to camp as close as possible to the Core Enchantments. We also kept walking because other groups claimed the other group sites. At this point, I was getting pretty tired and grateful that the trail around the lake was relatively flat. To read about where we camped exactly, read my other blog post about permits and camping.
Similar to Nada Lake, one side of Upper Snow Lake has an enormous granite face, which makes both of these lakes stunning in and of themselves. I was up at or before sunrise each morning and enjoyed the vibrant orange mountain view reflected in the calm waters as I sipped my coffee in the cold air.
Core Enchantments Hike from Upper Snow Lake
We chose to camp at Snow Lakes because it seemed easier to access the Core Enchantments during a day-hike from our campground than climbing up and down the Aasgard Pass on the Colchuck side. Although it might have been easier, it was not easy.
This part of the hike was a surprise challenge. Starting easy from Upper Snow Lake, the trail becomes increasingly steep with a few sections with light scrambling. It is not technical, but I did use my hands to secure balance. About half of my group decided not to go any further than the first or second scramble. Another girl I met while camping also turned around before during this section. In addition to the light scrambling, there is roughly 1,400 ft elevation gain over 1.5 miles. There were areas with short, steep switchbacks. Keep an eye on the trail, as this section also challenged my trail-finding ability. And the third thing making this section a snaky challenge is being tired from the relentless like to Snow Lakes.
Having the All Trails Map downloaded was helpful to know how much more climbing I had to go. The trail starts gently through the trees. There are beautiful creek views and a waterfall at about one-third of the way to the top. Eventually, you climb until you reach an expansive granite section. The granite part was beautiful but exposed. A hat and sunscreen are essential for this hike! Finally, after heading through a grouping of trees, the magnificent Viviane Lake appears before you.
Viviane Lake
If you’re only going to make it to one lake in the Core Enchantments, Viviane Lake is a worthy choice. The lake is surrounded by mountain peaks thousands of feet above. It is as if the mountains had cupped a handful of water. The water is a crystal clear deep blue. This lake is a dramatic entrance to the Core Enchantments.
Leprechaun Lake
Once you get to the Core Enchantments, the hiking is not over. Flat ledges separate the lakes, which requires more elevation gain to get from one to another. The section between Viviane and Leprechaun Lake is the most nerve-wracking. There is a little more scrambling on rocks facing the valley with a drop. Again, it was not technical, but people who fear heights or are carrying their backpacking backpack should take care.
However, after this steep climb, you come into a flat area at the end of Leprechaun Lake. Leprechaun has more flat land surrounding the lake with mountains in the more distant background. Perhaps due to the surrounding foliage and more shallow nature of the lake, I found the lake to have a slightly greenish-blue color to the lake. Or maybe I imagined it due to the name!
The funny thing about Leprechaun Lake is that it loops around into what looks like another lake. This area is a deep blue with granite background that is striped with snow. When I began to climb to Gnome Tarn, I could see that it was actually connected.
Gnome Tarn
Instead of continuing on the trail up to Perfection Lake, I decided to detour Gnome Tarn after visiting the tiny but also pretty Sprite Lake. Gnome Tarn is where you can see Prusik Peak reflected in the water and is often the main image when looking up information about the Enchantments. It was a worthy detour and a challenge as it is not a maintained trail. The “trail” is easy to lose, which I did multiple times. Thank goodness I had the Alltrails Map downloaded so that I could generally keep in the correct direction. I also spoke with some friendly backpackers who warned me that it is not a well-marked trail and keeps climbing and veering to the left.
This steep climb provided incredible views of Viviane, Temple, Leprechaun, Sprite, and Perfection Lakes. I was so focused on finding Gnome Tarn, but now I wish I would have taken more time to appreciate the panoramic view from this angle.
Although the photos are amazing at Gnome Tarn, it is a pond with an uninterrupted view of Prusik Peak. If you keep your expectations low, then you can fully appreciate the beauty of Prusik Peak and the reflection in the pond. I kept expecting someone else to show up at this incredible spot, but I had the pond to myself for over a half-hour of running to take selfies with the reflection. I also got to appreciate the late-season blooms and absolute peace.
Perfection Lake
I took an alternate route down from Gnome Tarn to the flat valley at Perfection Lake. Again, it was not a formal, obvious trail, but rather a path that a few other people had also taken to descend or ascend quickly. Take a look at the AllTrails Map for routes to get to and from Gnome Tarn.
When I made it to the lakeside, I could see why it was called Perfection. This lake is a shimmering Aquamarine color with picturesque granite, the gentle trail through the evergreens, and a waterfall. There is even a little island with a rock stack on it and the sloping Annapurna peak on one side. The friendly backpackers who had overnight permits in the Core Enchantments said this was their favorite lake, and it’s not hard to see why.
Inspiration Lake and Above
Unfortunately, Perfection Lake is as far as I could get into the Core Enchantments from Upper Snow Lake. While on my way to and definitely on my way back down from Gnome Tarn, I could start feeling my knee pain. So when I made it to Perfection Lake, I decided to take a late lunch break, filter water, and assess my knee. After a break, I sadly decided that I didn’t want to rush my descent back to camp and had to discontinue my route further into the Core Enchantments.
There was another group who camped at Upper Snow Lakes and only went to Inspiration. They said it was pretty but didn’t offer any more description – haha. I think the hike from Upper Snow Lakes is more challenging than most people anticipate. Once you’re in the Core Enchantments, there is still elevation gain to get from one lake to the next—something to consider whether you are hiking into the Core Enchantments from either Snow or Colchuck Lakes.
Training for the Enchantments Hike
[My general PSA on hiking training] I’ve said it before, and I’ll repeat it: hiking is the best training for hiking. And hiking with weight is especially important if you will be backpacking. If you are new to backpacking or hiking long distances, do not assume that other forms of exercise alone will adequately prepare you for this trek. Yes, overall fitness is helpful, but your body needs to adjust to long periods of hiking, weight on the shoulders and hips, and using hiking poles.
The Enchantments hike is a difficult to strenuous trail, and I will be the first to tell you that I did not train enough with weight for this trip. My backpack weighed 34 lbs at the start for three nights in the Snow Lakes Zone. On the second day, while hiking around the Core Enchantments, my knee was already hurting – such a clear sign that I didn’t train enough. Although bummed, I could not explore more than this; I also give myself grace because I was training in summer 2020. With the fear of the pandemic, training on trails didn’t always feel like the right thing to do.
It is essential to train for the Enchantments Hike, no matter how you slice it. You should be able to backpack 10 – 12 miles with elevation gain (depending on where you are hiking) comfortably with additional hiking. I do not believe I was quite at this level, and the result was that I could not explore as much as I had hoped.
Route Considerations
After experiencing the trail and the elevation gain required to enter the Core Enchantments, I would do it differently in the future. Getting permits for the Core Enchantments is ideal. You could then explore the different small lakes at your leisure and see the lakes at sunrise/sunset. The other way I would like to experience this trail is through one massive day hike. Since we were visiting over a weekend, we frequently ran into people who were day-hiking the trail. It would be beautiful to see all the lakes in a single day, with larches changing color in late September.
That said, Upper Snow Lake, Nada Lake, and I’m assuming that Colchuck Lake is also stunning lakes to camp at and experience. If you simply want to go camping and head into half of the Core Enchantments as I had, then this might be the perfect option for you.
I was ambitious in thinking that I would be able to hike into the Core Enchantments each day. Not only was their serious elevation gain between the Upper Snow Lakes and the Core Enchantments, but it’s also not the most efficient way to explore the area.
Overall Thoughts: Enchantments Hike and Lakes
I coordinated this hike with friends to experience the Core Enchantments. Seeing the Core Enchantments was my main priority. Grateful to go in a group, I didn’t think it would be a problem to camp at Upper Snow Lake and hike into the Core Enchantments each day. Whew, did this hike catch up with me! Here are a few takeaways that I learned from this backpacking trip:
- Training properly is critical if you are not regularly backpacking and long-distance hiking. If I were a bit more prepared, I would have gotten to see all of the Core Enchantments’ lakes.
- Researching elevation gain for the entire route is also critical! I had studied the climb to the Upper Snow Lakes but was surprised at how steep the climb was to the Core Enchantments and the additional hiking needed to get from lake to lake.
- This backpacking trip was an excellent way for me to test out gear. Although I felt prepared, there are a few items that I would like to upgrade – primarily getting a sleeping bag liner and fleece cap for sleeping. I also think a starting weight of 30 lbs would have helped my knee. Check out my blog post about camping, permits, and gear for the Core Enchantments.
- The Core Enchantments were incredible, but so was Upper Snow Lake and Nada Lake. This trip broadened what I am interested in in terms of backpacking.
Have you hiked the Enchantments? If so, how was your experience of the elevation gain? Did you hike it one day? I’m curious if your experience was similar. I’d also love to hear more about Inspiration to Isolation lakes! Leave some notes in the comments to help out fellow travelers.
Happy Travels,
Hanna
