We did a 4 day hike in via the Lily Basin trail and out to Packwood Lake. I had been on the Lily Basin trail maybe 8 years ago. At that time a recent washout had left few exposed boot tracks up a pumice slope from a stream about 6 miles from trailhead. We turned back there. This time there were good tracks up that rise. The second day, after traveling up and around the Lily Basin cirque, we went over the ridge to the south side. The flowers were spectacular to a little past Goat Lake. That area is marred by many extemporaneous trails. Some signing to denote the main trail and closing of others would help recovery. Despite that, the lake basin is great. Flowers were past their prime in Snowgrass Flats.
The 3rd day we ascended that basin and followed the Crest Trail. Once you cross the ridge you face a, maybe 1/2 mile, traverse of the north face of the Goat Rocks. It's a sketchy footpath through pumice and an old snow patch on a steep hillside. It's far riskier than the subsequent "Knife Ridge". That's very up and down, but with a good trail. We went left the Crest Tail on the Coyote Trail where it branches from the crest trail. It's well signed, but we missed the trail takeoff at 1st.
From Packwood Saddle we decided to descend to the lake on the Upper Lake Creek Trail. It looked like a long time since this trail has been maintained. There were many downed logs over it from the Saddle to the Lake-they required a lot of detours and climb over and unders. There were several good campsites where the trail 1st approached the river.
Once at the lake on the final day, the trail was in good condition all the way to the car. We passed lots of lovely lakeside campsites.
A few flies and rare mosquitos.
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