Upper Lena Lake

Olympic Peninsula

updated 1 week ago

The trail to Upper Lena Lake is described as challenging, particularly the final 1.5 miles which involve steep sections with loose dirt and rocks, as well as "ladder-like" climbs. Hikers recommend trekking poles for both ascent and descent, with some suggesting gaiters as well. The road to the trailhead is reported as suitable for all vehicles. Snow-free conditions were noted across all reports from August 4 to September 12. Bugs were generally not an issue, with August 28 reporting no bugs and September 8 also noting their absence. Water crossings were in good condition as of September 8. Chipmunks are noted as being bold and persistent around campsites as of September 12 and August 28. Some reports mention the possibility of encountering bears, with sightings noted on August 25.

Generated from 48 trip reports. Trails change faster than reports do, so check anything you’d turn around for.

What hikers ask about Upper Lena Lake

Generated from the most recent trip reports, newest 1 week ago. Check anything you’d turn around for.

The trail is generally in good condition, but the final 1.5 miles are significantly more challenging, featuring steep sections with loose dirt and rocks, as well as "ladder-like" climbs. Trekking poles are highly recommended for navigating these difficult sections, especially on the descent, as reported on August 31 and September 8.

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Trail notes generated from recent reports. Conditions change fast.

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Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal

Did an overnight last weekend with my 17 yo daughter. We’re both what I would consider strong trail athletes and I thought, it can’t be as bad as some trip reports have stated. Do not underestimate th...

Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal

The trail to Lena Lake is a gentle meandering path of switchbacks for three miles. Turning up the entrance to the Upper Lena Lake is noticeably more challenging and more challenging as you proceed. Th...

Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal

2-night trip to Lena Lake with a day hike to Upper Lena Lake and Milk Lake.More pictures available inthe Mountaineers trip report.Route ConditionsLena Lake TrailThis is the trail between the trailhead...

Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal

Found: IPhone 14 Plus under a log on the shoreline of the upper lake. Please comment if you believe this is your phone. It’s still functional, but there doesn’t appear to be an emergency contact setup...

Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal

Started from the trailhead just before 2pm on Friday. We began the climb from Lower to Upper Lena around 3:30, finally reaching the top around 6pm. Crowds were minimal and we saw very few people after...

Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal

Lost a Samsung Galaxy S9 somewhere between the Lake of the Angels shoreline and small campsite on the ridge ~0.1 mile above and past the lake on Aug 29th.We had a great trip starting from Lena trailhe...

Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal

This was a lovely overnighter to the subalpine lakes. The forest service road to the trailhead is paved and non-scary, and I arrived at 9am on a Friday morning. The lot was about 2/3 full. The trail f...

Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal

Two night backpacking trip to Upper Lena Lake with two kids (11 and 13) and another family. WTA says 7.0 miles one way but based on the time it took us (and other trip reports) we think closer to 8 mi...

Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal

My friend and I backpacked 8/17-8/20/26 with the first two nights at Upper Lena Lake and the third night at Lower Lena Lake. The trail to Upper Lena Lake is definitely hard. There were fewer sections ...

Olympic Peninsula > Hood Canal

In a move to escape the smoke, we switched our backpacking plans to the Olympic Peninsula and were lucky enough to grab a Saturday permit at Upper Lena Lake the Wednesday before. After ferry and Hood ...