Sawmill Flats is a 4 mile out and back trail located near Idyllwild-Pine Cove, California that offers the chance to see wildlife and is rated as moderate. The trail is primarily used for hiking and nature trips.
This hike was beautiful but poorly marked. We got turned around on the way back since there is a crossroads. We started at Fern Bason Campground. On the crossroads from Stone Creek it was poorly marked and confusing we ended up on the trail to the Stone Creek campground which takes you close to the 243. This was completely the wrong trail we had come from and we had to backtrack. We had limited service to figure out our mistake. But the hike was amazing regardless. We enjoyed it. Just a three mile hike ended up being eleven. Most of this was our fault for not paying enough attention. But I hope this helps anyone who gets a little lost.
Nice hike. Mostly fire road. Good amount of shade. Steep climbs. Great for training.