Ideas for Kids in the Spring

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zwoij
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Ideas for Kids in the Spring

Post by zwoij »

I'm looking for some ideas of where I can take my two younger kids on a two night trip sometime between now (Feb) and the end of June (when we plan to move away, far away). Given the snow and the season, I'm open to anywhere within a reasonable drive of the Central Valley, not just the Sierra. These kids, ages 9 and 6, have hiked up to 10 miles in a day, but not with a pack.

We are looking for some combination of the following:
  • Priority #1: Fun. The trip has to be enjoyable.
    Beauty
    Not a lot of snow
    Fish
    Not too far to drive from the Central Valley
    Bonus: Flowers

Could I find some good ideas if I searched around? Sure. But you can save me the trouble by pointing me to some good places. Thanks!
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AlmostThere
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Re: Ideas for Kids in the Spring

Post by AlmostThere »

Fish? That'll be low elevation lakes, car camping. Snow melt makes it hard to fish rivers and streams in early to late spring. Mid to high elevation may have snow later this year.

If the snow melts out earlier rather than persisting through June, you might try Ostrander Lake, or Chain Lakes, in Yosemite. The first is a starting trailhead on Glacier Point Road in Yosemite. The second starts from a forest service road in Sierra NF but goes into the park. Then there are a variety of other trailheads in places like Dinkey Wilderness, or Kaiser Wilderness. But all are contingent on snow melting off roads and trails early.

If the snow doesn't melt off fast enough, the choices become more limited. There's a lake with bass and perch in it, out in Henry Coe State Park. That would be backpacking. There's not a lot of places on the coast where lake/stream fishing are the thing - steelhead are catch and release only, and Point Reyes' waters may be a sanctuary, but i did see a guy with a pole surf fishing at Coast Camp this year....
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zwoij
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Re: Ideas for Kids in the Spring

Post by zwoij »

I should have mentioned we don't need all 6 of the criteria I mentioned, just something that hits a few of them. If there is some phenomenal wildflower possibility somewhere I would take that instead of fishing, for instance.

Henry Coe is a good option. Yosemite is better if conditions allow. I wanted to take them to Upper Cathedral Lake but ran out of time in the fall. Now I'm looking for a way to make good on my promise to take them backpacking.
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Re: Ideas for Kids in the Spring

Post by Tom_H »

You already mentioned Henry Coe. Point Reyes is a good option, without the fishing. The Nevada Point Trail down to the confluence of Pilot Creek and the Rubicon River would be good for fishing later in the spring after snow melts off at lower elevation. http://caltopo.com/m/6M4J I would take the camping spot that's above the river elevation at that time of year due to the possibility of the river rising unexpectedly during the night. The trail is steep but short. I have never seen anyone else down there. You are almost always by yourself. It's also a good place to hunt rocks. The geology of the rocks you see changes constantly from top to bottom. The river might be tougher fishing at that time, but the snow feeding Pilot Creek will be gone and you might get some trout in it. The bridge across Pilot Creek is fine but the bridge across the Rubicon has been gone for years. You cannot cross to the other side except in the fall of drought years. Even then, you will get wet.

From the point marked BM3416 on the map, you are on the original Rubicon Trail. This short section can be done in 2WD, but it's rough and higher clearance 4WD is better.
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maverick
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Re: Ideas for Kids in the Spring

Post by maverick »

If your priority is wildflowers, then consider heading out between Mar-May to one of these locations, check wildflower sites for updates to time your trip around the peak weeks.

Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, Mojave NP, Anza-Borrego DSP, Carrizo Plain, and Joshua Tree are all looking good so far with the amount of received rainfall.

Salt Creek/Case Mountain areas east of Vasilia, and Figueroa Mountain in the Los Padres NF can have some outstanding displays.

Death Valley has not received a lot of rain, it is currently only at 13% of what they received last year.

http://www.desertusa.com/wildflo/wildupdates.html

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q ... 2982,d.eWE
Professional Sierra Landscape Photographer

I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.

Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
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Re: Ideas for Kids in the Spring

Post by wildhiker »

Backpacking ideas:

Hetch Hetchy in Yosemite at 4,000 foot elevation. Even in a high snow/runoff year, you should be able to make it around the reservoir to Rancheria Creek by the end of June, assuming that the Wapama Falls bridge is not damaged. I believe the hike is 7 miles, with some up and down. This has dramatic granite and waterfall scenery and is not too hard for kids. I took mine there at ages 6 to 11. Rancheria Creek has great cascades (but keep your kids out of the water!). There should also be wildflowers in June. Wilderness permit needed and can be reserved. If you can go mid-week, you shouldn't have any problem getting a walk-up permit.

Stevens Trail to the North Fork of the American Wild River. This starts in Colfax, just off interstate 80, at about 2,500 foot elevation. The first part of the trail includes a section on an old road, but once it starts descending into the canyon, it follows an ancient toll pack trail from the mining era in the 1850s! Cool that it is still there. It drops down to the river on a mostly gradual gradient in about 4.5 miles. You do have about 1,000 feet total uphill on the way back! The scenery is a wild river canyon. Wildflowers are spectacular in April and May, which also has pleasant temperatures. I've never camped at the end by the river, but I've seen others do it (we always do it as a day hike). There is plenty of poison oak here, so don't just wander around in the woods. I don't fish, but I imagine there must be some fishing in the river. It will be running too high in April and May to safely go into the water - people do that in July (but have to suffer a very hot hike). No permits needed, except the standard California Campfire Permit.

Redwood Canyon in Kings Canyon National Park. This is at about 6,000 foot elevation. Snow should be gone by May. The attraction here is the wild giant sequoia forest. You pass one giant tree after another on a gradual downhill hike for about 4 or 5 miles to a camping area along the creek. Here you can walk right up and lean against the trees - no fences like in the main groves accessible by road (and beaten down by tourists). You could combine a backpack here with a visit to Moro Rock to get a good high sierra view. Wilderness permit required - I don't think there is much demand.

-Phil
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Re: Ideas for Kids in the Spring

Post by SSSdave »

A difficult solution because there are almost no lower elevation natural Sierra lakes with trout fishing one might visit before late May while all year streams with fish are likely high from snow melt. With young kids, best keep mileage under 3 miles without much vertical. I have an idea below for the Kings River above Pine Flat Reservoir out of Fresno that your whole family could enjoy.

The following 4wd enthusiast link provides good information with pictures for the two dirt roads east along the river from the Bailey Bridge for the road up the North Fork to Balch Camp. This year one can expect a late snow pack so rivers will be even higher making stream fishing even more difficult.

http://autoramblings.com/sportsmobile/?p=4295

This is one of my favorite little known wildflower destinations about the lower western Sierra Nevada. The north dirt road is best late March into April while the north facing shadier with more oak forest south dirt road wildflowers last into early May. As the link notes there are numbers of primitive spots on the north side road to disperse camp at. At the dirt road end is a foot trail climbing slopes a few miles to Garlic Falls. The Rodgers Ridge Trail (visible on satellite tab) begins on the opposite side of the river of Camp 4 and Mill Flat Campgrounds. To actually have a natural camp spot away from the river edge and dirt road one could backpack up to a couple hundred yards up that trail and set up camp under blue oaks. After that the trail rises more steeply, however there are reasonable level places one could tent about the one mile section.

Small children will however be content to remain along the river or stroll short distances from your base camp up into the wildflowers on the open canyon slopes.

http://www.sierraflyfisher.com/tours/kingsriver.htm

http://stevenojai.tripod.com/kings.htm

Study this map link using all three topo/map/satellite tabs.

http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=36.86270,-119.10115&z=14&t=M

The satellite tab in particular will indicate some fine areas in the blue oak woodlands.

David
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Re: Ideas for Kids in the Spring

Post by wandering_biped »

Los Padres. Sespe Wilderness in particular. Park at Lions Campground. Sespe River trail is pretty flat. No more than 1500' of overall elevation gain over 12 mi so it's nice for kids. Lots of camp area along the way. There has been fishing in the Sespe River in past years but I'm not sure of the current state. Along that trail the elevation is around 2500'. Temps should be in the upper 30's/low 40's at night and around mid 50's to low 70's during the day.
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Re: Ideas for Kids in the Spring

Post by wildhiker »

Here's another idea for your kids backpacking trip.

The Grouse Lakes area in the Tahoe National Forest (just north of Interstate 80) often has early snowmelt due to its lower elevation. It has lots of small lakes in granite bowls that give you that high country feeling, but no major relief, so it is easy to hike there for kids. The lowest trailhead and most likely to be open by June is Loney Meadows at 6,000 feet in the northwest corner of the area, off the Bowman Lake Road. A good trail heads up the creek to the Rock Lakes in less than 3 miles with about 600 to 700 feet elevation gain. This area has excellent wildflowers. The lower Rock Lake is more forested, with spacious camping spots. The upper lake is in the granite and more alpine looking, but has only a few small camping spots. There are easy cross-country walks from the upper lake to minor peaks north or south for good area views. Also, if you walk north from the upper lake on the good Bowman Mountain trail for about one mile you reach an excellent viewpoint looking north. Parts of the trail are on old roads. Mountain bikes are allowed, but we have never seen any in this area. No permits are needed, except the standard California Campfire Permit. We do this as a day hike nearly every year in June, sometimes in May of low snow years, because of the excellent wildflowers. I can provide a trail map by private message, if you desire.

-Phil
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zwoij
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Re: Ideas for Kids in the Spring

Post by zwoij »

Thanks for the great ideas and the links. In fact, there are too many good ideas. It will be hard to choose just one. I'll try to write a brief report on whatever we end up doing.
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