I decided I needed a suffer fest in my life and headed to Upper Lena Lake and Milk Lake. Last time I was here was July 2020 and I sprained my ankle 2 miles after leaving Upper Lena and limped out 5 miles. 

Parking Lot: Road is paved with two extremely large potholes before the trail head with orange spray paint that is not very visible from far away.

Bathrooms: Clean and stocked. I couldn't close the women's door so I cracked it open and kept coughing if someone came.

Trail Condition: Easy going to Lena. Encountered the usual rocky, rooty, steep terrain with some flat and easy section. Numerous creek crossings- two have either a very thin log or wobbly log. I crossed on both and decided to avoid that coming back and took the alternatives that I only noticed on the way out. There was a large fallen tree blocking trail that people are bypassing with a foot path before it. Water on trail in patches.

My clothes were freshly permethrin-ed and I added deet to my skin. I had no bug bites with their presence. Last mile to Upper Lena has some straight up steep sections which I forgot about. I had so much fun finding Milk Lake. Route finding required until the snow melts out. It's pretty easy with Gaia and experience. As I was coming down a snowy hill, I could see a couple at the last camp site not moving because they couldn't tell which way to go in the snow. Have you ever appeared at the right time to help someone navigate or received the same? It happens so often on trail that perfect timing when you need it.

Views: The amount of disappointment I felt after being bamboozled by mountain forecast was deep. I can't believe I experienced another almost whiteout up here. That's the Olympics for you! I did get some views of Mt. Bretherton, but not what I was expecting. This whole week should be a bluebird day and I wanted to avoid the heat.

Vegetation: Not well versed with plants, but upper trail after the last creek crossing are blooming and popping (Columbine and a purple flower that is not Lupine). Mountain Heather and Bear Grass at the lake.

It will probably be another five years til I do this hike again!

Excellent day in the mountains!

Drive in from Oly was a breeze. NF-25 is paved all the way to the TH. Parking lot was about 1/4 full when we arrived at 8am. 

Trail up to Lena Lake is in great condition. It's wide enough to pass people without having to step off trail. The most frustrating part was seeing how disrespectful others can be. Please stay on trail to protect the hillside. I know that this is a popular trail that lots of new hikers/backpackers go out on but basic trail etiquette is necessary. FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS OUTDOORS, PLEASE DO NOT DO CUT SWITCHBACKS. We did our best to reposition downed logs that block off these "shortcuts". Big thanks to the trail crews who work hard to keep these trails safe and beautiful.

After the junction to Upper Lena, the trail slims down to a single track that is well maintained. Once you round the bend and start to hear the roar of the outlet, things start to get interesting. The trail is slightly overgrown, glad I worn pants even though it was unbearably humid. There's a few areas where the trail becomes a waterfall - gotta love splashing through! The trail demands your full attention as you navigate over loose rocks, downed trees and tree roots. There are logs across both water crossings to help keep your feet dry. The last mile is a doozy BUT that's where all the wildflowers are starting to pop off. We arrived at the lake a little over 4 hours into our hike. We had the place to ourselves for a quick lunch and then safely hurried back down to the car. 

We passed nearly 40 people over the course of the day. Lots of backpackers coming down from the upper lake and a handful of day hikers coming and going from Lena. 

Great reward at the end, but rough trail all the way - rocks and roots. 

Got to the trail head around 9:30am and had plenty of parking (to my surprise on a Sunday/holiday weekend). The pay station at the trailhead is super convenient - glad I saw it was there before buying a daypass online!

Most of the elevation comes in the first mile, with the rest of the trail moderately/lightly graded. The trail is well covered, so not too much sun exposure on the way there and back. Took us about an hour and a half up, and spent 45min-ish sitting along the river and by the lake. Shockingly no bugs, and plenty of shade to sit in as long as you're there early enough in the day. Some ripe salmon berries, and thimbleberries are on their way. Total distance according to watch was 7 miles exactly with some wandering included. 

FYI - privy at the lake is out of service as of 7/6. 

Overall a very beautiful hike and the Lena Lake is stunning. We ate a late lunch at the lookout rock (see included photo) and drank in the view. Next time, we want to go back, camp, and take a dip in the lake.

I'm conflicted on the trail rating. There are sections with a lot of loose rocks. We didn't bring trekking poles and coming down with tired legs was somewhat frustrating in sections. It seems maybe some of the larger rocks have been kicked loose from drainage borders and aren't supposed to be strewn about the path. So, I'd recommend taking it slow and for anyone with limited mobility or balance challenges to definitely bring trekking poles. Another review described it as a "two lane highway", which couldn't be further from the truth.