This was our first trip on the Ashland Lakes Trail and we probably will not do it again, at least in the near future.

First off, the road is as bad as other posters have said - suitable for high clearance vehicles only! We were in a Honda Pilot and it took us almost 40 minutes to get from the highway to the trailhead because of all of the deep potholes that we had to navigate. Once we got there, as another poster mentioned, there was a small parking lot and a VERY full pit toilet (with NO TP so be sure to bring your own!)

The beginning of the hike was fine - going through a forested path for a short while until the actual trail began, just after crossing a small footbridge. The first part of the trail, up to Beaver Lake was okay. There was a nice boardwalk and a bench right alongside the lake, but there were quite a few bugs so we didn't stay there long. Continuing on to Upper Ashland Lake, the trail gets fairly narrow and there were a lot of roots and rocks to navigate. There was a second pit toilet at this lake but we didn't use it so I can't say what kind of condition it was in. Some of the boards were water damaged and we had to jump over some submerged areas to stay on the path. It was definitely pretty marshy in areas!

We finally got to lower Ashland Lake but the boardwalk to get to the actual lake was so waterlogged it was impassible. We managed to scramble through some brush and pick it back up for a short while but the water level of the lake was so high that we quickly had to abandon the boardwalk again. Not sure if there was downed trees or a beaver dam but the lake was clearly not draining as it should and so all of the spring runoff had no where to go and has flooded the trail and several of the campsites. There was a bridge going over to the sunny far side of the lake but there was no way to get to it without wading through water at least a foot deep, which we did not want to do. At that point we just turned around and headed back, where the rocks and roots were even more difficult going downhill than they had been going uphill.

Fairly anti-climactic hike and I wouldn't really recommend it unless and until the logjam (or whatever it is) is cleared and the lake returns to its regular borders.

The road up to the trailhead had A LOT of potholes which were filled with water.  We went slow and made it up to the Ashland Trailhead (we have a Toyota Highlander).  The middle sign does not show Ashland so just follow to Pinnacle.  The next sign will have Ashland on it.  There was parking for 4 or 5 and a very full pit toilet. The trail had a lot of boardwalk but I am not sure why.  In some places it is warranted, but in others the trail underneath looked fine and we would have rather walked on that.  As we went on a rainy day, these boards were slippery in places, despite chicken wire and cross-hatching in places.  The walk through the woods was nice but there was deep mud in places.  The first lake, Beaver Lake, was pretty marshy.  The boardwalk extended down one side.  We did not try to walk all the way around so not sure if you can, or not.  Continuing on to Upper Ashland Lake, we walked around one side of that as well.  The sign indicated that you could go all the way around, but the bridge is washed out at the runoff end.  There was a small area where you can stop and have lunch by the lake, but no other really good spot next to the water.  There are several campgrounds that are set back and also another pit toilet.  We turned around at this point.  We only saw two other parties on our entire hike, which was nice.  We opted for this hike as Lake 22 parking was absolutely packed at 11am, extending across the street and down the road quite a ways.  

Road was in it's typical bad shape, but do-able with some patience and slow going.  The kids and I took my parents and a friend up to Beaver Plant Lake today : )  I was very proud of my Mom; she worked hard and made it amid much sweating etc lol!  The my "Tiny" girl walked the whole way out barefooted!  Oh my!  Beautiful chill day in the mountains : )

I thought the reports were probably exaggerating about the road conditions....they're not.  I got through fine in my jeep renegade, I did put it in 4wd as a precaution, but I would suggest anything with a lower clearance to reconsider.  The trail is flooded in some places and muddy in others, definitely want water proof hiking shoes for this one.  That being said it was a lovely hike, made it to both lakes and really enjoyed the adorable boardwalk parts of the trail.  This trail is filled with water features, mini waterfalls, little streams all along the way.  

I took this hike as part of a trio of lakes hikes off FS Road 4020: Ashland Lakes, Boardman Lake, and Pinnacle Lake. It was a wet and rainy day, no one else on the trail.

The road is full of potholes, rough going.

The trail was wet and muddy. I was expecting boardwalk the whole way, but it was a nice mix of boards and stretches of trail. The best part of the trail is before reaching Upper Ashland Lake (first one you get to). Closer to the lake and towards the lower lake there's a lot of mud. There are some campsites that would be ok (not under water) at the upper lake, but everything is still wet and soggy.

Once you reach the lower lake it’s a different story.  All the campsites are under water, as are many of the boardwalks and trails around the lower lake (see pictures).  I took the trail around the north end of the upper lake both in and out, the trail around the south of the lake was totally under water.

If you’re looking for an overnight destination, wait until the water level goes down and things dry out.