Great hike to kick off the summer season!
I arrived at about 6:45 in the morning and there were already 15 or so cars in the lot, but I was able to carve out my own little pocket of tranquility for most of the ascent. I hit up Bridal Veil Falls first, which is a pretty short hike, but the stairs can take a bit of a toll. The falls themselves are awesome and kick up a huge amount of mist, which was refreshing and appreciated given how hot it was.
The trail to the lake is a lot of stairs and switchbacks and felt tougher than I was expecting- though it's my first hike of the season and I might just be a little out of shape. Still, the lake is gorgeous and well worth the effort. The trail itself is in great condition, with no snow, mud, debris, or hazardous stream crossings to content with.
I started my descent back to the trailhead shortly after 10 AM, and by that point the trail was a near-constant stream of hikers going up- rarely did a minute or two pass without encountering another group. By the time I left, cars were lined up all the way back to the highway. If you value peace and quiet on a hike, go early. Don't let the crowds deter you too much though, this is a beautiful hike.
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