AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
Watson Creek and Trail California.jpg
Dicklyon · CC BY-SA 4.0
Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit

Sawtooth Spur–Watson Creek Trail, 3 sights

10.9 mi · ▲ 1,965 ft · 4 hr 37 min

Sawtooth Spur–Watson Creek Trail, 3 sights is a 10.9-mile out-and-back in Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit near Carnelian Bay, CA. It climbs 1,965 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 66/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi6,398 – 7,865 ft11.5 mi

Getting there

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

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Sawtooth Spur–Watson Creek Trail, 3 sights

10.9 mi · ▲ 1,965 ft · 4 hr 37 min

Elevation 6,398–7,865 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. 1.8 miTurn left onto Tahoe Rim Trail, heading W.
  5. 0.9 miContinue straight onto Big Chief Trail (Upper), heading W.
  6. 1 miContinue straight onto 116 Road, heading NW.
  7. 50 ftContinue straight onto Big Chief Trail (Upper), heading NW.
  8. 0.4 miBear right, heading NW.
  9. 250 ftTurn left onto Sawtooth Spur, heading W.
  10. 0.6 miReach Watson Creek Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  11. 0.6 miTurn right, heading E.
  12. 250 ftBear left onto Big Chief Trail (Upper), heading E.
  13. 0.4 miContinue straight onto 116 Road, heading E.
  14. 50 ftContinue straight onto Big Chief Trail (Upper), heading E.
  15. 1 miContinue straight onto Tahoe Rim Trail, heading SE.
  16. 0.9 miTurn right onto Watson Creek Trail, heading E.
  17. 1.8 miTurn left onto Shivagiri Extension, heading SE.
  18. 0.8 miArrive back at the trailhead.

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

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/sawtooth-spur-watson-creek-trail-out-back-3-sights

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

Hikes near Carnelian Bay, California