Hi guys I've got 65mi with a pack under my belt and I'm looking to get my family into back packing, any ideas for a light multi day trip in central to northen california?

Ten Lakes Basin, Yosemite.

As we always say on these boards....it would be nice to know a bit more about the following:

1. How much experience do you have?
2. Are you comfortable off trail?
3. What kind of shape are you in? How many miles a day do you want to hike?
4. Is fishing important to you? High country scenery? Deep forests? Lakes or rivers?
5. Do you want to be alone, or camp near others?

If you tell us more, we can help you more.

There are literally hundreds if not thousands of hikes in this part of the Sierra, so it would help us to narrow down your goals a bit.

One more element to consider is the permit itself. If your schedule is set in stone, and you don't plan well in advance, it might be hard to get a permit for a very popular hike like Ten Lake Basin or Young Lakes. If you are more flexible, it's easier.

Or you can head just outside Yosemite to Emigrant or Hoover Wildernesses, where permits are much easier...and the scenery is very similar.

We have a ton of trips list on our website, if you'd like to poke around there....

I take it you are a beginner with a family who has not backpacked. If you want your family to enjoy backpacking you have to be sure they have a good first experience. This means a easy to reach, scenic destination; good weather; good trails; some activity to do at the destination (fishing?); no mosquitoes; light packs. Ideal backpack trips for beginners usually means it may be somewhat crowded. I think that is OK, particularly with kids- they seem to enjoy socializing. Make the trip about THEM. Keep the pace comfortable for them. Since you are still a beginner yourself, you are not a qualified "guide", so keep it safe, simple and start off easy.

If your family has not yet car-camped or done much day-hiking, I would do that first. Do a car-camping trip using the same gear you would for backpacking to see how they adapt to the conditions. Good to have a "shake-down" before taking off in the wilderness.

Not knowing the age of the kids or your family's previous experience, it is hard to recommend any specific trips.

Definitely agree with the advice above.... but to get the ball rolling I will throw out Little Lakes Valley out of Mosquito Flats in Inyo NF.

I agree with the other posters, there are a lot of personal factors for you to take into account which we don't know. But also, depending where you live, you might consider doing some one or two easy warm-up backpacks to get your family introduced to it. Point Reyes is great for a weekend, or some of the State Parks, like Henry Coe, Big Basin, and Humboldt Redwoods State Park.

I'd throw in a second for LLV as BZH suggested. Spectacular scenery, little elevation gain, good fishing, and a trailhead campground that comes with your permit to acclimate to elevation. Camping at Chickenfoot Lake or Gem Lakes is very nice.
Cottonwood Lakes from the Horseshoe Meadows Trailhead above Lone Pine is much the same. Drive high to hike with just a little uphill to tackle to get to the Cottonwood Lakes basin.