Lake Serene
Jun 20, 1998
- Type of Outing
- Day hike
- Read More in our Hiking Guide
- Hike: Lake Serene - Bridal Veil Falls
- Region: Central Cascades -- Stevens Pass - West
- Agency: Mount Baker Snoqualmie National Forest - Skykomish Ranger District
- Trails: Lake Serene (#1068)
- Avg Rating: 4.48
I was thoughly impressed by
this fine hiking experience. I would like to encourage all my cyber-buddies at WTA to check this one out before the throngs of humanity decend on this place in August when the USFS officially opens the trail to the public. I followed Slide Alder Slayer's excellent directions from his 3/28/98 report to find this ""secret"" trail. The secret obviously has gotton out since 21 cars were at the trailhead when I arrived at noon. Drive SR2 and turn R on Mt Index Rd (#6020) just before the bridge that crosses the Skykomish river. Continue .25 mi then fork R onto a lesser dirt road and park in the large gravel lot 100 ft to the L. Walk on the dirt road a few hundred yards (ignore the spur to the L) past rocks piled on the road to stop cars, cross a small stream and you're home free. The trail travels along an abandoned logging road 1.5 mi ft through pleasant second growth forest. You then cross by the old upper road (5 cars were parked there) and 200 yards later stay to the left. The trail now decends gradually and after another 200 yards the trail makes a fork, Bridal Veil falls are 1/2 mi to the R or Lk Serene is 2 mi to the left. I headed to the lake. In less than 1/4 mi you cross below 2 nice waterfalls and enter old growth forest. The forest is an outstanding mix on Doug Fir, Hemlock, Cedar, Maple ,and even Sitka Spruce. The wonderfully constructed new trail heads up steeply at this point with frequent open views out to the valley and mountains beyond. Lots of well designed steps make for a good workout. The lake itself is crystal clear and is framed by a backdrop vertical granite pilars reaching high into the sky. Only about half the scene can be taken in by a 28 mm lense. If you cross the logjam outlet and climb toward the west end of the lake there is a huge glacially carved boulder which makes a perfect perch for soaking up the sun and sites. The entire trail is 3.5 mi each way and the total elevation gain is 2000 ft (1500 ft in the last 1.5 mi).
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