Let's hear it for #watrailsday! Hadn't done this hike before, and it was a gem!
Biggest issue with the road is the potholes. We had a Forester and didn't have issues other than bouncing around a lot, but if you have a low-clearance car you will need to pick your path very carefully. The worst sections are in the first few miles, after that it actually gets better.
If you are used to manicured trails you might find this one a little rough. A lot of rocky and rooty sections, especially on the lower part. Regarding the choice point at 2.0 miles, my wife wanted nothing to do with the left fork that goes straight up the spine of the ridge. We took the switchback route, but even there she called it quits just before the summit, where there is a short section that requires a rock scramble.
That being said, this hike has a very high payoff-for-effort ratio. You get fabulous view pretty quickly and keep them for the rest of the way. It also doesn't get the crowds you would have for a hike like Heliotrope Ridge, which has comparable gain.
We hit the lake on the way back down. There appear to be two trails as you approach the lake, one going left, one going right. We took the right fork and made it to the lake, but it became clear pretty quickly that the left fork is the "real" trail, and takes you to a little promontory that juts into the lake. Would recommend going that way instead.
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