Colchuck Lake

Colchuck Lake sits at 1,701 meters in a granite cirque directly below Dragontail Peak and Aasgard Pass. The lake shifts between deep blue in shadow and electric turquoise in sunlight, fed by snowmelt and glacial flour. At 12.9 km round trip with 695 meters of gain, it delivers a world-class alpine payoff for moderate effort.

The trail starts on Stuart Lake Trail 1599 and climbs gradually through old-growth forest along Mountaineer Creek for the first 2.4 km. After crossing a log bridge, the path steepens and the forest opens. At the junction, the Colchuck spur branches left, crosses another bridge, then switchbacks steeply through boulders and roots to the lakeshore. The final approach is rough and rocky but short.

The lake basin is the staging ground for Aasgard Pass and the Enchantments traverse. Scramblers heading for Dragontail Peak, Little Annapurna, or the upper Enchantments all pass through here. Even as a standalone destination, the scale of the surrounding granite walls makes this one of the most dramatic lake settings in the Cascades.

Overnight camping requires an Enchantments permit from Recreation.gov between May 15 and October 31. Day hikers need only a Northwest Forest Pass. No dogs allowed. The trailhead access road (FR 7601) closes in winter, typically November through May, adding significant distance to winter approaches.