Colchuck Lake is one of the prettiest alpine lakes in the region. The trail to the lake climbs steeply through shaded woods before reaching the the turquoise waters of the lake delivering those spectacular views of Dragontail and Colchuck peaks.
Map: View our topo map (8.5’x11” portrait/landscape or 8.5”x14” portrait/landscape). Note: use ‘Print Preview’ before printing to properly scale this map to a full sheet of paper.
Activity: Hiking, Trail Running
Nearest Town: Leavenworth
Skill Level: 2 (Intermediate)
Fitness Level: Hiking: 2 (intermediate). Trail Running:3 (difficult).
Fees/Permits: Permit season for overnight trips to Colchuck Lake is mid-June until mid-October. Call the Leavenworth Ranger Office ( 509-548-6977 ) to learn how to reserve a permit and/or how to pick one up on the day of your trip. A Northwest Forest Pass is also needed to park at the trailhead.
Access: Follow Highway 2 to Leavenworth and at west end of town turn south onto the Icicle Road, following signs to the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery. Stay on the Icicle Road for about 8.6 miles. Near the Bridge Creek Campground, turn left onto Forest Service Road 7601 (The Eighmile Road). Follow Road 7601 for four miles to the Mountaineer Creek Trailhead. This is the starting point for both Colchuck Lake and Stuart Lake. A Northwest Forest Pass is needed to park here.
Trip Instructions. Leave the parking lot on the well-marked trail. The trail follows Mountaineer Creek for about a mile then crosses the the creek on a log footbridge. Now the trails starts climbing to a trail juntion at about the 2.5-mile mark. Go left (the right trail goes to Stuart Lake in another 2.5 miles). In a very short distance, you'll recross the creek and then hop over boulders heading upstream. Then you'll start climbing steadily again. About two switchbacking miles after the trail junction mentioned above you'll reach Colchuck Lake with its beautiful blue water and it's stunning views of Dragontail and Colchuck peaks. Once at the lake, a maze of smaller spur trails works counter-clockwise around the lake. Take a little bit of time to walk part way around the lake--you'll find good viewpoints, pretty rock slabs to lounge on, swimming holes, and camping sites.
Not allowed. Because Colchuck Lake is in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, dogs are not allowed. Motorized travel is also prohibitted.
More Info/Links: This link from the Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce covers the details of the trip.
Condition Update: June 23, 2007 -- Trail in good condition. Occassional windfall crosses the path around the lake, but it is easily circumnavigated.
Leave It Better Than You Found It: This should be every outdoor user’s goal. Pick up trash left by others, pull noxious weeds along your route, disperse old fire rings (they encourage more fires), throw branches over spur trails and spurs between switchbacks (make it harder to do the wrong thing than the right thing).
Important Disclaimer: Treat this information as recommendations, not gospel. Things change, conditions change, and those contributing these reports are volunteers--they may make mistakes, fail to give complete information, or may not know all the issues affecting a route. So forget about finger pointing: If things go wrong, you are completely responsible for yourself and your actions. If you can’t live with that, you are prohibited from using our information.