We hiked the Maple trail a while back and didn't see anyone else in the park. It was after work one evening and it was wonderful. We couldn't wait for the leaves to change to come back and hike the east trail. If you're going for a good work out, hike the entire East Trail. It's a great hike. If you're going to see the maples but don't want a strenuous hike, go about 1/2 mile up either side of the trail. The middle of the trail requires a great deal more effort and the views aren't nearly as pretty as the beginning and end. There are a few really nice views when you're up high, but they really aren't that great. We went on a Saturday when the leaves were beautiful, so there was a line 1 1/2 miles long to get into the park. It was pretty full, but everyone was really nice. I gave solitude a 3 to average out the absolute solitude of our first visit and the absolute lack of solitude from the second visit.
