Lena Lake

I drove up FSR 25 near Hamma Hamma to hike up to Lena Lake this morning while it was still cool. It was amazing to see Lena Creek flowing above ground and under the bridge for the first time in decades. I hiked up to the lunch rock and back for 6.3 miles round trip with 1,300 ft of gain. This salamander was on the trail near the trailhead.

The trail starts out uphill in a series of switchbacks through a lovely forest.

The small creek over the trail was larger than I have seen it before. I crossed going over the large boulder on the left.

view of this creek looking upstream from the trail

There are some lovely large mossy boulders along the trail.

Lena Creek flowing under the bridge.

view of Lena Creek upstream from the bridge

view of Lena Creek downstream from the bridge

Huge boulder/rock wall along the side of the trail

small stream flowing over the trail 

bridge before Lena Lake, the stream was flowing strongly.

view upstream from the bridge

view downstream from the bridge

It was a little cloudy at Lena Lake

I saw this snake as I was going back down the trail.

Another view of Lena Creek at the bridge

Back at the usually small stream crossing the trail, looking downstream.

This time I went a short distance downstream and found a place to cross where the rocks were closer together.

some of the wildflowers seen along the trail this morning: