The Lonesome Lake trailhead is near the end of Homestake Road below Homestake Reservoir. It's not easy to find, as the forest service sign is hidden behind bushes near the reservoir access road which is clearly marked. The map I had wasn't accurate, showing the trailhead to be part way up that access road. The trail begins at 10,000 feet and climbs moderately for twenty minutes through a dense evergreen forest. For twenty more minutes the trail is quite level and you can't see anything in the distance until it finally breaks out of the trees here.