The town of Leavenworth in Washington state is a small, Bavarian-themed town about two hours east of Seattle. On our list of best hikes near Leavenworth, WA, we'll explore the top 12 hikes you have to do in the area and what makes them so spectacular!
Leavenworth is surrounded by some of the most pristine wilderness in Washington state and unbelievably beautiful hiking trails.
12 Best Hikes near Leavenworth List
Eightmile Lake Trail
Snow Lakes Trail
Minotaur Lake Trail
Alpine Lookout via Round Mountain
Labyrinth Mountain
Best Leavenworth Hikes Map
Use this map to explore the best hikes near Leavenworth, and read about them below!
Leavenworth, Washington Sticker
Colchuck Lake via Stuart Lake
Distance from Leavenworth: 25 minutes
Why hike it? Famous views of the Enchantments
Permit: Northwest Forest Pass
The Colchuck Lake trail gains 2,280 feet in elevation over 4.5 miles. It is an out-and-back trail that requires you to turn around once you reach the lake to make it back to your car unless you're going to do the thru-hike!
Elevation Gain | Distance | Time Required | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
2,280 ft | 9 miles | 5 hrs | 7/10 |
The trail begins after driving up the less-than-well-maintained road to the Stuart Lake Trailhead. The first part of the hike is easy. For 1.5 miles, you'll enjoy a beautiful creek-side trail that meanders through the woods. Little elevation gain is encountered here. It's only after crossing a bridge that the real difficulty begins!
The trail ends at Colchuck Lake and is famous for its incredible views into the Enchantments. The mountain behind the lake is Dragontail Peak. To the right, you'll see Colchuck Peak, and to the left, on the other side of Dragontail, are the Enchantment Peaks.
Distance from Leavenworth: 10 mins
Why hike it? Moderate difficulty and huge payoff!
Permit: No permit required
The Icicle Ridge Trail is a gorgeous 5.1-mile hike that leads to incredible views of Icicle Canyon and Leavenworth in the Wenatchee River Valley below.
Distance | Elevation Gain | Time Required | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
5.1 miles | 1,755 | 3.5 | 5/10 |
The trail begins just off of the circular parking area at the top of the lot (no parking pass needed!). It delves right into the woods, starting out with some very easy, nearly flat sections of trail. Eventually, you break out of the woods onto the first in a series of switchbacks that take you up to the top of Icicle Ridge.
At the ridgeline, all your hard work will pay off! Walk along to the right until you get to the end of the trail and enjoy spectacular views the entire way.
Distance from Leavenworth: 45 mins
Why hike it? Gorgeous alpine-feeling lake with spectacular views
Permit: None
Distance | Elevation Gain | Time Required | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
6.1 miles | 1,350 | 3 hours | 5/10 |
A beautiful trail that takes you to Lake Valhalla underneath Mount McCausland.
It includes a portion of the PCT and is a great day hike in late spring, summer, and fall. If you go in late spring, you can expect to see wildflowers and berries in the summer. The first mile is one of the steepest parts of the trail and the most overgrown part, but after that, it evens out somewhat.
The trail is north of Stevens Pass and will be snow-covered in the winter (there may still be snow in the summer as well). You can also expect to find mosquitos around the lake in the summer.
Eightmile Lake Trail
Distance from Leavenworth: 34 mins
Why hike it? A great payoff for not much effort
Permit: Northwest Forest Pass
Distance | Elevation Gain | Time Required | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
7.2 miles | 1,420 | 3.5 | 4/10 |
A great alternative to Colchuck Lake with beautiful views of surrounding hills.
The Eightmile Lake trail is another fantastic moderate option near Leavenworth. The parking lot can be busy by 9 AM, even on a weekday, so make sure to get there early! It's a fantastic spot to go swimming on an uncharacteristically hot day.
There are a few rocky and steeper areas, but overall, this hike is easy-to-moderate in difficulty. Be on the lookout for bears!
Snow Lakes Trail
Distance from Leavenworth: 10 minutes
Why hike it? Gorgeous view of Upper and Lower Snow Lakes and Enchantment Peaks
Permit: Northwest Forest Pass
Distance | Elevation Gain | Time Required | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
15 miles | 4,500 | 9 hours | 7/10 |
A long day-hike from the Snow Lakes Trailhead to the breathtaking Upper and Lower Snow Lakes.
The Snow Lakes trail is the longer half of the Enchantments thru-hike. Starting from the usually-full parking lot, the trail begins switchbacking up the hill before diving into the woods. More switchbacks bring you to a bridge and then through yet more switchbacks onto a rocky slope.
From here, it is not far to Lower Snow Lakes. Trekking farther will take you to Upper Snow Lakes, where you can get views of The Temple and Mount McClellan far superior to what's visible at Lower Snow Lakes.
Minotaur Lake Trail
Distance from Leavenworth:
Why hike it? Short trail with a great payoff
Permit: None
Distance | Elevation Gain | Time Required | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
3.0 miles | 1,770 | 3 hours | 6/10 |
A less-commonly visited lake that makes for a wonderful day trip from Leavenworth.
Although short, this trail climbs an impressive 1,700 feet of elevation in 1.5 miles.
It's a great option if you're interested in seeing what a harder-feeling trail is like without the commitment of over 3 miles total.
Be prepared for bugs, though! Keeping right around Minotaur Lake will take you to Labyrinth Mountain. You might also catch a glimpse of Theseus Lake.
Distance from Leavenworth: 45 mins
Why hike it? View of Valhalla Lake and surrounding mountains
Permit: None
Distance | Elevation Gain | Time Required | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
6.3 miles | 1,755 | 3.5 | 5/10 |
A Leavenworth peak that's relatively easy to access and has fantastic views of nearby mountains and Valhalla Lake.
Artist Credit: Emma H. Baldwin
The best time to visit this peak is between June and October. Its relatively short approach makes it an ideal option for someone looking to bag lower peaks around Leavenworth.
You start at Smithbrook trailhead, the same trail for Lake Valhalla, but make sure to take the right turn off for Mount McCausland. The middle section of the trail is quite steep, and to reach the true summit, some scrambling is involved.
Distance from Leavenworth: 15 mins
Why hike it? Easy and fun hike with great views
Permit: None
This easy 1.5-hour hike is only a short drive from Leavenworth and is well worth the effort!
Distance | Elevation Gain | Time Required | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
3.4 miles | 500 feet | 1.5 hours | 2/10 |
Artist Credit: Emma H. Baldwin
The Canyon Crest Trail to Rat Creek Ridge is an easy hike up well-maintained switchbacks. Some may want to bring their hiking poles for the descent. It's shaded during the hottest parts of the day and very easy to access from Leavenworth. The Canyon Crest side of the trail is the best part!
Distance from Leavenworth: 25 minutes
Why hike it? Challenging and incredibly beautiful
Permit: Northwest Forest Pass
Distance | Elevation Gain | Time Required | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
14 miles | 5,000+ | 10 | 8/10 |
A very challenging hike from the Stuart Lake Trailhead into the Enchantments. It's also possible to start this hike from Snow Lakes, but it makes for a far, far longer day.
This trail takes you to Colchuck Lake, up the very difficult and rocky Asgard Pass, and then across a snowfield to the base of Little Annapurna. The mountain's slopes are fairly steep (especially on the way down!) Often, climbers combine a traverse from Dragontail Peak into a long day trip.
This climb should only be attempted by experienced hikers and those with appropriate snow equipment and experience. The summit is at a remarkable 8,440'.
Distance from Leavenworth: 25 mins
Why hike it? Amazing views of Lake Stuart and the outskirts of the Enchantments
Permit: None
Starting from the Stuart Lake Trailhead, the trail heads to Stuart Lake and then up 1,500 more feet to Horseshoe Lake.
Artist Credit: Emma H. Baldwin
Distance | Elevation Gain | Time Required | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
12 miles | 3,100 | 7 hours | 6/10 |
This trek provides spectacular views of Stuart Lake and the surrounding Enchantments. It's a difficult and steep hike with downed trees on the trail. In the winter, it's possible to cross the frozen lake. In the fall, hikers will be treated to yellowing larch trees.
Alpine Lookout via Round Mountain
Distance from Leavenworth: 40 mins
Why hike it? View of Glacier Peak from the fire lookout
Permit: None
A gorgeous day hike with spectacular views of the valley and Glacier Peak.
Distance | Elevation Gain | Time Required | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
10 miles | 3,000 | 6 hours | 5/10 |
There is a single-lane road up to the trailhead that's fairly well maintained. The trail is incredibly beautiful but be prepared for mosquitos in the summer and snow into the spring. There will be a few downed trees on the trail and likely snow after the junction to Nason Ridge. The trail is close to Lake Wenatchee State Park.
Labyrinth Mountain
Distance from Leavenworth: 1 hr 15 mins
Why hike it? A short hike and a great payoff!
Permit: None
A mountain and lake hike all in one with beautiful views 11 miles west of Lake Wenatchee State Park.
Distance | Elevation Gain | Time Required | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
5.1 miles | 1,755 | 3.5 | 5/10 |
Take the same trail as towards Minotaur Lake but after 1.5 miles, go right around the lake for another 0.6 miles. You'll climb from 5,578' up to the summit at 6,257'. On the way back down, you can also take a 0.2-mile detour and see Theseus Lake.
The mountain was named by Albert Hale Sylvester. He was inspired by the shape of the topographic map lines, which he believed resembled a labyrinth. He also named Minotaur Lake and Theseus Lakes.
FAQs
What are the different types of hiking trails in Leavenworth?
Near Leavenworth, there are easy out-and-back trails, long point-to-point trails like The Enchantments thru-hike, and moderate loop hikes. There is something for everyone only a few minutes from downtown Bavarian Leavenworth.
What is the longest trail in Leavenworth?
The longest trail near Leavenworth is Section K of the PCT from Stevens Pass to Rainy Pass. It is 122 miles long.
What mountains are near Leavenworth, WA?
The Stuart Range, including Mount Stuart and the Enchantments Peaks, as well as the Wenatchee Mountains, are near Leavenworth, WA. Some of the individual mountains include Chumstick Mountain, Dragontail Peak, Wedge Mountain, Boundary Butte, Little Annapurna, Tumwater Mountain, Earl Peak, Thunder Mountain, Trico Mountain, Argonaut Peak, and Sherpa Peak.
What's the elevation of Leavenworth, WA?
The elevation of Leavenworth, Washington is 1,171'.
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