Alpine Lakes Wilderness is a huge area including the Enchantment and Big Heart Lake-Necklace Valley…read moreloop. These two are the one I backpacked in this wilderness, and super beautiful. However, there are literally tons of other hiking available here. For detail My blog for the Enchantment https://himebackpacker.blogspot.com/2024/10/the-enchantments-washington.html My blog for the Big Heart Lake-Necklace Valley loop https://himebackpacker.blogspot.com/2024/11/big-heart-lake-necklace-vally-loop.html

Alpine Lakes is a large wilderness area west of Leavenworth full of multiday long trails. While I…read moredidn't take any multiday hikes or reach any of the alpine lakes, I was able to explore the area with afternoon or post work hikes. Before arriving in Leavenworth, I was originally intending to fish some of the lakes in the wilderness. However, this would have require more planning and effort that I was able to exert during my time in the area. I bet the lakes are pristine. Maybe I will be able to fish in them on a future date. The quality trails in the area generally lead hikers through the valleys, creeping up the mountains. There are great views of the snow-capped peaks from most parts of the trail and when there isn't one in view, there are usually rapids rushing down a nearby creek or river. In this part of the country, there are no small creeks. If there is a blue line on google maps, you can count on loud whitewater, rather than small trickle in June. Part of the wilderness shows signs of fire damage that occurred 4 years ago, although there is significant regrowth of small pine trees and bushes retaking the mountainside. This is a dramatic contrast from the burned landscapes that we saw in Arizona, California, or Nevada, where a fire from previous years would show little signs of regrowth, almost as if the fire was the earth's first step on its march toward becoming a desert.

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.

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.

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!

A beautiful PNW wonderland!…read more Worth the 3.3 miles at 3k ft elevation gain! But please READ*********important**** NO ONE IS GOING TO CLEAN UP AFTER YOU! Nobody!! It's disgusting how much trash & liter I saw. Toilet paper on the trail and the lake?! Gross!!! Granola wrappers , socks, shorts, towels randomly left behind !? An apple core floating in the lake?! Seriously just pack a couple of plastic grocery bags/trash bags in your camel back & pack it out!!! Not that difficult & seriously who does this?! They're ruining our beautiful forest. animals live there, not us. Clean up after yourself!

Difficulty: Easy Time: 15 minutes…read more Gear: Nike free runs, North face backpack Group: 3 People Temp: 85F (+/-) Bear lake (summer): So obviously a car full of grown men got lost and stumbled up on this trailhead instead of Pilchuck. The road to this trailhead gets very rocky with a lot of pot holes so please be careful. I don't advise bringing a nice car - use a car that's meant for these dirt, rough terrain roads. The drive there is deep as you ascend up the mountain by car and park on the side of the road. Immediately you'll see a large sign to help guide you. The hike is very fun with mild elevation gain and a lot of flat ground and natural terrain. You can tell not many people come here. its a very quick 15 minute hike till you get to this beautiful open source lake. Its absolutely gorgeous. There's a spot for a campfire as well. I highly recommend coming here. The trail also splits into a fork; one going to bear lake and the other pinnacle lake. Pinnacle lake is just roughly an hour to an hour thirty minute hike. Do not attempt when it just rained because the trail is muddy and all dirt. Both places are beautiful and a must for anyone that loves hiking There are ALOT of mosquitoes at this time so wear repellant. I would also reccomend some real hiking shoes if you're attempting pinnacle. Its an ankle breaker at some points

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.

My ex and I were members of this club but I moved away and haven't been there in years. I love the…read moregrounds, the lake, the people. I have not one criticism. You'll love this family friendly park. They do everything possible to keep everybody safe. Awesome. Can't wait to go visit again.

Awesome resort for nude camping in the PNW! Don't miss this gem, located near Sultan, WA! Heritage…read moreDays Festival begins Aug 2 thru Aug 5, 2025!! Tent sites $15, RV pad hookups, small cabin rentals, waterfalls 85 ft high, nudity required when near water borne areas of the resort ((i.e. hot tub, pool, lake, waterfalls, stream, steam bath, sauna, etc.)) Come out and tan all over with the whole Family for fun, sun and nudity this Summer!! Don't miss the Heritage Days Festival!!

Convenient little store that prevents a 45 minute round trip into "town". And emergency gas. You…read morewouldn't want to necessarily fill up here.

I rented kayaks from here and took my family out to Lake Roesinger. My parents are in their 60s and…read morehave never kayaked before, neither had my 13 year old nephew. We all had such a blast! The service at the store was absolutely wonderful! So nice and very helpful. The kayaks were great, we felt safe and reassured with the life vests and whistles they provided, and the lake was just perfect! My family will think back on this as a very fond memory for years to come. Great service, great product, great day! My nephew says he gives the store a 6 out of 5!

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.