The trail starts off at 7,800 feet, curving through fragrant shrubs as it hugs Big Pine Creek.
Striking rock faces jut up out of the ground as you approach the first switchbacks.
A gently graded set of switchbacks gives you a stunning view of the trail you've just covered.
Toward the top of the switchbacks, a true alpine environment appears, full of boulders and even a few Bristlecone Pines!
This is the first view the trail offers of the enormous Palisade Crest and her many spires.
Stop for lunch on the granite slabs and try to spot the back side of the famous Temple Crag, accessible via the Big Pine Creek North Fork Trail.
After a brief descent, alpine meadows full of fragrant wildflowers appear. Colorful mushrooms abound here, due to the higher moisture content.
The official USFS trail ends at Brainerd Lake, a striking blue body of water. Scramble south, following a use trail, and up the boulder field if you're heading to Finger Lake.
Sierra shooting star flowers abound on the shores of Finger Lake.
If rock scrambling is of interest, there are many choose-your-own-adventure routes, even if you're not venturing on to climb Middle Palisade.
A short scramble of 500 feet will earn a wonderful view of glacial blue Finger Lake and the surrounding cirque.