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!

Riverside Park runs alongside the Wenatchee River in Cashmere. A paved walking path extends along…read morethe river and is beautiful to walk in the autumn. I recently walked this trail with my uncle and my aunt the three mornings I was in Cashmere visiting them (the 10th, 11th, and 12th of November 2020). The leaves were various colors and had started falling over the path, the branches of the trees filtered in the sunlight in patches providing a very autumn feel while walking. Along the river the wind can be strong so if walking in cooler temperatures it is a good idea to wear multiple layers. My uncle and I walked down one of the slopes by the walking trail to the river's edge. Across the river Highway 2 was rumbling with cars and trucks on their way to somewhere. In addition to the walking trail there is a large field area, multiple playgrounds one of which in primarily devoted to swings, a paved skate park and a dirt skate park, and a large picnic area where one can sit and relax. I spotted a couple of restroom buildings but did not go over to check if they were open or closed (due to COVID-19). A cement ramp leads into the river and provides a place one could launch or remove a river rafting boat from the water. On each of our visits, the park was calm and not too busy with people.

So pretty!! I just…read morecame here for the weekend and I love it. The walks here are stunning. The views of chelan. The mountains! The choppy water. Amazing panoramic views all over. Park is currently open but faculties are closed. Still make it a fun little stop on your walk/ run or even a drive. Beautiful views!

Amazing cute little park in the cutest town. Walking distance from our hotel . We walked to rent a…read moreboat from Shoreline at this park one day. Best service! Walked here and swam wit the fam. Lifeguards are super friendly! And they have life jackets at park to borrow - how kind is that. You can walk into the water and swim. Another plus is there are actual bathrooms and they were clean!

This multi purpose linear park runs along the Columbia River incorporating a number of test…read moregardens, a 10-mile bicycle/walking path, and the Art on the Avenues Sculpture Garden. I spent a few hours in the early evening and the following morning walking along the handicapped accessible path. I believe there are currently 88 sculptures with most of them available for purchase though a few are owned by the Art on the Avenues organization. The park attracts both young and old.

Huge park but just gravel, no agility activities or water features. Nice places for people to sit…read morebut boring for dogs

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.

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.

On a recent longgggg drive from Idaho to Bellingham, my daughter was hoping for one last river swim…read morebefore the end of our vacation. I had bookmarked a state park in Wenatchee, but as we were driving into town I noticed this park alongside the mighty Columbia so we drove in to check it out. This is a very large park with immense, shaded grassy areas, a boat launch, and a large, roped-off swimming area. We were there on a hot Saturday afternoon and the park was not at all crowded - there were a few families enjoying the river, but it almost seemed like we had stumbled upon a secret place that not many people know about. There's no fee to use the park, parking is free, and there's a nice bathroom area to change in. I was impressed at how clean the entire place was, it is obviously very well maintained. It was hard to leave and get back on the road for the long drive ahead!

Clean, quiet, cold water. Enjoyed the secret spot after trying to get to Chelan and Crescent Bar…read more Both were ridiculously crowded.

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.

Colchuck Lake is one of the most beautiful, if not the most beautiful alpine lake I've seen. It is…read moreabsolutely worth a hike to get there, and many others would agree, given the often full trailheads early in the morning during nice weather, even on weekdays. You just cannot beat the views and the stunning blue water of the lake. We did an out/back hike, but plenty of others were planning to hike a lot more of the Enchantment Trail. Bring plenty of water, snacks, take breaks as you need it, and enjoy the view (and possibly a dip) at the lake when you get there!

Gorgeous views of unique rock formations, the Enchantment Mountains and town of Cashmere. Make sure…read moreto go counterclockwise and it is easier easiest to return the same route for an out and back. We did the complete loop however coming down was extremely steep and unsafe at some areas due to slides. Not ideal for kids due to very steep trail trails and unsecure ground. We also noticed several ticks along the way. Keep your eyes out for marmots too. Enter through the cute garden gate just past the restrooms. Be sure you already have a WA State Discovery Pass since there's no pay machine.

What Peshastin Pinnacles State Park lacks in total hiking trail length it makes up in vertical gain…read moreardor. Views from the top of the pinnacles on a clear sunny day are absolutely stunning and the climb adds a bit of physical satisfaction in working up a slight sweat to reach the vista points. A helicopter pad is located closer to the parking lot/entrance, guessing in part in case of an emergency be it a snake bite, rock climber fall, or hiker tumble. It is a great place for a short, difficult hike. However, ropes and other rock climbing supplies strewn across the trail can detract from the overall experience. During the summer of 2021 the park was closed due to extreme fire risk. Fortunately this was communicated both on the website and at the driving entrance.

Part of the Fascinating infrastructure of Washington along the Columbia river. I believe there are…read moreseveral dams that provide energy to the areas along the river but also protect the wildlife. You can attend a free tour.

Ok.......wow pretty neat place like Bonneville dam to learn about the fish ladder. It's free so pay…read morea visit. It's pretty comprehensive with 4 levels. There was a model display of the salmon. You can see the salmon swim back and forth. There was the historical part of display on the 1st level. You can bring a snack/lunch and eat outdoors. A lot of parking. There is an outdoor playground. It's definitely great for young kids and older adults. They have purell dispensers everywhere as well as purell wipes.