The beautiful trees are what keeps me returning to this hike, as well as the easy freeway access and short distance. Berries were out on the ski slope, and we hiked slowly and ate. It wasn't too hot, as we started early. Mushrooms are starting to sprout.

As others have noted the lakeshore is very muddy - just a glance and turn around, there was no easy access to a log to sit on. There is a huge mudpit just before reaching the lake - you sink in to ankle and above. I was glad I had boots on and not hiking sneakers.  We took at rest stop at the lake junction. 

It was fun meeting PCT NoBo hikers-saw about 10. I brought extra food and treats to share.

Did my usual garbage collection along the way, but the trail was remarkably clean. 

Arrived at 10am and there was plenty of room in the parking lot. Only passed a handful of hikers along the trail. Lots of ripe blueberries and a few salmon berries holding on. Trail was in great shape with just the lake being muddy along the water edge.

Pleasant hike. The first part of the trail is in open terrain under ski lifts. Most of the trail is in the forest.

I met up with a friend Saturday around 11:30 AM at TH, there was a handful of cars, but plenty of parking since it's at the ski resort parking for West Summit. There is no toilet at this trailhead (if you need one, there's a nice restroom less than a mile down the road, called Travelers Rest that is a rest stop). 

Trail: starts going through the ski area, you go through some chair lifts, there's some roads here and there, but just follow the trail. There were lots of ripe huckleberries and salmonberries on trail! We got to Lodge Lake in under an hour. There's not much trail along the lake, there was a large group gathered at the main access area of the lake. I did not see any good campsites either along the lake, the best sites I saw were at the turn off to the lake, right off the trail. This lake's edges are pretty muddy, but it was still a pretty lil lake. Since we got to the lake faster than we expected, we decided to hike a lil further along the PCT, we did another mile before turning around. Not much views after Lodge Lake, but a good forest walk. 

My trail stats: 5.95 miles/1175 ft gain/3 hours

Quick hike to Lodge Lake on this Thursday. You drop about the same amount you gain enroute to Lodge Lake. We got about 850 total elevation gain. Lodge Lake itself is nothing special in my opinion, although peaceful the edges are really mucky and I'd suggest if you need water try to get it from the pretty stream a couple minutes before. It's not a particularly nice lake to sit by and definitely not to swim in with the muddy shore. But to me what made this destination totally worth it is the beautiful forest where the short trail to the lake takes off from the PCT. It's a really beautiful, peaceful forest with a lush undergrowth of berries and I was really loving just sitting there (best seats and possible tent sites) are right by the PCT intersection. So pretty and peaceful. Dog got very muddy at this and Beaver Lake on the way.