Part of the popular Lake Serene Trail in Snohomish County could be lost to logging. About 45,000 hikers visit trail off of Highway 2 every year.
The land near the trailhead is already federal land, but if you go up the trail about a quarter mile, there is about another quarter mile of land owned by Weyerhaeuser. There are plans to log those lands unless a nonprofit group can raise enough money to stop it.
Forterra, a group that tries to secure lands and maintain them, is trying to raise $275,000 in private donations to save the trail near Index.
“They've created a beautiful trail up there,” said Michelle Connor, Executive Vice President of Strategic Enterprises for Forterra.
“It's shady. It's got a mixed forest,” she said. “As you climb out, you'll come to this spectacular view on the top.”
Those who love the area describe a stunning landscape that they don’t want to see marred by logging.
PHOTOS: Lake Serene
“I think that's really sad because it's one of the best things around here,” Danika Templeton said after finishing the hike. “It's very pretty, my phone died because I took too many pictures.”
Snohomish County has put $400,000 towards the effort but they need to come up with the rest of the money by the end of October.
“The Forest Service wanted to acquire this because it is an inholding within the Forest Service, but Congress has not given them any money to do that” Forest Conservation Director Charlie Raines said. “So, now we have to go out and ask the people who love this trail to go in and help us acquire it and protect it.”
After they’ve raised the money to protect this trail, there are two others in the Skykomish Valley they want to save. For more
After they’ve raised the money to protect this trail, there are two others in the Skykomish Valley they want to save. For more information visit Forterra's website.
