Great hike!
Road from about Monte Cristo trailhead is really bad; some potholes are over a foot deep. With this being said, I made it in Honda Civic coupe, although the road does require your full and undivided attention.
The hike is just perfect. It's mostly a green tunnel; it eases you in with a gentle incline, offers stunning views along the creek, has a few almost flat segments to give you some rest, goes through all kinds of forests (birch, young brush, old growth) and at the end takes you to one of the most beautiful lakes. There's an option to check out the waterfall up close, but if you find yourself staring at a 50% trail incline and scratching your head, you could either climb it (it's not too bad), or go back and take a slight left turn that you just passed earlier.
Trail is in excellent condition. There are a few fallen trees and a lower trail is a bit rocky at places. There's a campsite by the lake, and I'd totally go there for a nice overnight.
I encountered a bear on my way back. I'd say it was an adolescent black bear, minding its own business about 30-40 yards off the trail. We didn't exchange pleasantries per se, but we acknowledged each other and went about our business. The point is, be aware of your surroundings, make noise every now and again (you don't want to startle a wild predator), and make sure to not leave anything behind (I've picked up a few candy wrappers on the way back. Not cool y'all)
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