High Sierra Topix

Hi Eastside,

I wonder where you are coming from? LA? Bay Area? I'd consider shortening the drive, or at least trying for the cooler hours. Our kids would suffer in the hot car (no AC) till we began taking squirt bottles for all. It's a fun way to stay cool, and you can squirt the driver if they start to look sleepy.
If coming from the south, look up Diaz Lake. It's just about 3 miles south of Lonepine, right off 395, and it is free and easy to drive right up to the lake edge and jump in. The water is warm, and the view up at the sierras is fantastic.

More about water, I believe your kid can fish for w/o a permit, or get one for yourself too. Some of the trips recommended above have pretty good fishing potential, e.g., Humphreys Basin, some of the Onion Valley Lakes (that's Kearsarge TH) and maybe Cottonwood lakes too? Our boys much preferred spin-casting to waiting on bait, it's fun even if they didn't catch fish.

We hope you guys have a great time! Ian and Lizzie, Ryan and Nathan.

Fishing Sphinx Lake.


Or make a raft?

No destination advice, but I recommend bringing familiar food, even if it weighs a bit extra. Elevation plus exertion can wreak havoc on an appetite, especially on someone unfamiliar with it.

Under sixteen can fish in California without a license. Just make sure that you are not fishing without a license...

I actually just got back from a trip to Tamarack Lake off the High Sierra Trail with my eight year old daughter (we had good luck with the fishing). It's outside your range of travel, but the Pear Lake Trail in Sequoia is a great route to do with kids. You get plenty of lakes, a gradual elevation change, and you can even do some pretty mellow x-country travel up the Marble Fork into the Tablelands if you desire.

But aside from that and the other great advice already on this thread, I'll just offer this:

* Don't have your child carry too much weight. We just have our daughter carry her water and comfort items (stuffed animals, games, book, etc.) The hiking will be a big enough challenge without giving them an extra burden.

* Candy is your friend.

* You'll most likely be going at a much slower pace than you're used to. Take advantage of this, and really soak in your surroundings. I've noticed I do a much better job of enjoying bird songs, wildflowers, babbling brooks and the like when I'm hiking with my daughter.

All of the advice given here has been spot on. We've done many of the trips listed with our kids and they've loved the adventure of it all.

I can't add anything to the already extensive list of locations, but I will completely agree with Creekfeet's advice on weight, pace, and CANDY! At home we are a whole-grain, vegetables at all meals, fruit is a great dessert kind of family, but we completely relax all those rules for backpacking. On one trip my daughter, who was 7 at the time, powered herself all the way from Thousand Island Lakes to the trailhead on jelly beans alone and couldn't have been happier doing it.

Have a great time, and write up a trip report when you're done. We'd love to hear how it went!

I am taking my 8 year old to Yosemite Cathedral Lakes in 2 weeks. Its 3.5 mile one day or 5ish from the backpackers. Will keep you posted how it goes.