Landmark
Perfection Lake
MI 8.5
Many consider this the heart of the Enchantments. Prusik Peak rises directly above.
This season's lottery is done · cancellations are the way in
Enchantments Core Zone Permit
The Enchantments · Washington
Overnight permits for the legendary Core Zone, one of America's most spectacular alpine destinations. Unclaimed lottery awards and cancellations return to Recreation.gov through the season.
Get an alert when Core Zone opens on your dates.
Yes. You need a permit to backpack Enchantments Core Zone in The Enchantments. It is the Enchantments Core Zone Permit, and it comes back two ways: canceled permits return to the booking system through the season, and the rest are awarded by lottery.
70% of the openings our scanner caught on Core Zone were gone within 30 minutes.
Enchantments Core Zone dates: cancellations and the lottery
We alert you to cancellations. The lottery runs February 15 to March 1.
- CancellationsWe alert you the moment one opens.We alert you the moment one opens.
- Lottery<10% success, 2026Feb 15–Mar 1
- Quota seasonMay 15–Oct 31
Who issues Core Zone permits. Source: USDA Forest Service: Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Read the official permit page. “The majority of overnight permits are allocated through a pre-season advanced lottery held February 15 through March 1 of each year.”
- route distance, point to point
- 18mi
- daily quota
- 24people
- max group size
- 8people
The Enchantments traverse is covered by three separate zone permits, not one through-hike permit. See the Enchantments Through-Hike permit page.
Enchantment Permit Area, zone by zone
Recreation.gov sells the Enchantment Permit Area by zone, and your permit names the zone you camp in and the day you enter. "Once a permit reservation is made, no changes may be made to the permit zone or entry date."
On the through route
Core Enchantment Zone
- Daily quota
- 24 people a day, counted by person
- Reached from
- Stuart Lake Trailhead or Snow Lakes Trailhead
- Group size
- Up to 8 people
Recreation.gov: “Core Zone: A total of 24 visitors are permitted to enter the Core zone per day.”
The Core Zone includes the high lake basin between Aasgard Pass and Upper Snow Lake. The scenery is stunning, but access is difficult and strenuous.
A day in this zone
24people a day
16 people through the advanced lottery8 people through the daily lottery
Core Zone, point by point
18 miles, Stuart Lake Trailhead to Snow Lakes Trailhead.
- mi 0Stuart Lake Trailhead TrailheadOne of two ways in. Designated day-use parking here, and a Northwest Forest Pass is required.
- mi 4.2Colchuck Lake LakeReached by a trail 4.2 miles long gaining 2,100 feet. Extremely popular with day users, and the staging point below Aasgard.Colchuck Zone
- mi 5.2Aasgard Pass PassThe Colchuck Zone ends at a contour line mid-slope below the pass, at 6,500 feet. The climb to it from Colchuck is very steep on loose rocky terrain.Core Enchantment Zone
- mi 6.5Tranquil & Isolation Lakes LakeHighest lakes in the Core Zone. Sparse vegetation, permanent snowfields.Core Enchantment Zone
- mi 7Core Enchantment Zone ZoneThe high lake basin between Aasgard Pass and Upper Snow Lake. Travel is on an unmaintained route often marked only by cairns.Core Enchantment Zone
- mi 8Inspiration Lake LakeFirst of the 'named' lakes heading downstream. Granite scenery.Core Enchantment Zone
- mi 8.5Perfection Lake LakeMany consider this the heart of the Enchantments. Prusik Peak rises directly above.Core Enchantment Zone
- mi 8.5Prusik Peak LandmarkThe iconic spire of the Enchantments, an instantly recognizable granite tower.Core Enchantment Zone
- mi 9.5Leprechaun Lake LakeLower Core Zone lake before the descent toward Snow Lakes.Core Enchantment Zone
- mi 10Lake Viviane LakeInside the Core Zone. Below it, granite slabs drop 1,400 feet to Upper Snow Lake. There are no established campsites between Upper Snow and Lake Viviane.Core Enchantment Zone
- mi 11.5Upper Snow Lake LakeThe Core Zone boundary on the Snow Lakes side. Snow Zone permit holders must camp at or below here.Snow Zone
- mi 13Snow Lakes LakeUpper and Lower Snow Lakes mark the transition to the Snow Zone.Snow Zone
- mi 14.5Nada Lake LakeFinal lake before the trailhead descent.Snow Zone
- mi 18Snow Lakes Trailhead TrailheadThe other way in: 6.5 miles and 4,100 feet of climbing to Snow Lakes before the slabs begin.
Map of the Enchantments Core Zone, Stuart Lake Trailhead to Snow Lakes Trailhead
14 of 14 places in this section
Loading the map
Terrain USGS 3DEP · Water USGS NHD · Trail © OpenStreetMap contributors
How to get an Enchantments Core Zone permit
As of October 2026, Core Zone in The Enchantments, Washington requires a permit issued via lottery. Core Zone is one of the most competitive permits in the United States, rating 10/10 on PermitSnag's demand index. Canceled Core Zone permits are re-released on the booking system, and PermitSnag alerts you the moment one opens. The Core Zone lottery opens February 15 and closes March 1, with results announced March 17. The permit season for Core Zone runs May 15 through October 31. The Core Zone route covers 18 miles, rated expert.
- Type
- Overnight
- Location
- Alpine Lakes Wilderness, Cascade Mountains, WA
Step 1: Check for cancellations
Permits get canceled daily. Peak cancellation times are 24-48 hours before the trip date.
Step 2: Set up PermitSnag alerts
Get notified when cancellations happen. Pro and $19 single-permit alerts are checked every minute, 24/7; free accounts are checked hourly.
Step 3: 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.
Step 4: Apply during the lottery window
Submit your application between February 15 and March 1. Apply for multiple dates to increase your odds.
Step 5: Wait for lottery results
Results are announced March 17. Check your email and your Recreation.gov account.
Core Zone pro tips
- Set a cancellation alert: unclaimed lottery awards go back to the advance reservation system on April 1 around 7am PT, and cancellations follow all season
- The Snow Zone takes five groups a day, the most of any zone, and lets you day hike the whole Core
- Enter the daily lottery too. It holds 8 of the Core Zone's 24 daily spaces, but you must be inside the geofence to apply
- Apply for every zone you would actually accept: the Core is the hardest draw of the five
- Set your group size carefully on the application; you cannot add anyone after the lottery
- A Core permit lets you camp in another zone on the way in or out, which makes the approach far more manageable
- Day hiking needs only the free self-issue permit at the trailhead
More on Core Zone: Live availability activityWhen Core Zone permits open upChance of an openingEnchantments Core Zone lottery datesDo I need a Enchantments Core Zone permit?Core Zone lottery oddsEnchantments lottery guide: dates and oddsRecreation.gov permit and campground cancellations
Guides: Core Zone permit guideDaily Lottery permit guideColchuck permit guide
Enchantments Core Zone lottery odds
<10%
The Forest Service calls the Enchantments advance lottery highly competitive and puts it at typically less than 10% of applicants succeeding. The Core Zone is the hardest way in: only 24 people a day enter it, 16 of them through the advance lottery.
Source: Okanogan-Wenatchee NF — Enchantments Overnight Permits · Recreation.gov Enchantments advance lottery.
Success rate by year and lottery
- 2026 · Advance lottery — all zones<10%75% of available permits are issued through the advance lottery.
Apply these for the best odds
- Consider Colchuck or Snow zones. The Core Zone is capped at 24 people a day, while the other zones are allocated by group — Colchuck three groups per day, Stuart four, Snow five, Eightmile/Caroline three — and you can still day hike into the Core from either.
- Enter the daily lottery too. One permit from each zone is reserved for it, and the Core Zone holds back eight of its 24 daily spaces.
How much an Enchantments Core Zone permit costs
Core Zone permit fee: $6 lottery application + $5 per person, per day.
The Enchantments Core Zone hike
- Distance
- 18 miles
- Route Type
- Point to Point
- Duration
- 2-4 days
- Difficulty
- Expert
- Elevation Range
- 1,370 - 7,826 ft
Twenty-four people a day enter the Core Enchantment Zone, the high lake basin between Aasgard Pass and Upper Snow Lake, and every cancellation puts a place back on Recreation.gov.
About this permit
The Enchantment Permit Area sits inside the Alpine Lakes Wilderness in Washington's Cascade Mountains: rugged glaciated peaks and a chain of lakes ranging from 4,400 to 7,800 feet. The Forest Service is blunt about the trails: "Although the area is high use, trails are very primitive with steep, rocky sections. Travel is difficult in areas."
The Core Enchantment Zone is the hardest of the five zones to get into, and the quota is written in people rather than groups. A total of 24 visitors may enter the Core Zone per day. Sixteen of those spaces come from the advanced lottery held each February; the remaining eight come from the daily lottery, which runs May through October and requires you to be inside a geofenced area near Leavenworth to apply. Group size tops out at eight, and once the advanced lottery is done your group size cannot be increased.
Permits are required for overnight stays from May 15 through October 31. The rest of the year no permit is needed, though the Forest Service asks visitors to self-register at the trailhead box.
The route
The Core Enchantment Zone is the high lake basin between Aasgard Pass and Upper Snow Lake. The Forest Service describes two routes in. The first begins at the Stuart Lake Trailhead and travels past Colchuck Lake (4.2 miles and 2,100 feet on the Colchuck Lake Trail), then climbs very steeply to Aasgard Pass on loose rocky terrain. The second begins at the Snow Lakes Trailhead, climbing 6.5 miles and 4,100 feet to Upper Snow Lake, then ascending slabs of bedrock that can be treacherous if icy.
Once you are in, travel is on an unmaintained route often marked only by cairns, and the Forest Service asks visitors to take care not to trample sensitive vegetation. The lakes across the permit area range from 4,400 to 7,800 feet.
One rule makes the trip far more manageable than it looks: because of the long and arduous approach, groups holding a Core Zone permit may camp in any of the other zones on their entry or exit. That turns a brutal single push into a staged trip.
Why it matters
The Core is the one zone whose quota is written in people rather than groups, which tells you how tightly the Forest Service holds it. Sixteen of the 24 daily spaces come from the February advanced lottery and eight from the daily lottery. Everything about the permit is designed around the fact that the basin is small, the vegetation is fragile, and demand for overnight permits far exceeds the number available.
The feeling
Getting here costs you something either way. From Colchuck the route climbs very steeply on loose rock; from Snow Lakes it goes up bedrock slabs that ice over without warning. Then it levels out and you are in a basin of pale granite and lakes with larches scattered through it, and there are at most 23 other people in the whole zone. You set the tent on rock, not vegetation, and watch the goats work the slabs.
Core Zone hike highlights
- A quota counted in people, not groups: 24 visitors enter the Core Zone per day
- Two ways in, both hard: Aasgard Pass from Colchuck Lake, or bedrock slabs above Upper Snow Lake
- Unmaintained route within the Core, often marked only by cairns
- Lakes between 4,400 and 7,800 feet, with snow and winter-like conditions possible in May, June, September and October
- Fragile alpine vegetation that the Forest Service asks you not to trample
- A Core Zone permit that also lets you camp in any other zone on your entry or exit night
How hard the Enchantments Core Zone hike is
- Physical DemandFitness and endurance required5/5
- Technical SkillClimbing, scrambling, or specialized skills3/5
- Exposure RiskSteep dropoffs and fall potential3/5
- NavigationRoute finding and trail clarity3/5
- CommitmentDifficulty of bailing out mid-route4/5
Best for: Experienced backpackers comfortable carrying a full pack up loose rock and following a cairned route across bedrock.
Recommended experience: Prior backpacking at elevation plus some scrambling. The Forest Service warns the trails are very primitive with steep, rocky sections and that travel is difficult in areas.
Not recommended for: First-time backpackers, and anyone uneasy on steep, loose ground with a heavy pack.
Trailhead information
Stuart Lake Trailhead
PrimaryAccess for the Colchuck Lake Trail and the Aasgard Pass route into the Core.
- Restrooms
- No water
- No Service
Parking
Northwest Forest Pass required. Day users must use the designated day-use parking areas here. Parking is prohibited along the left-hand side of FS Road 7601, and violators are ticketed and towed at the owner's expense.
Getting There
From Leavenworth, up Icicle Creek Road and onto FS Road 7601.
Nearest Services
Leavenworth, with the Wenatchee River Ranger Station at 600 Sherbourne (limited hours).
Trailhead information
Snow Lakes Trailhead
AlternateThe other route in: 6.5 miles and 4,100 feet to Snow Lakes, then bedrock slabs to Lake Viviane.
- Restrooms
- No water
- No Service
Parking
Northwest Forest Pass required.
Getting There
On Icicle Creek Road out of Leavenworth, closer to town than the Stuart Lake Trailhead.
Nearest Services
Leavenworth.
When to hike Enchantments Core Zone
Best time to visit
Mid-July through mid-September is the reliable snow-free window. The Forest Service treats May, June, September and October as shoulder seasons where you should expect snow and winter-like conditions, so a late-September larch trip is a real gamble on weather as well as on the lottery.
- Peak
- Mid-July through September
- Shoulder
- May, June and October, which the Forest Service warns can bring winter-like conditions
Spring
The permit season opens May 15, but the Forest Service classes May and June as shoulder season with snow and winter-like conditions likely.
Crowd level · low
- Advantage: Fewest people in the basin
- Advantage: Waterfalls and lakes at full snowmelt
- Advantage: Easier to draw a permit for these dates
- Challenge: Snow on Aasgard Pass and the Snow Lakes slabs
- Challenge: Winter-like weather at any time
- Challenge: Route-finding harder with cairns buried
Summer
The reliable window. Snow-free travel on both approaches by mid-July, with warm days and settled weather through August.
Crowd level · moderate
- Advantage: Best conditions on Aasgard Pass and the bedrock slabs
- Advantage: Long daylight for a hard approach day
- Advantage: Swimming in the lakes is actually plausible
- Challenge: The most competitive dates in the advanced lottery
- Challenge: Afternoon thunderstorms with no shelter above treeline
- Challenge: Goats around camp at their most habituated
Fall
Larch season lands in late September and early October, and so does the risk of the first real snow. The permit season ends October 31.
Crowd level · high
- Advantage: Golden larches through the Core
- Advantage: Cool hiking on the approach climbs
- Advantage: Fewer bugs
- Challenge: Forest Service classes September and October as shoulder season with winter-like conditions possible
- Challenge: Short daylight for a long approach
- Challenge: Icy slabs above Upper Snow Lake
Winter
No permit is required from November 1 through May 14, but the area becomes a serious winter mountaineering objective.
Crowd level · low
- Advantage: No permit needed: self-register at the trailhead box
- Advantage: Complete solitude
- Challenge: Avalanche terrain on both approaches
- Challenge: Full winter travel skills and equipment required
- Challenge: Roads and trailhead access may be closed
Weather Forecast
Trailhead (3,399 ft)
⚠️
Backcountry Tips
- Today: 93% chance of precipitation. Pack rain gear.
- Snow expected: Check current trail conditions before departing.
Today
❄️
22°
15°
93%
Thu
❄️
21°
13°
27%
Fri
❄️
24°
10°
43%
Sat
☁️
25°
10°
Sun
☁️
25°
11°
Mon
☁️
25°
13°
Tue
☁️
29°
15°
View full NWS forecast →Mountain weather changes rapidly. This forecast is a guide—always be prepared for worse conditions.
Core Zone photography guide
Golden Hour
Camping in the Core is the entire advantage: you are already in the basin at dawn and dusk while day hikers are still climbing or already descending. First light on the granite is the reason to hold the permit.
Best Light
Early morning gives still water for reflections. High sun brings out the color in the lakes themselves. Camping means you get both on the same trip instead of choosing.
Beat the Crowds
The quota does it for you: a total of 24 visitors may enter the Core Zone per day. Day hikers clear out by late afternoon, which leaves the basin to permit holders for the best light at both ends of the day.
Classic Shots
- Prusik Peak above the Core basin at first light
- Golden larches through the Core in late September and early October
- Reflections in the Core lakes before the wind comes up
- Looking back down Aasgard Pass to Colchuck Lake
- Mountain goats on the bedrock slabs
- A tent pitched on granite with the basin empty around it
Enchantments Core Zone rules, gear and safety
Gear checklist
Required- Water filter or treatment: the lakes are the only supply
- Rain gear and insulation for weather that turns winter-like in the shoulder months
- Boots with real edges for the loose rock on Aasgard and the slabs above Upper Snow Lake
- Sun protection for sustained time above treeline
- A way to secure food from goats and rodents overnight
Recommended gear
- Trekking poles for the Aasgard descent and the boulder fields
- Microspikes or an ice axe early and late in the season, when the slabs above Upper Snow Lake ice up
- Camp shoes for wading and snow crossings
- A wag bag as backup where no toilet is provided
Rules & regulations
- 01Overnight permits required May 15 through October 31; the rest of the year self-register at the trailhead box
- 02A total of 24 visitors may enter the Core Zone per day: 16 through the advanced lottery, 8 through the daily lottery
- 03Eight people is the maximum group size allowed at any time, and group size cannot be increased after the advanced lottery
- 04Because of the long approach, a Core Zone permit lets you camp in any other zone on your entry or exit
- 05The permit is valid only for the exact dates and the specific zone printed on it
- 06Once a reservation is made, the permit zone and entry date cannot be changed
- 07No dogs permitted
- 08No campfires above 5,000 feet or within half a mile of any lake
- 09Use toilets where provided
- 10Day users need a free self-issued day-use permit from any of the three trailheads, plus a Northwest Forest Pass, parking in the designated day-use areas at the Stuart Lake Trailhead
- 11A maximum of 14 days can be reserved on one permit
Hazards & considerations
- Aasgard Pass: very steep, loose rocky terrain with no maintained trail
- The Snow Lakes approach ascends bedrock slabs the Forest Service warns "can [be] treacherous if icy"
- Route-finding within the Core, where the way is unmaintained and often marked only by cairns
- Afternoon thunderstorms with no shelter above treeline
- Snow and winter-like conditions in May, June, September and October
- Mountain goats habituated to people around camps
Safety & planning
Emergency Info
Emergency contacts, ranger station locations, and satellite communicator tips for Core Zone.
Food Storage
Bear canister requirements, approved container lists, and rental locations for this permit.
Gear Checklist: Required and recommended gear for Core Zone · Shuttle Services: Trailhead transportation options · Guide Services: Experienced wilderness guides
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Core Zone FAQ
How many people can enter the Enchantments Core Zone each day?
A total of 24 visitors are permitted to enter the Core Zone per day. Sixteen of those spaces come from the advanced lottery and the remaining eight from the daily lottery.
When is the Enchantments permit lottery?
The advanced lottery application period is February 15 through March 1. Results are sent March 17, and winners must confirm, provide an exit date and pay by 11:59 pm PT on March 31.
What is the difference between the Enchantments advanced lottery and daily lottery?
They are two separate systems. The advanced lottery runs each February on Recreation.gov. The daily lottery runs May through October, holds eight of the Core Zone's 24 daily spaces, and requires you to be inside a geofenced area to apply from a mobile device.
What does an Enchantments Core Zone permit cost?
The lottery application is a $6.00 non-refundable fee. The recreation fee is $5.00 per person, per day from May 15 through October 31.
Can you add people to an Enchantments Core Zone permit after winning?
No. Eight people is the maximum group size at any time, and group size cannot be increased after the advanced lottery. Decide the size you are willing to accept when you apply.
Do you need a permit to day hike in the Enchantments?
Yes, but it is free and self-issued. Day users fill out a day-use permit at any of the three trailheads and need a Northwest Forest Pass, parking in the designated day-use areas at the Stuart Lake Trailhead.
Can a Core Zone permit holder camp in the other Enchantments zones?
Yes. Because the approach is so long and arduous, groups holding a Core Zone permit may camp in any of the other zones on their entry or exit.
Do you need an Enchantments permit in winter?
No. Permits are required only from May 15 through October 31. Outside that window the Forest Service asks visitors to self-register at the trailhead registration box.
Enchantments Core Zone trail conditions and trip reports
Trail Conditions
No active conditions reported
Sign in to report trail conditions.
Alternatives to an Enchantments Core Zone permit
- Same AreaPermit required
Colchuck Zone Permit
Camp at Colchuck Lake, 4.2 miles and 2,100 feet from the Stuart Lake Trailhead, and day hike up into the Core without a full pack.
Tradeoffs
Its own quota of three groups per day rather than a share of the Core's 24 people. Camping immediately below Aasgard Pass is not allowed on a Colchuck permit.
- Same AreaPermit required
Snow Zone Permit
The most generous quota of the five zones at five groups per day. Groups with a Snow Zone permit may day hike throughout the Core Zone but must camp at or below Upper Snow Lake.
Tradeoffs
A 6.5-mile, 4,100-foot climb from the Snow Lakes Trailhead, and no camping in the Core itself, but the best odds of any zone.
- Similar ExperiencePermit required
Enchantments Through-Hike
Cross the whole permit area in a single day on the free self-issued day-use permit, with no lottery involved at all.
Tradeoffs
You see everything and camp nowhere. It is a long, hard day, but it is the only way into the Core that needs no draw.
Where to stay near Core Zone
- Eightmile CampgroundOkanogan-Wenatchee National Forest
- Eightmile Group SiteOkanogan-Wenatchee National Forest
- Bridge Creek Group SiteOkanogan-Wenatchee National Forest
- All Washington campgrounds
Plan the full trip, not just the permit
Build your full itinerary start to finish
Add your dates and get a day-by-day plan: what needs a permit, what gear to bring, and one link to share with your whole group to coordinate every step.
Plan a trip here
No permit needed to start
Two ways to land it
Track cancellations or run a lottery pool
Core feature
Fast Lane tracking
We check Core Zone for cancellations 24/7 and alert you when a spot opens so you can book before it's gone.
Set a free cancellation alertPro or $19 alert
Lottery pool
Apply with a crew. Each person multiplies your combined odds (solo ~Under 10% (USFS, all zones)). We coordinate invites, deadlines, and outcomes.
See plans to start a poolMost crews do both: get alerts for cancellations, and pool for the lottery.
Lottery concierge
Your next shot at Core Zone
Missed the draw or skipped it? Set an alert and we tell you the moment a Core Zone cancellation opens. We remind you about the lottery dates too.
Better odds with a crew
Core Zone permits are drawn by lottery, and solo odds run about 10%. Every friend who applies adds another entry. Five of you, each applying: about 41%.
One of you runs the pool (Pro or a $19 alert). Everyone else joins free.
Know the moment you win
Auto win-detection tells you the moment your Core Zone application wins, so you never have to check Recreation.gov. It 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). Auto win-detection is on Pro or a $19 permit alert.
Turn on auto win-detectionApply now on Recreation.gov
Opens the official lottery. You submit your entry. We never automate or store your Recreation.gov login.
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