Watson Creek and Trail California.jpg
Dicklyon · CC BY-SA 4.0

Sawmill Flat is an 8.8-mile out-and-back in Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit near Carnelian Bay, CA. It climbs 1,153 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 66/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi6,398 – 7,284 ft9.2 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Dirk's 39.22862, -120.08716
Nearest town Carnelian Bay, CA

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Sawmill Flat

8.8 mi · ▲ 1,153 ft · 3 hr 31 min

Elevation 6,398–7,284 ft

Out & Back · Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit

Trailhead: Dirk's · 39.22862, -120.08716

Weather Sep 5: Overcast, high 61°F / low 42° · precip 2% · wind 7 mph · sunrise 6:34 AM · sunset 7:27 PM

Transit-accessible: stop 522 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading W.
  2. 0.9 miContinue straight onto Shivagiri Extension, heading W.
  3. 350 ftTurn right onto Watson Creek Trail, heading W.
  4. 0.6 miTurn right onto Sawmill Flat, heading NW.
  5. 2 miTurn right onto Service Road 301, heading N.
  6. 0.6 miBear right, heading N.
  7. 150 ftBear right, heading N.
  8. 0.2 miReach the turnaround, then head back the way you came.
  9. 0.2 miBear left, heading N.
  10. 0.6 miTurn left, heading SW.
  11. 2 miTurn left onto Watson Creek Trail, heading SE.
  12. 0.6 miTurn left onto Shivagiri Extension, heading SE.
  13. 0.9 miArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail surface

100% dirt

Weather

OvercastTemperature 61°F42°
Feels like38°Precip2%Wind7 mphUV7Humidity72%
Hourly temperature
65°40°
Sunrise 6:34 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:27 PM
Sun 61°42°
Mon 65°40°
Tue 69°45°
Wed 71°51° 23%
Thu 72°53°
Fri 70°50°

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: stop 522 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Other ways to reach this destination

More from Dirk's Trailhead