No problem hiking up Little Grayback with the exception of occasional poison oak.  Tried taking the road just above (north of) the lunch spot thinking that it was the same road that crosses the saddle.  However, it came to an end about 1,000' west.  We bushwhacked back to the trail and took the usual route down to the road.  Checked topo and found that if we had gone east on the road it would have connected at Hanley Gap, but it is a mile or so each way.

The Mule Creek trail is obvious and well marked but starts several hundred feet south of where it is shown on the topo.  Trail follows the creek down, crossing it several times. Not a good hike in the spring with water in the creek.  Plenty of poison oak on the narrow trail.

We had a hot climb out (400') from the creek to join up with the Mule Mountain trail to get back to the car.  90F and plenty of sun for a bit.  The little uphill blip on the end of profile seems much larger in the real world.