Sawmill Wiggles Loop - 9/19/16

Equestrian Section of Sawmill Trailhead

Sawmill Wiggles Trail

Mummy's Nose from Trailhead

Gentle Ascent on Cardamine Road

The Sawmill Wiggles Loop is an easy moderate hike that begins about 11.5 miles up Lee Canyon Road in the Spring Mountains. The trailhead is located on the right side where there are two dirt roads that come together at the paved road. This is immediately following yet another dirt road that intersects with the paved road on the right. The dirt road at the trailhead that is veering off to the right going up into the mountains is Cardamine Road. It is not easily traveled with any type of vehicle besides a bicycle.

Mummy's Nose from Cardamine Road

 The road seems to ascend straight into Mummy's Nose Peak. Eleven hikers started out slow this morning as we climbed the gentle slope.

Passing through Sawmill Trailhead

 There are a few choices to make since the road tends to divide and circle around but the best strategy is to stay more or less parallel to Lee Canyon Road on your left.

Starting Up Red & Yellow Trail

Yellow Trail

 In around 1.5 to 1.7 miles, Cardamine Road brought us to the Sawmill Trailhead where there are some pit toilets and picnic tables. Although we really didn't need a snack break, the toilets were useful. We were going to sit at a table for a few minutes but, today, the picnic area was over run by bees. They were everywhere and they wouldn't leave anyone alone when we moved somewhere else. One hiker got stung. So, we quickly decided to keep going and dropped down the Sawmill Trail that is labeled Red & Yellow.

Blue Trail

 We gently climbed up to the Red / Yellow Trail fork and took a right. The Yellow Trail took us down to another junction where we turned left onto the Blue / Red Trail.

Angel Peak from Blue Trail

 We climbed a little then junctioned with the Red Trail and Orange Trail. Our Blue Trail continued across. This is the beginning of what we affectionately call the Sawmill Wiggles.

Blue Trail

First View of Cars at Trailhead

The Wiggles led us in a very winding fashion down to cross the No Mads Trail and on down to the Blue Tree Campground not far below where our cars were parked. We took a forest road up the hill to our cars. This was a short but good hike. Our pace for the last half of the hike was up to speed and we all felt we had had a short workout.

5 miles; 750 feet elevation gain; 2 hours

Blue Trail

Blue Trail

Forest Road to Cars & Trailhead