Twain Harte
- 2.3 mi
- round trip
- 256 ft
- climb
- 5,068 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- May–Oct
- best months
Is Twain Harte open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Stanislaus National Forest. It doesn't name Twain Harte, so check the source for the area it covers (2 listed).
Stanislaus National Forest extends seasonal MVUM closure for two high elevation roads
Agency closure covering Stanislaus National Forest · USFS · Stanislaus National Forest
Extension of Seasonal Road Closures
Agency closure covering Stanislaus National Forest · USFS · Stanislaus National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Stanislaus National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Twain Harte is an easy out-and-back hike on natural trail surface in the Mi-Wok Ranger District of Stanislaus National Forest, managed by the Forest Service. The route is about 2.3 miles long, with a low point of 4,822 feet and a high of 5,068 feet. It works well for a short outing on a day when you want to stay close to the trailhead. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station run to highs in the low 80s with only one or two wet days a month from June through September. Winters there are cooler and wetter, with highs around 45°F and 11 wet days a month from December through March. Bikes are allowed, so the route is a good fit for anyone planning a ride. The trail is open year-round. The Main Tuolumne Ditch Trail lies about 1.6 miles away and Deer Creek (Upper) about 1.7 miles. Climbers can find Beached Whale Boulders about 2.2 miles off, and the South Fork Stanislaus River is about 3.6 miles away for paddlers.
Best time to go · May–Oct
Best time to visit Twain Harte
Best months: May–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
45° / 30°
11 wet
Feb
46° / 30°
11 wet
Mar
49° / 32°
11 wet
Apr
54° / 35°
8 wet
May
63° / 42°
6 wet
Jun
73° / 49°
2 wet
Jul
81° / 56°
1 wet
Aug
80° / 55°
1 wet
Sep
74° / 51°
2 wet
Oct
64° / 43°
4 wet
Nov
52° / 34°
7 wet
Dec
44° / 30°
11 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Calaveras Big Trees, CA, 13.5 mi away at 4,695 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Keep exploring — more trails worth the drive
Main Tuolumne Ditch Trail
~3 min drive
2.82-mile out-and-back hike in California with 2,222 ft elevation gain and loss.
Main Tuolumne Ditch Trail
~5 min drive
2.18-mile out-and-back hike with 858 ft gain and loss in California.
Twain Harte Horsemen
~8 min drive
3.21-mile out-and-back trail in California with 1,666 ft gain.
HIKE
3N01-SNOW TRAIL
~6 min drive
49.62-mile out-and-back trail in California with 5,558 ft elevation gain and loss.
DEER CREEK (UPPER)
~3 min drive
4.76-mile out-and-back trail in California with 1,614 ft elevation gain.
DEER CREEK MC TRAIL LOWER
~5 min drive
3.38-mile out-and-back hike in California with 820 ft elevation gain.
Lava Bluffs Trail
~20 min drive
4.38-mile out-and-back hike in California with 2,708 ft gain and 4,269 ft max elevation.
Bradley Grove Trail
~18 min drive
2.12-mile out-and-back trail in California with 1,083 ft gain/loss.
Photo: jack_piter, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)North Fork Interperative
~6 min drive
1.56-mile out-and-back trail in California with 280 ft gain
Photo: scorpio-tiger, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)04N12-SNOW TRAIL
~18 min drive
13.4-mile out-and-back trail in California with 2,796 ft elevation gain