Thanks for your help everybody! Doug, the pictures are especially helpful. Rob, there wasn't really any fire damage that we could see around Twin Lakes. As I recall, the fire damage in that area was mostly on the trail between Twin Lakes and Elk Lake.
When Caroline and I reached Elk Lake Creek on 559, we almost immediately went up a steep ascent, and then down again (lots of fire damage and downed trees here, including one big log I had to help C over). We went through an open glade (huckleberries or manzanita, can't recall), and then down into a denser forest area (again, some fire damage here). We found a place that looked like it should have been the ford and crossed, but there was no trail on the other side. Afterwards, Caroline noticed that the trail continued on. At that point, it was getting late, so we decided to turn back.
So I guess I'm wondering if the trail definitively ends at the ford (on the west side), or if it continues downstream (as trails along rivers are wont to do). If it ends, we definitely didn't go far enough.
The trail definitely takes you to the ford. The continuation of the trail on the east bank is visible across the creek. I have seen no evidence of any kind of trail or user path continuing downstream on the west side of the creek. If you are on the Elk Lake Creek trail, it will take you to the creek's edge and you will know that you need to cross at that point. There is no other place that I can think of along that stretch of trail that leads down to the water's edge like that.
paul4peace said
We thought we'd take a "short cut" and go up trail 557, the Geronimo trail. This is in the area that was burned out two years ago. We went about 1.5 miles or so up the slope (passing the remnants of the old mine), and then we lost the trail. There were a bunch of burned trees down, and the ground itself was burned up. So we had to turn back.
As I recall, you can pretty much follow the spine of the ridge to the top.
Joe Keller said
As I recall, you can pretty much follow the spine of the ridge to the top. 
We thought about that, but then I flashed forward to the headline: "Honeymooning Couple Tragically Disappear in 50,000-Acre Wilderness Area, Search and Rescue Efforts Ongoing..."
So... we turned back.
paul4peace said
We thought about that, but then I flashed forward to the headline: "Honeymooning Couple Tragically Disappear in 50,000-Acre Wilderness Area, Search and Rescue Efforts Ongoing..."
So... we turned back.
An adventure for another day.....