The Snow Lakes sit in one of the most spectacular basins within the entire Cascade Range-the largest of the legendary Enchantment Lakes, sparkling gems surrounded by spiraling walls of rock adorned with jagged turrets. Mostly the domain of backpackers, the Snows can be reached by strong day hikers. The Enchantments are popular, how-ever, and in order to limit impact on this fragile and special environment the Forest Service has implemented a strict set of rules for visitation, including a quota system for overnighters. Day hikers limit themselves, primarily because of the long approach and stiff climb.

Start by dropping 50 feet to cross Icicle Creek on a big bridge. Follow an old road to the right to an irrigation canal. Take a minute or two here to scope for birds. The brushy creek banks provide excellent habitat for warblers and tanagers. Then on real trail, begin some real hiking! Climbing out of the Icicle Gorge, the trail switchbacks up hot and dusty rocky slopes denuded of shade thanks to wildfires in 1994 that burned more than 180,000 surrounding acres. Best to get an early start.

Lack of forest canopy also translates to views. Enjoy good ones west up the Icicle Gorge and north to Sugarloaf Mountain. Enjoy, too, the occasional residual groves of shade-providing green pines. At 1.2 miles enter the Alpine Lakes Wilderness (elev. 2200 ft). Now on a considerably easier grade, traverse the lower reaches of Wedge Mountain. With the impressive favored-by-climbers Snow Creek Wall across the way, the trail heads up a tight slot of a valley. Snow Creek crashes below, while heat radiates off of surrounding granite ledges and boulders.

At about 2.25 miles enter a cool grove of old cedars, a welcome relief from the heat. Pleasantly amble a ways creekside through refreshing forest before beginning another round of switchbacks. This time, however, they're much rougher and steeper as the trail heads up rocky gullies and across slides, working its way to a hanging valley.

At about 4.25 miles pass a showy cascade, and shortly afterward cross Snow Creek on a reliable bridge (elev. 4100 ft). Pleasant walking resumes as the trail passes a lot of nice spots along the creek for snacking and napping (or calling it quits). Farther along, the trail breaks out of forest to traverse a talus slope before arriving at Nada Lake at 5.5 miles (elev. 4900 ft), which is really quite a pleasant lake.

Take a break along the shallow finger lake, admiring its mountain reflections, or push on another mile, climbing up a hot talus slope to a forested gap (elev. 5450 ft) before dropping a tad to the Snow Lakes (elev. 5415 ft). Set in a wide-open basin beneath jagged and spiraling peaks, and separated by a small irrigation dam, these two lakes are among the largest in the Enchantments.

For the best viewing, napping, and feet-soaking spots, you'll need to walk across the dam. But with water cascading over it, it may appear intimidating. If the flow is low, just take it slow and you'll be good to go. Views of the 8292-foot Temple and the large, rocky, snow-blotched cirque beneath 8364-foot McClellan Peak from the pined shoreline of Upper Snow are awesome. The lower lake, with its shoreline of granite ledges, looks like it's right out of the Canadian Shield. You can spend days up here, and it's easy to see why most hikers do. Perhaps a return trip is in order with tent and sleeping bag. Just don't forget to apply for the permit.