FYI the toilets at the trailhead were locked, so plan accordingly! The area around the trailhead was getting really disgusting with all the toilet paper and poop left around it-- please bury poop and pack out TP. Additionally, the large composting toilet at Lena Lake is also closed due to heavy use and the composting not working properly. There is one pit toilet a little beyond the large composting toilet at Lena Lake, but it cannot handle all users of this trail.
We arrived at the trailhead at 10am on a sunny Saturday, and the parking lot was pretty full then, but there seemed to be plenty of parking on the road leading to the lot. The trail is a nice gradual uphill to the lake and I found I could take it easy or go faster as I wanted to push myself-- making this a really great training hike. The trail was in good condition with no obstacles beyond a tiny dribble of a brook (or is it a creek?). No snow, very few bugs. The campsites were beginning to fill up by the time we reached Lena Lake around noon, but it seems there are more sites as you go along the backside of the lake on The Brothers trail.
Many people have decided to cut the switchbacks on this trail. Please don't be those people-- stay on the main trail. Some switchbacks had 3-4 cutoffs, which can lead to trail erosion and potential closures. Also of note, there were many people with dogs on the trail (allowed) but about half were off leash (not allowed). We also saw 2 people open carrying on this trail.
This is a great early season hike for getting back into the swing of things before summer and crowds. Would also make a great early season backpacking trip, but you may want to start hiking early on a nice weekend to ensure a site. Plan accordingly for the toilet situation and you'll have a great time.
Comments
Jake43 on Lena Lake
I don't know what it is about Lena Lake but it's the only place I've ever hiked where I have seen people open-carrying sidearms.
Posted by:
Jake43 on Apr 30, 2025 04:51 PM