The ideal backpacking trip for my little ones

[phonewentwest]

I have to imagine there are dads out there like me, wanting to create the best first experience for the little ones.

I'm basically looking for a LLV-like trail (only a couple mile hike so I can carry the majority of the weight, hardly any increase in elevation from trailhead to camp), but where we can cook our catch over an open flame.

Community help and suggestions are tremendously appreciated!

[paula53]

How old are your kids? and where are you located? I took my boys for their first backpack short trip to Secret Lake. Leavitt Meadows trail-head is right off Hwy 108, just 4 miles west of Pickel Meadows Marine Base on the east side of Sonora Pass. A relatively easy loop to Secret Lake offers hikers shade, pretty views of the meadows, West Walker River and surrounding peaks, plus a refreshing swimming break at the lake. Increase your hike by an additional two miles return, by taking the fork at Secret Lake to Poore Lake.

TRAIL DISTANCE
4-6 miles, round trip

[phonewentwest]

5 & 7
SOCAL. But I work as a teacher, so with summer off we can travel.

[balzaccom]

I agree with Paula that with kids, the length of the car trip is also something to consider!

In Emigrant Wilderness you have Powell Lake and Toejam, both quite short hike, as well as Sword Lake in Carson Iceberg--or you could just hike up along the Clark Fork of the Stanislaus for a couple of miles. Waterhouse by Pinecrest is another short hike. Carson Pass has Round Top and Winnemucca Lakes, both short hikes, and Lake Margaret or Shealor Lakes off Highway 88 near Silver Lake are also options

Want more? Most of the west side of Desolation Wilderness would work for you, out of Wright's Lake. Twin Lakes is 3 miles, for example. Grouse is even shorter. And as we head farther north, the lakes out of Grouse Ridge off Highway 20 are always good for kids.

That should give you enought to think about! I think we have TR on all of those on our website, too.

[phonewentwest]

I very much look forward to digging into all you have suggested. THANK YOU!

I've dragged my kids on enough long road trips. Sitting in the car will be less of a problem than hiking any elevation.

[windknot]

Everything is kind of far from SoCal, but I'll throw in a recommendation for the Dinkey Lakes Wilderness. It's only a few miles and hardly any gain from the trailhead to First Dinkey, which is a pretty lake with lots of brookies for eating, and is below 10,000 feet so campfires are allowed. Lots of other little lakes nearby that are fun to explore if you stay more than one night at a basecamp.

[balzaccom]

Another good suggestion, winedknot!

[Wandering Daisy]

As for kids nowadays getting bored in the car- they now have their tablets and can watch movies. I would not worry about that.

Rock Creek has always been a favorite for families. Last time I camped at Ruby Lake, there were tons of kids having a ball along the shoreline.

From South Lake you can stay east of Bishop Pass and have great scenery, fishing and lots of lakes and streams with little effort. Base camp at Long Lake and day-hike.

My only addition is that be careful of time of year- late season so no mosquitoes, avoid smokey conditions, be next to a stream so they can throw in rocks and splash around at rest breaks. Adults usually like big scenery but kids often are happy with activities rather than views. Camp where they can safely play. And do not underestimate them- they may be happy with more distance and elevation than you think as long as they do not have to carry much. I have seen little kids 4-7 years old in locations I would not have guessed they would get to. Light-weight binoculars are also great - kids love to look at birds and other wildlife.

[wsp_scott]

I can't help with the destination, but I totally agree with Wandering Daisy about the water access. Camp near a stream or a lake with a nice beach. My kids would spend hours stacking rocks, throwing rocks, floating sticks,... Ideally you want to be able to turn your back and not have them drown, so no swift water or steep drop offs.

[giantbrookie]

LLV, Bishop Creek etc. don't allow campfires, so you can't do the campfire thing, no doubt the reason for your note that it would be nice to be something like LLV but with campfire opportunity for kids. This is why Dinkey Lakes, Kaiser Wilderness work. Other destinations up 168 also offer some short hikes to nice places. Judy and I took my kids to several places outside of the wilderness areas for their first backpack trips and they had all the perks of a nice campsite at the end of a short hike, along with a nice campfire and fish grilled over the coals. My kids still ask about that first place which we reached with a 1.25 mile off trail hike, always had to ourselves. Whereas their standards in fish size have increased (especially the older one, Lee, now 21, for whom anything under 15" is pedestrian), they've become super strong hikers, and the younger one Dawn (now 18) does serious death march backpack trips with me, they've both mentioned they wouldn't mind going back (the lake I'm thinking of has brookies that top out around 13-14"). Other campfire-OK places reachable with very short hikes include the Grouse Ridge area north of I80 and, even further north, the Lakes Basin area north of Sierra Buttes. Places accessible by short hikes (≤2 miles one way in the case of Grouse Ridge and Lakes Basin) draw lots of people during the main season but some patience can get you plenty of seclusion for a nice campsite at those places. Dinkey Lakes give you lots of destinations in the 2.5-4 mi range from the Dinkey Lakes trailhead (with elevation gain <1000'). Kaiser Wilderness out of Sample Meadow (or whatever the trailhead is called in that area) provides multiple destinations in the 3-4 mi range (also <1000' gain). There are a lot of choices for you in the various replies to your pst, including this one, and they provide only a small sampling of the possibilities.