A few weeks ago my friend and I took our preschoolers on their first overnight backpacking trip. Both kids have been eased into the idea with prior car camping trips and my son has been on a few day hikes, but this was their first full fledged overnight backpacking adventure.
We looked at areas close to home to limit time in the car. Also, since I wasn't really sure how the kids would handle hiking, I wanted a trail that didn't force any particular amount of miles to reach a feature (e.g. lake, river) to camp. Thus, the Lyons Creek trail fit the bill since it essentially parallels the creek and has nice large granite slabs scattered throughout for the kids to spread out and play on.
At the trailhead ready to go:
Sticks! Seriously, if I knew how much fun a kid could have with a stick, Christmas shopping would've been much cheaper last year:
"Eat my dust," is an understatement. These kids were literally running half the time:
The trail became RR tracks and these two hooligans were the trains clambering for the lead. "Choo choooo...all aboard":
After a mile or two we came to a perfect place for the kids to play:
"Fish!":
More sticks. This particular brute was the SS Minnow on its way to float down the waterfalls:
Easy does it:
They splashed around in the creek till sundown:
Camped back there in the trees a bit:
Home for the night. My son in the background building a "bear trap."
Rocks! Almost as cool as sticks:
"Dad, can we stay another night?!" Mission accomplished:
TR: Lyons Creek, Eldorado NF, 7/18-19/2015
- FeetFirst
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TR: Lyons Creek, Eldorado NF, 7/18-19/2015
I'm still rather convinced that you can achieve more than you've ever dreamed of if you just lower your standards.
- maverick
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Re: TR: Lyons Creek, Eldorado NF, 7/18-19/2015
Fun family TR and photo's, thanks for sharing.
Got that right, hook, line, and sinker."Dad, can we stay another night?!" Mission accomplished:
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
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: TR: Lyons Creek, Eldorado NF, 7/18-19/2015
Planting natural seeds into your Earth creatures that will last a lifetime. Well done!
David
David
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Re: TR: Lyons Creek, Eldorado NF, 7/18-19/2015
Sticks & Rocks. Evidently, you forgot what it was to be a kid
Seriously more fun than youtube and gaming.
Seriously more fun than youtube and gaming.
If you don't know where you're going, then any path will get you there.
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Re: TR: Lyons Creek, Eldorado NF, 7/18-19/2015
Thank you, all for reading and commenting.
Too true. Part of the fun of being a dad is seeing the world through your kid's eyes.Jimr wrote:Sticks & Rocks. Evidently, you forgot what it was to be a kid...
Exactly! I'm really excited that he had such a blast because this is truly a game changer. I can already see long trips in the Sierra with him in the future.SSSdave wrote:Planting natural seeds into your Earth creatures that will last a lifetime. Well done!
Thanks.maverick wrote:Fun family TR and photo's, thanks for sharing.
Last edited by FeetFirst on Wed Jul 29, 2015 4:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I'm still rather convinced that you can achieve more than you've ever dreamed of if you just lower your standards.
- giantbrookie
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Re: TR: Lyons Creek, Eldorado NF, 7/18-19/2015
Very sweet post!
Since my fishing (etc.) website is still down, you can be distracted by geology stuff at: http://www.fresnostate.edu/csm/ees/facu ... ayshi.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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