The trail to Lena is lake is open and in good shape. The camp ground has a number of spots (perhaps 20?) and places to hide away if you'd like. There is some significant blow-down in the area, presumably from last season, but nothing covering the main trails. The campsite themselves are far from my definition of ""primitive."" They include fire rings, well-defined and level pads, and logs for sitting. Near the lake, the privies are not in good shape, though there appeared to be something in good shape at the fork between Upper Lena and Lena Lake. We didn't test it out. Not much wildlife in the area. I thought I saw a mated pair of Loons and a Great Blue Heron, but it could have been two mallards and an egret that'd been eating well. ;) We also hiked about halfway to Upper Lena, a beautiful trail as far as we went, and probably a better destination for the more adventurous. The weather was mixed during our visit (two nights) and decidely wet during our return as is to be expected in the Great Northwest. Enjoy! Overall: 1. Well maintained trail, 2. Plenty of camping, 3. Fine for families and day-hikers.

Because my car is out of commission, we needed to use my partner's low-clearance car instead and so we decided to take a trail that starts from a paved road. Usually, we don't go to Lena Lake while the high country is still accessible, but it turned out to be a great hike, as we went about two miles further from the lower lake towards Upper Lena. We had tried part of this section last year, but got turned back due to steep snowfields. I was happy to see that the enormous blowdown that obstructed the trail last year has been cleared away. The trail to lower Lena is, as is usual, in great shape. The lake is very low right now and you can see areas of the shoreline that are invisible during the Spring. The trail towards Upper Lena shows signs of much recent clearing (in addition to the big blowdown)and seems easier to follow than last year. As it climbs more steeply up from Lower Lena, it passes through an especially beautiful virgin forest, with huge trees and mossy boulders. We followed it over the log bridge and a ways further, finally stopping at about 3100 feet, still a long way from Upper Lena,(about 2 miles further). We ate lunch and since by then it was 3 p.m.,(we had a late start and didn't reach the trailhead until 11:45)we realized we better turn back as the days are getting shorter now. We only saw one person on the trail all day (suprising at such a popular place), and he was heading down from Upper Lena, where he had gone fishing. I was impressed to hear that he was doing the whole 14 miles (plus fishing) in one day.

As an introduction, we're members of WTA and we live in Seattle. Hiker Girl (HG, age 10) and Hiker Boy (HB, 12), while not the most experienced backcountry types, are in great physical shape and keep Hiker Dad (HD, age 50) and Hiker Mom (HM, age ??) on their toes trying to figure out ways to burn off amazing amounts of kid energy without triggering premature parental knee and hip replacements. Lower Lena Lake was our first, and easiest, of three hikes on the Olympic Peninsula during the 4th of July week. The trail was in great shape (no snow anywhere), with lots of wildflowers - especially Bunchberry and Lupine - in bloom. We heard Lena Creek roaring downhill to the Hamma Hamma almost all the way up to the footbridge that is about a mile and a half from the trailhead. However, at the bridge the creek was totally underground. Sterling and Spring’s guidebook describes how an earthquake 1300 years ago buried the creek and that we would need to come back in wetter times of the year to see water flowing under the bridge. Upon reaching the rock outcrop on the west shore of Lena Lake after another mile and a half or so, it was time for lunch and basking in the sun. All the way from the trailhead to the lunch stop the forest shaded the trail, making the roughly 8 percent 3 mile grade sweat-free on this warm day. After lunch HB and HD explored further on up the trail to the log crossing (skinny but in great shape with a handrail) at the north end of the lake. There definitely was a good flow of water in Lena Creek coming in from Upper Lena Lake. HD was a little surprised that only one or two of the various campsites at this end of the lake were occupied this holiday week. After HB spent some time curling his toes in the lake muck at a microbeach a bit further towards the East Fork of Lena Creek, we headed back down to the trailhead. (It was a bit too cold for a swim, even on this hot day.) Time-wise, this nearly four hour hike was divided roughly in thirds: hike up to the lake, eat lunch and noodle a little further, hike back to the trailhead. One interesting footnote to the hike was that someone earlier in the day (we’re ‘crack of noon’ hikers) had neatly transformed a couple dozen salal leaves by punching happy faces into them with the sharp end of a trekking pole and deposited them at regular intervals in the middle of the trail. We were duly impressed by the artistic nature of the hike.

Took advantage of the nice forecast for a trip up Mt. Lena. Trail up to Lower Lena Lake was uneventful. There were a couple of blow-downs before the NP boundary, then a series of about a dozen gnarly blow-downs (perhaps avalanche-downs) about a 0.5 mile to 1.25 miles beyond the NP boundary. Snow started right about at the stream crossing ~3500ft. Somebody had flagged a route up the ""left"" side of the stream. The start of this route probably worked better when there was more snow... now, there are a couple bits of bushwhacking between snow patches at the lower end. Within a week or two, the snow will likely be melted to the point where the stream crossing will be the preferred route - it's raging, but I'd guess about knee-deep? Expect to get a little wet. Figures... with all the blow-downs there isn't one over the stream! Upper Lena Lake was just starting to melt. A few campsites around the lake are already melted out. I headed to the top of Mt. Lena - easy route up snow slopes facing the lake. Spent the night on top & down the next AM. -Jonathan L

There were already dozens of cars at the Lena Lake trailhead when we arrived at 11a.m. It was such a beautiful day that didn't surprise me. The trail is in great shape all the way to lower Lena Lake. Lots of dogs and kids and people camping. We continued on the trail to its junction with The Brothers Trail (ca. 3.5 miles) and then over the bridge and on to the Valley of the Silent Men, where we walked about another mile or so, until we turned back a while after crossing another bridge. This part of the hike is always my favorite. The trail is rough and sometimes hard to follow; a couple of huge blowdowns have to be circumvented. The water was higher in the creek than I have ever seen it; the last time I was here it was completely dry. But the quiet and loneliness of this dark canyon, combined with the enormous trees make for a terrific hike. On the way back we were surprised by how many people were still arriving. By the time we reached our car, there were at least fifty more parked along the road!