If you’re looking for an amazing autumn getaway near Seattle and you’ve already visited the beautiful crystal clear Blue Lake, head to Colchuck Lake as it is just as gorgeous! Another alpine lake, Colchuck Lake is surrounded by mountains and lined with plenty of boulders to sit on and snack the afternoon away. Take a dip if you dare, but remember your quick-dry towel and warm puffy jacket because Colchuck Lake sits at an elevation of 5,570 feet. We hiked Colchuck during the final weekend of September when the undergrowth was popping with color, the air was crisp, the sun was hiding, and the breeze encouraged a quick pace to the top.
While these two Seattle weekend getaway destinations are each about 2.5 hours away, hiking to Colchuck Lake is considerably more difficult than that of Blue Lake. If you are considering hiking with kids, see my note at the bottom of the post. Colchuck Lake is an out and back trail, with a roundtrip of eight miles and an elevation gain of 2,300 feet. Don’t let me scare you off, if you’re in any kind of shape you can hike Colchuck Lake, it’s just that Blue Lake is very easy for an equally awesome view.
My hiking partner and I made it up to Colchuck Lake in two hours. We passed dozens of people and treated it like a workout instead of a walk, but we also packed very light, while others had backpacks crammed with gear and hopefully snacks.
Most of the trail to Colchuck Lake is a gradual incline with two sections gaining more altitude with each step. The first section is right after passing over a log bridge on Mountaineer Creek. Take a water break here and step it into high gear for 3/4 of a mile as you climb with more intensity. Soon after you’ll see signs for Stuart Lake and Colchuck Lake. I haven’t been to Stuart, but I hear it is an easier ramble and equally beautiful. Turn left and keep moving towards Colchuck. Soon after you’ll come to another log bridge. The trail is a bit confusing here as you hop boulders, but veer to the right and after just a few dozen yards you’ll be back along the bank of the creek leaving the boulders behind.
Soon the trail will begin to climb again. At first the switchbacks are gentle, but the closer you get to the lake, the more it resembles a stair master. Don’t be discouraged. Stop and take a break at one or all of the many vistas you come upon. Enjoy the journey as the views open up over the valley that you just climbed out of. After a final steep stretch, the trail will swoop to the right, drop a few steps, and all at once reveal beautiful, glistening Colchuck Lake.
The trail seemingly stops at an enormous piece of granite overlooking the lake. This is where many stop to eat lunch and enjoy the view. We scrambled down to a private little rock of our own to shiver and snack and admire Colchuck Lake. To the right you see Colchuck Glacier and Colchuck Peak though it’s true summit is tucked out of view at this elevation. Looking across the water, you’ll see Dragontail Peak and to the left is Aasgard Pass. This climb serves as a shortcut to the Enchantments, however, we hadn’t planned on extending our hike so we simply sat and stared and snapped some pictures before heading back down. For more on Aasgard Pass and hiking the Enchantments check out the links.
How to Find Colchuck Lake :
To hike to Colchuck Lake, you’ll want to start at the Stuart Lake trailhead and parking area. Here’s how to find it: Drive Highway 2 to milepost 99, found on the western edge of the Bavarian village of Leavenworth. Turn south onto Icicle Creek Road, which is well maintained for the most part. Turn left after 8.5 miles onto Forest Service Road #7601. You’ll see a sign for Stuart Lake and Eightmile Trailhead.
Continue up this dirt road for about 4 miles until you reach a large parking lot and trailhead. There will be plenty of cars parked along the road to alert you that you’re close. Depending on the season, I recommend driving all the way to the trailhead to see if you can luck out with a spot. You definitely need to do this if you don’t have a parking pass because you’ll need to buy one at the trailhead and leave the receipt on your dashboard. While the access road is pretty decent, it becomes washboarded as the season progresses, so high clearance vehicles are obviously better, but we saw lots of low clearance vehicles including a plenty without 4WD.
Packing for Colchuck Lake :
- 2+ liters of water
- hearty snacks to enjoy at the lake
- extra layers for relaxing at the top (it will be a little chilly if you go in the fall)
- quick dry towel in case you want to jump in
- sunglasses
- camera – here’s mine + here’s Kate’s
- the ten essentials
Hiking Colchuck Lake with Kids :
While we love hiking with kiddos, we also try to set realistic expectations here. Unless you are comfortable carrying your kids in an Ergo or backpack, I would leave the kids at home for this one. This hike is probably suitable for youngins over the age of 12, although we did see one adventurous family with their two boys ages 6 and 8 (I’m guessing). We passed this family on the way up to the lake and then on the way back down at which point they asked us, ‘How much further to the top?’ The dad did not look enthused and the mom looked slightly bummed as if to say, ‘what did I get us into?!’ Eight miles is a lot and the steep part is at the end, just before the lake, which makes it tough for kids who may not be able to envision the light lake at the end of the tunnel trail.