CAMPGROUNDS

Mammoth and Sierras offer unprecedented camping through wilderness. You know that. So here is a list of some of the more popular campgrounds. You can reserve your site through the online reservations service provided by the National Recreation ReservationService. Camping and campgrounds sometimes are rated by difficulty in getting there. Family sites can be reserved up to 240 days in advance and group sites 360 days ahead. Most campgrounds do not accept reservations for the entire time they are open.

RECOMMENDED FAMILY SITES

Inyo National Forest Campgrounds

Some campgrounds are available for groups only. Please check the list of all campgrounds below for more information. Only a few campgrounds on the Inyo National Forest are open for the winter. These include: Lone Pine, Oak Creek, Intake II (walk-in), Holiday Tuff and Grandview. Our links to these sites will give you the best available information as of this writing, and you may wish to call the local Ranger Station to verify any unexpected closures due to Mother Nature.

Mammoth Lakes Basin

There are five lakes in the basin area that offer camping sites. Coldwater, Twin Lakes, Lake George, Lake Mary and Pine City. All are concessionaire operated. The nightly fees are $13.00 and there are a total of 246 camp sites. Most open mid-June until mid-September. Twin Lakes and Pine City take reservations. Some camp sites are available on a first come basis.

Reds Meadow Area

There are seven campsite areas throughout the Reds Meadow area - Agnew Meadows, Minaret Falls, Reds Meadow, Pumice Flat, Upper Soda Springs, Agnew Meadows (group) and Pumice Flat (group). All are consessionaire operated. The nightly fees are $14.00 and there are 150 camp sites available. No reservations accepted except for Agnew Meadows and Pumice Flat.

Mammoth Village Area

In the town area of Mammoth Lakes there are three campground areas - Shady Rest, Sherwin Creek and Pine Glen (group). All are consessionaire operated. Nightly rates are $13.00 per night.

Devils Postpile

Part of the National Park Service, there are 21 campsites and the rate is $16.00 per night.

Convict Lake

There are 88 campsites and the rate is $10.00 per night. Dump station available for RV's.

National Parks Yosemite National Park

Camping is permitted only in designated campgrounds. Camp 4/Sunnyside Walk-In campground in Yosemite Valley is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Outside of Yosemite Valley, Wawona and Hodgdon Meadows campgrounds are open, also on a first-come, first-served basis; reservations are required from May through September. All other campgrounds close for winter. Call the reservation system at 1-800-436-7275 (7 am to 7 pm); reservations are accepted five months in advance on the 15th of each month for a one-month block.

Call 1-209-372-0200 for recorded information on visiting and camping in Yosemite National Park, or visit their website at www.nps.gov/yose/home.htm. Campgrounds in the Stanislaus National Forest - call 1-209-532-3671 for status on their campgrounds. They may provide alternate camping choices near Yosemite.

Death Valley National Park

All of the campgrounds in Death Valley are open. Thorndike and Mahogany Flat are open to high clearance vehicles, no water is available. Reservations for Furnace Creek sites and the group sites at Texas Springs can be made up to five months in advance on the 5th of each month. To make reservations, call 1-800-365-2267. You can get more information about Death Valley National Park by visiting their website at www.nps.gov/deva.

Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Parks

If big trees are your thing, the Sequoia National Forest and Kings Canyon National Parks can be reached at 1-559-565-3341 for recorded park information, or visit their web site at: www.nps.gov/seki.

Inyo County

Many Inyo County campgrounds are open year-round, but the following are closed in the winter: Millpond Recreation Area and Schober Lane (Brown's Town).

Mono County

All Mono County campgrounds close during the winter.

Bureau of Land Management

Most BLM campgrounds including Tuttle Creek, Goodale Creek, Horton Creek and Crowley Lake close for the winter. The Pleasant Valley Bowl camping area will remain open year-round, but campers should be prepared with an alternate choice if all of the sites are full. No dispersed camping will be allowed outside the designated sites.

TIP

Learn more about proper food storage while camping.