My mom, brother, dog, and I got a late start on this rainy day around 1 PM. There were only four other cars at the trailhead. It took about 40 minutes after getting off the highway to reach the trailhead due to a bumpy, rocky, unpaved forest service road. As soon as we got started we realized we were in for a tough hike as the trail immediately starts with a steep incline paired with lots of tricky exposed roots and rocky areas for the first half mile or so. There were also minimal switchbacks, so you really are just walking straight uphill. This is a young forest with lots of downed trees and leaning snags. I think I counted 5 downed trees, with 2 that require going over or around. We did have a hard time visually seeing the trail at a couple of points because of the state of the forest/trail, but it is easy to find again, and we never wandered off or got lost. Also, beware of really narrow tread at some parts, as well as some really big steps up and down on rocks and roots.
The lake was beautiful, albeit rainy, windy, and cold. I could foresee myself going back on a clearer day to take in the dramatic ridgeline and maybe continue to Labyrinth Mountain. We didn't fully explore around the lake due to the wind and stopped as soon as we reached the shoreline, which put us at a grand total of 3.54 miles and 1,798 ft of elevation. Total time was 2 hours and 40 minutes! Definitely recommend this hike if you want a tough workout for less mileage, but do not underestimate it!
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