Lake Serene and Bridal Veil Falls July 2021 Trip Report

July 10, 2021

Mileage: 8.38 miles

Elevation Gain: 2,412 feet

Map:

This is a classic hike near Seattle... which also means it's extremely crowded.

We overslept our early wake up and decided to start in the afternoon as most of the morning hikers would be leaving. We were a bit too eager, starting our hike a little before 1:30. I think it would have been better to go later in the afternoon, but we still managed to get a parking spot in the lot.

There were still a lot of people on the trail until Bridal Veil Falls, and a decent amount at Lake Serene. The hike is beautiful the entire way, but also very steep.

I would do this hike again, but I would put a lot more effort into avoiding the crowds. It was by far the busiest hike I have been on in Washington and a lot of people lacked trail etiquette.

Solitude tips:

• Hike for sunrise/sunset (don't forget a headlamp/flashlight and don't rely on just your phone! Headlamp is better since it's hands-free)
• Hike on a weekday
• Hike early for solitude at your destination and embrace the crowds on the way out
• Hike longer/steeper trails
• Do your research (if you google "best Washington hikes" you're going to end up at the same trailheads as most of Seattle... dig deeper!)
• Speaking of which... the farther you're willing to drive from Seattle/the major cities, the better your odds
• Use real maps! I've planned some awesome trips just by staring at maps, finding new trails/features I've never heard of, and becoming inspired
• Guide books/blogs/hiking forum trip reports: sometimes people share under the radar locations