This hike is gorgeous! We arrived at about 4:30pm and, while there were other hikers of course, parking wasn't a problem and it wasn't crowded. I understand this hike can be very busy on the weekends, so a weekday evening seems to be a good alternative. We parked at the Chinook Pass overlook, but in hindsight I think the Tipsoo Lake parking area is closer. However, either works, so if you come here when it's busy there's more than one possible place to park if you don't mind a little more walking. There is currently some roadwork going on, so keep in mind your drive time may be extended a bit (at least coming from the south).
We hiked in a clockwise loop and there were incredible views the entire way, including great views of Mt Rainier for the final half of our loop. There were also many beautiful wildflowers to enjoy along with the small, scenic lakes. The trail was in good condition, aside from some braiding throughout, and it was a relatively easy hike with most of the elevation gain at the beginning.
The only downside was the mosquitoes. There were a lot and I came out with over a dozen bites in spite of long sleeves/pants. The skeeters weren't as bad when we were moving, fortunately, and mostly came to bite us when we stopped to rest or take pictures It's totally worth it, though, just don't forget your bug spray and cover up! All told, this loop was really nice and I only wish we'd started our hike about an hour or two later so we could've seen Mt Rainier at sunset.
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