I (like many others) was unsuccessful in winning an Enchantments permit back in the Spring, but grabbed a permit to the Eightmile / Caroline Zone as a consolation.
Due to the wildfires, like most of Washington state, it was smokey on the drive, smokey on the trail, and smokey on the lake. That said, it was still beautiful. After deciding that Windy Pass was likely to be very hazy, we got a late start from Seattle and arrived at the trailhead around 3:30 to give us enough time at the lake to relax. It took us about 1:45 to get to the lake, at which point we wondered for a campsite. We ended up securing a spot right on the lake which made for a great night and better morning!
Bugs were almost non-existent, at least relative to other lakes. Not sure if we just got lucky -- I suffered a few bites but didn't notice them otherwise. That said, you should probably still bring spray!
We hit the trail back around 8, passed a few other campsites with tired campers, and made it back to the car around 9:30. All in all, a very easy hike to a beautiful lake!
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