Looks like all but the western tip of Williams Lake is on BLM land, with Forest Service land about half mile east. There are farm houses only about 7 miles NW. Its very likely the roads are still open.

Here is a Google Earth overview showing a smaller lake to the east. The two appear to be connected with a creek.

The other two show something interesting - two areas of forest more open than normal - you can see between the trees. This is especially true north and east of the lake along a road in the last picture. Could that be clearing to improve a camp?

Bryon

It's looks to me to be more of the off road activity with 4X4's or quads or motorcycles. I know the road to the north is a hill climb for I have walked up that grade. The little lake to the east is the lower beaver damn that floods the road down there. So you either hike in there in the winter/early spring or go during the summer when others drive in. Your choice! I kind of like to go where ATV's can't.

All the roads to the West / NW that connect to the National Forest from Williams Lake are bermed, and the main road to the east that goes past the Beaver dam is gated. 

ATVs have been banned in the MHNF for several years now, the area around goat Mtn used to be very busy on weekends, now it's a ghost town.

Before this I tried every road I could to get to the lake and they were all blocked off very well. I did eventually find a way over there, but i wont say it on a public forum. The shortest path to the lake on foot is to park a car at the large berm on the NF-4510 and walk the road.

Opening Pic:

After getting an email from Rob that the CST was unaccessible, my son and I decided on Williams Lake as a destination. I could see plenty of snow on Goat Mtn, so I was a little skeptical we'd make it. 

We made it to FR4510 with only 2-3 inches of snow on the ground. Not very far up FR4510 the snow level increased to 4-6 inches, but there were ruts to drive in. Surprisingly we were able to make it all the way to the berms at the edge of the NF boundary. 

Looking back from the first of 8 huge berms we had to trudge over

After getting through the berms, the road was easy walking.

In maybe 5 minutes we reached a very large clearcut.

We hung a left and kept going. As the road rounded a sweeping right turn, Hood, Adams, and Rainier all made their presence known. (Rainier doesn't show up in the pic)

Soon we were headed uphill on the road, post-holing a bit. After only 29 minutes, 0.92 miles from the car, we reached the beautiful lake.

I spied a blaze'esk mark on a tree next to the water

Along the lake shore past the blaze was a trail of sorts (looking back where we came)

Another mark on a tree

View from the trail

We reached the outlet of the lake, and immediately found the old trail Don found, it was a very well built trail.

The trail heads up into the deep timber

Not too long we came across the sign Don mentions

Fairly recent sign

Past the sign, the trail eventually merges with an old skid road

And in not too far, we reached the beaver dam I'd seen in 2003.

...

GPS track of the trail, and old road from the lake to the beavers

We headed back, found a large old tree

Made it back to the beautiful lake

Great day to be out, thanks for looking

-B

Thanks for posting.