Set out on a mild Tuesday for an overnight backpacking trip. The forest service road had quite a few potholes, not hard to maneuver around, but I would recommend taking it slow.
Arrived at the trailhead around 7:30 a.m. to find the parking lot almost full. Had a lovely hike up to the lake and encountered no other hikers on the trail. The lake was quiet and peaceful. Several campsites were taken, but I waited until about 10 to set up camp when one group left because I was hoping for one with nice lake access. There were actually several more sites open farther down the lakeside trail--really beautiful ones!
Camped overnight and found that the other campers were really quiet and respectful of one another--much appreciated. There was a light breeze that kept the mosquitoes away during the day, but they came out in force as night fell.
On the way down the trail, I passed 4-5 groups on their way up, mostly families with children. When I got to the parking lot around 11, the lot was full. I passed multiple cars coming up to the trailhead as I headed down the road. I'd say it would be smart to arrive early if you want to be sure of a spot.
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