The forest road leading to the trail head is the worst I've experienced. It's really bad. But the hike itself is pretty tame. The trail begins in a young forest and switchbacks up the mountainside and along a ridge to a meadow east of the lake where camping is allowed. We didn't see anyone on the hike until our way back down. The trail is relatively remote so you won't get the crowds here.
The trail is a 6 mile out-and-back to the lake, but we opted to take the side trail that loops up and around the lake so it probably added a couple more. I highly recommend doing this if you make it to the lake. The trail up is a bit of a scramble, but not difficult. Once on top it's a truly stunning vista.
The lake is a rich, deep blue and the fall colors were out. I've also never seen such a variety of unusual mushrooms. We had a great time, stayed for the sunset and hiked down by head lamp. If you can stand getting here, you'll love this hike.
