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Enchantments Core Zone lottery
Overnight permits for the legendary Core Zone—one of America's most spectacular ...
Colchuck Zone Permit
The Enchantments · Washington
This season's lottery is done · cancellations are the way in
Access to Colchuck Lake area.
70% of the openings our scanner caught on Colchuck were gone within 10 minutes.
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The Enchantments traverse is covered by three separate zone permits, not one through-hike permit. See the Enchantments Through-Hike permit page.
Colchuck Quick Facts
Permit RequiredYes
Booking MethodLottery
Demand LevelHigh8/10
SeasonMay 15 - October 31
Cost$6 non-refundable lottery application fee, then $5.00 per person per day May 15 - October 31 if you draw a permit
Daily Quota3 groups
Max Group Size8 people
Colchuck Permit Facts
- As of September 2026, Colchuck in The Enchantments, Washington requires a permit issued via lottery.
- Colchuck is a high-demand permit, rating 8/10 on PermitSnag's demand index.
- The Colchuck lottery typically opens February 15 and closes March 1, with results announced March 17.
- The permit season for Colchuck runs May 15 through October 31.
- The Colchuck route covers 8.4 miles with 2,100 feet of elevation gain, rated strenuous.
- Cancelled Colchuck permits are re-released on the booking system; PermitSnag monitors availability and alerts watchers when dates open.
Key Information
Key Dates
Lottery OpensFebruary 15
Lottery ClosesMarch 1
ResultsMarch 17
SeasonMay 15 - October 31
Permit Details
TypeOvernight
Booking MethodLottery
Demand Level8/10
LocationAlpine Lakes Wilderness, North Cascades, WA
Pro Tips
- •Apply for every zone. Colchuck has its own three-groups-a-day allocation and does not compete with the Core Zone
- •One permit from every zone is held back for the daily lottery, which needs you inside the geofence on a location-enabled device
- •A Colchuck permit lets you day hike the Core Zone — you just cannot camp there
- •You may only obtain one Enchantments permit per season, and being someone else's alternate group leader uses it up
- •Print and sign the permit. USFS does not accept an unsigned permit on a phone
What to Expect
Route Details
Distance
8.4 miles
Elevation Gain
2,100 ft
Route Type
Out & Back
Duration
2-3 days
Difficulty
StrenuousElevation Range
3,399 - 5,500 ft
Highlights
- •Three groups a night in the whole zone, so the lake is genuinely quiet once the day hikers leave
- •Heavy day-use traffic during the day — USFS notes Colchuck Lake is extremely popular with day users
- •Established campsites only; no improving sites by moving rocks or building walls
- •A free Overnight Visitor Parking Pass included with the permit, which has to be displayed on the dashboard
- •Steep, rocky, primitive trail — USFS describes the whole permit area that way
Best Time to Visit
The overnight season runs May 15 to October 31. Late July through September is snow-free most years. Larch colour lands in late September and early October and is the single most competitive stretch of the calendar, with genuinely cold nights and short days to go with it.
Hazards & Considerations
- !Aasgard Pass: USFS says it is not advised for hikers not prepared and equipped for steep snow travel, and that hikers have died glissading and falling into a creek or a hole in the snowpack
- !Snow into the summer in the upper basin
- !Sudden weather — May, June, September and October are shoulder seasons with winter-like conditions
- !Mountain goats around camps
How to Get This Permit
1
Create a Recreation.gov account
Sign up at Recreation.gov if you don't have an account. Verify your email and add payment info ahead of time.
2
Apply during the lottery window
Submit your application between February 15 and March 1. Apply for multiple dates to increase your odds.
3
Wait for lottery results
Results are typically announced March 17. Check your email and your Recreation.gov account.
4
If unsuccessful, monitor cancellations
Permits get cancelled daily. Peak cancellation times are 24-48 hours before the trip date.
5
Set up PermitSnag alerts
Get notified when cancellations happen. Pro and $19 single-permit alerts are checked about every minute, 24/7; free accounts are checked hourly.
When to Go
Peak: Late July through early OctoberShoulder: Late May and June
Conditions
Season opens May 15 and the basin is still holding snow. Aasgard is a snow climb, not a hike.
Crowd Level
ModerateAdvantages
- +Easiest Colchuck dates to draw
- +Waterfalls running hard
Challenges
- !Snow at the lake
- !Aasgard genuinely dangerous
- !Cold nights
Difficulty Assessment
Physical Demand4/5
Fitness and endurance required
Technical Skill2/5
Climbing, scrambling, or specialized skills
Exposure Risk3/5
Steep dropoffs and fall potential
Navigation2/5
Route finding and trail clarity
Commitment3/5
Difficulty of bailing out mid-route
Best For
Backpackers who want the Enchantments without committing to Aasgard Pass under a full pack.
Recommended Experience
One or two prior overnights and comfort on steep rocky trail. Aasgard is optional from this permit and should stay optional unless you are equipped for snow.
Not Recommended For
Anyone counting on solitude during the day — Colchuck is one of the busiest day-hike destinations in Washington.
About This Permit
The Colchuck Zone is one of five overnight permit zones in the Enchantment Permit Area, inside the Alpine Lakes Wilderness. USFS allocates three groups per day to it — a separate allocation from the Core Zone, which is counted in people rather than groups. A group can be up to eight people, and the permit is good for up to 14 days in the zone named on it.
USFS defines the zone as the entire Colchuck Lake Trail from its junction with the Stuart Lake Trail to a contour line mid-slope below Aasgard Pass at 6,500 feet. Camping immediately below Aasgard Pass is not allowed on this permit. You may camp in any established campsite at Colchuck Lake, and climbers may use established bivouac sites below Colchuck Col and elsewhere in the upper basin.
Permits come three ways: the annual advance lottery that opens in February, straight reservation online if anything is left, and the daily lottery, which holds one permit from each zone and requires you to be inside the geofence on a location-enabled device to enter. A visitor may only obtain one permit per season.
The Experience
Why It Matters
Colchuck is the way into the Enchantments that does not require you to win the hardest permit in Washington. The Core Zone takes 24 people a day and is counted by the head; the Colchuck Zone gets its own separate allocation of three groups a night, and from a camp at the lake you can day hike the whole Core basin without carrying a pack over Aasgard Pass.
The Route
From the Stuart Lake Trailhead the trail climbs through forest along Mountaineer Creek and splits at the Colchuck junction. USFS puts the trail to Colchuck Lake at 4.2 miles, gaining 2,100 feet.
The zone boundary matters more here than at any other Enchantments permit. USFS defines the Colchuck Zone as the entire Colchuck Lake Trail from its junction with the Stuart Lake Trail up to a contour line mid-slope below Aasgard Pass, at 6,500 feet — and camping immediately below Aasgard Pass on a Colchuck permit is not allowed. Camp in an established site at the lake, or at a bivouac site below Colchuck Col.
Day use across all five zones is open to anyone with the free self-issued trailhead permit, so the Core Zone is a legal day hike from your Colchuck camp. That is what makes this permit the value play: same country, a third of the lottery pressure, and no full pack on Aasgard.
The Feeling
Colchuck Lake is the colour of antifreeze and sits directly under a thousand feet of granite. Dragontail and Colchuck Peak close off the far end, the Colchuck Glacier hangs between them, and the whole basin goes into shadow early because of it. Day hikers stream out around five and the lake goes quiet.
Trailhead Information
Stuart Lake Trailhead
Shared trailhead for the Stuart, Colchuck and Core zones, on Icicle Creek Road out of Leavenworth.
Restrooms
No water
No Service
Parking
A Northwest Forest Pass is required for day parking. An Overnight Visitor Parking Pass comes free with the overnight permit and must be displayed on the dashboard. Parking is prohibited along the left-hand side of FS Road 7601 and violators are ticketed and towed.
Nearest Services
Leavenworth, Washington — gear shops, outfitters and the ranger station.
Rules & Regulations
- •Maximum group size is eight people, including stock
- •Dogs are prohibited throughout the Enchantment Permit Area
- •No campfires above 5,000 feet or within half a mile of any lake
- •Camping immediately below Aasgard Pass is not allowed on a Colchuck permit — the zone stops at the 6,500-foot contour
- •The permit must be printed and signed; an unsigned permit on a cell phone is not valid
- •All group members must begin on the reserved trip start date and camp with the permit holder
- •One permit per person per season, including serving as an alternate group leader
- •Day use across all five zones needs a free self-issued permit from any of the three trailheads, plus a Northwest Forest Pass for parking
Gear Checklist
Required
- A printed and signed permit — USFS is explicit that an unsigned permit on a phone is not valid
- Water filter for the lakes
- A stove: no campfires above 5,000 feet or within half a mile of any lake
- Rain gear and warm layers; May, June, September and October are shoulder seasons where winter conditions are normal
- Sturdy boots for primitive, steep, rocky trail
Recommended
- Trekking poles for the descent
- Microspikes early in the season — snow lingers in the basin well past the May 15 season start
- A day pack so you can leave camp and hike the Core Zone unloaded
Plan Your Trip
Lottery concierge
Your next shot at Colchuck
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Better odds with a crew
Colchuck is a lottery. Every friend who applies adds another entry, so a crew gets more shots at the same permit than any one of you alone.
One of you runs the pool (Pro or a $19 alert). Everyone else joins free.
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Gear Checklist
Required and recommended gear for Colchuck
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Shuttle Services
Trailhead transportation options
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Key Landmarks
↑
2,100ft
Gain↓
2,100ft
Loss⛰️
5,500ft
High📏
4.2mi
Distance📐
9.5%
Avg GradeClick on a marker to view details•3 landmarks
Landmarks (3)
Lottery Statistics
Competitive
estimated success rate
Get detailed lottery statistics and tips. Sign up to track this permit.
Boost Your Chances
Apply with a crew to multiply your combined odds, and let auto win-detection tell you the moment you win — you never have to check Recreation.gov. Win-detection reads the result email you forward us, so it takes a one-time setup in your inbox (about two minutes, and we walk you through it). Pool and auto win-detection are on Pro or a $19 permit alert.
Colchuck FAQ
How many permits per day are issued for the Enchantments Colchuck Zone?
Three groups per day. USFS allocates the Enchantment Permit Area by zone: the Core Zone takes 24 people per day, and Colchuck, Stuart, Snow and Eightmile/Caroline are allocated by group — three, four, five and three groups per day respectively. One permit from each zone is held back for the daily lottery.
What is the group size limit for an Enchantments Colchuck permit?
Eight people, including stock. Unlike the Core Zone, where group size cannot be increased after the lottery, people can be added to a Colchuck permit up to that maximum of eight because the zone is allocated by group rather than by head.
Can I hike into the Core Zone with a Colchuck Zone permit?
Yes, for day use. USFS states that day use is permitted across all zones — you simply have to camp in the zone your permit names. That is what makes Colchuck a workable base camp: you can walk up Aasgard Pass and spend the day in the Core basin without a pack.
When does the lottery open for Enchantments permits?
The advance lottery is offered annually in February. The application fee is $6.00 and it is non-refundable whether or not you win. If you draw a permit, the recreation fee is $5.00 per person per day from May 15 through October 31.
Do I need a permit to day hike to Colchuck Lake?
Yes, but it is free. Day users fill out a free self-issued day-use permit available at any of the three trailheads that access the Enchantment Permit Area, and display a Northwest Forest Pass in the designated day-use parking at the Stuart Lake Trailhead.
👥Community
Trail Conditions
No active conditions reported
Sign in to report trail conditions.
Photography Guide
Golden Hour
Evening light on Dragontail from the lake outlet, after the day hikers have cleared out.
Best Light
Early morning, when the lake is flat and the granite is still in shade so the water colour reads properly.
Beat the Crowds
Three groups a night is the entire overnight population of the zone. Shoot before 9 a.m. and after 6 p.m. and the day-use crowd is simply not there.
Classic Shots
- 📍Colchuck Lake with Dragontail Peak and the Colchuck Glacier behind it
- 📍The talus-and-larch foreground on the east shore in early October
- 📍Looking up the full length of Aasgard Pass from the lake
- 📍Camp at the lake with the basin in shadow and the peaks still lit
Can't Get a Colchuck Permit?
Consider these alternatives if your preferred dates aren't available.
Enchantments Core Zone Permit
Same AreaThe high lake basin between Aasgard Pass and Upper Snow Lake. USFS admits 24 people per day, 16 through the advance lottery and 8 through the daily lottery.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
The hardest permit in the area, counted in people rather than groups, and you carry a full pack up Aasgard to use it.
Snow Zone Permit
Same AreaFive groups per day, the largest zone allocation in the permit area, covering Snow Lakes, Nada Lake and the Snow Creek drainage.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
A longer, more forested approach — 6.5 miles and 4,100 feet from the Snow Lakes Trailhead — but the best odds of any zone.
Day hike to Colchuck Lake
Easier AlternativeThe 8.4-mile round trip on a free self-issued day-use permit from the trailhead, with a Northwest Forest Pass for parking.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
No camping and no evening light, but no lottery either — the day-use permit is free and available at the trailhead.
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Where to Stay
Nearby campgrounds to complete your Colchuck trip
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