27.66 miles of hiking • 8500' elevation gain • 3 nights
While 7 Lakes Basin is the go to place to see lakes in the ONP this area is a less crowded alternative once you get above Lower Lena Lake.....which is not in the ONP so no permit is required. We got a late start & spent the first night at Lower Lena. Next day we hoofed it up to Upper Lena Lake. Trail is fairly steep, rocky, rooty, dusty, muddy, brushy & gets buggier the closer you get to the upper lake. Bugs at Upper Lena Lake were a pain. Mostly biting flys. Spent the rest of the day swimming in an attempt to stay cool & keep the bugs away. Next day hiked to Milk Lake, Scout Lake & Hagen Lake. Saw zero people. Again bugs at the lakes were pretty bad but as long as you kept moving things were fine. Was going to assend Mt. Lena but the wild fire haze was still present so decided to save that for another day. Over all a great trip.
