Lake Serene Trail
- 3.9 mi
- round trip
- 462 ft
- climb
- 7,387 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jun–Aug
- best months
Is Lake Serene Trail open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 5 alerts for Payette National Forest.
Over Snow Vehicle Closure
Agency alert covering Payette National Forest · Order 0412-638 · USFS · Payette National Forest
Brundage Mountain Resort Snowcat Route Closure
Agency alert covering Payette National Forest · Order 0412-637 · USFS · Payette National Forest
Lost Valley Log Hauling
Agency alert covering Payette National Forest · USFS · Payette National Forest
Granite Mountain Over Snow Vehicle Closure
Agency alert covering Payette National Forest · Order 0412-635 · USFS · Payette National Forest
Gordon Titus Upper Elevation Parking Lot Winter Restrictions
Agency alert covering Payette National Forest · Order 0412-543 · USFS · Payette National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Payette National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Lake Serene Trail is an easy out-and-back hike in Idaho's Payette National Forest, within the New Meadows Ranger District. The trail is about 3.9 miles long, with a one-way elevation gain of 462 feet, and it rises from a low point of about 6,900 feet to a high of about 7,400 feet. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Warren, Idaho, put July and August highs around 79°F with lows in the mid-30s. That station sits roughly 1,500 feet below the trail, so temperatures on the route run cooler. The Grassy Mountain Trail starts just 0.2 miles away, and the Serene Lake and Hidden Lake Loop Trail are both within about a mile and a half. For an overnight stay, Hazard Lake campground is about 2.2 miles off.
Local outfitters
- Black Bear RV Park20 mi away
- Arrowhead RV Park47 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
Best time to go · Jun–Aug
Best time to visit Lake Serene Trail
Best months: June–August. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
35° / 7°
Feb
41° / 7°
Mar
46° / 17°
Apr
50° / 20°
May
59° / 27°
Jun
68° / 34°
Jul
79° / 37°
Aug
79° / 35°
Sep
69° / 30°
Oct
56° / 23°
Nov
41° / 16°
Dec
34° / 9°
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Warren, ID, 25.1 mi away at 5,907 ft. The station sits about 1,500 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
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ELKHORN CREEK
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Serene Lake
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Hidden Lake Spur Trail
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0.66-mile out-and-back trail in Idaho with 62 ft of elevation gain.
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Hard Butte Trail
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Center Ridge Trail
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Hidden Lake Loop Trail
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Big Hazard Lake
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0.58-mile out-and-back trail to Big Hazard Lake in Idaho with 20 ft of elevation gain.
Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors
