Lena Lake
Last modified
Sep 09, 2009 04:14 PM
An extremely popular backcountry lake surrounded by ancient timber and ringed with designated campsites complete with fire rings-don't expect a wilderness experience on this hike. You'll encounter all walks of life on this wide, well-groomed, and easy-graded trail that delivers the masses to Lena Lake. Those willing to expend a little more energy can push farther into wilder and quieter places. But if you're intent on Lena, expect lots of company unless you visit in the waning days of autumn. Recent Trip Reports
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If your looking for a moderatly strenous day hike, Lena Lake in the Olympic National Park is a good trail...
If your looking for a moderatly strenous day hike, Lena Lake in the Olympic National Park is a good trail to travel. The trail is well maintained, and easy to follow. It is about 3.5 miles from the trailhead to the Lena Lake Campground, with about 1,600 feet elevation gain.
The weather was great, no rain, lots of sun and very warm. The Lena Lake trail begins with a series of long switchback (I believe 9 in all) starting in second growth forest but soon blends into old growth forest with large trees, and fallen underbrush heavily overgrown with ferns and moss. There are two sturdy bridges the first crosses a dry riverbed and the second crosses a gentle cascading creek. Lena Lake is a good sized lake surrounded by peaks, trees and peaceful silence. If you are planning on more than a day trip, there are several nice campsites near its banks. Although the trip is about a 7-8 mile round-trip hike, I would plan on a full day to give plenty of time to enjoy the walk through the lush forest and the lake. It is mostly up hill on the way in, and all down hill for the return trip. Regardless, this hike makes for a day well spent. Overnight
Features:
Wildflowers blooming
Issues:
Bugs
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The trail to Lena lake is wonderfully well maintained and in very good condition. The campsites dotting the lake's...
The trail to Lena lake is wonderfully well maintained and in very good condition. The campsites dotting the lake's northern shore were abundant, well situated, and all around nice.
If you are planning a trip to Lena lake I highly recommend allowing an extra couple of hours to continue up on the Brothers trail through the Valley of the Silent Men. The size of the trees and lushness of foliage is other-worldly. This trail, though a little more rugged than the one up to Lena Lake, is also in nice condition, and the grade is quite easy. There is basically no snow left on the route to the summit. The trip took 7.5 hours RT from the climbers camp - 4 hours up and 3.5 hours down. There was quite a bit of minor bouldering and steep loose rock along the way which made the going up tedius, and the down-climb even more so. Our party agreed that a rope should have been brought along. Water is still easliy available up to about 1/4 of the way from the top (about 15 min above lunch rock). The wildflowers were abundant (and such a wide array!), the views outstanding, and the fearless goats made for a bit of extra excitement. Bring bug cream and watch for sliding rocks from those above you. I wore and would recommend a helmet.
Lena Lake, The Brothers
— Jun 20, 2009
— mossy mom
Day hike
Features:
Ripe berries
Issues:
Overgrown
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We camped at Lena Creek again this weekend. Lena Creek was not my first choice for camping but it...
We camped at Lena Creek again this weekend. Lena Creek was not my first choice for camping but it was Father’s day weekend so I went without to much complaint. The road to the other nearby trails is still washed out; my only real choice was to go up the Lower Lena Lake trail again. . I hiked to Lower Lena Lake last week so this week I wanted to go further.
I walked from my campsite at Lena Creek and arrived at the trail head at 10am. It was raining so the trail was not quite as crowded as usual. I leap fogged with a group of girl scouts for half of the hike then they kindly let me pass them at Lunch Rock. It only took me 1 hour and fifteen minutes to make it to the rock. After leaving the rock the trail passes by shoreline campsites. Most of the campsites were filled and the folks up there seemed to be camped very comfortably. The camps up there looked more comfortable than our car campsite down below. I would have pitched a tarp over our table so we could sit outside at the table and stay dry. But our table was covered with dirt and mud thanks to the antics of my 5 year-old. There so there was no point in pitching a tarp over the muddy wet table. I arrived at the Brother’s climbing camp at about 2:30. The rain never let up for the entire hike up but it really started falling when I got to the camp. By this point I was also pretty tired and I was getting clumsy and a little disoriented. I lost the trail so I headed back toward a tent I saw in the campground and found backpackers outside the tent. They had just finished climbing The Brothers and they reported that the route finding was hard and the way was covered with snow near the top. They also pointed me in the right direction. The trail turns left at the campground and follows a tributary up. I followed the trail about 1/10 of a mile past the campground just so I could see something new. I had hiked up to the campground in the past so I wanted to go just a bit further. But I did not go far because the trail started getting steep and I was getting tired. I walked back down to my car camp in the rain, taking a few breaks to ease the random aches and pains I was having and to take some pictures. I did not take any pictures on the hike up because my camera is not water proof and I had hoped the rain would stop by the time I headed down. When I arrived back at the Lower Lena Lake trail head I found the ranger writing parking tickets and I could hear an awful howling noise coming from the campground. I finished my hike at 6:45 and I rested up for about an hour before heading back up the trail with my family. We made it to the second switchback before my husband got exhausted and called it quits. 14.4 miles 2400 feet elevation gain More details and pictures on my blog: http://mosswalks.blogspot.com Day hike
Features:
Wildflowers blooming
Issues:
Blowdowns
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There were over 100 cars at the TH when we arrived, but the trail never seemed crowded as we were...
There were over 100 cars at the TH when we arrived, but the trail never seemed crowded as we were hiking. We were passed by many climbers who were going to climb the Brothers on Sunday. Flowers seen on the lower trail were: 1 spotted coral root, Rhododendrons, star flowers, twinflowers, bear grass and Canadian Dogwood. We hiked about a mile on the trail to Upper Lena Lake. Only a few yards from the start of the trail to the upper lake we found some areas with wild ginger blooming. There were a few trees to be stepped over on the upper trail--probably 2 feet in diameter. After turning around we took the old trail to the bridge across Lena Creek where we had a late lunch beside the creek.
Lena Lake, The Brothers
— May 29, 2009
— dadn
Day hike
Features:
Wildflowers blooming
Issues:
Blowdowns | Washouts | Bugs
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I followed the Lena Lake / Brothers trail to the end expecting to see the Brothers mountain across the valley…and...
I followed the Lena Lake / Brothers trail to the end expecting to see the Brothers mountain across the valley…and never did see the mountain or an open valley. From Lena lake you follow a dry creek bed for about a mile, then a roaring creek for the next 3 miles .. all in a deep woods. You cross the creek 3 times on balance-beam bridges and hike up root/rocky stream beds until you reach the end of the trail at a junction of 2 creeks and a large campsite. From there, I did not see any maintained trail to follow. I waded across the creek and walked 15 minutes up each creek and didn’t see any obvious path..and since I was alone, decided to have lunch and return. On the way out, I met 2 people at Lena Lake on the way in who said they went up the Brothers Mtn a few years ago and took the left fork at the end of the trail. After about ½ hour you are at the base of the mountain and then it’s all up. Don’t think I’ll return again, but got lots of exercise with about 15 miles RT and 2500’.
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Driving Directions
From Hoodsport travel US 101 north for 14 miles. At milepost 318 turn left (west) onto Hamma Hamma River Road (Forest Road 25). Continue for 7.5 paved miles to the trailhead. Privy available. |
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