Backpacking destinations with young kid

[BESON]

I'm hoping to take my daughter out backpacking this summer for the first time. She'll be 4-4.5ish at that point and has been a good camper and day hiker with me. Based on what we've done for day hikes, I think we could handle up to about 7 miles depending on elevation gain. I'd only feel comfortable on trail and would hope to end at a lake, ideally with very cooperative fish. We're in the Central Valley and would prefer west side entry points. What trailhead or destination recommendations might people have for us?

[rlown]

chain lakes would be perfect: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/cali ... akes-trail

[LMBSGV]

If you want to stick to west side entries, Yosemite offers the best choices. We started taking our son backpacking when he was two with Lyell Canyon being his first trip. It is relatively level for the first eight miles so it’s a great hike for small children. The campsites begin at the Ireland Junction where there are several campsites. From there until the climb up to Donahue Pass begins, just look to the left (Lyell Fork side) for the next 2 plus miles and there are numerous possibilities with the Lyell Fork offering a beautiful creek to play in and the meadow offering lots of possibilities for simply running around.

Other Yosemite possibilities are Young Lakes (we took our son there when he was 4), and Glen Aulin down to Waterwheel Falls though the hike back up can be a bit too much for young children. Twenty Lakes basin out of Saddlebag Lake is another good place since again it is relatively level and there are numerous places to go once you get past the end of Saddlebag Lake. The many lakes slightly off-trail offer lots of possibilities and one big advantage is there is no quota so getting a permit is easy.

I would also suggest out of Clover Meadow/Granite Creek since we did a couple of trips there with our son when he was little, but I don’t know what the current conditions are due to the Creek Fire damage.

If you are willing to go over Tioga Pass, then there are quite a few great places on the East Side beginning with Little Lakes Valley. From Long Lake on up to Gem Lakes with Chickenfoot in between there lots of possible campsites. Also Sabrina Basin is great for kids. We took our son there when he was six. The climb up to Blue Lake is a little tough, but after that the string of lakes offer lots of route choices and relatively level hiking. You might want to save this for a future trip if you find she loves being out. Also Piute Pass/Humphrey Basin is good since campsite possibilities begin at Lock Leven and extend to Piute Lake and then all of Humphreys Basin where it’s possible to go cross-country and get away from the crowds. Our son loved Mesa Lake with its sand beach and view of the Glacier Divide.

One thing we learned is that allow her to bring a small amount of favorite toys. Our son would pack a bandaid box with his “guys” and bring them out at every campsite where he would have them climbing the rocks and digging the sand/dirt. Also, a favorite stuffed animal is always a good idea as long as it isn't too big.

[Gogd]

Some advice from an empty nester, a great uncle who has introduced three generations to the outdoors:

Wherever you may go, I would suggest cutting WAY back on the trail miles. Some kids may be able to walk for 3-4 hours, but that is not what they want to do. They want to play in the streams, collect flowers, check out the lady bugs and other insects, perhaps do some fishing, and have lots of unscheduled time. Long walks quickly become "are we there yet" forced marches. Don't risk alienating your daughter to the outdoor experience by imposing your agenda. Ask her what she would like to do. At her age car camping may still be the best sales tactic to get buy-in for daddy daughter backpacking trips later in life. My experience is kids under 10 YO have more fun on short trips. In the case of a 5 YO, a hike of a mile or two is plenty of travel. If you want to pique her interest in longer jaunts, start with short hikes, and a hike from camp to a nearby, modest objective, like the other side of the lake, perhaps another nearby lake or the top of that hill just outside camp. Talk about future outings as she gets older; she'll let you know when she feels up to more ambitious adventures.

You want her to like this outdoor thing?

• Keep the hikes short for the time being.
• Expect her to get distracted frequently while en route. Allow for these distractions in your schedule. You may have seen the world already, but for her a wonderful new discovery awaits around every corner.
• Bring extra clothes; she will get dirty/muddy/wet just playing around in nature.
• Let her carry her water bottle and some of her toys; she'll feel like a real camper! (You get to carry everything else.)
• Bring a beach towel, so she can lounge on the ground without getting filthy.
• Give her a camp light. Put some reflective tape around the light so you can find it when she forgets where she put it.
• Bring a story book for bedtime. Shel Silverstein's books are fun for parent and child.
• Go where there is a lake, birdies, lizards, pollywogs, frogs, fishies, deer and flowers, and point them out!
• Choose a place where you can have a campfire. Tell her you'll need her help gathering wood, she'll feel important.
• Bring hot chocolate and make s'mores.
• When a little older, invite her friends.
• Let the long walks and peak bagging come along when she expresses an interest in these activities. It's the soft sales pitch that closes the deal.

Ed

[tim]

Our first trip with young kids was Lake Aloha from Echo Lake - so much fun we did it multiple times. Taking the boat across the lake is exciting and means only about 3-4 miles to hike.

After that we did Cathedral Lakes to Sunrise in Yosemite (though now all but impossible to get a permit) and Lake Ediza from Agnew Meadows. But both are probably a bit beyond most 4-5 year olds (our 6 year old was pretty unhappy going to Ediza, though our friends’ 5 year old did fine).

[wildhiker]

The Grouse Lakes roadless area in the Tahoe National Forest is an excellent area for backpacking with young children. The best trailhead is probably Carr/Feeley Lakes, although the last 1/2 mile of the road is quite rough and needs high clearance (my Subaru Outback handled it fine). No permits are needed except the California Campfire Permit (search online and you'll find the site to get it). It's a two mile walk on good trail with only 200 or 300 feet elevation gain to large Island Lake, which has campsites on the southeast and west shores. Heading north to the Crooked Lakes gives you more secluded campsites. This area is lower elevation - generally 6000 to 7000 feet - so less chance of altitude problems. But it still has a high country feel with lots of bare rock (granite and metamorphic) and lake basins. It can be crowded on weekends.
-Phil

[Harlen]

Hello Beson,
Just want to concur with what Gogd and others have said about gearing trips with kids to the kids interests. We made some pretty long days and miles, but we would stop for absolutely anything the kids found interesting. That can make for a fascinating day for us too, as some of the things kids find, we miss, and are really cool. E.g., check out this big hollow tree they found to play in:

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And they figured out that the red algae on snow can color your face orange!

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Backpacking with the kids was the best thing we ever did. We wish you all the best, The Harlen Clan

[balzaccom]

All good responses here, although I am going to disagree with LMBSGV about Yosemite. Permits are hard to score, and those destinations are not any better than many in other parts of the Sierra. As RLown, Tim, and wildhiker noted, Chain Lakes is good, Echo Lake, and Grouse Ridge are all great places for kids. Also in Desolation, just about any of the lakes that are short destinations out of Wrights Lake will work.

Here are a bunch more: In Emigrant Wilderness, Camp, Bear, Chewing Gum and Powell are all well within reach--So is Waterhouse. In Carson-Iceberg Wilderness, Sword and Lost Lakes work well, although they may have been impacted by the Donnell fire a few years ago. Permits are free and there are not trailhead quotas here.

Around Carson pass, look at Round Top and Winnemucca Lakes to the South, or Meiss, Round, or Dardanelles Lakes to the North.

From Ebbetts Pass you could look at Noble Lake...

[NorCal_Hiker]

I concur with the Emigrant suggestions. All the granite there makes for great exploring for younger ones. If you are willing to consider relatively close east-side locations, Green Lake in the Hoover wilderness is a great first trip and generally a bit less crowded in my experience.

[kpeter]

Destinations I have taken young children to:
1) Round Top from the Woods Lake campground--as Balzacom has suggested. About 1000 feet of elevation gain over 3 miles.
2) Kibbie Lake from Shingle Springs trailhead. 600 feet elevation gain over 4.5 miles.
3) Blue Lake from Lake Sabrina. 1200 feet elevation gain over about 3-4 miles.

Blue Lake is suitable for later in the season, Kibbie for early season. Watch the timing to avoid mosquito hatches--always crucial with kids.