How to Hike Lake Serene and Bridal Veil Falls

Lake Serene is one of Washington’s more popular alpine lake hikes because of its proximity to Seattle, its clear blue water and the towering rock spires of Mount Index. This hike isn’t for the faint of heart or beginner hiker, but if you give yourself time and work up to it, it’s doable for all. The trail is known for having a lot of staircases to climb, which adds to the difficulty. Even an experienced hiker can easily get fatigued on the stairs. When I was hiking them, I kept singing “these are the stairs that never end” in my head because they truly felt like they never ended.

Both Lake Serene and Bridal Veil Falls have a number of stairs to climb, but they are well worth it for the amazing views waiting for you at the end. Below I will share the best time to do this hike, important things to know about the trail as well as what you should bring.

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Things to Know ABout Lake Serene and Bridal Veil Falls

• Always practice leave no trace principles while on trail. Alpine lakes are fragile mountain terrain that we need to help preserve. This means staying on the designated trails which prevents new ones from forming and protects the vegetation. Always carry out your trash and never feed the wildlife. If there are signs marking an area as under restoration, respect them and stay out of that area. In addition, read the trailhead signs for any new information on the area.

• If you need to go to the bathroom on this trail, there is a vaulted toilet available just before the lake. Use the vaulted toilet if you’re at the lake to help keep the lake pristine. Be sure to always go 100ft away from any water source. If you have to poop and the toilet isn’t nearby, dig a cat hole at least 8″ deep and always carry out your toilet paper in a disposable bag.

• It is a 7.2 mile round trip hike if you want to only see Lake Serene. If Bridal Veil Falls is all you are wanting to hike to, that is a 4.2 mile round trip hike. You can choose to hike them individually or all together, which this guide will talk about.

• There are always mosquitos at alpine lakes or near melting snow so pack plenty of bug spray. Have layers to cover your skin and consider a mosquito net for your head.

• This trail has A LOT of stairs to climb both to the lake and to the falls. If you want to try this hike, be sure you are comfortable going up and down stairs as well as walking over large rocks most of the hike. This trail is difficult and even my legs were a bit sore after. Hiking poles will greatly help you on this hike.

• The Bridal Veil Falls trail junction can be easy to miss on the way back. If you choose to hike it after the lake, which I did, be sure to pay attention to where you are and where the trail sign is for it. It will be shortly after you cross the wood bridge below. Many people choose to hike to the falls first to make sure they don’t miss it, but I wanted to get up to the lake while the lighting was still decent. Either option is fine!

Lake Serene Location

The trailhead is located just off Stevens Pass Highway by Index, Washington. From the highway, you’ll turn onto Mt. Index Road where there is a medium sized parking lot to the right a the first junction. It is just over an hour drive from Seattle as well as Leavenworth. The parking lot is decent sized but will fill up quickly being a popular hike. If the parking lot is full, have a backup hike prepared or be willing to wait for something to open up. Do not create your own parking spot. There are two vaulted toilets in the parking lot on the opposite side of the trailhead.

Best Time of Year to Hike Lake Serene

This trail is best used from Summer to Fall due to it’s steep elevation and snow. Depending on the snowfall each year, the access to the trail will vary. If it is a heavy snowfall year, the lake may be frozen or have snow well into June or even July. Always check apps like All Trails or contact the local ranger station for up to date trail conditions.

Early mornings will be the best time of day to hike to the lake. The higher the sun gets in the sky the hazier Mount Index becomes. It’s still beautiful and would be warmer to swim in later in the day, but for the best photos of the mountain, get up there early.

Lake Serene and Bridal Veil Falls Trail Info

Be sure to check the trail sign for any new information posted about the trail and check out the trail map. If you don’t have a downloaded map, take a photo to refer back to if you need it. The trail starts down an old forest road with lush vegetation on both sides. It is very flat and gradual through here but you’ll have two small creek crossings. I was able to cross them easily without getting my feet wet but if it’s rainy or the snow melt is high they could be stronger. There was enough logs and rocks you can easily cross.

The beginning of the trail is a very gradual incline up to the Bridal Veil Falls junction. There is a sign at the junction marking it. If you reach a wood bridge crossing a creek you have gone too far. Shortly after the bridge there is be a small boulder field you will need to cross. Once you cross the boulder field the real incline of this hike will begin. The trail is constant rocks, tree stumps and stairs to the lake. Every time you go around a corner a new staircase will be there to great you. My hiking poles came in really handing for this hike and I would highly recommended them to save your knees.

The trail will level out as you begin to see views of Mount Index ahead and the valley you started in below. As you approach the lake there will be a trail sign with important information for the area and a trail to the toilet. If you have to go to the bathroom, use the vaulted toilet and be sure to properly dispose of all toilet paper. The vaulted toilet is not for trash, so be sure to pack that back to the trailhead with you.

The lake itself has limited areas of shoreline to sit on so be sure to stick to exciting areas and don’t ruin vegetation by trying to create a new trail. If you cross the wood log and continue on the trail around the lake it takes you to Lunch Rock. This is a perfect spot to enjoy the view and sit for a snack. The rock is large so it can hold a lot of people without causing damage to the vegetation around the lake.

The hike to Bridal Veil Falls is similar to the upper half of Serene Lake. There are a lot of stairs to navigate, some bolder fields and plenty of tree roots. Just before the summit there will be a flat walking platforms that form a small loop at the falls. You can go either way and loop back the way you didn’t go first.

What to Bring Hiking to Lake Serene

Backpack

Every person hiking should always have their own backpack with water and supplies. Never rely on someone else to carry your gear because if there is an emergency everyone should be individually prepared.

The 10 Essentials

Even if the trail is short, you should always carry a backpack with the 10 essentials. You can learn more about these item in my “The 10 Essentials” guide.

Water and water filter

This hike is steep and in the summer can feel hot and humid in the trees. Luckily with the lake and waterfall there are plenty of options to filter out water. Bringing mine allowed me to carry a little less water weight up the hills because I knew I could replenish my stock. Plus carrying a lot of water up a large hill just adds to the difficulty of the stairs. Plan to have one liter of water per 2 hours of hiking, but because this is a difficult hike, carry at least an extra .5 per two hours.

An insulated water bottle is a great choice to keep the water cold if you able to filter new water. A water bladder is another great option to be able to carry a larger amount of water and easily be able to drink throughout the hike.

Hiking Shoes

Always wear proper shoes when hiking. This means trail runners or hiking boots because they will provide the best traction over rocks and loose terrain. Sandals and tennis shoes are not great footwear for the trail. Many of these hikes have steep terrain and large boulders to climb over, so having ankle support or proper toe protection is going to be important to keeping your feet safe on trail.

Bug Spray

Hiking to an alpine lake always comes with mosquitoes. Hiking in the fall will reduce how many mosquitoes are at the lake, but there is always a mosquito presence, so go prepared. Carry bug spray for your clothes and skin. If it’s early in the summer season, consider extra clothing layers to keep them off your skin and a bug net for you head.

Hiking Poles

Hiking poles will be extremely helpful on this hike if you want to save your knees from the constant downhill stepping. They are also great for helping keep you balanced on uneven terrain. I always carry poles in my pack and find my knees hurt less when I use them.

Reminders

• Although the trailhead has a lot of parking spots, it can fill up fast. Plan to go early or on a weekday. If you get to the trailhead and the lot is full, have a backup hike in the area you can do or be prepared to wait. Do not make a new parking spot or block others on the road.

• This hike is difficult! Know your limits if you are having a difficult time with it. It’s always better to turn around if you need to and try again later than get injured or stuck on trail. Give yourself extra time to complete the hike and pack plenty of snacks and water to keep you replenished.

• Bridal Veil Falls and Lake Serene are beautiful areas we need to help protect. This means practicing the leave no trace principles so the trail looks beautiful for years to come. Always pack out your trash and go to the bathroom responsibly. Avoid stepping off trail to protect the surrounding vegetation.

I hope you’re able to use this guide to hike to Bridal Falls and Lake Serene. Weather you hike to both or pick just one of the two sites on this trail, it’s sure to be a workout and beautiful day. If you have any further questions or want to share your experience after using this guide, please leave a comment below!

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