Beware: This trail has split personalities. At 1.7 miles, bear to the right and you’re on the Jekyll route: a short, moderate trek to the 100-foot Bridal Veil Falls, meandering along creek beds and up stairs to a waterlogged boardwalk and viewing platforms. Chances are you’ll get wet, though that’s as aggressive as this trail gets. But head to Lake Serene and out comes Mr. Hyde: a beast of a climb up stone steps, gaining 1,300 feet in a mile and a half. It takes effort to finish the remaining half mile, but the rewards are great. Nestled within a forest thicket, against the northern face of Mount Index, is the sparkling glacier lake living up to its name. Catch your breath and picnic atop Lunch Rock, a smooth stone slab that sits at the cerulean water’s edge. Or for those looking for a quicker cool-down, consider cannonballing into the ol’ watering hole—it was looking too serene anyway.
Distance from Downtown 55 miles
Permits and Passes None
Map Green Trails no. 142 Index