Colchuck Lake is the most popular hike in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. The Enchantment Lakes are legendary in Washington for a reason. The peaks and many lakes have names based on mythology and magic, and it’s not hard to understand why once you’re there. Colchuck Lake is the most accessible of these jewel-colored lakes, and I would argue that it’s also the most picturesque in many ways. The hike wanders its way through a cool forest, across a river, through a boulder field, and then back up through some more trees before finally opening up to Colchuck Lake.

At around 2.3 miles, you’ll reach a fork in the trail. Turn left to go to Colchuck. If you miss this turn, you’ll end up at Stuart Lake, which is lovely, but you won’t find any larches there. After the fork, the trail up to Colchuck Lake get’s a little more strenuous. Although the route to the lake is well marked and maintained, there are a lot of roots and rocks to navigate. As a result, you can never really get into a good groove, and you have to constantly pay attention to your footing. But it’s totally worth it!

Pro Tip: If you have the time and you’re up for the challenge, the views looking down on Colchuck Lake from Aasgard Pass are worth the effort. That being said, don’t underestimate the amount of time this undertaking will likely require. Hiking 2000 feet in just three-quarters of a mile is no joke! If you’d like to spend more time exploring Colchuck Lake and its enchanted siblings, you can apply for backcountry permits on the recreation.gov website.

Distance: 8 miles Elevation Gain: 2300 ft Difficulty: Moderately Difficult