We started out from the elk lake creek trailhead #559 and were quickly immersed in some beautiful old growth forest. Almost all of my pictures from this section were crazy blurry but a few miles in I finally realized I had to hold down the camera button to get it to autofocus properly. Stupid smart phones!
After about a mile or so the trail starts to descend towards the creek and the forest becomes a lot more brushy and wet, with several small creek/swampy area crossings.
Vine maple
Blue autumn sky
Baby waterfall
This is a more dilapidated one, but there were several of these bridges along this section. Keeps me out of the mud:)
I continued to descend for a few miles. There was a lot of fall colors and a fair amount of game sign. Elk pellets/prints and scat from some sort of carnivore (I think it was a cat of somesorts!) At the bottom of the hill there is a small burn area that was still very fresh, it even still smelled like a campfire. The trail meets up with elk lake creek here and I got a few good views.
Elk Lake Creek
Several creeks meet in this area, Elk lake, battle, and mother lode creeks all come together in this old growth flat area. There are several beautiful camp sites, and intersecting trails.
Around 8 foot diameter
Very large cedar
Down fall with new trees
Crazy fungi
Fall Colors
After exploring for a bit, I turned on the mother Lode trail 558 and headed out. There is a creek crossing over battle creek
After crossing I actually lost the trail. I think it must cross a bit farther up stream as I hit the tread after heading northwest for about 100 yards.
Found it!
So the next mile and a half or so goes through a heavily burned area and the trail becomes difficult to follow. I used the backcountry navigator app to help guide me in the general area of the trail but be prepared to lose the trail for a bit. Also you will probably have to cross a lot of dead burned trees. At one point there is suppose to be a split in the trail with a northern trail and a southwest turn that I must have missed. I ended up crossing the creek a bit to far upstream and scrambling up the other side. WARNING the caltopo maps are pretty far off on where the trail actually is once you cross mother lode creek. Initially the trail was higher up the ridge than indicated by the map by at least a hundred feet. I just kept heading up the ridge until I hit the trail. I think maybe it was re-routed due to the fire but not sure. Sorry no pictures through the burned area, I was concentrating on navigation
Found it again:)
Once I hit the trail at this point, it was easy to follow and in pretty good shape but still the GPS was quite a bit off as to where the trail was. My tracks through this area were on the trail. What goes into the valley must come back out, so get ready to climb!
I little trail maintenance on the way:
Before
After
Some viewpoints
After climbing the ridge and turning west, there is a trail junction with twin lakes trail. The junction is a bit farther than the caltopo maps suggest again my tracks are on the trail. Take a SHARP left and head up Twin lakes trail 573
Junction
There are a couple small ponds along here as well as several viewpoints
Pond
Jet stream but I swear it looked like the planes going straight up. Optical illusions on ridge lines:)
Theres a couple more miles of walking through burns along the ridgeline heading towards twin lakes. There are a few viewpoints, some wildflowers and the burn itself. It's interesting that many of the burned trees are actually still alive if you look to the canopies in some areas.
Burn/rocky outcropping
Fall
After a bit, I passed by the trail to east twin lake. Since I was feeling a bit pressed for time, I bypassed that one and headed to the western lake. In between there is actually a third smaller lake. I've named it the ugly duckling lake;)
Ugly duckling lake
First sight of western twin lake
Dragonfly
Get ready to climb again! The trail heads up through a series of switch backs offering views back across the lake and the ridge line I came in on. Eventually you'll start getting some views of Mt Jeff as well
Mt. Jefferson
Along the ridge
Eventually I ran into the bagby trail which seems to be closed to the north due to fire damage. Huey and I headed south back towards elk lake. The ridge offers spectacular views in most directions at numerous points. A must see area!
Bagby trail 544 towards elk lake
Jefferson again
Olallie butte
I think this is silver king mountain
Olallie and jefferson
Eventually, the trail splits, stay to the left heading down towards elk lake. Unless you feel like the 16 miles and elevation gain wasn't enough and then by all means head up battle ax:) This last section of trail was really interesting. It's kind of like a swamp that clings to the side of a mountain! Ponds, bogs, springs, meadows galore! Really unique area.
After making your way through the swampy area, a series of switchbacks brings you back down to lake level. Turn left heading down the road. It's another mile and a half or so back to the trailhead.
We made it!
I loved this trip! The strangest part was that I didn't see anybody from the time I left 46 until the time I got back down to 46. Not even at elk lake on a sunny Sunday. It was actually kind of eery:)
Tracks Missing the first mile or so but that section of trail is easy to follow:
TwinLakesLoop.gpx- (265.13 KiB) Downloaded 192 times
Wow! That hike looks fun! I'm not that good finding trails w/ a GPS so if I came to that burnt area while losing the trail, I'd still be there. 
I really like the looks of those lakes, even Ugly Duckling Lake. I just might need to try that hike in the next couple of weeks! How many miles did you do? And what's the best way to get where you parked?