Twin Lakes, Robinson Creek Trailhead Parking

[Willythedog]

Last year they held onto a couple grocery bags of food and whatnot for me at the deli in the front. They were super nice about it too

[erutan]

Good to know on the food - a few years I asked and was somewhat rudely told that they didn't store food for people anymore. Maybe it just matters who you get. I ended up driving down the road once to the little campgrounds nearby and bribing a campground host with a bottle of wine to let me put my overflow food bags in the a locker they weren't using (they were in an RV). YMMW as well obviously on that one.

Emigrant in general doesn't have lockers at their trailheads as bear activity isn't really an issue there as in the national parks or through hiker resupply points like Onion Valley etc. It freaked me out at first, but now I've gotten used to it and put any food that would smell in a drybag etc in my vehicle and call it good enough for the area.

[Wandering Daisy]

Twin Lakes trailheads are not in Emigrant Wilderness, rather, Hoover NF. Yes, each experience depends on who you deal with at the resort. I have always had good experiences. We have also camped in the campground a few times.

Although it would not necessarily work for many trips, Buckeye Trailhead is another option with free parking (and a hot springs!). Just be aware that you will share the trail for a few miles with summer grazing cattle. The Buckeye trail is quite scenic, especially "The Roughs". You can reach Peeler Lake via Buckeye Pass.

[erutan]

Ah, yeah I looped them together in my head in this context as a ranger I was talking to about bear lockers mentioned emigrant and the lack of food storage north of Yosemite (no incidents for 3 years at the time). I gave up asking about food storage after being rejected the one time (probably been out of the TH 5-6 times and never had any issues), so haven't really had any interaction aside from filling out a ridiculous amount of information and handing over some cash for the parking pass.

Buckeye is a slow exit for sure at the end, but some nice spots with the creek above it - wouldn't want to do it on a hot day though. Nice dispersed camping opposite the hot spring, and conversations with local ranch hands etc there can be interesting.

[looks easy from here]

Doesn't Buckeye have some mandatory creek crossings that can be pretty high well into summer?

[Wandering Daisy]

Wading is required year round. It does get un-crossable at peak flows or high snow years, however, is fairly calm, even if you have to wade up to your crotch. It is a horse crossing, so I imagine if you were to look up and downstream you could find something better; I have never tried. I have once backed off the crossing and just got another walk-in permit for another trailhead. Not sure with COVID that is an option this year. Robinson-Buckeye is a good loop if your group has two cars, but I would not plan to come out Buckeye early season; you could get stuck.

Robinson Creek also has multiple wet crossings early season, but they are not as deep.

[SSSdave]

Although it does not explicitly sign so for obvious resort business reasons haha, along the road between the 2 private parcels is Toiyabe National Forest public land. My expectation is one can park a vehicle overnight anywhere along the lake edge road as long as people are not in their vehicles overnight that is referred to as dispersed "camping". Illegal on NF lands in and near developed areas that includes everything all the way to Bridgeport. Fishermen and day hikers park along the road freely every day. The private land between the lakes are cabin owners. The advantage of parking at the resort is one is a wee closer to where the actual trail starts, there is more all day security, and won't get lost finding the actual trail in the campground maze.

[tahoefoothills]

I've backpacked from Twin Lakes multiple times and paid each time to park at the campground. They have always been very nice and I've had no problems. The campground atmosphere is not my thing, but once you get just a little beyond it that whole area is one of my favorites. I always enjoy looking at that Sawtooth Ridge and The Incredible Hulk monolith.

[tmorton23]

I'm heading out of this trailhead in August. Based on what I am seeing in some of these responses, I may pay for my parking the afternoon before (I'm staying in one of the FS campgrounds the night before) so I can hit the trail as early as possible the next morning. The idea of waiting until at least 8:00-8:30 to take care of parking seems like an inefficient use of time.

[JRinGeorgia]

I may pay for my parking the afternoon before (I'm staying in one of the FS campgrounds the night before)

I just finished a trip out from and back to TR, and this is what I did. Parking was $15 for my whole trip (which was 7 days). A campsite was $28 plus some taxes and fees, so the total came to $46 and change.

The campground is not going to be fun for a backpacker, full of families in giant 5th wheel camper trailers. And lots of dogs that bark for a couple of hours after dusk. But it's right at the trailhead.

Trailhead parking is just outside the gate, in the back of the marina parking area.