Went early to beat the heat. At 7:30am there were a few parking spots. By the number of cars it's clear this is a popular backpacking trail. The road in is paved but there are a few large potholes in either direction. The trail varies from smooth to very rocky and rooty. The upper trail in the area of the lake has one very large down tree to duck under. It's been there for years. Found lots of fun flowers blooming. Nooka rose, pink wintergreen and Menzies pipsissewa. Even more cars when got back to the TH at about 1:15. It was a fun day

Our WTA team (staff + volunteer ambassadors) was at the thrailhead today celebrating Washington Trails Day. We met a lot of awesome people. There was strong support for our petition to protect our public lands! Church group, backpackers, day hikers, kids, dogs and happy adults. Out of state hikers, including Vermont, Florida, NY, California.

This trail is definitively well-known and popular, at least to the lower lake. The trail is like an highway - two-people wide, clean and well maintained. 

Going up to the upper lake is, instead, less frequented and as such the trail itself is less of an "highway".

Beautiful throughout, with blooming flowers and unique scents.

Three patches of snow on the way up, solid and walk-able (at the time of writing, conditions may change as snow melt).

The melting snow and rain of past 24h have made the last crossing Lena creek (47.63153, -123.19723) still impossible, though; current too strong and the path to the creek was too slippery to risk it alone (see pic).

I was part of the WTA team celebrating Washington Trails Day, arrived at the trailhead about 8:30am to find many cars already in the parking lot. It was a great event, met many wonderful people as they set out to either day hike or backpack to the lake. I decided to head up myself about 1:30pm, the trail is in great condition. Still some wildflowers blooming, including rhododendrons along the trail and at the lake. Came across one blowdown about the 2.5 miles up the trail (see photo), I was able to go under without any difficulty.

 Views at the lake were beautiful, many hikers enjoying the view from Lunch Rock. Running short on time, this was my turn around point. Arrived back at the trailhead about 4:30pm, amazed to find the parking area almost full. So wonderful to see so many people enjoying Washington Trails Day.

Perfect day for this hike!

I’ve added a short 3min video of highlights below.

Road: paved with just 2 well marked potholes

Crowds: 4 cars at trailhead when I arrived at 7am, saw no one on my hike in; 20 cars when I returned at 2pm and encountered around 2 dozen hikers as I hikes out.

Trail: other than the erosion-prone shortcuts impatient hikers keep making between switchbacks, the trail is in great shape.

Wildflowers: a festival of white ones near the lake - foam flowers, queens cup, goats beard, strawberry, thimbleberry, twin flower, bunchberry; roses at lake at peak bloom and rhodies past peak.

Ripe berries: salmonberries especially around the trailhead and scattered red huckleberries along the trail

Critters: chipmunks, sooty grouse, ducks, stellar jay, gray jay, pacific wren, swainson thrush

A wonderful hike!