Arrived at the trailhead on a Wed afternoon at 3pm. There was plenty of parking in both the day use and overnight parking areas. The restroom was clean and well stocked with toilet paper. I was backpacking with a party of 4, planning to camp two nights at Eightmile Lake and then day hike to Lake Caroline on the second day.
The hike to Eightmile Lake was moderate with the trail being well-marked and free of obstacles. I'm a slower hiker and it took me just under 3 miles carrying an overnight pack. We camped on the campsites at the west end of the lake with a fabulous lake view, easy access to the lake to filter water, and a short walk to the mountain toilet. The campsite was perfect but was a little windy in the evenings. The four of us ended up using two campsite as it was a little tight to find level, rock-free space to fit 4 small tents in one site. We were the only one camping on this part of the lake. The campsite was free of bugs. There was a small ground squirrel who chewed the fabric straps and foam covering of my hiking pole handles in the night, so you may want to keep gear in your tent!
The second day we hiked up to Lake Caroline. As we hiked upwards, we noticed the end of summer flowers and the beginning of fall colors. This hike was more challenging with lots of uneven footing, bushes overgrowing the trail, and downed logs to cross. We were all glad to not be carrying our overnight packs up this trail! The lake was a beautiful place to stop for lunch. It was quite windy at the lake, making it feel rather cold despite being a warmer, early fall afternoon. We saw no one else the entire day on this hike and had the lake to ourselves!
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