I too thought it was very crowded!
The large log that goes to the center of the "lake" has been there for many many years. Why where you bothered by people walking on it? As far as "fragile" vegitation, I wouldn't worry about that area either. With the warm seasonal climate and the wet area the vegitation grows rather quickly. It's not like mountain tops in the Whites where the vegitation is really fragile.
I have to admit I think an area like that should have a lot of people going to enjoy it. The place is amazing! It made me happy for 2 days after I was there. It's been 2 years and I still think about it.
When I went I did not park off of Rt. 70. I mountain biked from town (after going up to to Doc Hollywood Grave) and then hiked up from the trail head. A little note - Doc Hollywood is not actually in that grave. There is an unmarked stone near by where he is. A local was telling me he was scared of people going and digging him up. Weird huh!?
I also went white water rafting there. That was pretty much one of the coolest thing I've done period!
Another think I did was mountain bike over 11,000 feet! Having very little resistance through the air was an odd feeling. And NO I did not hike up to 11,000 with a mountain bike. I hitched a ride with someone that owned a high mountain camp. That was the scariest 4X4 trip ever. The jeep trail went up along the side of the cliff. There where times when I was staring out of the passenger side window looking almost straight down a couple hundred feet!
JOD - Did you go in the large hot spring pools or did you go to the free ones beside the CO River? The large pools where way too expensive for me at that time. I was in town for about a month. I went in the springs about 20 times. The last time I got hives all over my body. So itchy!
Overall the town, the hostel, the cannon, Hanging Lake, the river, the hot springs, the mountain biking, the caves, the very cool locals, the the WOW an awsome place!
Now I just have to convince my wife and kids to move out there!