Central & Eastern Washington - Washington, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest - page 372

The Amtrak ( www.amtrak.com ) Empire Builder stops twice daily at the town's Icicle Sta-
tion on its route between Seattle and Chicago. Connections to Portland, OR, and Van-
couver, British Columbia, run through Seattle.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Around Leavenworth
Alpine Lakes Wilderness
The Alpine Lakes Wilderness is a 614-sq-mile protected area of rough, crenellated
mountains, glacier-gouged valleys, and - as the name implies - gorgeous sapphire lakes
(more than 700 of them, in fact). Crisscrossed by trails and popularly accessed from the
Icicle Canyon Rd west of Leavenworth, the wilderness offers a handful of easy day hikes
along with plenty of more substantial backcountry jaunts that require good fitness,
shrewd forward planning and a decent pair of walking boots.
The area's close proximity to Seattle makes this former logging and mining region
popular with hikers; the Enchantment Lakes area requires a $5 permit in the summer (in-
quire at Leavenworth Ranger Station). Good entry points are from the Icicle Rd (USFS
Rd 7600) off Hwy 2 and on a dirt road just north of Tumwater campground on US 2.
The Icicle Gorge Trail is the most accessible hike here, an easy 3.6-mile river loop
that gives you an enticing taste of what this pristine wilderness is all about. Other trail-
heads dot Icicle Rd and lead off into a network of popular trails. Pick up a leaflet at
Leavenworth Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center.
Lake Wenatchee
Swimming, boating and fishing entertain summertime visitors to Lake Wenatchee, 23
miles north of the city of Wenatchee (and actually much closer to Leavenworth). You can
hike the 4.5-mile trail up Dirtyface Peak, cycle around the lake, or sign on with one of
the rafting companies on Hwy 207 for a float trip.
Once there's snow on the ground, Lake Wenatchee becomes a great cross-country ski
area, with 20 miles of marked and groomed trails, though skiers may have to dodge
weekend snowmobilers. More trails crisscross the Lower Chiwawa River area off the
Chumstick Hwy, including a 5-mile scenic loop trail (closed to snowmobiles) that fol-
lows the Wenatchee River. Alternatively, you can head further west into the Henry M