Our party of four arrived at the Smithbrook trailhead parking lot about 9:30 on a cloudy/drizzly Wednesday morning, it was nearly full, but much better than a sunny weekend when cars are parked up and down the road as well. The Smithbrook road is rougher than the last time I was there a couple of years ago and the brush along the road could be cut back 3-4 feet each side.
The trail is "good", some rocky places, especially as you cross a few permanent rock slides, and being in the forest a lot some very smooth parts. Trail traffic to Union Gap was minimal in the morning. Most day hikers headed south to Lake Vahalla, we headed north to Lake Janus, and almost immediately met a PCT through hiker going south. Side story about that: Nearly all Mexico-Canada through hikers bypassed the Sierrras because of the extreme snow conditions, and left the trail at Bishop, CA northbound, per the hiker. This hiker, instead of rejoining the PCT just north of the Sierrras went to the Candian border and was hiking south to Bishop. We would later, returning south from the lake to Union Gap meet 12-15 through hikers, about a month ahead of schedule, all who said they'd go back and finish the Sierras.
We saw folks of all ages in addition to the PCT hikers, being mid-week, but mostly younger, teens and 20s, and older, retired-ish ;-), and a number of happy dogs.
There are fireweed in bloom, lupine have gone to seed. Not a huge number of wildflowers overall as the trail is mostly in light to medium shade. Open rock crossings are the best places for flowers. There is a nice water slide kind of stream crossing along the PCT section (Union Gap to the lake), mentioned in the hike description.
The lake was serene, water lilies with a few yellow blooms, water grass, the usual campsites, just one in use. There is a toilet, a stock camp, but no "sign" of any stock on the trail.
I'd recommend this for those who want a little more distance that Valhalla and won't be getting a dramatic vista of the lake as they approach, and way less foot traffic. Mt. Grizzly is a popular combination with this lake.
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