The highway is in good shape. The DOT was getting some ditch work done so there was a brief stop on the way up. There were 9 cars in the Bagley Lakes Trailhead parking lot when I arrived. The bathroom was clean and well stocked. 
I started with the Bagley Lakes (east) side of the lake. There was snow in places on the vegetation below 4300’, but the trail was mostly dry with a few muddy spots and a couple of easy to negotiate icy patches to the stone arch bridge. 
Heading up to Herman Saddle patchy compact snow on the trail started around 4300’ becoming mostly solid by 4500’ and about a foot deep around 5000’. There was a good boot pack all of the way to the saddle. The snow was dense but slushy underneath. 
Fewer people had continued on to complete the loop, so while there was a boot pack that went the right way and was easy to follow, the snow travel was more difficult with a lot of slushy post holing down to Iceberg lake. From there to Mazama lake there were some bare, but muddy and wet patches of trail and the snow was only a couple of inches deep. It quickly got deeper and back to slushy post holing climbing up to the Ptarmigan Ridge junction. From there to Artist Point was a slog. Multiple avalanches had released and the post holing through the rubble was knee deep. I didn’t think there was enough snow for it to slide that much so was glad it had already done so. 
The snow at Artist Point was 4-6” in the parking lot. 
Wild Goose trail down to the Lake Ann junction had knee deep wind drifts and there were a lot of foot prints that showed most people had abandoned the trail for easier walking on highway. Route finding was necessary in places. Below Lake Ann the bootpack was solid again. From the Austin Pass Picnic area back to the trailhead the lower section of Wild Goose trail was snow free, but wet and muddy. 
I wore boots and wanted gaiters after Herman Saddle. Poles were useful and if it was colder I would have put on spikes for the descent from Artist Point on Wild Goose trail. 
It was fairly calm and warm at the trail head when I started at 10:30, but the wind picked up in the higher elevations and there were gusts in the 50s. It started raining at 2 pm. 
There is still some lingering fall color around Bagley and Picture Lake and it is really colorful down in the river valley, but it is winter at the higher elevations. 

We arrived at the Heather Meadows parking lot shortly after 11:00 a.m. on a partly sunny Tuesday morning. The drive up was clear of snow, as was the parking lot, although there was snow along the road edges and on the ground around the parking lot.  There were only about a dozen vehicles in the lot.  The toilets at the trailhead were clean and well stocked.

The Mount Baker Highway is closed above Heather Meadows, but the road surface was clear of snow as it continued up past the barrier.  We couldn’t tell how far that was true, but one intrepid skier packed his skis on his back and road off up the road on a mountain bike, hopeful of finding some skiable snow. 

From the Heather Meadows parking lot we hiked out the west side of the Bagley Lakes Loop trail and then continued up the Chain Lakes trail to Herman Saddle.  The trail was initially clear of snow but very wet.  Much of the trail bed was running with meltwater, so we were hiking up a stream more than a trail.  Fortunately, we were wearing water resistant hiking boots because dry hiking was impossible.  The lakes were not frozen and many small streams and rivulets were coursing down the rocky bluffs along the west shoreline.  We were grateful for our hiking poles as we maneuvered over the steep, rocky sections after the junction where the Chain Lakes trail leaves the Bagley Lakes Loop. 

The snow depth increased as we climbed and full snow on the trail started at about 4500 ft elevation, a little over a mile from the trailhead.  The snow was very soft and wet, degrading into slush close to the ground, and parts of the trail were acting as run-off streams.  This made for very wet hiking conditions and necessitated careful stepping to avoid slipping and/or getting truly soaked. The snow deepened as we climbed and transitioned from slushy to very heavy snow.  We put on microspikes to minimize slipping and that helped a lot.  The trail had been broken by several previous hikers and was not hard to follow all the way to the saddle (see photo). 

Across the upper avalanche chute, snow falling from overhanging trees had produced lots of rolling snowballs and wheels, but there was no sign of a significant snow slide.  However, across the valley on the north face of Table Mountain we could see two significant slides. 

We stopped at the top of the saddle to take a long lunch break and enjoy the gorgeous views and Mounts Baker and Shuksan (photos).  We met one hiker coming down who, like us, had gone only to the saddle.  Tracks leading further along the Chain Lakes trail indicted that at least two hikers had continued for at least a short distance that way.  However, the valley looked dark and uninviting and, given the trail conditions, we opted to go back the way we had come.

The snow was even softer and wetter on the way down, and the flowing water deeper and faster.  Even with microspikes and hiking poles, it was slow going. 

At the junction with the Bagley Lakes Loop trail, we turned right and hiked along the east side of the lakes.  That trail is more open and flatter and, although wet, was easier going than the west side.  About halfway along there was a lovely waterfall where water was cascading over vertical columnar basalt pillars (see photo).  We stopped to admire this and then realized that the trail went right through the liquid cascade.  We made a detour by climbing down below the falls and stepping across rocks, getting only a minor shower in the process.  Clearly the waterfall is not normally so vigorous.

My overall assessment would be to avoid the hike up to Herman Saddle until the snow either melts or transitions into full winter conditions.  The Bagley Lakes Loop is certainly doable but be prepared for wet and muddy conditions and the challenge of the waterfall.  Skiers note: We did not find any snow deep enough for skiing anywhere along our route.

Absolutely packed trail today due to the amazing weather. Saw people of all sizes, ages, and skill levels hiking the full loop, but I don't think jeans and white sneakers are the best idea out here. 

Overall the loop is beautiful, we started at the Bagley trailhead and did it counter clockwise. We were rewarded with beautiful views, berries, and a moderate workout. The elevation gain isn't too bad, it's pretty gradual, and we were mostly slowed down by the huge amounts of people on trail, especially those who don't know etiquette (uphill gets right of way people!). But even with the crowd, still one of the most beautiful and rewarding, easily accessible hikes in the North Cascades. 

Did my usual out-and-back on this hike, making it a 5-mile jaunt. Despite the sometimes heavy mist, the hike was beautiful, due to the red blueberry bushes, white yarrow, and yellow Ash. Easily picked enough blueberries to fill my container (many are overripe - must have been a bumper year for them). Note: parking lot was full when I ended my hike at noon, despite the fact that the fog was thicker than when I had started at 8:45. Plan accordingly.

Tried to go up here on 9/29 and the road was closed between 8 AM and 4 PM for tree cutting preparing for winter.  I think it was gonna be closed for the rest of the week but Be sure and check the WSDOT webpage before setting out.  The guys at the sign blocking the way up said the closure is posted there.  Google maps had no idea it was closed.  There were also signs in Maple Falls that we missed.... and a sign just out of Glacier that we did see.  Pivoted to Heliotrope Ridge and had a great day.