There was plenty of shade at the beginning but as you continue on the trail, it becomes more exposed. Luckily, it was a nice weather that day and there was breeze even in the afternoon. We arrived at the parking lot at about 7am and there was already plenty of cars, but still plenty of spots left. We started hiking at about 7:20am and it was still nice and quiet. The hike was pretty easy until the last 0.5 mile where it was almost straight up. Hiking shoes and poles are definitely recommended cause some parts are just loose dirt. It's a really nice view once you get to the top; it was a little cloudy that day so we were able to see above the clouds. There's not a lot of room to rest at the peak so it's better to get there early to claim a spot.