South Mineral Creek TH / Ice Lake Trail

[TravelingMatt]

There used to be two trailheads for the Ice Lake Trail: The lower on on the main South Mineral Creek Road and then another one a few hundred feet higher off FR 815, the road that goes up to Clear Lake.

Last time I was there was pre-covid and pre-fires. The upper TH had "no parking" signs but people were still parking there anyway, outside the area indicated by the signs.

Anyone have any recent info on whether the "upper" trail can be parked at and used? Is it, "closed and strictly enforced", "has signs but still technically possible to park nearby" or something else?

Also, has Ice Lake become the sh*tshow of Instagrammers I've heard about?

I want to do Pilot Knob soon and am weighing the standard route versus going up from Ophir.

[Skimo95]

I did the Ice Lakes peaks via the first switchback on the CL road. Room for 3-4 cars

[k_fergie]

The clear lake road was closed to vehicles and gated at CR7 when I was there in late June of this year. The crowds were non-existent in the dark of the morning and we saw a total of 3 people above the two lakes over the course of two days of peak bagging in the basins. However, at and below the lakes there were plenty of people in the late morning and afternoons. Although, it was typical quantity of people that you'd expect to see on an, excuse the term, "normie", trail. There were an absolutely ridiculous amount of GoPros and at least two drones, so that irked me more than the quantity of people

[RWinters]

I was just up there. The road to Clear Lake is open. As stated there is a "No Parking" sign at the first switchback, but away from the sign there is room for a few cars.

[zootloopz]

Was just up here. There is room for maybe 3 cars parked well. More realistically two.

[TravelingMatt]

Got it. Thanks.