A dirt road west of Bishop leads into Inyo National Forest, eventually dead-ending at a creek. That endpoint defines the experience at McGee Creek, a dispersed camping area where sites spread along the water and the road itself, with the Sierra Nevada rising in the sightlines to the west. No developed facilities exist here. Campers arrive to flat, open ground, a running creek, and little else in the way of infrastructure.
The road access warrants attention before arrival. Multiple reviewers confirm the surface is bumpy in places, though a low-clearance van handled it carefully at slow speed. One reviewer noted the road was closed entirely during a September visit, requiring a half-mile walk in. A boulder mid-route has also been reported, limiting the number of reachable sites. Arrive early. The first pullout near the Forest Service sign fills by evening, and spots closer to the water provide steady creek noise that masks ambient sound from the road.
Samantha D. notes that "spots closer to the creek create a nice white noise," and reviewers consistently mention open views of the mountains from camp in the morning. Verizon gets some signal at the site. The McGee Creek Trail begins near the road's end, with accessible hiking and notable fall foliage reported in October. Nearby dispersed options like Birch Creek BLM Dispersed off Buttermilk Road and Deep Canyon give campers fallback choices if sites are occupied. This spot works best for self-sufficient campers comfortable with rough road conditions and variable availability.
RV Road Trip Guides
Map & DirectionsMcGee Creek is located in California near Bishop
Dispersed CampingCoordinates
37.33553346 N
118.5281287 W
Connectivity
T-Mobile5GExcellent CoverageVerified by 3 usersLast on 9/20/26
VerizonLTESome CoverageVerified by 4 usersLast on 9/20/26
AT&T5GGood CoverageVerified by 9 usersLast on 9/20/26
Connectivity
- T-Mobile5GExcellent CoverageVerified by 3 usersLast on 9/20/26
- VerizonLTESome CoverageVerified by 4 usersLast on 9/20/26
- AT&T5GGood CoverageVerified by 9 usersLast on 9/20/26
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
- Walk-InPark in a lot, walk to your site.
Site Types
- Dispersed
Features
For Campers
- Phone Service
- Alcohol
- Pets
- Fires
DISPERSED CAMPING
Enjoy dispersed camping on government land and leave no trace. Pack in and pack out. No (or limited) services at this camping area. Permit may be required.
PERMIT might be REQUIRED
We curate permit requirements across the US for our PRO members. Try PRO to see if McGee Creek needs a permit.
Drive Time
- 4 hrs 53 min from Visalia, CA
- 5 hrs 1 min from Hanford, CA
- 5 hrs 23 min from Fresno, CA
- 6 hrs 6 min from Merced, CA
