This is a beautiful hike that follows the shoreline all the way around Parker Lake.  There are a few short climbs as one hikes over low ridges, but there are no long climbs and no net elevation gains.  I would rate this hike as easy to moderate.  The distance around the lake depends to a certain extent on how much water is in the lake.  When I hiked the trail on February of 2014 the lake was down a little and my GPS recorded a distance of 4.12 miles.  When the water is high the distance might be over 5 miles.  As one hikes around the lake there a many beautiful views of the lake.  In the winter, the lake has numerous wintering waterfowl and so if you like watching birds, bring your binoculars.  For the most part, the trail is good and well marked.  However, there are a few places that some might find difficult and there are a number of places where the trail is narrow and the sides are abrupt.  If this is a concern, check some of the pictures associated with this hike. 

Parker Lake has a marina and a boat launch site.  Every time I have been on this hike I have seen others boating and fishing.   The marina is generally not open during the winter months on a regular basis.  There are some excellent camping opportunities on this lake. 

There are Pit Toilets at the parking lot.