Getting There: Take the Willow Creek Road out of Mullan, ID to the Willow Creek trailhead, which services both Stevens and Lone Lakes. Willow Creek Road crosses over I-90 just east of Mullan and the trailhead is just a mile from the interstate overpass. The road is a bit rough and narrow but easily car passable. 
Instead of turning left into the trailhead parking, turn right and then a quick left up a steep road for about a 1/3 mile to the trailhead there. If you have a low-slung car or desire some shade to park under, then you may just want to park at the main trailhead and start the hike from there.
The Willow Creek trailhead has ample parking and a vault toilet. The trail (#138) is part of an old road like Stevens Lakes and is every bit as steep. The trail climbs steadily and steeply (nearly 1,000 ft) with virtually no relief for almost 1 mile. There is a nice waterfall at that mile mark which is a little more than halfway to Lone Lake.
From there the trail continues to climb and switchbacks up the hillside before lining out to the lake; but not nearly as steep as the first portion. The lake is about 1.75 miles from the upper trailhead. There is some water outside of the waterfall from small seeps but can be limited during the latter part of the summer and early fall.
At the Lake: I fished for a bit in 2018 but didn’t see anything bigger than 6 inches. The size of fish didn’t seem to change in 2023. There is a campsite across the outlet, though a bit slanted. The other is across the lake near the rock outcrop, but with the barrier built there it does get some wind.
It was a weekend when our group hiked in during 2023 and we saw around 20 people. This lake does not get the same traffic as Stevens Lakes, although I always see people when I have hiked in. This could be a good alternative if Stevens Lakes appears to be crowded, which on many weekends it tends to be. There is a small pond just above the lake that I have not been to, I understand its name to be Long Lake.
