Beginner Overnight suggestion

[Barn Animal]

If you do decide to do the Lakes Trail (which I highly recommend) you can camp at either Emerald or Aster Lakes if you think a hike to Pear Lake would be too difficult. This would cut off about a mile from the trip and about 400 feet of elevation gain. There are bear boxes and a toilet at Emerald Lake though I'm not sure about Aster.

I hiked the Lakes Trail with my family as a kid and its where I fell in love with hiking and backpacking. So its very doable for your family and will be a great hike to do. The watchtower and Heather Lake are great places to have lunch and leave you with only a mile or two more to get to your destination. And there is a lot of exploring to do around Emerald and Aster.

As said above, Jennie Lake a great alternative if you decide not to do the Lakes Trail. However in my opinion, the views are not quite as spectacular and Jennie Lake can get very crowded. I would recommend getting to the Lake pretty early in the afternoon so you can secure a campsite that is more secluded. One thing to consider is that at Jennie Lake campfires are permitted if that makes any difference to you.

Whatever you choose you can't go wrong! Good Luck wherever you go!

[maverick]

Hi Barn Animal,

Welcome to HST! Thank you for your input.