If you have a Core permit
Your permit. Camp in any zone and start or finish at either trailhead.
Suggested plan. Colchuck Lake the first night, then cross the Core.
| Day | What to do | Mapped miles, about | Sleep at |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stuart Lake Trailhead to Colchuck Lake, about 2,200 ft up | 4.0 | Colchuck Lake |
| 2 | Up Aasgard Pass with full packs, about 2,300 ft up, into the Core | 3.1 to Inspiration Lake, 4.2 to Leprechaun Lake | Inspiration or Leprechaun Lake |
| 3 | Through the Core and down past the Snow Lakes to Snow Lakes Trailhead | 10.8 from Inspiration, 9.7 from Leprechaun | Home |
Another way. Go over Aasgard on day 1 and spend both nights in the Core. Two reports did this. Day 1 is 7.1 miles to Inspiration Lake.
Trip reports. RobinB's Oregon Hikers account, Little Grunts.
If you have a Colchuck permit
Your permit. Every night at Colchuck Lake or elsewhere in the Colchuck Zone. Day hikes into the Core are allowed. You cannot camp right below Aasgard Pass.
Suggested plan. Camp at Colchuck Lake both nights. Spend the middle day up in the Core with day packs.
| Day | What to do | Mapped miles, about | Sleep at |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stuart Lake Trailhead to Colchuck Lake, about 2,200 ft up | 4.0 | Colchuck Lake |
| 2 | Day packs up Aasgard Pass into the Core. Tranquil Lake, or on to Inspiration Lake | 3.6 round trip to Tranquil Lake, 6.2 to Inspiration Lake | Colchuck Lake |
| 3 | Colchuck Lake to Stuart Lake Trailhead | 4.0 | Home |
Another way. Skip the pass and spend the middle day walking to Lake Stuart.
Trip reports. WTA writer aeflatley, Mariah Adventures.
If you have a Snow permit
Your permit. Every night at or below Upper Snow Lake. Day hikes into the Core are allowed.
Suggested plan. Camp at Upper Snow Lake both nights. Spend the middle day up in the Core with day packs.
| Day | What to do | Mapped miles, about | Sleep at |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Snow Lakes Trailhead to Upper Snow Lake | 6.9 | Upper Snow Lake |
| 2 | Day packs up into the Core. Lake Viviane, Leprechaun Lake, or on to Inspiration Lake | 5.3, 5.7 or 7.9 round trip | Upper Snow Lake |
| 3 | Snow Lakes to Snow Lakes Trailhead | 6.9 | Home |
Another way. The second night at Nada Lake, 1.1 miles lower, makes the last day 5.8 miles.
Trip reports. WTA writer kreidykid.
If you have a Stuart permit
Your permit. Every night in the Stuart Zone, around Lake Stuart. Day hikes into other zones are allowed.
Suggested plan. Camp at Lake Stuart both nights. Spend the middle day on a day hike.
| Day | What to do | Mapped miles, about | Sleep at |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stuart Lake Trailhead to Lake Stuart | 4.5, per the Forest Service | Lake Stuart |
| 2 | Day hike to Horseshoe Lake or Colchuck Lake and back | Not on the app's map | Lake Stuart |
| 3 | Lake Stuart to Stuart Lake Trailhead | 4.5, per the Forest Service | Home |
One party day hiked from Lake Stuart over Aasgard Pass to just past Isolation Lake. They reported about 13 miles and 12 hours and walked back in the dark.
Trip reports. WTA writer Rhabbie, retz.blog's account.
If you have an Eightmile/Caroline permit
Your permit. Every night in the Eightmile/Caroline Zone. It is a separate trail system from the traverse.
Suggested plan. Eightmile Lake the first night, Lake Caroline the second, Windy Pass in between.
| Day | What to do | Mapped miles, about | Sleep at |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eightmile Trailhead to Eightmile Lake | 3.6 | Eightmile Lake |
| 2 | Move to Lake Caroline. Afternoon: up to Windy Pass and back | 3.3, then 5.0 round trip | Lake Caroline |
| 3 | Lake Caroline to Eightmile Trailhead | 4.8 | Home |
Another way. Both nights at Lake Caroline, with Windy Pass one day and Little Caroline Lake, 0.8 miles on, the other.
Before you go
These plans are built from 30 overnight trip reports dated 2013 to 2026, read September 28, 2026, and the app's mapped line. Mapped miles read a little short of what a GPS watch shows. The Forest Service says “Camp only at previously impacted sites.” Read the permit rules.
Recreation.gov's caution for Aasgard Pass includes both directions. “Use extreme caution when climbing or descending steep snow slopes, exposed and hidden creeks and waterfalls are present.” Read the full caution.
The free self-issued day-use permit, your overnight permit and your parking pass are three separate things.
Compare the plan picker with the map. Its zone boundaries are mapped estimates. See three nights and four to seven nights, plus packing. The app has the map offline. Road closures and the drive in are on the roads page.