Upper Lena Lake

The trail to Lena Lake is a pretty, and very popular, weekend destination. But hearty hikers and backpackers who venture to Upper Lena Lake, especially mid-week, will leave the big crowds behind and experience a little bit of nirvana.

Upper Lena Lake sits in a gorgeous alpine meadow with Mount Lena and Mount Bretherton looming overhead. With the views, the flowers and heather, and the lake, you will be glad you expended the effort to climb up here. 

The first part of the hike follows the trail to Lena Lake (described in detail in our Hiking Guide). The way trail is usually in good shape and climbs moderately, gaining 1300 feet in three miles. There are 28 established campsites at Lena Lake - and on a sunny summer weekend all of these could be filled.

For more solitude, you should push on. You will be crossing into the national park shortly, so leave your dog at home or choose another destination. If you plan to camp, plan ahead because camping capacity is limited. Make sure you get a backcountry permit from Olympic National Park well before you hit the trail. Call (360) 565-3100 or go to recreation.gov and find Upper Lena Lake in the Staircase area.

As you approach the west side of Lena Lake, the trail to Upper Lena Lake branches off. You can also proceed to the lake and catch a spur trail along Lena Creek that will lead to the trail. Conditions early in the season may be sketchy, with blowdowns to navigate, but most get logged out as the summer progresses.

You will enter Olympic National Park at four miles and cross a creek at 5 miles (be careful during high water!). After this point the trail gets steep, rough, muddy and watery in places, and sometimes a little crazy-looking (look for a huge tangle of roots to climb over) until at last you reach Upper Lena Lake. Heather and huckleberry dominate the vegetation and The Brothers dominate the horizon. Make sure you camp only in designated spots - this is a fragile environment! There are 10 sites plus a group site. Bear wires and two privies available.

If you have the energy, or plan to stay a night or two, be sure to visit turquoise-green Milk Lake, about three quarters of a mile south of Upper Lena Lake in a steep cirque that usually has snowfields still feeding the lake into August. Follow the lake trail south to the last campsite and go on through to the lake.