Victor San G.
Google
Went on a Friday morning. Arrived at 0800 and only 2 other cars were there total in all 3 parking lots. There was ample parking when we arrived. There are 2 lots on the same side as the trail head and a newer lot right across the road from the trail head. All 3 parking lots that we saw were $20 per calendar day. There were signs for $10 lots but we could not find them. You can pay with cash at the lots on the same side of the road as the trailhead. You can also pay with credit card at all 3 locations using the link provided on the signage in each lot. We brought cash in case as cellular signal is not the best.
The hike up has some good elevation gain. The first 75% of the trail is all uphill with many loose rocks. It can get tiring for the average person but there are so much scenic views to see all around that you barely notice you're tired. With that said, people with mobility issues should proceed with caution as there are no paved areas. The trail is very wide with lots of areas you can pull to the side and let others pass. From the trail head to the lake took us 23 minutes with many stops for pictures and to give our dog some water.
The lake and whole area at the top is absolutely breathtaking. I would recommend going first thing in the morning so there's not much people around. There is a lot of space to spread out once you're up there, but it did start to pick up when we decided to leave after about 2 hours up there. Don't forget to explore the many other side trails while up there and if you want, you can continue up further to the actual glacier.
