About a mile in, the old road turned
into a dense forest and the elevation
climb started to pick up its pace. Switch-
back trails were made up of dirt paths,
large rocks, and wood stairs. The hike
can take you to one of two destinations,
Lake Serene and Bridal Veil Falls. While
we weren’t destined for the falls, we
were treated to glimpses and sounds of
their roaring waters all the same.
At roughly the half-way mark, a
second trail split to the right, taking a
steep incline up to the top of the falls.
We continued to the left, crossing over a
few wooden footbridges, from which we
saw breathtaking views of the towering
rocks above. While we weren’t close
enough to feel the water’s spray, the
40
explore: NW | The Official Magazine for kenmore air | Spring 2019
sound of it tumbling down filled the
woods around us.
We continued upwards towards the
lake. A heavy fog clung to the hills. As
we stopped for a quick water break the
two seasoned hikers mused whether or
not the lake view would be clear at the
top.
As luck would have it, we were greet-
ed by glimpses of the 3,000-foot cliffs of
Mt. Index when we came into the basin.
The massive rock face was reflected
in the tranquil waters of Lake Serene.
Following the path right along the edge
of the lake we came to a large, flat rock
that rested beside the water’s edge.
“During the height of summer, this
rock gets so crowded you can hardly find
a place to sit,” Brenda told me. But when
we arrived, we had the entire thing to
ourselves. And for a few moments, we
also had the stunning lake view.
While we unrolled a few pads and
got the water going for a mid-morning