Lottery10/10
Core Zone
Overnight permits for the legendary Core Zone—one of America's most spectacular ...
View Enchantments Core Zone Permit permit details and availabilityGet alerted when this permit opens
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LotteryOvernightVery High Demand
Enchantments Daily Lottery Permit
The one-day-ahead lottery for the Enchantment Permit Area. You apply from a phone inside a one-mile geofence around the Leavenworth Ranger Station, between 7:00 and 10:00 a.m. PT, for the next day's entry.
“One of America's most sought-after wilderness permits.”
Track lottery & openings
Get reminders when the Daily Lottery lottery opens, before the deadline, and when results post — plus optional cancellation alerts after results.
Join 2,800+ permit hunters using PermitSnag
Track lottery & openings
Get reminders when the Daily Lottery lottery opens, before the deadline, and when results post — plus optional cancellation alerts after results.
Join 2,800+ permit hunters using PermitSnag
Two ways to land it
Track cancellations or run a lottery pool
Core feature
Fast Lane tracking
We watch Daily Lottery for cancellations 24/7 and alert you when a spot opens so you can book before it's gone.
Start free cancellation watchPro or $12 alert
Lottery pool
Apply with a crew. Each person multiplies your combined odds. We coordinate invites, deadlines, and outcomes.
See plans to start a poolMost crews do both: pool for the lottery, watch for cancellations.
Better odds with a crew
Daily Lottery 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 $12 alert). Everyone else joins free.
Daily Lottery Quick Facts
Permit RequiredYes
Booking MethodLottery
Demand LevelExtremely High9/10
SeasonMay 15 - October 31
Cost$6 application + $5/person/day
Max Group Size8 people
Daily Lottery Permit Facts
- As of August 2026, Daily Lottery in The Enchantments, National Forests & Wilderness requires a permit issued via lottery.
- Daily Lottery is one of the most competitive permits in the United States, rating 9/10 on PermitSnag's demand index.
- The permit season for Daily Lottery runs May 15 through October 31.
- Cancelled Daily Lottery permits are re-released on the booking system; PermitSnag monitors availability and alerts watchers when dates open.
Key Information
Key Dates
SeasonMay 15 - October 31
Permit Details
TypeOvernight
Booking MethodLottery
Demand Level9/10
LocationNorth Cascades
Pro Tips
- •You have to be in Leavenworth to apply, so build a night in town into the plan
- •The window is three hours: 7:00 to 10:00 a.m. PT, on a phone or tablet with location on
- •Results land by email around 11:00 a.m. PT, and you pay by 11:59 p.m. the same day
- •Enter for a zone you would actually be happy with, because you cannot change it later
What to Expect
Highlights
- •A three-hour application window, in town, on a phone with location turned on
- •Email results around 11:00 a.m. PT and a same-day 11:59 p.m. deadline to accept and pay
- •Zone and entry date locked once you accept, with no changes and no refunds
- •Larches turning gold through late September and early October, which is also peak competition
- •Snow on Aasgard Pass into midsummer and again from October
Best Time to Visit
Late July through September is the snow-free stretch. Late September into early October is larch season, which is the most beautiful and the most contested. Because you apply the day before, you can watch the forecast first, which is the one real advantage this lottery has over the advance one.
Hazards & Considerations
- !Aasgard Pass, 2,200 feet of loose rock in a mile with no maintained trail
- !Afternoon thunderstorms with no shelter above treeline
- !Snow-covered creek holes in May, June and October, where several people have died glissading
- !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
If unsuccessful, monitor cancellations
Permits get cancelled daily. Peak cancellation times are 24-48 hours before the trip date.
3
Set up PermitSnag alerts
Get notified when cancellations happen. Pro and $12 single-permit alerts are checked about every minute, 24/7; free accounts are checked hourly.
When to Go
Peak: AugustShoulder: Late September for larch color
Conditions
Warmest and driest season. Snow-free at most elevations by late July.
Crowd Level
HighAdvantages
- +Best weather
- +Snow-free travel
- +Long days
Challenges
- !Bugs in early season
- !Crowded popular trails
- !Permit demand peaks
Difficulty Assessment
Physical Demand1/5
Fitness and endurance required
Technical Skill1/5
Climbing, scrambling, or specialized skills
Navigation1/5
Route finding and trail clarity
Commitment3/5
Difficulty of bailing out mid-route
Best For
Hikers of moderate fitness willing to put in the effort.
Recommended Experience
Basic hiking experience. Start with shorter trails if new to hiking.
About This Permit
The Enchantment Permit Area runs two lotteries, and most people only know about one. The advance lottery opens in February, covers the whole May 15 to October 31 season, and is the one with the famous odds. The daily lottery is the other door: it runs every day of the season, one day at a time, and Recreation.gov says it accounts for about a quarter of the season's permits.
The catch is that you cannot apply from your couch. The Forest Service requires you to be on a location-enabled phone or tablet inside a one-mile geofence around the Leavenworth Ranger Station, between 7:00 and 10:00 a.m. PT, for the following day's entry. That turns a permit application into a trip: you drive to Leavenworth, sleep somewhere nearby, apply in the morning, and find out around 11:00 whether you are hiking tomorrow.
The five zones draw separately. The Core Enchantments Zone releases 8 people a day through this lottery, and the other four zones release one group each per day.
The Experience
Why It Matters
Daily Lottery is among the most competitive permits in Enchantments. Thousands attempt to get permits each season, and success requires planning, persistence, and often a bit of luck. The permit system exists because this destination is genuinely special.
Rules & Regulations
- •Overnight permits required May 15 through October 31
- •Applications only from a mobile device inside the one-mile Leavenworth Ranger Station geofence
- •Maximum group size of 8, and no alternate group leaders in the daily lottery
- •Successful applicants may only win the Enchantment Permit Area lottery once per season
- •Camp in the zone printed on the permit, though Core Zone holders may camp in any of the five
- •No dogs anywhere in the permit zones
- •No campfires above 5,000 feet or within half a mile of any lake
Gear Checklist
Required
- Water filter or treatment for lake and creek sources
- Warm layers and rain gear, because the Cascades turn fast at 7,000 feet
- Sturdy boots for the loose rock on Aasgard Pass
- Bear-resistant food storage
Recommended
- Microspikes for early-season and October snow
- Trekking poles for the Aasgard descent
- WAG bag for shoulder-season trips when the toilets are buried
Plan Your Trip
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Gear Checklist
Required and recommended gear for Daily Lottery
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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. Pool and auto win-detection are on Pro or a $12 permit alert.
Daily Lottery FAQ
How is the Enchantments daily lottery different from the advance lottery permit?
They are two separate permits on Recreation.gov. The advance lottery (permit 233273) opens in February for the whole season and you can apply from anywhere. The daily lottery (permit 445863) runs every day of the season for the next day's entry, and you have to apply in person-ish: on a location-enabled phone or tablet inside a one-mile geofence around the Leavenworth Ranger Station. Recreation.gov puts it plainly: "The Daily Lottery constitutes about 1/4 of available permits for the season, the rest are reserved through the Advanced Lottery."
What time do I apply for the Enchantments daily lottery permit?
Between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. PT the day before you want to start. Recreation.gov: "Apply between 7:00 am PT and 10:00 am PT the day before the desired hike day." Results go out by email around 11:00 a.m. PT, and if you win you have to log in, accept and pay by 11:59 p.m. PT that same day.
How many permits does the Enchantments daily lottery hand out?
It varies by zone. Recreation.gov lists the daily-lottery split as: Core Enchantments Zone 8 people per day, Colchuck Lake 1 group per day, Stuart Lake 1 group per day, Snow Lakes 1 group per day, Eightmile/Caroline 1 group per day. The Core is counted in people and you cannot add anyone after the draw, so apply with the smallest number you would still go with.
Can PermitSnag watch the Enchantments daily lottery for cancellations?
No, and no one can. There is no reservation inventory sitting there to be released. Every seat is drawn the morning before entry, and anything unclaimed rolls into the next day's draw. We can remind you when the season's daily lottery opens, and we can watch the reservable permits elsewhere in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, but the daily lottery is a thing you have to show up in Leavenworth for.
👥Community
Trail Conditions
Questions
Trip Reports
Write ReportPhotography Guide
Golden Hour
Golden hour at Daily Lottery offers the best photography conditions with warm, directional light.
Best Light
Early morning typically provides the clearest conditions and best light quality.
Beat the Crowds
Weekdays and early mornings see fewer visitors for cleaner compositions.
Classic Shots
- 📍Classic view of Daily Lottery
- 📍Enchantments scenery
- 📍Trail or route documentation
Can't Get a Daily Lottery Permit?
Consider these alternatives if your preferred dates aren't available.
Enchantments Core Zone Permit
Same AreaThe advance lottery for the same permit area. Opens February 15, applied for from anywhere, covers the whole season.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
You apply months out and find out in March, instead of the day before. It carries three quarters of the season's permits.
Snow Zone Permit
Same AreaThe lower-elevation zone, and the one with the most groups per day in the advance lottery.
Permit required
Tradeoffs
Long climb to reach the Core Zone lakes, but it is the easiest Enchantments zone to actually win.
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