High Sierra Topix

I'm taking my kids backpacking next month. I have a few places in mind that I'm familiar with, but I'm open to other options for any "kid-friendly" Sierra backpacking trails within a 4-hour drive from the Bay Area. The trail must have a lake for fishing and swimming and be above 5,000 feet. My daughters, aged 6 and 8, are experienced hikers, but this will be their first backpacking trip. I'd like to keep the round trip under 6 miles and the elevation gain under 1,000 feet. I'll be carrying most of our gear and food. Any suggestions? Thank you!

Island Lake, Grouse Ridge area. Trailhead is Carr and Feeley lakes, off the Bowman Lake Road which is off HWY 20 near Emigrant Gap. Can be busy on weekends.

From Ebbetts Pass on SR4 to Upper Kinney Lake. Nicely, it is just 1.7 miles with minor vertical. Not actually within Mokelumne
Wilderness so you won't need a wilderness permit. Camp along the west trailed shore. Can day hike to nearby Lower Kinney Lake or hike further along the PCT where there are large amounts of wildflowers during July. Both lakes are old dammed up smaller lakes. @giantbrookie recently posted a fishing visit there.

https://www.hikingproject.com/trail/709 ... ke-via-pct

https://caltopo.com/map.html#ll=38.5524 ... f16a&a=mba

Note the official SNF trailhead is another quarter mile down the road from the pass however there is plenty of parking right at the pass.

paul wrote: ↑Wed Jun 19, 2024 3:50 pm Island Lake, Grouse Ridge area. Trailhead is Carr and Feeley lakes, off the Bowman Lake Road which is off HWY 20 near Emigrant Gap. Can be busy on weekends.

Great suggestions! Thank you.

SSSdave wrote: ↑Wed Jun 19, 2024 5:09 pm From Ebbetts Pass on SR4 to Upper Kinney Lake. Nicely, it is just 1.7 miles with minor vertical. Not actually within Mokelumne
Wilderness so you won't need a wilderness permit. Camp along the west trailed shore. Can day hike to nearby Lower Kinney Lake or hike further along the PCT where there are large amounts of wildflowers during July. Both lakes are old dammed up smaller lakes. @giantbrookie recently posted a fishing visit there.

https://www.hikingproject.com/trail/709 ... ke-via-pct

https://caltopo.com/map.html#ll=38.5524 ... f16a&a=mba

Note the official SNF trailhead is another quarter mile down the road from the pass however there is plenty of parking right at the pass.

This one seems perfect. Unfortunately theres a fire right in that area currently. It appears to be over 50% contained. I'm going in 2 weeks, so it should be wrapped up by then but who knows. This was a great suggestion. Thank you for the well thought out response and links!

Carne_DelMuerto wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2024 11:58 am viewtopic.php?p=75040&hilit=Salmon#p75040

This is a good one. Thank you!

Last weekend My wife and I took my 4 & 6 year old (and dog) up to Salmon Lake for two nights. We had a great trip, hike in was very easy. Saturday we day hiked to High Loch leven lake and I was happy that I chose to stay at Salmon lake for the second night due to the large crowds and constant flow of even more backpackers that were arriving. Overall it was a great trip, mosquitoes were too bad and perfect for a quick backpacking trip for little kids. Thanks for the recommendation.

@dirtnbrews - were there spots at Salmon Lake where the kids could safely wade in the water?

@wildhiker. The water access was there, not the best. The catfish kept my kids out of the lake(they didn’t both me). My kids did enjoy swimming at High Loch Leven Lake