Onion Valley

We drive up here most every week every season. Scenic mtn drive. It’s usually really crowded. You should try to reserve a site ahead of time if camping. You need to buy supplies in Lone Pine or town of Bishop. Only small gas station stores in Independence. Lower & Upper Grey’s are optional nice camp sites with camp host at Upper Grey’s who is very helpful; these sites have nice stream fishing & are also very clean. There is water, no electric hook ups. There are horseback riding stables at the top for hire. There can be mosquitoes & even bees at certain times of the year.

I checked this place out on my way back from Mammoth. Cool, remote location, over 9000ft. Small campground so if I went in the summer I'm sure it would be quite busy (I went in october). Sites are pretty close together. Nice location to multiple hiking trails. If cell signal is an issue this campground only had 1 bar for Verizon.

This campground sits above 9000 ft and you can drive there, park your car next to your site. It is a great basecamp for day hikes up into to higher altitude. There are multiple lakes a short hike away and waterfalls on 3 sides, its a beautiful place with peaks souring towards 14,000 ft.

Onion Valley is a beautiful spot tucked into the eastern Sierra above Independence. It’s a windy but not long drive back down to town.

The sites were comfortable. We had a walk in site but it wasn’t too far from the parking lot. The bathrooms impressively clean. We could see a lot of the other campers so little privacy in our spot but that was fine.

Bring water or water filters as the spigots are dry. There’s a creek to get water to filter.

Great starting point for hiking up to Kearsarge Pass and into Kings Canyon. (But if you do that and aren’t coming back to the camp, park in the hiker parking lot)

Onion Valley is way up into the Sierras, which means the views are amazing and it serves as a great jumping off point for backpacking trips.  Even if you are just going to day hike, it provides access to incredible country.  The sites are pretty private (sort of walled in by bushes, trees and rocks, with well-maintained fire pits, tables and bear lockers.  Just double check that your site is actually a drive-in site if that is what you want.  A few sites along the little road that runs through camp look like drive-in's but are not.

In 2018, I acclimated to the High Sierra at Onion Valley for one night before a trip down the JMT. The campground is nestled in an idyllic eastern Sierra cañon with excellent star gazing. Can’t wait to return!

There are pull in sites and walk in sites. All pull in sites seem to be surround by low growing shrubs and they have so many mosquitoes. The walk in site are under the conifers and are gorgeous. Waterfalls, tall peaks surround the campground

This is a great campground! Lots of cool hikes nearby, including waterfalls and the Kearsarge Pass. The views are unreal. It gets cold at night so make sure you come prepared. I've been trying to convince my friends to come with me forever but they don't believe me when I tell them it's worth the drive. As of Sept 2019, there is no water and no camp host, so be prepared to come with everything you need. Walk in sites have more shade and are more secluded. Best drive in site is probably 11. Best walk in site is maybe 21 or 22 I think.

Great car camping sites with the cleanest pit toilets I've ever experienced. The scenery is sublime. We stayed here as a first night before a several day backpacking trip in the Sierras but you could also stay here for the weekend and do some local hikes including hiking to Kearsarge Pass (Google image search but understand that the pictures don't do it justice!) We will definitely be back again soon.