Lake Serene & Bridal Veil Falls Trailhead

I didn't go to the lake my main reason was to chase waterfalls and it did not disappoint.Big parking lot but fills up fast,there were 2 bathrooms but they were locked. Bringing hiking boots/shoes and hiking poles would be recommended for the hike has a lot of rocks and roots sticking out of the ground and the incline gets pretty steep in some spots. Is this a kids and dog trail I would say No at least up to the falls not sure about the lake trail but to each their own. Now onto the hike to the falls,amazing views,really rocky,and you have to cross the river a couple of times. The hike gets steep at the last mile or so and when you can hear the waterfall you know you've almost made it,the massiveness of this fall is what I was looking for,you get drenched in seconds with the over spray from the towering waterfall. And the view of the mountains are so beautiful and a great mixture of nature. So I would imagine that the closer to summer the less the water super glad I went in April. Pack in what you pack out,stay safe and bring the proper gear.Enjoy.

Embarking on the 8-mile round trip to Lake Serene & Bridal Veil Falls in the midst of a snowy landscape is an invigorating odyssey not for the faint of heart. This demanding trek demands thorough preparation, particularly when faced with challenging snow conditions. However, the panoramic views from the summit and the enchanting sight of Lake Serene make every arduous step worthwhile. Bridal Veil Falls adds a touch of majestic beauty to the already stunning surroundings, creating a memorable visual spectacle.

For those daring enough to tackle the snowy trails, a valuable suggestion is to bring along some hot drinks. Pausing on the hill, warming up with a beverage, and soaking in the snowy panorama creates a memorable experience that adds to the allure of the journey. Despite the challenges, the 8-mile hike to Lake Serene & Bridal Veil Falls offers a perfect blend of adventure and natural beauty, making it an ideal choice for avid hikers seeking a challenging yet rewarding winter trek. Be well-prepared, take in the breathtaking scenery, and savor the beauty of this snowy outdoor escapade.

Absolutely gorgeous and well worth the hike. We chose the bridal falls path and are so glad we did. Would not recommend for beginners. Somewhat strenuous uphill, through lots of rocks for 2 miles.

Great trail. Not too muddy, lots of rock walking and some small streams to cross. It's pretty popular so best to get in early if you like the quiet experience.

Beautiful, but challenging hike once you get to the split in the trail for the Falls or the Lake. The elevation gain is 2900ft. Adding the falls adds about 1 mile there and back adding about an hour to the hike if you got to the lake as well. The hike to falls is easier than the lake, but it is still almost always up hill with mostly dirt trails and stairs. Going to the lake, the trail has a mixture of roots and stones and steep switch backs but is well laid out. There is a toilet at the top. Bring your own TP. Also, this time of year, the trail is wet with slippery rocks. Once at the top, you are treated to glacier remnants and a beautiful blue/green alpine lake.

Beautiful hike on a well maintained trail. Gets pretty rocky during the switch backs. So as a 30 -something year old, it was hard on my knees and back. Full 8 miles including the bridal veil trail took us about 4.5 hours to complete. Lake Serene is worth the climb.

Remember to bring Northwest Forest Pass or America The Beautiful pass. The Discover Pass is not accepted here. You can scan a QR code on the info board to pay for $5 e-pass.

Great hike! It’s a bit steep with some elevation gain. Still, it was worthwhile. The scenery up at the lake was breathtaking.

Great trail! Very difficult. Lots of incline and stairs, rocks. Beautiful and worth the work. Took us about 5 hours to do the 9 mile hike. Stop at Bridal Veil Falls on the way up! Trust me, you won’t feel like it on the way down. This trail is most definitely HARD. We did it on a Thursday, arrived at the trailhead about lunch time. Hiked up to the falls then the lake, took a nice long break at Lunch rock. It was good conditions, not real muddy.

Get there early, this is a popular trail. We rated it as the hardest easiest trail, meaning it was on the high side of easy. We got here at 9 and there were maybe 5 cars and we saw no one on our way up. But as we returned to the bottom around 11, we ran into other hikers and the parking lot was full.

I go hiking twice a week and this one made my calves sore, yes! It does take a lot to get me there which will give an idea of the fitness level I’m at but it was all worth it for the views! Be prepared as I saw and heard a lot of people struggling. Once you pass the waterfall you’ll feel like your climbing a never ending treehouse or at least that’s how it felt for me. It is my third time here, I’ve been in the summer, during the fall rain and now the winter. The snow that’s left is at the lake, enjoy! 🌲🥾🐾

The ultimate reward for a hype that you will definitely remember. So incredibly cool. And this hike is the screensaver on my phone because of its incredible diverse beauty on the hike itself. Lake Serene is this mountaintop lake surrounded by sheer rock walls and is definitely worth the freezing swim as a reward when you get there. The kind of hike that will just make you proud. The kind of hype that your soul will remember forever

A hike that is well worth the trip if you are willing to put in the effort! The hike is as challenging as everyone says - but like everyone says, the views are well worth it if you love nature and sightseeing.

We went on 5/19, and the trail still had some snow at the top, and the lake was still at least 3/4 covered in ice. Still a beautiful view and beautiful lake.

Our total hiking time was 7.5 hours, to complete about 8 miles of hiking (including the trail to the falls). About 5.5 to 6 hours was actually spent hiking, the rest just stopping and taking in views. We arrived at 8:30, left around 4. Take the Bridal Veil falls detour first. Wear hiking shoes/boots. Huge elevation challenge near the last two miles of the lake trail. Lots of places to stop and take in views along the way.

Absolutely worth it for adventure goers and nature lovers. Hopefully the ice melts soon and the water won’t be freezing cold!

Gorgeous , busy a little demanding to mid moderate. Plenty of rest places, but very rewarding when you reach the top.

A long and strenuous hike but with rewarding views at the end! The waterfall is beautiful but to reach it, you have to climb over a ton of stairs. Also the latter hike to the lake also has lots of stairs and is very rocky. It does get tiring. So if you’re not a regular hiker, this trail could be a difficult one! I would recommend good hiking boots to walk over the rocks. Bugs weren’t too bad and mostly came out later in the day. NW Forest pass is required for parking at the trailhead. I didn’t see a pay station so you’ll need to bring a pass with you to the trailhead. The parking lot was almost full on Tuesday around noon when I went.

This is quite a challenging hike so be prepared with enough water and food. The views were well worth it! Most of the trails are shaded so you don’t have to worry about the heat. It wasn’t dusty either. If you want to visit both the lake and the waterfalls, I’d go to the lake first as there is a lot of elevation getting up there and that would consume a lot of energy.

Difficulty of the hike is hard.
One way distance is 3.6 miles to Lake Serene and another 0.5 mile to Bridal Veil falls.
Trekking poles highly suggested.
You will be rewarded with a lot of scenic beauty in this trek.
Parking is available in the early morning hours, but it is quite difficult after 8AM during summer season.
Vault bathrooms available.

Beautiful hike to a raging waterfall and a calm mountain lake. We hiked both the falls and the lake and it was nearly 11 miles by the end of the day. There is quite a bit of elevation gain too. I’d recommend choosing one or the other if not too experienced with hiking for long distances. It’s a great day adventure to do both though. The trail can get quite busy on weekends so be prepared for crowds.

Moderate to difficult hike, as the elevation gain is not gradual. View of the lake makes it worth the efforts though!
Lush green, mostly covered trail. Couple of water streams on the way so to wear water resistant or water proof hiking shoes with good grip.
Not many bugs (in early June).. climbing down was harder than climbing up for me.

TRAIL IS SNOW FREE! I thought I would start out by saying that because I was so happy to hike this with no snow. Arrived to the trailhead at 8:00 and the parking lot was already about half full. The hike up gets rocky with tree roots so having good ankle protection helps. Got to the lake in 1 hour and 35 minutes with just a couple breaks to snap a couple photos and have some water. The sun started to poke out a little before I got to the lake. I imagine this hike to be busy the rest of the year. When I got back to my car the parking lot was completely full. Beautiful Friday for a hike, round trip was 7.6 miles and 2,464 feet elevation gain.

Beautiful hike, great views. Very slippery at the moment, would not attempt without spikes and waterproof boots.