Trail in wonderful condition. Road in better condition than the last time I was up; easily passable compared to other logging roads, though I'd still recommend caution as there is a small creek crossing (car dips into the creek, but only the base of your tires will get wet) and pot holes throughout.
Beautiful fall colors about, and ripe huckleberries and blueberries - I found plenty that fell right into my hand and tasted like candy they were so sweet. Plenty of friendly people and dogs on the trail. No children below age 12 or so that I saw.
Make no mistake, this hike is not "easy" and is quite steep in places. But if you're willing to put in the work, this day hike will reward you. Bring plenty of food and water, and a coat is recommended as the summit can carry a chilly breeze this time of year.
A few tiny bugs floating around the parking lot were the only bugs we encountered on the hike. No biting flies thankfully.
My main word of caution is this: GET THERE EARLY OR GO ON A WEEKDAY. This is a very popular hike as it's south facing (so one of the warmest hikes), has 360 panorama views in places, and gorgeous colors. We were already cautious going on a nice Saturday morning and got to the parking lot around 8:45. It was PACKED. We were lucky and found a spot as someone who'd camped overnight was pulling out. But on the way down the logging road, some people were parked at least a mile down. This made it nearly impossible for cars to pass each other and caused several traffic jams.
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