This Is the Best Place to See 'Larch Madness' in Washington-and It Has Over 700 Alpine Lakes and Stunning Fall Foliage

"Larch trees, a type of deciduous conifer, are typically found east of the Cascade Crest throughout Washington's Cascade Mountains, as well as the broader Pacific Northwest and Canadian Rockies. Unlike other conifers, though, larches lose their needle-like leaves each fall. But first, they turn gold, blanketing the mountainsides of their high-altitude homes in a gilded hue. The spectacular vistas and short viewing window create the same foliage-spotting frenzy as the rest of the U.S., drawing huge crowds for Larch Madness season."

""I grew up in Pennsylvania, so I'm very familiar with leaf peeping in the fall. Washington's version is different, but no less beautiful," says David Cass, an agency forester for Washington State Parks. "It's pretty stark when it happens. The trees turn uniformly golden yellow, changing to bronze over a few-week period, and then [they] drop all their needles very quickly.""

"A region within the Alpine Lakes Wilderness area near the Bavarian-style town of Leavenworth in the central Cascades, the Enchantments truly live up to their name. More than 700 alpine lakes nestle in the shadows of towering peaks and glacier-gouged passes, with stoic forests scattered across the rocky slopes and free-roaming herds of mountain goats. An 18-mile traverse winds its way past evocatively-landed landmarks like Aasgard Pass and Inspiration Lake; evidence of past explorers' efforts to try and do justice to the majesty."

Washington's forests include larch trees, a deciduous conifer species that thrives east of the Cascade Crest and across the Pacific Northwest and Canadian Rockies. Each autumn larches turn uniformly golden, then bronze, before rapidly shedding their needle-like leaves, producing a brief but dramatic display called Larch Madness. The vivid coloration and short viewing period draw large crowds for leaf viewing. One prime viewing area is the Enchantments in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness near Leavenworth, where over 700 alpine lakes, jagged peaks, glacier-carved passes, and mountain goats accompany an 18-mile traverse past landmarks like Aasgard Pass and Inspiration Lake.

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