• Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • PNW
    • Kayak/Travel Blog
    • Maps
  • Reviews
EVERYONE'S TRAVEL CLUB
  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • PNW
    • Kayak/Travel Blog
    • Maps
  • Reviews

From the Archives: Kayak Lake Serene, Washington

3/12/2011

0 Comments

 
Kayaking Lake Serene Washington

Well, since we've started this new look here at Everyone's Travel Club, I thought I'd post my favorite trips from the past year here on the new site. This is one of my all-time favorites.
~Paul  ETC  3/12/11

Everyone's Travel Club boldly kayaks where few have kayaked before - Lake Serene, Washington!

Let me start out by saying that this trip, like a few trips before, might not be for everyone. Most people don't kayak in Lake Serene because she's almost at the top of a mountain, and, well,  you have to get your kayaks up there somehow! 

My friend John and I (thanks for agreeing to do this one John!) drove about and hour and a half from Seattle to the Lake Serene trailhead (look for the turn on the right, just before Index WA).  

We came prepared to hike up the strenuous 3.6 mile (one-way) uphill trail to Lake Serene and kayak her with our inflatable Innova Safari kayaks. People looked at us like we were crazy on the way up with such large backpacks...they changed their tune at the top when they saw us gliding across the lake in our kayaks.    

It was hot.  It was in fact strenuous.  With lots of water & snacks, the oars, air pumps (one spare just in case), and kayaks, our packs probably weighed in at just under 40 lbs.  Did I mention it was hot?  I mean, for the Northwest at least...

In all the hiking and kayaking took about 6 hours. A few to get up, a few to play around at the top and kayak, a few to get back down.

Off we go!
Hiking the trail to Lake Serene Washington
Hiking toward Bridal Veil Falls
A view from a lookout on the trail to Lake Serene
Here she is folks, we made it, so clear.
Lake Serene Washington in the summer
Sun setting over the mountains at Lake Serene
Paddling in our Innova Kayak in Lake Serene
Paddling our Innova Safaris on a mountaintop lake
An Innova kayak launch on Lake Serene
Snow in the summer on Lake Serene
Clear water from Lake Serene Washington
Paddling in Lake Serene in August
An Innova inflatable kayak on Lake Serene
Landing on the banks of Lake Serene
Hey look, it's Spring...in Summer. 
Spring flowers on the banks of Lake Serene
The entire lake...
A panorama of Lake Serene Washington
Back down we go!
The hiking trail to Lake Serene near Index Washington
Wanna try this trip? A few ETC pointers.

*Watch the forecast, you saw the left over snow in the pics right?  This was in August

*Be very careful walking on the snow, the drift we were on had a small stream running under it

*The lake water was warmer than I expected, a lot of folks were swimming up there. We noticed the water got a lot colder near the other side of the lake...the side with the snow

*The sun goes behind the mountain tops surrounding the lake pretty early in the afternoon, get up there at a decent time to kayak in the sun (in the summer)

*Take more water than you think, we even took a purifier to fill up our multiple water bottles for the trip down. We met lots of people with just one tiny bottle, poor things

*Wear good shoes, sandals will leave your feet hurting, especially on the way down

*The route is self-explanatory, just follow the trail

*You'll have a choice early on to take a side trail to Bridal Veil Falls, it's awesome but extra hiking.  If you really want to make it to Lake Serene and you have a kayak on your back, maybe skip this extra uphill mileage until next time

*Bug spray in the summer is a good idea, there were lots of flies on the side of the lake without the snow

*Take an extra pump for you inflatable kayaks, don't want to get up there and have a malfunction

*Once you are there and kayaking, enjoy! The lake is very difficult to walk around so when you make it to the other side you have the whole place to yourself!
 

~Paul & John,   E.T.C.

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Follow us on Twitter and receive updates when we post (click the birdie).
    Picture


    RSS Feed

    Archives

    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011


    Categories

    All
    Alki Beach
    Arboretum
    Attractions
    Bahamas
    Ballard
    Boat Shows
    Carkeek
    Cascades
    Dungeness Spit
    Edmonds
    Everett
    Florida
    Golden Gardens
    Hiking
    Hood Canal
    Kayak
    Kingston Wa
    Kiteboarding
    La Conner
    Lake Chelan
    Lakes
    Lake Sammamish
    Lake Union
    Lake Washington
    Lemurs
    Leschi
    Less Aquatic Travels
    Lighthouses
    Live Aboard
    Mercer Island
    Nisqually
    North Carolina
    Oregon
    Outside The PNW
    Parks
    Pike Place Market
    Port Ludlow
    Port Townsend
    Poulsbo Wa
    Puget Sound
    Quilcene Bay
    Richmond Beach
    Rivers
    Road Trip Month
    Sail
    Samish Island
    Sand Point
    San Juans
    Sea Serpent
    Seattle
    Shilshole
    Ship Canal
    Skagit
    State Parks
    Sunken Ship
    The Pacific Coast
    Up & Over
    Virgin Islands
    Volcano
    Whales
    Wildlife



    Videos on Vimeo

    We hope you've enjoyed the time you've spent on our site. All images, text and designs are copyright Everyone's Travel Club and may not be used without written permission from ETC.
Picture

Connect:

Contact:

[email protected]

  • Home
  • Blog
  • About
  • PNW
    • Kayak/Travel Blog
    • Maps
  • Reviews