This is one of my favorite trails because a) it doesn't lead straight up the mountain and b) it starts up high enough that it's got amazing views right from the get-go. With the Labor Day holiday weekend and nice weather, it was as busy as I'd expected it would be--kind of like a hiker/backpacker super highway! We had a large group today, so while some of us (me included) stopped at mile 5 at Eagle Lake and ate our lunch and rested, others continued through the boulder field another mile to Symphony Lake.
Distance one-way: Eagle Lake, 5 miles; Symphony Lake, 6 miles
Distance one-way: Eagle Lake, 5 miles; Symphony Lake, 6 miles