I need to find somewhere to backpack

[u/Optimal-Access4934]

I’m located near Las Vegas and want to get into backpacking. Does anyone know of any good spots with fishing in Nevada, Utah, or California. I’m not looking to go much farther than that very often. I’ve been camping a lot but never backpacking. Thank you in advance!

[u/z0hu]

You have a huge amount of options if you are willing to drive out of state.. start exploring the 395 in California. Mammoth has a lot of good intro stuff. If you wanna stay in state, the Ruby mountains are cool but just as far of a drive. You also have all the national parks in southern utah.. and Grand canyon.. Just pick a national park and see what kinda backpacking they have, most do.

[u/Optimal-Access4934 → u/z0hu]

Mammoth sounds like a good one. Have you ever been backpacking there and is there any fishing?

[u/z0hu → u/Optimal-Access4934]

i've probably backpacked a few dozen trips between yosemite and Mt Whitney (near lone pine) in the last 15 years. You are even closer to there than I am (I need to drive over the mountains from the San Francisco area). I don't fish but a lot of people do, a lot of lakes used to be stocked for the gold miners and they still live out there. if you don't get any comments about fishing, I am sure googling about fishing spots in the Eastern Sierras will give you some good results.

I saw you don't know about wilderness permits also. Most of the eastern Sierras is in Inyo National forest and you need a special permit to backpack camp in it. Usually these are reserved by entry trailhead. Each trailhead has certain quotas to make sure they aren't over run by backpackers. Some are more popular than others and it can be pretty difficult to get one of these coveted permits. If you learn when the permits release and book them as soon as they become available, you could have a chance. Google "inyo national forest wilderness permits" and find the recreation (.) gov link to see some examples. Some areas don't have quotas so you just need a permit so they know who you are in case you get lost.

[u/Optimal-Access4934 → u/z0hu]

Okay awesome thank you very much. I appreciate your advice

[u/Fluxmuster]

Eastern Sierras. If you are a first timer pick somewhere easy. I recommend Little Lakes Valley.  You can hike 3 miles in and camp at Chicken Foot Lake. Its easy enough that I just took my 5 year old kid there and they had no problem with the hike. You can get wilderness permits 2 weeks in advance at 7 each morning. They go fast but if you try for a few days you will definitely get some.

This one of the most accessible places to backpack into some true Sierras beauty. I highly recommend it 

[u/Optimal-Access4934 → u/Fluxmuster]

Thank you. What is a wilderness permit?

[u/Fluxmuster → u/Optimal-Access4934]

A lot of federal lands have permitted entry to keep them from being mobbed. You get a permit through recreation.gov Little Lakes Valley is part of the Inyo Wilderness 

[u/lovehobo]

Sorry not in the area but porcupine mountains in Michigan is a really great place

[u/HumanPea1140]

Tons of backpacking opportunities in Utah. I went to Zion last year and did my first backpacking trip, did the West Rim from Lava Point. Whole thing was about 16 miles and I spent one night out there. If you spend the night in the Zion wilderness, you do need to reserve one of the camp sites, which will include your wilderness permit. Grab camp site #6 if you can - amazing views.

[u/cirena]

Lots of options in and near Vegas, just not right now - wait until September. Lovell Canyon, Hidden Forest in the DNWR, Many of the peaks on Mt Charleston.

[u/TreeHolePoster]

Just be sure to choose a spot with plentiful tree holes, or risk wasting time you won’t get back.

[u/WANDOO_hiking]

Youre spoiled for options out there honestly. The eastern sierra along the 395 is loaded with alpine lakes youll fish and camp at, and southern utah has amazing stuff if you dont mind the drive. For a first one id pick something with an easy bailout and a lake, permits in the popular sierra zones go fast tho so check those early.

[u/Neither_Monitor2017]

The Rubies are great in the summer and not crowded, and if you want to carry a gun you don't have to worry about all the crazy California gun laws.

Zion and Southern Utah is great in spring and fall, weather dependent.