Lake Serene
Lake Serene with Bridal Veil Falls spur
The Route
A forest and stairway ascent reaches Lake Serene beneath Mount Index.
- Lake Serene TrailheadOld roadbed
- Bridal Veil Junction1.7 miles
- Falls SpurHalf-mile climb each way
- Upper Stairway1,300 feet in 1.5 miles
- Lake SereneBasin below Mount Index
Old Road & Waterfall Branch
The trail follows an old road into forest. At 1.7 miles, the Bridal Veil Falls spur branches right, climbing stairs for half a mile to a small viewpoint loop. That detour adds one mile return.
Stairway Ascent
The main lake trail crosses the creek and gains about 1,300 feet over its final 1.5 miles on stairs, roots and rocks. It traverses to a ridge before entering the lake basin beneath Mount Index's cliffs.
Lake Endpoint & Mileage
The shore trail reaches a large lakeside rock. WTA distinguishes 7.2 miles return to Lake Serene alone from 8.2 miles with the Bridal Veil Falls spur. This briefing includes the waterfall detour; Mount Index's summit routes are separate.
Terrain Along the Route
The upper ascent includes roots, rocks and many stairs before the basin beneath Mount Index.
Approximate guide figures for the named route and endpoint, not a current measured track. Reference Set: 2026-10-23.
Weather
Current forecasts open at the providers below. NWS forecasts describe a terrain grid cell, not an exact summit.
Access
Lake Serene Trailhead, Index · Highway 2, WA
Driving Approach
From US 2 about seven miles east of Gold Bar, turn onto Mount Index Road immediately before the Skykomish bridge. After a quarter-mile, turn right at the Lake Serene Trail 1068 sign; the lot is about 500 feet ahead.
Parking & Facilities
WTA lists a trailhead toilet and Northwest Forest Pass requirement. Parking is in the dedicated lot; roadside No Parking signs preserve traffic and emergency access.
Waterfall Spur
The Bridal Veil Falls branch begins 1.7 miles from the trailhead and adds one mile return. This briefing includes that spur; Lake Serene alone is 7.2 miles rather than the combined 8.2.
Source information checked 2026-10-23. Road snapshots are dated separately.
Reports
Lake Serene & Bridal Veil Reports
WTA reports may visit just the waterfall, just the lake or both. A falls-only report does not cover the upper stairway or lake basin under Mount Index.
Official Road & Trail Alerts
Forest alerts cover the Skykomish-area road and trail restrictions separately from visitor reports.
Links open the publishers’ report pages. Reports are not automatically imported or filtered to a forecast date.