Mileage/Elevation Gain: 5.05mi/1,208ft
Weather: Sunny

Note: There's inconsistent information online about whether or not the trail is due to be closed in mid-July. I couldn't find any concrete info on any NFS sites. As of July 12th, the trailhead is open and accessible.

Parking/Road There: The trailhead is located off Mountain Loop Highway via Mount Pilchuck Road. The route is smooth the whole way through and does not require any special vehicle. When we arrived at the trailhead around 3:40pm there was plenty of space for vehicles. The lot itself can probably accommodate 20-30 vehicles.

Foot Traffic: We came across a few parties coming down on our way up and very few folks on our way down about an hour and a half later. Compared to other trails, I'd describe this one as having fairly little foot traffic.

Trail Conditions:The first quarter mile of the trail is wide and freshly graveled. Don't be fooled though -- the remainder of the trail is fairly root-y and rocky. The elevation gain is nicely distributed, with flat stretches to relieve you from the steeper grades. The trail has plenty of switchbacks in the middle stretch, although there are places where social trails have been formed across the switchbacks The trail was very approachable for me as an intermediate hiker and I would recommend it to a beginner.

Lake Experience:You'll arrive at the lake at about a mile in. There is a trail that loops around the lake -- although be aware that the trail is hard to follow in some spots. There are boardwalks over some of the marshier parts of the, some stone steps through the boulder fields adjacent to the lake and portions where the berry bushes have grown over the trail. Speaking of berries, there are plenty in this portion of the trail and we enjoyed meandering around the loop and munching on berries along the way. There are plenty of spots that make it accessible to dip into the lake although some parts closer to the glacier run-off are a bit colder. While we lounged on some of the rocks, we were joined by an adorable little pika munching away on his dinner. Keep your eyes peeled out for him and his friends at the lake.

A lovely hike up to Heather Lake! The first 0.75 miles seemed to be recently worked on and was incredibly well maintained, 2 people wide with a layer of gravel. Thank you!! The second half of the trail had much more understory growth and felt so lush!! The first half of the trail appeared to show the after effects of logging :( 

-About 10 cars in the lot when we arrived on a Monday at 10:30am

-We passed people on the trail but it did not feel crowded. Other hikers were swimming and enjoying the lake, but there was plenty of room for everyone to find their own little beach or rock.

-Lots of ripe salmonberries and blueberries! 

-Bugs were not an issue on the trail or at the lake

Gravel road to the trailhead is smooth and has zero potholes.
Beginning of trail has fresh gravel, with the rest of the trail consisting of exposed roots, dirt and solid rock.
Along with the incline this means that for the average dayhiker this may feel a bit longer than 2.5 miles.
The lake was very beautiful. The hike around the lake after you get to the top is nice and easy but somewhat overgrown in places. Personally, I found it prettier than Lake 22 but it has been over 10 years since I went there so it may be recency bias :)

Arrived around 7:45am and was the third car in the lot. When we returned the main lot was full and there were several cars in the overflow lot.

New trail work at beginning of the trail is very nice and much appreciated. Trail was in great condition. When you get to the lake you can either go straight or take a right, both taking you around the lake. The left side is overgrown with the bushes covering the trail but still manageable. Bugs were not bad but were picking up around the lake on our way out.

Took us around three hours and forty five minutes to complete with us taking our time and several stops to talk to people, pet dogs and take pictures.

Arrived at the trailhead around 10AM with no issue parking. The trail is in great condition, I was surprised to see a gravel path for part of the way up. Enjoyed a nice afternoon at the lake for a while before hiking down.