The Enchantments Permit Guide 2026

Lottery permit · Last-minute friendly

Washington · No dogs in the backcountry

By Casey Rowan, Permit Ranger

Last updated

The Enchantments, in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest near Leavenworth, Washington, is a granite basin of turquoise alpine lakes, larches, and mountain goats that is one of the most sought-after backpacking destinations in the country. An overnight zone permit is required in the quota season, and demand is so high that nearly all permits are allocated by an annual lottery.

The Enchantments issues its wilderness permits through recreation.gov, and popular passes sell out ahead of the season. The whole season (May 15 – Oct 31) is allocated by lottery (apply Feb 15 – Mar 1); unclaimed and returned permits are released first-come-first-served on April 1 at 7:00 AM Pacific. After that, cancellations reappear continuously with no schedule - exactly what availability watching is for. Off-season overnight trips are self-issued at the trailhead. Permit Ranger watches every pass here and alerts you the moment a sold-out date opens.

When permits are released

The whole season (May 15 – Oct 31) is allocated by lottery (apply Feb 15 – Mar 1); unclaimed and returned permits are released first-come-first-served on April 1 at 7:00 AM Pacific. After that, cancellations reappear continuously with no schedule - exactly what availability watching is for. Off-season overnight trips are self-issued at the trailhead.

Quota seasons: May 15 to October 31, 2026; May 15 to October 31, 2027 - off-season: No quota off-season - self-issue a free overnight permit at the trailhead.

Your odds

The Enchantments advance lottery is one of the toughest permit draws in the country. In the 2024 lottery, roughly 42,800 applications competed for the season's overnight permits, and only about 7 percent of applications won a permit in any zone.

The Core Enchantment Zone is the long shot: around 790 Core permits were awarded in 2024, which works out to roughly 2 percent of all applications. Odds improve meaningfully in the surrounding zones (Colchuck, Stuart, Snow, Eightmile/Caroline), on midweek dates, and in shoulder-season weeks.

Losing the lottery is not the end. Unclaimed lottery permits return to public inventory on April 1 at 7:00 AM Pacific, and cancellations trickle back with no schedule all season. That reopening inventory is exactly what Permit Ranger watches.

Source: US Forest Service published Enchantments lottery results (2024 season, the most recent full report). Last checked July 2026.

Fees

  • Application: $6 per lottery application (non-refundable)
  • Per person, per day: $5 per person per day

How to get a permit for The Enchantments

  1. Choose your zone (Core Enchantment, Colchuck, Snow, Stuart, or Eightmile/Caroline) and your entry date in the quota season, May 15 – Oct 31.
  2. Apply for the annual lottery, which runs February 15 – March 1 and allocates the entire season's quota.
  3. If you don't win the lottery, watch for unclaimed and returned permits, which are released first-come-first-served on April 1 at 7:00 AM Pacific.
  4. Book on recreation.gov under the Enchantments overnight permit (233273). After April 1, cancellations reappear continuously with no set schedule.
  5. If your dates are sold out, keep watching - cancellations return quota to recreation.gov at any time, and Permit Ranger can alert you when a spot reopens.

Notable trails

Each Enchantments zone corresponds to a well-known trail into the basin. A few of the most popular routes:

Top passes in this area

The most in-demand The Enchantments entry points, each with its own detail page.

Frequently asked questions

When do The Enchantments permits open?

The whole season (May 15 – Oct 31) is allocated by lottery (apply Feb 15 – Mar 1); unclaimed and returned permits are released first-come-first-served on April 1 at 7:00 AM Pacific. After that, cancellations reappear continuously with no schedule - exactly what availability watching is for. Off-season overnight trips are self-issued at the trailhead. Exact on-sale details are on the recreation.gov permit page.

What if my dates are sold out?

Cancellations open up all season. Watch the passes you want on Permit Ranger and you get an instant alert when a date you need becomes bookable.

Does Permit Ranger book the permit for me?

No. Permit Ranger alerts you the moment a watched date opens, with a direct booking link, but the booking is always yours to make on recreation.gov.

More permits in Washington

Permits awarded by lottery

Last-minute & walk-up friendly permits

Plan ahead

Sold-out dates reopen all the time from cancellations and quota drops. Permit Ranger checks recreation.gov around the clock and alerts you the moment your dates open. It never books for you.

Browse The Enchantments passes · Book on recreation.gov