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    Colchuck Lake

    4.8 (18 reviews)

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    Laura G.

    All of the beauty that is written about Colchuck Lake is true. It is stunning!!! The fact that you have to hike a hard nine miles into it makes the experience even more special. Of course one of the reasons that I say nine hard miles is because of the elevation gain of 2293 ft ... that's a lot for a Floridian. The added kicker is that the last mile to the lake is the hardest. The trail started out easy and had me thinking that it will not be so bad but about a mile and a half in it started to feel like exercise. A few more miles in and it felt like boot camp. Most people say that they completed the hike in five hours. My daughter and I took longer and were thoroughly exhausted at the end of the day. The beauty from start to finish made the entire experience worth it.

    Beautiful!
    Rex C.

    Well, we just hike this bad boy today,It is a doozy. First i got to tell you, there will be three small "bridge" and then two big "bridge" and after that its just over the ridge. For us ,we took our time and see the sights and took some photos. Average is around 3 to 4 hours going up there if you are leisure about it , remember its not how fast you get to the destination..its about savoring it. On other note we did this on a weekday so ,it wasn't bad but if you do this in a weekend...be prepared to park far away. Today is 28May2021 and we made it there! The view are amazing but remember there are still some snow so be careful. Ohh ya i added a picture of my trusty stick.. you never know when you need one!

    Nita L.

    Absolutely worth the effort to hike up to Colchuck Lake ! This 10 mile trail does not have any beautiful views on the way, but the finish is just breathtaking. The turquoise blue waters of the pristine colchuck lake is a feast for your eyes. Be sure to carry spare clothes and give yourself a treat by jumping into the cold water! This is a 10 mile round trip contrary to the 8 mile claim on WTA. Very rocky and steep in the second half. An average hiker would take about 3 hours to go up and 2 hours to come back down. Dogs are not allowed. Northwest Forest Pass needed to park in the parking lot. You can buy a day pass for $5 either online or pay cash onsite.

    Colchuck Lake
    Kub V.

    My little legs clocked me in at 10.6 miles, 5.3 in and 5.3 out. It starts out easy and gradually gets tougher with the elevation gain, rocks, tree root paths. Get to the trailhead early, we were there in mid July, by 5 am to start hiking (no issues finding parking at that time). I'm not a hard core hiker just do it for fun so it took took 4 hours to get up and just under 2 hours to come down. Was a beautiful clear day.

    Absolutely stunning lale
    Marina H.

    What an amazing hike this is... It's definitely need for the beginner hiker. It's 5 miles out and back with an elevation gain of over 2700ft. But the reward is soooo worth it when you get to see the majestic lake in front of you with the towering mountains surrounding it. It's like a place you only find in fairy tales. It's absolutely amazing! The trailhead is within the national park so you'd need the annual pass showing from your vehicle or you can always pay the daily fee. There are envelopes provided at the trailhead. Bring a pen since pens aren't provided! It had rained the night before so the trail itself was muddy and at the higher elevations, there was slush from the melting snow. It's definitely a great choice to bring hiking sticks. There is a toilet near the lake but it's an "open air" toilet so you're seating there in all your glory if you decide to use it. You'd need someone to be a "watcher" for anyone else coming up the trail Besides the usual "necessities" that's needed, all I can say is take your time on the trail. There are so many things to see and enjoy. Give yourself the entire day to hike it. I'd really like to hike this trail again one day!!

    Josh W.

    Crystal clear blue lake. Make sure to either go super early or on a weekday to beat the crowds. If you're really feeling like seeing some views then doing the whole Enchantments is the way to go. Make sure to check recent trail reports and also check the weather.

    Leticia V.

    This hike is intense! Took us 2.5 hours to get to the lake. It was uphill most of the way and felt like it was NEVER going to end! Picture a stair stepper from hell! I would've appreciated it more had I not wanted to crawl in a ball and cry! Let me tell you though, once we got to the top, IT WAS WORTH IT!!! The most beautiful blue lake I've ever seen! The water was clear to the bottom and cold! It felt so good to dip our legs in and wash off all our dirt and sweat! We had lunch up there and just appreciated our surroundings! I would recommend this hike. The way down is easier and you feel like a badass for making it to the top. All in all it took us 5 hours, so make sure you pack a good lunch and lots of H20!!

    Jaynalin A.

    It is a very difficult hike (if you're a beginner like me), but the view.. the view is worth it! Would I ever do this hike again ? Hahaha probably not. It was a great experience though. 5 stars for the view, 3 stars for the hike.

    It's a beautiful view and the hardest climb for me. There is no parking If you come later and need to park far away.

    The lake
    Peter B.

    The most amazing and beautifulest hike I have ever been on! If you aren't active and haven't been on a hike almost 10 miles long, I would not recommend this hike because the difficulty level is probably at 7. The hike took me and my two friends, who are active hikers, about 2 and a half hours to complete going up the mountain, including breaks. We went in the spring time where there was still snow towards higher elevation. Note- If you go around this time, be sure to bring boots or hiking shoes with good traction to prevent slipping! Towards the middle of the hike there is a lot of switch backs! So be prepared for that! Once you reach the top, you'll feel like you are in heaven! The view of the lake and the mountains will leave you breathless!

    Christina M.

    When can I do it again? I relish the day that I can get a permit to backpack the entirety of the Enchantments, but on this occasion, Colchuck Lake was gonna have to tide me over. And did it ever. The hike in was strenuous, but I'd also just done Mailbox Peak, so it was easier in comparison (but not easy by any means). I had no trekking poles with me, which my knees kindly thank me for (not), but it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. The trail is mostly easy to follow and takes you straight to the camping area and an overlook of Colchuck Lake. They don't even make an emoji to convey the look on my face. It was the equivalent of "f me sideways." I'd seen pictures of the Enchantments and always thought they looked magical, but this. Sylvester style tongue and jaw on ground. I was in actual awe. Between the turquoise clear blue waters of the lake, the mountain goat that doesn't seem to care you're even there, and the endless mountains covered in glaciers--like, what more could you want? You forget that your thighs are on fire as you look out over the lake. Walking around it for alternate vantage points was great too. The way in took me 2.5 hours, 1.5 on the way out. Spent an hour walking around the lake, but probably could have spent the better portion of the day. Also! Of note! This trail is 4.8 miles each way, not 4 (WTA states this as an 8m RT). And that's just to the initial overlook/campsite. The hike around the lake is up and down, over boulders and tree roots as well, so that's definitely something to factor in! There weren't many people on the trail and I started late (for me) at 8:30. By the time I was coming back down at noon, there were heaps of people (all very courteous and friendly), and the trailhead parking lot had filled in tremendously. Once I got back to my car, I headed straight to Icicle Brewing for a half of the German Chocolate Cake Ale, the thought of which got me through the last 3 miles (the temps jumped from 55 to 80 while I was hiking. I was dressed for 55, not 80). After Mailbox Peak, I said to myself, never again. Would I do this trail again? Every opportunity possible.

    Arthur A.

    All I can say about this hike is that it is the first time I've ever reached the end of a hike and wanted to tear up at how God can make something so beautiful. The journey is arduous which made the end even sweeter. Colchuck Lake itself is a 3 hour drive from Seattle so plan ahead. The hike itself was pretty difficult. Colchuck is the hardest hike I've done besides Mailbox. It is a 9 mi roundtrip trail and the lake is over 5,000 ft up. The trail is in relatively good condition but you're going to have to climb over a lot of rocks along with your switchbacks. Getting down to the lake is really hard but man... that view makes everything worth.

    Blue waters!
    Hannah Y.

    8 mi roundtrip, 2,280 ft. elevation gain. Extremely difficult hike, would not recommend this for beginners. I was a beginner and I tried tackling this hike and my legs nearly collapsed from exhaustion. I was sore for a week afterwards . BUT definitely worth it and you don't think anything of it once you get to the top. I motivated myself to get to the top by imagining that there was a Korean BBQ rest. at the top end point of the hike haha! Directions: To reach the trailhead, turn onto Icicle Creek Road from US2 on the very western edge of Leavenworth. Drive 8.4 miles and turn left onto Forest Service Road 7601. Follow the bumpy, sometimes potholed dirt road 3.7 miles to the Stuart Lake trailhead. Parking for about 20-30 cars and a toilet are available in the lot. Make sure to buy the Northwest Forest Pass prior to arriving. You can buy that online.

    Don't get fooled by these rocks! A lot of people attempted to climb on these, including us. Keep an eye where the trails are.

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    Review Highlights - Colchuck Lake

    Of course one of the reasons that I say nine hard miles is because of the elevation gain of 2293 ft ...

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    Osprey Rafting Company - Rented snowboard boots and helmet very affordable

    Osprey Rafting Company

    3.8(129 reviews)
    9.0 mi
    $$$

    We were looking for a fun adventure that the whole family could enjoy. My son had just turned 10…read moreand wanted to take one of his school buddies with him. We read the reviews online and called them to book our adventure. We were treated with kindness and respect from the time that we got there. We signed the requisite waivers and were told that the rapids head tamed down to class three which was very manageable and safe for the family. They outfit you with wet suits and boots and it's suggested that you bring your own hats, sunglasses and sunscreen. Our guy took the time to get to know all the folks that were in our group and arranged us in the raft, according to our age and abilities. My son and his friend sat towards the back of the raft, which turned out to be the safest and driest location. After a short walk-through of expectations and paddling instruction, we got underway. Smooth sailing for the 1st mile or so, and then we hit our first group of rapids. The guy did an outstanding job of keeping us afloat and telling us which side to paddle aggressively, and which side to back off on. Throughout the day, this continued and we hit several more aggressive rapids that were challenging, but a lot of fun. Photographers are located throughout the course and will get some great pictures of your group as you head down the river. They are available for purchase at the end. Overall, a great experience and a great day with osprey rafting company. Highly recommended!

    After stopping at two of the ski/snowboard rental options in town, we decided to check out Osprey…read more Fantastic customer service and great prices. My family and I were treated with respect and attention to detail in the customer service received was excellent, even going out of their way to place phone calls to verify operation hours for the day for us on the hill. We will definitely recommend this location to all of our family and friends and will be stopping by again next time we are in the area. They do rental tubings in the summer to River flow and snow supplies in the winter for the nearby ski hill.

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    Osprey Rafting Company
    Osprey Rafting Company - The Tieton River all September long!

    The Tieton River all September long!

    Osprey Rafting Company - Paddleboarding is a FUN and leisurely way to hit the river on a hot summer day!

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    Paddleboarding is a FUN and leisurely way to hit the river on a hot summer day!

    Colchuck Lake - hiking - Updated May 2026

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