Lake Serene Trail Closure Sept. 25

Last month, the Mt-Baker Snoqualmie National Forest proposed to temporarily close the Lake Serene Trail for timber-harvesting purposes. On September 6, the proposal was approved, meaning the Lake Serene Trail will be closed from September 25 to July 1, 2018. Weyerhaeuser, a Washington-based timber company, owns a section of the land the trail is on, and plans to take the next 10 months to log their property.

In the past few weeks, WTA and trail advocates had called on the Forest Service to lessen this project’s impact on hikers. While the outcome wasn’t exactly what we’d hoped for, there is a silver lining. As part of this project, the parking lot and restrooms at the trailhead will be upgraded, according to a press release from the U.S. Forest Service. Those will be welcome improvements for such a beloved trail.

Lake Serene, one of the most popular hikes in the Central Cascades, will be closed for several months. Photo by Rodney L. 

You can still take action 

Lake Serene is a beloved and heavily-used trail, so if you feel strongly about this operation, there’s still a way for you to support the protection of this land. Our partners at Forterra have a deal with Weyerhaeuser: if Forterra can purchase Weyerhaeuser’s property, the section along Lake Serene Trail will not be logged and will be permanently accessible to the public.   

Learn more about this agreement, and support Forterra’s efforts.

alternative hikes

We're lucky to have an abundance of beautiful trails in the Cascades. Use the closure to explore the hundreds of other trails to lakes, waterfalls and fun hiking experiences. To get you started, here are four alternative lake-hikes to explore this winter:

• Wallace Falls State Park - Greg Ball Trail - Hwy 2, near Gold Bar
• Trap Lake - Stevens Pass - West
• Silver Lake - Monte Cristo - Mountain Loop Highway
• Round Lake - Mountain Loop Highway