We have passed by this amazing place so many times, and finally stopped to check it out. It is a…read morevery easy hike through the area, suitable for all ages. The scenery is breathtaking! Highly recommend.

Deception Falls was our first hike on the Western side of the Cascade Mountains. It was barely…read moreover the ridge, but it was easy to see the contrast between the Eastern and Western sides. The Eastern side was noticeably drier, although not dry by normal standards. I would call it normal rather than dry. The Western side had moss on the trees, lichen hanging from the branches and ferns covering the forest floor. Deception Falls was the perfect place to experience it. Even the trail was soft to the touch, decades of rotting wood replenishing the soil under foot. It was a striking experience to walk on the Deception Falls trail. My wife and I both had the feeling that we were walking in a fantasy land. The trees were a new variety and covered in moss, the waters were crystal clear, and the sunlight shown through it all to accentuate the colors. I think we saw the area at the perfect time of year. If it was overcast, cold, or rainy, we would not have had the same experience. Also, the river seemed to be at full strength, forcefully pounding and shaping the rock at each section of the falls. Looking at other pictures of the river from October, the river levels fluctuate dramatically. Our falls experience would've been different if the river was a trickle rather than a torrent. I didn't see any fish in the river when we were there. A nearby sign indicated that the cold, ultra clean waters did not provide favorable conditions or sufficient food for anything other than small fish. I don't know too much about fish in northwest at this time, but it would surprise me if fish could swim up this river. If there were any fish at Deception Falls, they were stuck between the rapids, living in a calendar year that changes from high water to low water. That doesn't seem like ideal conditions for large fish. There was a bridge near the end of the trail that spanned the most forceful section of the rapids. It was a fitting climax, a moment of triumph and emotion, at the end of the trail. Standing in the center of the bridge is adrenaline inducing. Spray from the rapids hits you along with the thunderous noise of water crashing against rock. You know that the bridge will hold you yet there is a lingering thought in the back of your mind praying for the bridge to stay strong. Continuing forward, a short walk under the bridge provides more views of the water crashing down from above and more opportunities to stand in the mist.

I'd say that the number of stars depends on your experience:…read more If you come here in a super pack day, and you find no parking spot. Super crowded and hard to use your sled. Well, yeah it's gonna be a 2 star review. However if you get here early, remember to bring your own snacks, sleds, when you find lots of parking spots and not so busy... yeah, it will be a 5 star review. In general I'd say that IRON HORSE SLED HILL is good enough for YOUNG children, or people with little experience with snow that want to have fun in a short hill and your sled/tube. It's well groomed, but enter here under your own risk. In a busy day I've seen several accidents (kids bumping into each other) Besides the sled hill, there's also the TH for a good hike, snow shoeing, cross country skiing for FREE. Keep in mind dogs are not allowed, and you need to pay for your parking lot ($25 as of 2024) you can buy the parking permite right there or in advance online. There are restrooms open to public and that's it. No food vendors, so bring your own snack, meal.

I parked here when I came here at the end of July to run the Jack & Jill's Marathon which started…read moreon the Iron Horse Trail. In the middle of the parking lot they had several restrooms and showers. There was a kiosk selling passes. A 1-Day Discover Pass was $10.

Indeed very enchanting place. We did backpacking 3 nights 4…read moredays to experience the core zone as much as possible including off-trail scrambles for Little Annapurna and Enchantment Peak. We went Colchuck to Viviane and traced back since not much to see beyond Viviane. Really nice backpacking. My detailed mileage etc is below blog post. https://himebackpacker.blogspot.com/2024/10/the-enchantments-washington.html

I've done this a couple of times so I'll give you the different perspectives…read more The first time I did it as a one-day hike because I did not have a permit. The second time I did it as a three night hike because it was after October 15th and I still didn't have a permit. Since that time, the permit season has been extended to October 30th. Either way, I suggest that hiking in the fall is the prettiest time due to the larch trees colors. Both times we started at the Stuart Lake trailhead (recommended due to reduced overall elevation gain) and ended at the Snow Lake trailhead. Now at the risk of offending someone I will say that hiking through the Enchantments in one day is like watching a porn movie on fast forward. You miss most of the scenery. My suggestion is to either get a permit, or hike outside of season, preferably in the fall, but stay at least two nights. Given that the hike up Aasgard Pass has an elevation gain of 1900 feet in about a mile, I can attest that it can be quite dangerous when raining. On the East side there will be mud & rock slides and in our case we had to duck out of the way of several large, (18 or so inch diameter) Rocks that came bouncing down the boulders with unpredictable direction at a very high rate of speed. Risks early in the season are snow slides and avalanches, so be very aware of the conditions when you are there. All that said, anyone who does not give this a five and tell you that it's absolutely one of the most beautiful hikes you'll ever take on must know something I don't, and I've hiked the Himalayas. Remember that goats are dangerous. Pee on rocks, not soil because the goats will dig it up for the salt. Try not to let a goat see you peeing or it will run towards you. Try fishing in the lakes; the trout are great for dinner up there. You should also know that when coming down toward the Snow Lake trailhead there are a large number of switchbacks and when you see the cars just down the hill, it will likely be another hour before you get there, and if you did it as a day hike, your feet may not be happy when you finally arrive. If you are a hiker, you must find a way to get this one done before you hang up your boots.

Gorgeous place! We were able to go snowshoeing for free! Plenty of parking on the side of the road…read more Highly recommend bringing hiking poles since it's super icy this season!

Definitely arrive early because the lot with fill up fast! A NW Forest pass is required for…read moreparking. This trail is very rocky so make sure to have good hiking shoes and trekking poles. There was also lots of bugs on this trail so definitely pack bug spray as well. The view is beautiful, a little crowded but I came around 7:30am so it wasn't too bad.

Went tubing here with Chooksty and her mans, James. Just a really good time, despite the…read moresurprisingly overpriced tubing experience at $60(?) per person for tubing rental and shuttle ride to starting point. 2.5 to 3-hour ride bc the paddle for the tube is a literal blue frisbee that is linked to it lolol ...anyway, focusing on just location, the fallen tree hard is a perfect rest stop with guests trying to cross it without falling. Highly recommend water shoes for this. Quite a bit of shore rest stops that people been using as a bio break bc no actual bathroom nearby. Quite a bit of rapid waters sections, so beware because hella rocks in those areas that you may hit. Very nice and cool waters to contrast this sunny weather that only got warmer as the June 2026 day progressed.

Picked this hike from the Washington Trails book, about 9.5 miles roundtrip with a 2700 elevation…read moregain. This was a tough hike, even though I chose it since the book said "moderate" and even looking up some reviews people had said the hike as relatively simple to enjoy a fantastic lake view. We were both pretty dead at the end due to the length and steep inclines. Knees were pretty banged up because of all the rocks. The trail in the beginning wasn't so bad, definitely got my heart pumping because of the elevation, but as you go higher up there were a lot of switchbacks and seemingly no end in sight. We hustled up the mountain pretty quickly though, which was why we were so tired at the end. The view is definitely worth it in the end; recommend bringing a hammock! There's also plenty of sitting area through slabs of rocks. Coming down we encountered: 1) a girl who was crying we believe because of the toughness of the trail, 2) a couple who stopped us to ask how much longer it was to the top (they unfortunately weren't even halfway) which signifies how tough this hike was. Definitely recommend bringing more than enough water or you will definitely be dehydrated (like we were). Otherwise glad we did this and would recommend (you won't regret it but your body will hate you haha).

Came here on a Friday afternoon around 3:30PM, long gravel road to the trailhead, quite a few cars…read moreparked there too. Bathroom and map at the trailhead. Hike is pretty steep, constantly uphill for about 3 miles, all in the trees though. Mosquitoes around, bug spray is good. After 3 miles, trail goes down pretty steeply, lake was really pretty, not very cold water! Sat there for a bit to enjoy the water and view, really calming. Didn't see very many people on the trail, had the lake to ourselves. Bad part of the hike is the need to go back uphill after the lake, but it's not too bad. Took 2 hours to get to the lake, 2 hours back, was a bit dark and got a bit cold towards the end of the hike. Hiking poles definitely helped!

It is 11.5 miles, you have to park your car 2 miles before the trail starts which adds up total or…read more4 extra miles. It would be good idea to go on sunny day and start hike early. We went around 8:00am got at lake around 11:30am, only few small breaks and took 3 hours to come back. When we reached the lake it was mesmerizing. Thinks to remember: 1.Take a lot of water and snacks with you. It is hard hike so stay hydrated. 2. Bug spray if needed we had it but did not use it because bugs were not too bad. 3. Go early to beat the heat and this hike requires $5 day use fee and Northwest forest pass. 4. Since it's not 7.5 miles be ready to do extra 4 miles. Total of 11.5miles This hike was hardest hike for us so far but the view worth the hike. I would highly recommend to go there at lest once in life time. The view is breathtaking!!! Good luck, you will love it.!!

This is an amazing lake in the National Forest near Leavenworth Washington. You have to take a 9…read moremile trail out and back, but it's worth the view if you're physically able.

Colchuck Lake has been on my list for YEARS and one I definitely considered a bucket list trail. I…read morefinally got the chance to do it this past weekend and it was 100% warranted as as bucket list destination. Doing some research before the hike we learned that the parking lot is pretty much full before 7am. We reached there by around 6:45am and it was entirely full and people were parking down the road. We were even as far as at least half a mile away from the actual trailhead when we actually parked, but luckily the walk is pretty flat. The beginning of the trailhead has a bathroom that will have a lengthy line in the morning, and it is gross. Just be prepared! In total, we clocked almost 9 miles round trip and it took us just shy of 7 hours. That said, we did spend about an hour at the top to take in all of the views and the experience as a whole. I knew this trail would be challenging and I'd say it was probably the second hardest I've ever done (maybe the third), with the first being Mailbox Peak. There are some incredibly tough stretches with steep rock stairs and areas where it feels like you're scrambling a ton. There are moderate breaks where the trail flattens, but it's pretty challenging the entire length of the hike. The end point, the actual lake, is entirely worth the pain and "I don't know if I can do this" moments along the way. Absolutely STUNNING. Probably the most unreal colored water I've ever seen with the shade of blue that it was. The mountains encompassing the lake look fake - literally like AI in real life or something. Truly is a great spot to find a nice rock to sit and relax to enjoy lunch and reenergize for the trek down the trail. After hitting the bottom, it was a loooong walk back to the car with us being so wiped. Much to our disappoint we also discovered that ALL of the cars parked along the road received $100 tickets from the Chelan PD, despite there being no signs that said we couldn't park along the road (just on the bridge, which we weren't on). Overall Colchuck Lake was worth the wait and I'm so glad to have seen it finally - I just don't think I'll ever do it again LOL.

Came in March and aalll the trees were leaf-less along the trail, however it was still a pretty…read morewalk along the water. It balanced out all the eating (and/or drinking) that is done in town!

My friend and I had so much fun walking around Blackbird Island (Waterfront Park)! It's such a…read morebeautiful little park with amazing views and a river running through it. We learned that the main loop trail there is about 1.9 miles round-trip. As you cross the bridge onto the island, trails crisscross through a peaceful, natural area with interpretive signs, and you get to hear birds calling and see fish jumping in the water. Fun fact: Blackbird Island was formed from silt left by the old Lamb-Davis Lumber Mill, making it part of the reclaimed land that now hosts this lovely park. It's a great place to stretch your legs, get fresh air, enjoy nature, and just take in the views. I highly recommend stopping here if you're in Leavenworth!

Wallace Falls definitely deserves enough time to complete all the way through, 3 hours minimum!! Do…read morenot underestimate the time you think you'll take, especially if you love stopping for photos lol. Right from the start of the hike, I appreciated that there were signs showing the latest time you should be back by (8:40 pm closing time), along with phone numbers to call if you ever needed help. I also liked how about every half mile to mile, there were mile markers or detailed maps showing where you were and what else to expect depending on how far you planned to go. And honestly... there were just SO MANY beautiful nature sights with every step. The river flowing alongside most of the trail, the moss-covered trees, the little wildflowers and mushrooms popping up here and there! Everything was just so pretty!! It felt like we couldn't walk more than a few steps without stopping to take photos because we were in constant awe haha. Although we weren't able to make it all the way up to the Upper Falls due to the sun setting, getting to see both the Lower and Middle Falls was still such a gorgeous and accomplishing experience. I especially loved how from the Lower Falls, you can also see the Middle Falls in the distance! And the Middle Falls itself, absolutely awe-striking!! Overall, such a memorable and beautiful hike! I'll definitely have to come back and complete it all the way to the top next time lol

Very great dog friendly hike. My dog is a big fluff ball and loved wading in the river towards the…read morelast part of the trail. Well maintained. Even though the parking lot was full, there were moments where there was no one else close to us on the trailhead. Personally the middle falls had the best view though a bit obstructed for photos. I completed the upper falls back in 2016 and remembered not being as impressed so I opted out and stopped at the middle falls. My dog was also likely to resist as he was pretty tired by the middle falls. Needs discover pass. The entrance has a small water fountain but definitely bring water. There are no trash areas along the way so make a plan if you have a dog.