The lower section of the trail, which runs from the trailhead to the lower dam, is long. The lowest elevation at the trailhead is while the highest elevation at the dam is according to the Sierra Club. Another calculation of the dam's elevation is at . The trail has a difficulty rating of C and is called a "popular and easy hike". The Sierra Club website estimates that the round trip to the lower dam and back can take two and a half hours. Another source states that the round trip is three hours or more. The US Forest Service does not permit dogs or motorized vehicles on the trail.