Sierra Trip Suggestions- less than 2 miles

Hmmmmmm, maybe Lone Pine Lake… I think it meets all of your criteria.

In Yosemite, May Lake fits the bill, if you can get a permit for it. It's pretty popular. Above Carson Pass you have both Winnemucca and Round Top Lakes–also by permit only, but both within about a mile and a half of the trailhead. Those two are steep trails, albeit short.

Remember that really nice lakes close to the road are going to be hit hard, so they usually have a stricter permitting process.

I think you can camp at Granite Lake off BLue Lake Road on the east side of Carson Pass as well…

We have trip logs on both of these on our website: backpackthesierra.com, plus a few more hikes that are a little bit longer….

Does it have to be a lake? You can also look at a few hikes that end up along a creek or river. Clark's Fork off 108 works for that. So does Disaster Creek, but that's a steeper hike.

The obvious one is Grouse Ridge north of Highway 20 below Donner Pass. You start at the Fire lookout and then hike downhill to lots of different lakes. I think Milk Lake is about two miles in…

Camp Lake in the Emigrant Wilderness is 2.6 miles from the Crabtree TH and had good fishing last June

"Grouse Ridge north of Highway 20 below Donner Pass"

Where is this?

There is no Highway 20 near Donner Pass.

–B.G.–

http://www.arounddonnersummit.com/lodging/bowman_camping.html

California State Route 20 (SR 20), commonly known as Highway 20 or 20, is a state highway in the northern central region of the U.S. state of California, running east–west across the state north of Sacramento. Its west end is at SR 1 in Fort Bragg, from where it heads east past Clear Lake, Colusa, Yuba City, Marysville, and Nevada City to I-80 near Emigrant Gap, where eastbound traffic can continue on other routes to Lake Tahoe or Nevada.

Who said near?

He said below.

As in on the west slope below the summit.

Is usually closed to overnight camping. Backpackers are supposed to continue on to Bear Lake, which is another 1.4 miles…

I saw no such restrictions when I passed by the lake. Just the usual "camp 200 feet away from water".

Thanks for the suggestions everyone! Keep them coming as I will be in this situation for a couple of years.

I accept that we will end up in spots that are more heavily used. Right now my kids have a different sense of remoteness and 1 or 2 miles in is an adventure.

Rivers would make for a great destinations as well.

"He said below."

Hwy 20 is twenty miles or so off to the west. I think of Donner Lake as being below Donner Pass.

–B.G.–

Highway 20 intersects Highway 80 about 16 miles West of Donner Summit. Since we live west of the Sierra, this is below Donner Pass to me…as is Emigrant Gap, Soda springs, etc.

Sorry if I wasn't specific enough–but I was trying to give the OP some directions that were easy to follow–and I think these were.

At any rate, do you have some other spots to recommend?

If you go earlier in the season, you might also look at Eleanor Lake near Hetch-hetchy, on Cherry Lake Road. Before the road opens all the way to the lake, you can drive over the dam at Cherry Lake, and then take a quick hike over the ridge to Lake Eleanor…nice area with some obvious campsites. We've only done this as a day-hike, but it's open to backpacking.

That's good news. I know they had it closed for quite a few years for habitat restoration. That lake gets hit pretty hard. Good to know it is recovering/has recovered.

Also in the grouse ridge area:
Island Lake. you get there by way of HWY 20, then Bowman Lake Rd., then take the road to Carr & Feeley Lakes. The trailhead is just before Carr Lake, then you hit Feeley lake after about a couple hundred yards, then Island Lake at about a mile and a half. Good campsites at Island Lake. It's a popular area, so if you can go midweek, do. For extra bonus fun, get a small inflatable boat. The hike in is so short that the weight of the boat is not a big deal – heck, you could hike the kids in, and then go back for the boat while one parent stays with the kids, since it's so short. I've taken a boat in there a few times and the kids love it. I always brought flotation vests for the kids until they were like 10 or 12.

Twenty Lakes Basin, near Tioga pass. If you take the boat (4 year old might enjoy that), then it is a short, relatively level hike to many lakes.

Also, Duck Pass Trail, out of Mammoth Lakes. You can reach the lakes without having to do much uphill.

NM

Take a look at the Lakes Basin in Plumas NF near Graeagle and Downieville. I've taken my scout troop to Wades Lake but that might be a little far for your kids. Smith Lake is a mile from the trailhead.

This is a link describing the area. It's beautiful but popular.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&ei=GuSkVPzgJ4mrogTylYLgAQ&url=http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fsm9_034853.pdf&ved=0CDYQFjAL&usg=AFQjCNHxTrwEsi7l1gBIucRhtSE2sLl0bg&sig2=v1xQnNMgjm1bAkBCNH95EQ

For something off the beaten path when they get older, consider a trip to Ishi Wilderness north of Chico, southwest of Lassen.

http://www.summitpost.org/ishi-wilderness/290043

Go to the Black Rock campground in the Mill Creek Canyon and head west. There's a good campsite right next to the creek. It's extremely remote with 4 wheel drive with good clearance to get to the trailhead. Great destination for early spring or late fall. Lots of rattle snakes, wild bears, and poison oak around. Ishi is like going back in time.

I really good spot my dad took me to when I was a little kid was Bear Creek in the John Muir Wilderness. The road to get to the trailhead is a little rough so it deters a lot of people. You can hike as far up the creek as you want and there are good campsites all along the creek. Great fishing (the Sierra slam of browns, rainbows, brooks and goldens) great swimming holes and spots for throwing rocks. The hike is very easy going.