Planning August trip to Mineral King and can't decide between
Timber Gap, Black Rock Pass, Sawtooth Pass versus Franklin Pass, Sawtooth. Am leaning towards the Timber Gap Loop. Thoughts?

Sawtooth

I once did a route crossing over Sawtooth Lakes, on to 9 Lakes Basin, and back on the Black Rock Trail, but in the vicinity of Spring Lake we went x-country over Glacier Pass instead of taking Black Rock Pass to get back to our trailhead. That was a really nice route. Secor's book calls Glacier class 3, but I don't recall it being difficult.

My first trek in the Sierras was from Mineral King to Franklin Pass, down to the Kern River and then up to the High Sierra Trail and out to Crescent Meadow in Sequoia National Park. That was in 2004. The picture used for my avatar was taken on that trip.

It was a beautiful trip. Going from Mineral King to Franklin Pass was really tough. I thought I was in shape but the climb drained all my energy. The trail was in good condition the whole way, it was just a big climb.

What do you specifically mean by the "Timber Gap Loop"? Timber Gap simply is a minor pass between Mineral King and the Middle Fork of the Keweah River to the north. If you "loop" you have to go over some other pass to get east (up Cliff Creek and over Blackrock Pass) into the mountains then another pass to come back (Sawtooth or Franklin)to Mineral King. Franklin has a good trail, but you have to drop to 8600 feet and then go up Soda Creek via Claire Lake to Franklin Pass at 11800 feet. The long loop down Lost Canyon and up Soda Creek is not that scenic. You only drop to 9600 feet to go up Lost Canyon to Sawtooth Pass (11,700). It is loose scree part of the way to Monarch Lake, but at least you are going down.

I doubt you mean the very long loop, over Timber Gap, down to the Keweah, up to Bearpaw, HST to Keweah Gap and south to Little Five Lakes, where you meet the trail over Blackrock Pass. Not that this longer loop would be bad, but very long.

Little Five Lakes, Big Five Lakes, upper Lost Canyon, Columbine Lake, upper Cliff Creek and Monarch Lake are the key scenic areas. Franklin Lakes are nice, but not as spectacular. I would skip Franklin and do this on another trip some other day.