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Camping

Established Camping

Grays Meadows

Grays Meadows, near Independence, California, is a charming campground tucked away in the Inyo National Forest, perfect for those seeking a peaceful escape. With its picturesque setting alongside Independence Creek, you’ll find a mix of shaded spots under oak trees and open areas that offer stunning views of the Sierra night sky.

This campground is pet-friendly and allows campfires, making it a great choice for families and friends looking to unwind together. Visitors have praised the cleanliness of the facilities and the welcoming campground hosts, who go out of their way to ensure a pleasant stay. One camper noted, “The campground managers are amazing and were so welcoming,” which speaks volumes about the atmosphere here.

For outdoor enthusiasts, Grays Meadows is an ideal base for hiking, especially for those tackling the Kearsarge Pass. The nearby creek is not just a beautiful backdrop; it’s also stocked with trout, adding a little fishing adventure to your trip. Just be mindful of the wildlife—keeping your food secured is a must!

While some sites may be a bit tight for larger groups, many campers have enjoyed the privacy and tranquility that this location offers. Whether you’re pitching a tent or parking your RV, Grays Meadows provides a refreshing retreat into nature.

Description

National Forest

Inyo National Forest

Overview

Grays Meadows Campground is situated along Independence Creek in the Onion Valley area of the eastern Sierra Nevada Mountains. Its location on the creek and proximity to the rugged John Muir Wilderness make it a popular hub for hikers, anglers, spring skiers and snowboarders. Opening and closing dates may be dependent on weather conditions.

Recreation

Majestic mountain scenery and challenging trails draw campers to the Onion Valley area for hiking and horseback riding. The well-known and demanding Shepherd Pass Trail, which can be reached just west of Grays Meadows Campground, heads up to alpine lakes and the high peaks of the John Muir Wilderness. Independence Creek is regularly stocked with trophy-size rainbow trout. Anglers flock to the creek for its early trout fishing season, which starts the first weekend in March, ahead of much of the area.

Natural Features

Grays Meadows Campground offers a wandering creek, both sunny and shaded campsites and a high-desert landscape. It sits at an elevation 6,100 ft. and is bordered on the west by Mt. Williamson and Mt. Whitney, the highest peaks in the contiguous United States. The area is home to abundant wildlife, including black bear, mountain lions, mule deer, pine marten, pika and many species of fish and birds.

Nearby Attractions

Campers can enter the John Muir Wilderness, a land of lofty snow-capped mountains, deep canyons and vast expanses of glacially carved terrain, via nearby trails.

Contact Info

For facility specific information, please call (602) 726-1102.

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Location

Grays Meadows is located in California

Detail location of campground

Directions

Grays Meadows is 6 miles west of the town of Independence, California. Take U.S. Highway 395 to Independence. Turn west on Market Street (which turns into Onion Valley Road) and follow for 6 miles. The first gate accesses sites 36-52. The second gate is 0.25 miles up the road and accesses sites 1-35. Campground manager is at site 7.

Address

Independence
CA

Coordinates

36.7688889 N
118.295 W

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Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site
  • Walk-In
    Park in a lot, walk to your site.

Stay Connected

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

Site Types

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

Features

For Campers

  • Trash
  • Firewood Available
  • Phone Service
  • 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

8 Reviews

Reviewed May. 24, 2023

Still needs help

Several sites are overgrown and uneven.

Site4
Month of VisitMay
  • Review photo of Grays Meadows by D , May 24, 2023
Reviewed Oct. 11, 2022

Secluded by a Creek

Upper Section is covered by oak trees with willow lined trout filled Independence Creek right through campground. Site 9 barely enough room for our two tents. Twos were perfect, not too cold at night.

Site9
Month of VisitOctober
  • Independence Creek stocked weekly
    Play button icon
  • Review photo of Grays Meadows by Randall G., October 11, 2022
  • Review photo of Grays Meadows by Randall G., October 11, 2022
  • (4) View All
Reviewed Jul. 30, 2022

Fabulous spot

Nice quiet campground pet friendly and clean good fishing around the area

Site13
Month of VisitApril
  • Review photo of Grays Meadows by Art Torres & K., July 30, 2022
Reviewed Apr. 28, 2021

Needs help

Lower Greys Campground Has lots of potential but needs help.  Porta potties, Trash cans overflowing, and the water pipes don't work. Not to mention that the stinging nettle throughout the campground is over growing.

Site39
Month of VisitApril
Reviewed Jul. 1, 2020

Upper campground, best views, no shade

We started in the lower campground with wonderful shade and the stream roaring by. Very private with large growth around us. We soon realized we were missing the gorgeous valley view and incoming thunder storm so we packed up and moved our RV up the hill to the upper campground. There, it was very hot, 97 degrees, no shade, but we loved the view. If you have kids, definitely choose lower campground with shade, larger sites and creek close by.

Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of Grays Meadows by Val R., July 1, 2020
  • Lower campground roaring creek
    Play button icon
Reviewed Jun. 16, 2019

Take a Left at Independence

Surprise campground in the mountains. We will definitely come back.

Camp hosts were great and kept everything tidy.

Beautiful Eastern Sierra location.

Reviewed Aug. 7, 2018

Wide open shots of the Sierra night sky

If you're looking to acclimate a little lower than Onion Valley, Grays Meadow Campground is the spot. Also, it tends to be a little warmer being that it's lower in elevation too. The campground has a variety of spots that range from shaded areas near the creek to areas that are little more exposed and more towards the meadows surrounding the campground. The campground managers are amazing and were so welcoming. There's always firewood and running water. The bathrooms were very clean as well.

Month of VisitOctober
  • Review photo of Grays Meadows by Zack R., August 7, 2018
Reviewed May. 3, 2018

Perfect for Kearsarge hikers

My husband and I stayed here at the tail-end of our Eastern Sierras road trip with our Cricket trailer, and it was perfect! We couldn't find our site number so we asked the hosts...they were not only SUPER helpful, but they pointed us to a different site that was vacant and was WAY better (much, much more spacious). We asked them if it'd be possible to stay for our remaining days instead of moving down to Lone Pine, and they called the hosts and the other campground to make it happen. They were amazing!

We were in the area to hike Kearsarge pass and some other areas, but for that hike specifically it is PERFECT, as it's about a 5min drive right down the hill on the road to get there (we couldn't stay at the portal to that hike bc it was tents only).

The bathrooms are spacious and clean. There is wildlife so keep your stuff locked up (we heard a mountain lion in the night), but that's the usual for the area. In late summer there are angry Yellowjackets, but that's also normal for the area. The creek is a nice thing to listen to in the evenings. Go for the spots that are shady

We look forward to coming back.

Site005
Month of VisitAugust

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How much does it cost to camp at Grays Meadows?

    Camping at Grays Meadows can cost between $29.00 and $34.00 depending on the site.

  • What is the max vehicle length at Grays Meadows?

    Grays Meadows allows vehicles up to 40 feet.

  • Are fires allowed at Grays Meadows?

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

  • Does Grays Meadows have wifi?

    No, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, Grays Meadows does not have wifi.

  • Is there cell phone reception at Grays Meadows?

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

  • How hard is it to get a campsite at Grays Meadows?

    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 Grays Meadows. If you want to get a last-minute campsite at Grays Meadows, try setting up a text message Alert atTheDyrt.com/alerts

  • Why is it so hard to get a campsite at Grays Meadows?

    There are 31 campsites at Grays Meadows and over 80 million Americans who camp! Try snagging a cancellation by setting up a text message Alert atTheDyrt.com/alerts