No breaking news here, but sharing my experience in case it helps any other newbie backpackers!
I did this as a solo overnight and only my second backpacking trip ever. Totally doable — and a really great payoff — for someone still getting used to the weight of the pack.
I arrived at the trailhead around 1 pm on Saturday. The parking lot was full and after reaching the very busy lake, I grew increasingly anxious I'd started too late and wouldn’t find a spot to camp. There were tons of gorgeous sites; they were just all occupied. But 1.9 miles past the old ranger station, at about 3:30 pm, I found a lovely spot on the water with a peekaboo view of Rainier. It felt like one of the last sites on the trail, and I wouldn’t have wanted to start my hike any later in the day. Then again, I did see one or two other groups arrive after me and they seemed to find something workable. All to say, don’t lose hope. Keep hiking because there are probably more campsites ahead. And if you’re heading out on a sunny weekend, get an earlier start if you can! I clocked 6.2 miles in each direction.
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