If you're visiting Leavenworth, don't skip this--this is the kind of experience that stays with you…read morelong after the trip ends. We visited Enchantment Park during Thanksgiving week, just one day after a beautiful snowfall, and it truly felt like stepping into a winter postcard. We parked in the main lot where there are clean restrooms, a playground, a skateboard park, and even a designated sledding hill -- perfect for families and outdoor lovers alike. Everything was easy to access and well maintained. From there, we hiked the 2 mile scenic trail that winds along the banks of the Wenatchee River. The snow-dusted trees and river views were absolutely breathtaking. We crossed over to Blackbird Island, which is a fantastic spot for photos -- especially with fresh snow on the ground. The walking paths connecting from Commercial Street make the park incredibly convenient to access right from downtown. It was an exhilarating, refreshing, and healthy hike -- the perfect way to spend a crisp late-November day.

A good hike at enchantment park. Super easy walk for all ages and good pictures…read more Several people with dogs - on leash Easy to find.

We picked up a loop connector spot for 2 at 5am with 3 days to spare before our hike. When I had…read morechecked the week prior, there had been no openings for the day we were originally hoping to hike, so we pivoted for the following week, but applied for the 4am pick up time. It took 48hrs for that request to be reviewed and approved, and by the time it had been, there must have been cancellations or something for the original day we wanted to hike, so I snagged those quick! Pick up time was very prompt, we were the last group to arrive for pick up, so as soon as we got in the car, we were driven up to the colchuck hike entry point and got to start a smidge early. Our driver was safe and personable. I am totally blanking on his name, but I think he owns the company. This is just his side gig too; does this little drop off in the morning and the sits down to work. Such a good idea! Ultimately, this service was just what we needed and very easy to manage!

Definitely beats bringing 2 cars to hike the Enchantments. Simply park where you end up and get a…read moreride to the beginning. Super simple and organized.

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.

The Old Pipeline trail is great for a fairly easy and close stroll in the Leavenworth area. The…read moretrail is pretty well-maintained. The bridge is very cool to walk across and see, and as a bonus there is a small little beach area along the river that our dogs very much enjoyed. Some parts of shaded in some parts of expose, so just know that if you are planning to walk this trail in the middle of a hot summer day.

Man o Man! this is a cool bridge. It is an old water pipeline carry water for steam locomotives…read moreentering a nearby tunnel. they simply cut it in half and made it a walking bridge! the trail goes on for quite a while, but would be nice if you could easily get to the waters edge. there are some great pools to float in if you could get down to them! They even have restrooms and a sandy beach on the highway side of river. don't blow by this little gem when visiting Leavenworth, you will love it!

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.

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.

Let's start this review with a copy of the websites information -…read more South Campground open to 1st come, 1st served camping ---The South Campground is open with a limited number of sites available. The North Campground is still closed due to lingering snow and is expected to reopen around May 1. Until May 7, all campsites throughout the area are offered on a first come, first served basis. Because the roads in the South Campground are narrow, RVs and trailers longer than 20 feet cannot be accommodated, and water and electric RV hookups are not available. Exterior water remains turned off throughout the campground, but restroom facilities are open. Payment is by cash/check at the campground bulletin board. $23/night and $10/night for any extra vehicle until April 1st when fees change. Review--- SO this is exactly what the website says. Then you call and the nice ranger person says YES we open, first come first serve. Pay and camp any place in the south lot. So you and your group heads out to this great place only to be told after you drive in, set up, pay and get ready for a relaxing evening.... "Sorry we are closed and you need to move your vehicles." After a lot of interaction with one nice Ranger (Zach) explaining our situation of car camping and tent camping. Going over the website and other details. He needed to get the next Ranger. Second ranger; very grouchy borderline rude. Again Explaining the website says open and camping allowed. And multiple wellllllll you might need to move cars. I was like, NO the site says open and we are camping. After a lot of back and forth: We got to stay. While we were there (2 nights); 3 other groups who also read the forest website showed up. All ready to camp. Fortunately for them we already encountered all the back and forth about closed not closed ect so they did not get the rather rude ranger up in their business. Overall a great camp ground with running water in the main building by the lake (soon others as things warm up), hot water, flat tent areas and a great hiking trail system around. A clean camp ground, please folks keep it that way. Help those workers out. But trash Inside the bins (2 people day use could not read and put there crap on top of the open-able trash cans). I liked our winter adventure, however; I will not be returning anytime soon. Other camp grounds open in May and have much nicer employees to interact with.

Great spot near Leavenworth to get your family outdoors. We went in the winter. There was a cute…read morelittle store and lots of snow on the snow hill. We also use the snow park and took out the snowmobiles. The store has lot ofs tuff including food, supplies, souvenirs and even gifts. Overall, just a really great clean State park with great views and lots of room for activities.

A 6-mile roundtrip hike of 1800 ft elevation gain that rewards you with an aerial view of…read moreLeavenworth! The hike is of a moderate level and took us about three hours including resting time at the top. Make sure to wear shoes with grip to prevent slipping on the dirt trail. No restrooms are available at the trailhead. The beginning and end of the trail is primarily a walk through a forest, while the middle section is out in the open showing a different view of Leavenworth. Not much wildlife was seen besides a couple of birds. The flowers weren't in season and we mostly saw dandelions. Once you reach the peak, there is a clearing to enjoy the mountains and village view. No parking pass or fee is required. The parking lot is the small loop encountered after turning in from Icicle Road. A No Parking sign upon entry had confused us, but it refers to the road itself so as to not block the entryway and leave way. If you continue along the loop, there is a sign for parallel parking on the left side as well as blocks of parking lots to the side. Only two other cars were parked when we arrived at 7:20 AM on Friday, and most of the spots were filled when we returned at 10:20 AM.