Upper Lena Lake Trail

Upper Lena Lake Trail is a hard, 14-mile round-trip out-and-back from Lena Lake/Brothers Trailhead, following Lena Lake Trail #810 to Lower Lena Lake before climbing a rougher #811 segment into a subalpine basin. Expect about 3,900 feet of gain and budget 9–11 hours. I’d choose it when the long climb itself is part of the plan. If Upper Lena is your goal, Lower Lena is only the halfway marker; the upper section is a different level of effort.

The first 3.5 miles follow long switchbacks through second-growth and older forest, with moderate grades and about 1,300 feet of climbing. This is the easier half, but it doesn’t prepare your legs for what comes next. Lower Lena Lake is a useful place to pause and decide whether you have the time and energy for another roughly four miles of steep trail. Turning back here makes a worthwhile, roughly 7-mile round trip of its own.

Above Lower Lena, the route gets steeper and less forgiving. About three-quarters of a mile past the lake, hikers have reported a faint social path continuing straight where the main route turns left. Watch for that turn and stay on the described main trail. A wrong line here can send you away from the route you came to hike.

Trail #811 climbs through roots, loose dirt and rock, with ladder-like root steps and short scrambles. Lena Creek is crossed on the way up; hikers describe slippery rocks at the crossing and a lower bypass that rejoins above. Wet footing makes the descent slower too, so don’t plan your return as if downhill will be the easy half. The route keeps gaining toward the upper basin rather than leveling out for a long walk beside the water.

The forest gives way to alpine meadows and a subalpine lake ringed by mountain peaks. The lake and its setting are the payoff for the long, rough climb. From shore, frame the green water with the surrounding peaks; they give the lake its scale. Campsites sit around the basin, but walking among them adds uneven ups and downs, so this isn’t a flat shoreline stroll. The trail ends at the lake and returns the same way; it does not make a loop.

The National Park Service lists early or mid-July through September as the best season, but snow can cover the high trail in any month. Snow travel may require map-and-compass navigation, an ice axe and self-arrest skills. The trail starts in Olympic National Forest, where day use requires a valid Forest Service recreation pass, then continues into Olympic National Park; dogs are prohibited on the park portion. Overnight stays at Upper Lena require a limited backcountry permit year-round, a bear canister for food, and no campfires. Treat water taken from Lena Creek or the lake.