We did this on a Monday, arriving at 8:40 am. There was still space in the main parking lot. It was a hot day, but near the lake was nice and cool. Still quite a few flowers.
If anyone picked up my hiking poles from next to the bathroom at the parking lot, maybe we can figure out how to get them back.

Looking for a rewarding, lake filled, 360 degree views day or overnight hike, the Ira Spring - Mason Lake & Mt Defiance meets those goals and more.  The trails were in great shape and wild flowers abound.  Within a mile and 1/2, Mt Rainier comes into view and gets better with each foot in elevation gain.  At approximately 3 miles, the Bandera Mtn trail junction is on the right.  The Trail up Bandera is more of a scramble and mostly sun exposed with minimal shady spots.  As the temperature was in the mid 80's, the hiker friendly Ira Spring to Mason lake trail on the left was the better choice.  From the Bandera/ Ira Spring junction it was about a 1/4 mile to the crest and then a slight decent to Mason Lake.  Approaching the lake, the bugs kept getting worse and were in abundance once at the lake.  There were a few muddy spots and one blow down that was easy to get over.  Leaving Mason Lake the trail meanders up a slight incline and in about 1/2 mile is the junction with the Mt Defiance Trail, towards the left and Pratt Lake Trail to the right. The Mt Defiance trail gains slight elevation for about 1/2 to 1 mile and then the elevation gain gets serious.  The trail had several muddy spots and had numerous sections with roots. The elevation gain continues up to the ridge line and then up the ridge until the trail opens up to an amazing traverse with great views and loads of wild flowers, at the end of the traverse the junction to the Mt Defiance trail is achieved.  The trail to the summit is a rough boot path and careful stepping is a must.  The trail gains quite steeply and is about 1/4-1/2 mile plus or minus until the summit is achieved and the rewards of the hike with over 3,000 ft elevation gain is well worth the effort.  From the top, 360 degree views were incredible.  The number of lakes you can see are numerous, the central cascades are showcased and Mt Rainier and Adams were amazing.  The bugs however were really bad and a mosquito net for the head got a lot of use, a must to have.  The hike down was tenuous at first until the main trail is reached.  From there the hike down is a bit steep for about 3/4 mile.  After that, the trails back to the parking lot were an easy hike back down.  A rest stop at Mason Lake was a nice respite. Total miles was about 12, Elevation gain over 3,000 ft and duration about 7.5 hours.  One of the best hikes off the I-90 corridor if lakes and Mt Views are ones goal 

Very thankful I finally got to do Mt Defiance on a clear day in June for fields of colorful flowers and views of far off peaks with multiple nearby lakes. This is probably my favorite peak hike along I-90. It was a hot day, so I was glad to be hitting a hike that included a lake to cool off in afterwards and to clean the trail dirt off my legs. And it’s truly a great time to visit this peak. There were bugs that like to swarm your face, but no stingers, which has been an issue here as summer progresses along with increased haziness from wildfire smoke. Dog and I will take annoying gnats over ground bees any day.

It was nice seeing Mason Lake full to the brim. On a warm day like today, the water at the edges felt refreshing versus chilly. Now that it’s summer, expect to see campers and other day visitors at the lake any day of the week with weekends being packed. Also, the underpass at exit 45 seemed to be closed during the day when construction was being done. So depending on when you arrive or leave, and which direction you’re going, you may have to go to the next exit and back track to get to your destination.

A two-fer Sunday: Mason Lake first, then Bandera. And boy, are my legs sore! 

We got to the Ira Spring trailhead early, just before 7. The parking lot was less than halfway full, so getting there early pays off on a sunny day! The road in was fine, lots of potholes, but nothing that even a low-clearance vehicle couldn't handle. That said, there's a big one where the paved road meets the gravel/unpaved road. Be ready for that one!

The trailhead toilet was in pretty good shape, though low on toilet paper even when I used it that morning, so it's a good idea to bring your own (and bring your own hand sanitizer, too). 

Note: If you choose to do Mason Lake + Bandera in one day, I highly recommend heading to Mason Lake first (a la doing Bridal Veil Falls before Lake Serene, if you're familiar). My wobbly legs would not have wanted to continue to Mason Lake after descending from Bandera (lol). 

TO MASON LAKE

Because we got such an early start, it was a quiet hike up to Mason Lake. We got passed by a few backpackers who were heading down, and a couple of trail runners (and one very speedy hiker) who were on their way up. The trail is in good shape, albeit quite very rocky in some places, so poles were nice on the way down when my legs were a little wobblier. 

The lake is beautiful, as always. It's been years since I've been to the lake, and it's as lovely as I remember. Bugs were annoying at the lake, though they weren't mosquitoes and were never bad enough to pull out any bug spray. We sat around the lake for a while, and got the lake to ourselves for like 20 minutes — another nice bonus to starting early! 

TO BANDERA

It has also been many years since I've done Bandera and I apparently forgot how steep this hike was. WOW. 

The trail is in pretty good shape — that is, it's easy to follow for the most part, and, with poles, I didn't have too tough of a time staying on my feet. That said, I would not have wanted to come down this trail without poles. Lots of "rock steps" (if you can call them that — they're really mostly just rocks, see photo #3), though you get incredible views the whole time, and the top of Adams as you climb higher. 

We saw wildflowers all day, but they were really popping on this stretch to Bandera, with paintbrush, beargrass, tiger liles, and probably other wildflowers I'm forgetting/can't identify (because I'm bad at identifying plantlife). It was really beautiful. My pictures don't do any of it justice. 

We stopped at Little Bandera Peak. We heard other folks talking about how the trail ahead to Bandera was a big of a mess, and we felt good about stopping there. There were nice rocks to sit on there for a break, and we were just about ready to start heading back down to the trailhead anyway. 

We (unsurprisingly) ran into many more folks on our way down, and the parking lot was full when we got back, with cars parked down the road over a quarter-mile. A fun day for a pretty tough hike! 

Great day on the trail! The parking lot was nearly full by 8 AM, but once on the trail, groups were nicely spread out, so it didn’t feel crowded.

The road up had a few small potholes—nothing unmanageable for most vehicles. There’s just one larger pothole where the gravel begins, so watch out for that.

The trail itself was in great condition with beautiful views throughout and lots of wildflowers!! The lake was absolutely stunning—perfect for a swim! A bit chilly, but super refreshing.

By the time we returned, the parking lot and even a long stretch down the road were packed with cars. Definitely a busy Sunday!