We went in the Stewart's Fork trailhead, off of Hwy. 3 out of Weaverville. It's a great trail!

There is limited camping at Emerald and Sapphire Lakes (and spots you could at Mirror, if you could get up there with a pack, which would hurt). It's all legal, but campfires are forbidden.

The Caribou trail is DEATH TRAIL OF DOOM, really. The lake is amazing, though.