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Nature
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Water
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Activities
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Facilities

Established Camping

Coldwater Campground

Coldwater Campground, near Mammoth Lakes, California, is a fantastic spot for those looking to immerse themselves in nature while enjoying some solid amenities. With spacious sites that come with picnic tables and fire pits, it’s perfect for gathering around the fire after a day of adventure.

The campground is known for its clean facilities, including well-kept bathrooms with flush toilets, which visitors appreciate. Many campers have highlighted the beautiful surroundings, with easy access to hiking trails and nearby lakes, making it a prime location for outdoor activities. One visitor noted, “We loved having the creek across the road,” emphasizing the serene atmosphere.

For those eager to explore, Coldwater Campground is just a stone's throw from a plethora of hiking trails and stunning lakes, perfect for kayaking or a leisurely day by the water. The friendly campground host adds to the welcoming vibe, ensuring you feel right at home. Just remember to use the bear boxes to keep your food safe—trust me, it’s worth it!

Description

USDA Forest Service

Inyo National Forest

Overview

Coldwater Campground is located high in the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains near the town of Mammoth Lakes, California. The surrounding national forest provides many opportunities for family fun, outdoor recreation and relaxation. Hiking, fishing, road cycling and picnicking are just some of the favorite activities available to campers.

Recreation

Coldwater offers easy access to fishing for rainbow, brook and brown trout in Lake Mary. Major trailheads lead into the backcountry. Several interesting trails offer a variety of hikes, including the 5-mile Duck Pass Trail, which climbs the forested hillside behind the campground and passes several lakes before heading over Duck Pass to join the John Muir Trail.

Facilities

Coldwater offers easy access to fishing for rainbow, brook and brown trout in Lake Mary. Major trailheads lead into the backcountry. Several interesting trails offer a variety of hikes, including the 5-mile Duck Pass Trail, which climbs the forested hillside behind the campground and passes several lakes before heading over Duck Pass to join the John Muir Trail.

Natural Features

This campground sits in a pine forest at an elevation of 8,900 feet. Large and small boulders are strewn about the campground. Coldwater and Mammoth Creeks run alongside the campsites. Crystal clear Lake Mary, one of several lakes in the Mammoth Lakes Basin, is nearby. The Eastern Sierras are abundant with wildlife, including black bear, mountain lions, mule deer, pine marten, pika and many species of fish and birds.

Nearby Attractions

Visitors can explore the magnificent John Muir Wilderness, which stretches 100 miles along the crest of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, a land of lofty snow-capped mountains, deep canyons and vast expanses of glacially-carved terrain. Hiking and horseback riding trails are abundant.

Charges & Cancellations

Once your reservation start date has begun, neither the Recreation.gov Contact Center nor the campground manager will be able to modify your reservation.

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Location

Coldwater Campground is located in California

Detail location of campground

Directions

Coldwater Campground is 320 miles north of Los Angeles and 180 miles south of Reno. Follow U.S. Highway 395 to the junction of State Highway 203. Turn west on 203 and drive 7 miles through the town of Mammoth Lakes. Highway 203 becomes Main Street, then Lake Mary Road, which will lead to the Lakes Basin. Continue on Lake Mary Road to the Coldwater Campground cutoff on the left.

Coordinates

37.599495 N
118.996669 W

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Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site

Stay Connected

  • WiFi
    Unknown
  • Verizon
    Unknown
  • AT&T
    Unknown
  • T-Mobile
    Poor

Site Types

  • Tent Sites
  • RV Sites
  • Standard (Tent/RV)

Features

For Campers

  • Trash
  • Picnic Table
  • Firewood Available
  • Reservable
  • Drinking Water
  • Toilets
  • Alcohol
  • Pets
  • Fires

For Vehicles

  • Big Rig Friendly

Contact

General Info

Reservations


Reviews

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4.5

out of 5

13 Reviews

Reviewed Oct. 25, 2023

Chillin

Friendly host. Decent sized, clean bathrooms with flush toilets. Walking distance to duck pass. Arrived in the dark but found site pretty easily.

Site67
Month of VisitSeptember
  • Review photo of Coldwater Campground by Candice M., October 25, 2023
  • Review photo of Coldwater Campground by Candice M., October 25, 2023
Reviewed Jan. 5, 2023

Beautiful and quiet

We loved our site. It wasn’t too close to other sites, although you could see them. We loved having the creek across the road. The campground has nice access to hiking trails, and Lake Mary. It is outside of the bustle of town, but close enough to conveniently get what you need.

Use the bear boxes. USE. THE. BEAR BOXES. Our neighbors lost a jar of peanut butter and a Trader Joe’s bag of food.

Site009
Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of Coldwater Campground by Stephanie , January 5, 2023
  • Review photo of Coldwater Campground by Stephanie , January 5, 2023
  • Review photo of Coldwater Campground by Stephanie , January 5, 2023
  • (5) View All
Reviewed Jul. 10, 2022

Gorgeous and close to everything

Campsite is clean, gorgeous and close to a million and one recreational activities. Host is friendly. Fire pits have grills on them. We were at site 16, which is super close to water, restrooms, and both Mammoth Creek and Coldwater Creek.

Site16
Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of Coldwater Campground by Paige G., July 10, 2022
Reviewed Jun. 8, 2022

Trails & Lakes for days

It was my first time in Mammoth and it did not disappoint! Our campsite was right next to the creek which made for a very peaceful & serene stay. The nights got down to the mid 20’s days were mid 60’s. Lots of trails in every direction from easy paved to more rugged terrain in the mountains. Tons of lakes to kayak. Definitely recommend and will be coming back.

Site3
Month of VisitMay
  • Review photo of Coldwater Campground by Patsy R., June 8, 2022
  • Review photo of Coldwater Campground by Patsy R., June 8, 2022
  • Review photo of Coldwater Campground by Patsy R., June 8, 2022
Reviewed Jul. 7, 2021

Great campsite!

Awesome campsite with lots of space! The bathrooms were the best I’ve seen camping before. Tons of gorgeous hikes near, old mines, lake Mary & twin lakes only a 5-10 min drive.

Site52
Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of Coldwater Campground by Chelsea B., July 7, 2021
  • Review photo of Coldwater Campground by Chelsea B., July 7, 2021
  • (4) View All
Reviewed Jul. 5, 2021

Mammoth lakes

Great campground clean restrooms nice lakes 👍

Sitecold water #52
Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of Coldwater Campground by Jose M., July 5, 2021
  • Review photo of Coldwater Campground by Jose M., July 5, 2021
  • Review photo of Coldwater Campground by Jose M., July 5, 2021
  • (8) View All
Reviewed May. 31, 2020

Fun run!

Fun campground to hang a hammock and go for a hike or trail run! 

We were there in August and it was great! Not over crowded and the views were incredible! We ran to Arrowhead Lake which was beautiful! Walkers and runners will both enjoy this trail! 

Don’t forget to yourself to a delicious Burger and drink 15 mins away at Mammoth Brewing Company!

Month of VisitAugust
  • Review photo of Coldwater Campground by Stormy G., May 31, 2020
  • Review photo of Coldwater Campground by Stormy G., May 31, 2020
  • Review photo of Coldwater Campground by Stormy G., May 31, 2020
Reviewed Sep. 15, 2019

Very impressed.

We've been coming to the Mammoth Lakes area for years with our travel trailer.  This time we left it at home and took the tent.  We've never stayed in this area before and we were definitely surprised how nice this campground is.  We stay here on a Saturday night after doing some hiking int he Rock Creek area.  This place had everything we needed for an overnighter.  The campsites a spacious and there are quite a few near the creeks on either side of the campground.  I would recommend this place to anybody looking for a nice place to stay while visiting the area.  We will definitely be back.

Month of VisitSeptember
Reviewed Sep. 13, 2019

Clean campground with tons of space!

It was our first time camping in Mammoth Lakes and arrived without reservation at the campgrounds near Lake Mary and Lake George. After driving around we ended up picking site 24 at Coldwater Campground. The other campgrounds were packed, and the sites felt pretty tight. Coldwater was less crowded and the sites had plenty of room. Site 24 was near the stream with lots of flat areas to pitch tents, bear locker, fire pit and picnic table. The campground host was great and very welcoming! We purchased our wood on site for $7/bundle which was consistent with the prices in town. I would highly recommend staying here if you want some peace and quiet while camping. It was walking distance to Lake Mary and several trail heads.

Site24
Month of VisitSeptember
Reviewed Nov. 1, 2018

Busy Campground with Great Trails

A big campground in Mammoth Lakes, with 77 sites in total. It can be a pretty popular sport during the summer, so you may want to make reservations or call ahead just to make sure. But it has water and flush toilets, but the down fall is no showers. Each site has a picnic table, firepit ring, and a two-locker bear storage. The campground varies in privacy so just be aware you will see and most likely hear your neighbors. There is no electric either at this campground. It is $24 a night which isn’t bad but with no showers seems bit pricey.

This campground has some great hiking trails in it, we took the Meadows trail and it did not disappoint with beautiful scenery and rivers. It also is right down the road from Mammoth Lakes which has plenty of restaurants if you are needing some non-camping cuisine. There are trails all over this area, that it would take you while to hike all of them. This is also a very popular mountain biking area during the summer with trails everywhere. During the winter it is a booming ski/snowboard town.

  • Review photo of Coldwater Campground by Hannah V., November 1, 2018
  • Review photo of Coldwater Campground by Hannah V., November 1, 2018
  • Review photo of Coldwater Campground by Hannah V., November 1, 2018
  • (4) View All
Reviewed Oct. 1, 2018

Mammoth Lakes offers it all and then some!

CAMPGROUND REVIEW: Coldwater Campground, Mammoth Lakes, CA

A beautiful 77 site campground nestled in at over 9,000 ft in the Inyo National Forest of the Eastern Sierras.

Amenities: large sites, modern restrooms spaced throughout the camp (two unisex doors, includes one sink with running cold water, a flush toilet, and metal mirror), water spigots near the latrines.

Each site has a large picnic table, a fire pit with sliding cook grate, a double door bear cabinet and small paved parking pad.

We chose site 66, as it sprawled to s mountain stream, nestled in shaded pines, had a couple flat tent spots and was relatively close to restrooms and water.

No electric, no showers (nearby Twin Lakes Campground Store rents shower time at $7.00…one person per shower.

Coldwater Campground is a short drive from Mammoth Lakes, which has all you should need or desire.

The trails from the back of Coldwater Campground go up, up, up…but offer spectacular mountain views, glacier lakes, picturesque alpine meadows, waterfalls and cascades. A short drive and bus ride away are trails to Iconic Rainbow Falls and Devil’s Postpile, among other ridiculously beautiful mountain trails!

Mountain bike trails are innumerable…and the paved multi-use trails are stellar and travel for miles. https://www.visitmammoth.com/blogs/top-5-xc-mountain-bike-trails-near-mammoth-lakes

There are rentals nearby for every sportsman. This is the active person’s Mecca! Also close-by is Mammoth Ski area that offers the downhill mountain bikers absolute Nirvana, during summer months.

https://www.mammothmountain.com/summer/bike-park-overview/mammoth-bike-park/mammoth-bike-park

At $24 a night, this seems to be the standard rate for this region…and that without showers.

Note: Even during hot summer months, it gets chilly at night. August 6, it was 50 degrees at night. A 40 degree dip from the cloudless daytime temps.

It did not take long to fall in love with the Eastern Sierra Nevadas. I would not hesitate to camp here again, and am already planning a return visit.

Site66
Month of VisitAugust
  • Review photo of Coldwater Campground by Dave V., October 1, 2018
  • Review photo of Coldwater Campground by Dave V., October 1, 2018
  • Review photo of Coldwater Campground by Dave V., October 1, 2018
  • (13) View All
Reviewed Jul. 23, 2018

Fun sierra camping

Cold water campground is located in the Lake Basin area of Mammoth lakes California. This HUGE campground is nestled above lake Mary between Coldwater creek and Mammoth creek which run on both sides of the campground. This campground is seasonal so you'll want to make sure if camping in early season that it is open. The campground is well maintained with gorgeous tall pines throughout. At the top of the campground there are several trail heads that lead to the upper lakes and Duck Pass. You do not need a permit to hike these lakes for day hikes but if your hiking out of the campground and over duck pass you will need to acquire a specific permit for the trail you will be hiking. There is fantastic fishing if you can make the rigorous hike to Hart lake or even Arrowhead with several more to choose from. Take plenty of water. I would say the mammoth lakes area is almost a fisherman's paradise with creeks and lakes galore. The beauty of the sierras is always worth a visit. This campground is wonderful and I would suggest it to anyone looking for a base camp to explore mammoth. The facilities were great and they are everywhere. Each campsite is equipped with picnic table and Bear Box for food storage. You'll want to Make sure that all food products or anything that smells delicious is stored in the bear box (especially out of your car). This is a Very Very active bear area. We had a bear steal the fish right off our stringer docking the boat at lake Mary. She and her two cubs and had no problem approaching us walking past and going straight to the boat where this fish was and she was not deterred by our shouts or bear bell. Overall Amazing campground with plenty to do. The town of mammoth is also just a few miles down the road and always wonderful to visit any season.

Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of Coldwater Campground by Erin M., July 23, 2018
  • Review photo of Coldwater Campground by Erin M., July 23, 2018
  • Review photo of Coldwater Campground by Erin M., July 23, 2018
  • (12) View All
Reviewed Aug. 7, 2017

Good base camp spot to rest

Nice cozy spot, people are friendly, the sound of rushing water around us, lots of trees, lots of shade, clean restrooms and cool hosts. Friendly people. The trees and location definetly regulate the hot temperatures really well. We spent time here just to eat, and sleep, as the scenery and adventures are around the camp. We stayed close to the camp host at camp 71, who was definetely helpful when it came to a lack of resources.... (toilet paper). Campsites, are pretty close to each other and not much for privacy. Fire rings, and bear lockers are provided, but are kinda close to each other. Overall, just a good rest spot for the adventures around. Which is gorgeous this time of year.

Site13, 52
Month of VisitAugust
  • Review photo of Coldwater Campground by Kuo G., August 7, 2017
  • Review photo of Coldwater Campground by Kuo G., August 7, 2017
  • Review photo of Coldwater Campground by Kuo G., August 7, 2017
  • (8) View All

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the max vehicle length at Coldwater Campground?

    Coldwater Campground allows vehicles up to 43 feet.

  • Are fires allowed at Coldwater Campground?

    Yes, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, fires are allowed at Coldwater Campground, although make sure to check current fire restrictions in the area.

  • Is there cell phone reception at Coldwater Campground?

    According to campers on TheDyrt.com, Verizon signal is unknown, AT&T is unknown, and T-Mobile is poor.

  • How hard is it to get a campsite at Coldwater Campground?

    Some campers book as far as 6 months in advance, so on high-demand weekends it can be very difficult to get a campsite at Coldwater Campground. If you want to get a last-minute campsite at Coldwater Campground, try setting up a text message Alert atTheDyrt.com/alerts

  • Why is it so hard to get a campsite at Coldwater Campground?

    There are 74 campsites at Coldwater Campground and over 80 million Americans who camp! Try snagging a cancellation by setting up a text message Alert atTheDyrt.com/alerts