We arrived around 9 and were able to find a parking spot on the shoulder just across from the trailhead. There were some muddy patches near the beginning of the trail that grew by the time we returned around 1:30 p.m. due to the foot traffic and increasing temperature. After those muddy spots, the rest of the trail was in great shape, with just a few fallen logs crossing the trail, all of which were crossable in a matter of seconds.
We ended up not doing the full loop and instead turned back after going 3.5-4 miles. It was fun to see the sun-dappled landscape turn from frosted to springy over the course of the morning!
A highlight was seeing a tiny snake on the trail just after we had crossed under the power lines. After a little Googling, I think it was a common garter snake. Poor little one had been sunbathing when I accidentally almost stepped on them - so make sure to look before you step as you traverse sun-exposed areas of trail!
Since there's no bathroom at the trailhead, I recommend stopping at Squak Valley Park. There are pit toilets there that were in good shape in the morning (the one on the right had a hand sanitizer machine), and were still not too bad by early afternoon.
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