Twin Peaks Saddle Trail #10W04.A

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · Spring · Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife

Wilderness trail, no bicycles allowed.

This mile long spur trail off of the Mt. Waterman Trail #10W04 leads to Twin Peaks Saddle and is used primarily as the access route to reach Twin Peaks. But the saddle is a fine destination by itself where a broad forested valley sits in isolation between Mt. Waterman and Twin Peaks.

To reach the spur, take the Mt. Waterman Trail #10W05 from the Buckhorn Trailhead 2 miles to a trail junction with the Mt. Waterman Trail #10W04. Continue straight at the junction and descend 1 mile to the unsigned junction and make a sharp left turn. Alternatively, it can be reached by taking the Mt. Waterman Trail #10W04 from 3 Points and going 5 miles to the trail junction.

The trail contours around and crosses a beautiful seasonal spring with a small waterfall, then descends through a series of switchbacks down to the low point of the saddle. It then climbs up to a ridge where the official trail ends. A well used path continues to the top of Twin Peaks. The technical end of the trail was the heliport at the high point in the saddle but there is no trace of that route.

There are nice meadows and a seasonal spring just down the valley with some fine camping sites but no campfires are allowed. There are good views to the east from the heliport which is no longer maintained.

Open forest of Jeffrey, sugar and Coulter pines, white fir, incense cedars and live oaks. Nice wildflowers in spring and fall. Deer and bighorn sheep are often seen early or late in the day.