Best RV Parks & Resorts near Alabama Hills, CA

Rv camped in winter. Not all loops open but there weren’t a lot of people there so it was ok. Lots of long rv spaces. Nearby exploring is plentiful

Remember pets on leashes on trails.

We stayed in the dry camping area for a week and had a great time. Lots of space in dry camping area, a fire pit, and a picnic table at the site. We shared a tour of this campground in a video here https://youtu.be/S4dlqUQAY8A?t=251

The relaxing sounds of the river are great and the full hook-ups  RV site loops are right on the river. This was the most affordable option we found available at the time to have easy access to get to Sequoia NP

we would stay again

Had a great experience at Siesta Ranch. The proximity to Alabama Hills and the privacy and convenience of full hookups coupled with views of the Eastern Sierras sold it for me. Would stay again!

A lovely site, both scenic and peaceful. Was very quiet when we stayed. The small lake was ideal for a bit of casual kayaking and nature watching - mostly birds and dragonflies. Charming and spacious, the informality of the site was a refreshing change. Owing to it being quiet, we spent most of our time there in one of the riverside overlooks that provided seating, a table & a grill (as well as being a vantage point for watching nature and launching the kayaks.

The only slight negative was that it was the only one of 10 we used on this trip that offered full hook-ups but no WiFi (5G service was adequate though). Would also benefit with the addition of more than just the single shower/toilet unit (which contrary to another review was of more than adequate size)

Because we had site 112, and it was March not July, and we could launch our canoe without any muss or fuss, and there were only a few other campers, I give this park 4 stars.  If we were here in July, well...we wouldn't stay here in July...period.  I can only imagine the crowds here after May 1.  This is a small lake and they limit the number of motorboats to 25, which is about 20 too many in my estimation.  Also, there is mandatory vessel inspection for mussels, and a $10 a day launch fee after May 1.  

So, timing is everything.  We had the lake to ourselves and we could launch our canoe directly from campsite #112.  The water is muddy, and much of the bank is not accessible from the water due to reeds, but the scenery looking at Mt Lone Pine, and Mt Whitney across the Alabama Hills is beautiful!

There was no check-in in March.  Reservations are online, and they will have your name on the post at the site when you arrive.  However, after May 1, you must have any vessel you are bringing with you inspected prior to entering the campground.

Each site will have a picnic table and fire ring and there are several water spigots throughout the campground where you can top off your tank.  However, most of the spigots do not have a nipple to screw on a water hose.  There are a couple that do.  There are also vault toilets and trash dumpsters throughout the campground.

The main downside to this campground regarding amenities is the lack of a dump site.  However, Boulder Creek RV Park just south on 395 will let you use their dump site for $25.   

The staff are very approachable and friendly and a couple of the maintenance guys even left us some cut firewood as they were thinning out the salt cedar trees.

The only demerits I give this campground in the offseason is the loud hwy noise from 395, which is inherent, and the small bits of trash that have become components of the sand.  Trash like broken glass, bottle caps, crushed aluminum cans, cigarette butts, dental floss applicators, etc.  Small stuff everywhere.  We spent an afternoon sifting through the sand, picking up trash around our campground, but it was really too big of a job for just 2 people.  Inyo County should organize a community clean up day where an army of volunteers with rakes can really go through the sand to pick up all of the debris.

Great campground first come first serve and cheep. Awesome views of Mt. Whitney. Close to Alabama Hills and Mt. Whitney, Lone Pine is a cute little town as well. Pit toilets available and water available seasonally, RV dump station for extra $, and there are dumpster. Easy access with any kind of vehicle.

This is a fantastic, all-purpose campground with three large loops set in an old sequoia grove (sadly logged of all old growth from 1901-1908). There are nearly 100 sites in total, most suited for RVs & trailers, all for tents. There are sequoia stumps are spread throughout the entire campground and adjacent meadow. The facility is well maintained and monitored by camp hosts, who are all very friendly. There is also a lovely paved trail near the adjacent meadow and sequoia grove. This is an ideal location just outside Kings Canyon National Park, located between Grant Grove and Kings Canyon itself. Nearby Hume Lake offers more recreation including fishing, boating, hiking and more.

Campground Review:

This campground lies about 10 miles to the west of its namesake town, Lone Pine in the Owens Valley to the east of the Sierra Nevada range.  It is a very popular campground to use as a base camp for climbing Mt. Whitney especially if the Whitney Portal CG is full. which was the case when we were there.  If you can't get a reservation or walk in site at Lone Pine CG, then Tuttle Creek, and the Alabama Hills would be your closest places to camp if you're not planning on climbing Mt. Whitney.

Now on to the actual campground!  Now since this is a few miles from the actual trail head to Mt. Whitney it has more RV camping sites than tent sites.  Campsite range in price from $25-$65 for single tent sites, RV sites, and 1 group site, respectively.  Each campground has a large bear proof box to store all of your food and  smelly items in addition to a picnic table and a metal fire ring.  The campground had potable water spigots and vault toilets spread throughout.  You could also purchase firewood from the camp host, which is recommended due to the possibility of spreading pests.

To list all of the activities you can do in this area would take a book so I'm just gonna touch on some of the things we did!  Our main goal for the trip was to try and summit Mt. Whitney by the Mountaineers Route.  We got pushed back however due to hard route finding and soft avalanche prone snow.  We ended going around 10 miles but the regular hiking trail is 13 miles one way!  After getting beaten down by the mountain we were able to eat some great food at the Mt. Whitney Restaurant which had Americana and diner food. 

Since we stayed at this campground in the middle of June the temperatures weren't too hot but I would really try to camp higher up at the portal if you plan on coming here in July or August as it could be really hot and there wasn't a ton of shade.  Also be doubly sure to book your campground ahead of time as I doubt there will be any sites if you show up after 3 or 4 without a reservation.

Product Review:

Being a Ranger for the Dyrt allows us to test and review gear from time to time!  This time we were testing out the Adjustable Neck Gaiter from Eclipse sun protection.  This was honestly one of my favorite pieces of gear I've been able to test for the Dyrt!  

Pros: 

• Simple design that replaces $100's of sunscreen in it's lifetime! (never washes out)
• Is multi functional and can be used as a gaiter, headband, buff, and so much more!
• Super lightweight and doesn't need to be reapplied or leave you greasy
• It is super cheap and includes a Velcro strap to adjust to smaller neck      

Cons:

• The only flaw I could find was the sewing along the neck was a little weak and I ripped it slightly before realizing I needed to be a little more delicate pulling it on

Other than that one con I would say this is an amazing product that helps keep you from spending 100's on a temporary sunblock and helps keep all those nasty chemicals out of nature, the waterways, and the oceans!  I definitely think we'll be trying out the sleeves for fishing as my fiances arms can get pretty burnt sometimes.

This was our first time at BPCC and it was a great experience. The facilities were very well kept, clean bathrooms and excellent service from the hosts Steve and Annie. Our campsite (017) was well taken care of and we really appreciated the compact, unique feel of the site. Even more so because it felt separate from other sites. We could see that there was room for additional sites, but appreciated that it was kept more private. Wood was about $1-2 per bundle more expensive than other National Forest sites we've been in & the nearby town. The adjacent camp/rv park Glacier Lodge wasn't quite as well cared for really helped set the quality of BPCC apart.

There was a trout stream/river running right through the camp (and a trout pond in Glacier Lodge at the entrance of the park. The water was continually rushing and made for some great sleeping noise. The campsite is literally teeming with wildlife. We had deer, birds, small animals and fish all around us. It is bear country but according to the hosts no bear have been spotted this season much less in camp causing a ruckus.

The draw to Big Pine Creek Campground is the hike to glacial lakes 1-7. We hiked to lakes 1 & 2 and it was EPIC. The hike is uphill and hardish but the trail very well maintained and worth it. We were advised that it would take about an hour per mile (4.5 miles to the 1st two lakes) on the way there and about half that on the way back, but we made it out in about 2.5 hours of consistent hiking. The estimates were fairly conservative assuming you'd be stopping often. The hike back was accurate.

You can also apply for a backcountry camping overnight pass which we plan to do next time. They only offer 25 per night so definitely check into it, but you can camp near the first lakes and hike further. The entire loop (all 7 lakes) hike is estimated at 12 hours. We will be visiting again soon.

We stayed at Sequoia RV Ranch this past weekend with high expectations, based on the stellar reviews.  The campground is fine, but not five stars.  As others have noted, this campground is close to the entrance of Sequoia NP and close to the town of Three Rivers which has a few restaurants and markets.  We had site 6 for the first night (water and electric only) and site 54 (a river site with full hookups) for the second night.  The campground is small but clean and the staff is helpful. There is a fenced dog park on-site, a nice touch.  There are clean bathhouses available and a laundry too.  The showers are coin-operated.  Another plus for this campground is the natural spring-fed swimming hole in the North Fork of the Kaweah River, just a short walk from the campground.  The rest of the river along the backside of the campground was dried up, due to drought conditions.  The signage within the campground needs to be improved so download a map of the campground before you arrive, especially if you are arriving after dark.  We had issues with low voltage from the electric post on site 6 which caused our RV's electrical system to cycle on and off every minute or two.  The onsite techs diagnosed an issue with the city-supplied power and mentioned sites 1 through 10 had issues with power, mostly on the weekends.  The camp staff moved us to site 54 which solved our power issue.  The campground was full, but everyone observed the no noise after 10 PM rule.  All in all a nice campground conveniently located near Sequoia NP.

Tuttle Creek is a BLM campground. Open all year, no reservations taken. Has pit toilets, water, fire rings, tables in each site. $8 a night. $4 if you have a pass. The first night visited was very windy, but you take your chances. Great views of the Eastern Sierra, they got there first dusting of snow for the season. Close to Alabama Hills Recreation Area. Lone Pine is a neat little town with plenty of things to see.

Communication with the host was amazing, we went from the Thursday before Memorial Day to Memorial Monday.  Everything was amazing.  Very quiet community.

Full hookups for our 5th wheel, spacious sites, flushing restrooms and showers if you wanted.  Starlink worked perfect, though there was wifi available.

A couple notes:

Zero Cell coverage (we took that as a good thing), but make sure to download your google map.

The drive up is a little daunting with going up the mountain, but the road was fine just take your time it will be worth it.

There’s a river all the kids love to play in. Water moves slowly but it’s not necessarily ‘clean’ although none of the kids mind. Pool is a little murky but full of people. There’s a resident teenage bear named Horse that comes around and they also warn you about snakes. We had a few issues with locals trying to cause problems by coming in and creating dust clouds but the camp seemed to take care of them pretty quickly. Full hookup sites are fine. Somewhat shady with all the trees. People seem friendly.

Independence is on Hwy 395 about an hour south of Bishop and about half an hour north of Alabama Hills.  Which is to say it's a great location with a lot of places to explore and hike.  

This land is a good spot to stay for a few nights while exploring the area, or if you just need a free place to sleep.  The spot we marked here is about 2 miles west of Independence, but there are a few other cleared out areas that you can camp on, just check Google satellite maps.  We didn't see anyone else camping on the BLM land while we stayed here, but we saw a lot of people driving up and down Onion Valley Rd.

The area is clean and very quiet, zero shade and zero amenities.  Please help keep it clean by packing out your trash.

Some of the dirt roads might need a high clearance vehicle but on the spot I've marked we made it fine in our 26ft motorhome.

Exploring Alabama Hills on Movie Flat Road is like stepping onto a film set straight out of a Western movie. This iconic location in California has been the backdrop for countless films, thanks to its stunning rock formations and dramatic landscapes. If you're planning a visit, make sure to check out Castle app for an interactive and personalized travel guide that enhances your experience with custom itineraries and insights tailored to your interests. Whether you're a film buff or an outdoor enthusiast, the combination of real-world exploration and digital tools can make your adventure in the Alabama Hills truly unforgettable.

General: 81 BLM sites within the shadow of the eastern Sierras. All are first come, first available with a 14-day limit, but we had no problem finding a choice of sites on a Monday in early April around 12:30 pm. You can’t beat the price of $10 ($5 with a Golden Age Pass)! Surprisingly good cell coverage (Verizon)! The views of the mountains are awesome!

Site Quality: Gravel and most looked level. No hookups of any kind. A fire ring (with grill), lantern hook, and large concrete picnic table complete the site. 

Toilets: More than an adequate number of vault toilets sprinkled throughout the campground and at least the one by our site was clean and had hand sanitizer. 

Activities: We spent our day exploring nearby beautiful Alabama Hills (about a 10-minute drive from the campground), driving out Movie Road, and taking a few short hikes. 

Just several things to note (but they did not detract from our stay): 

1. since our site was near Tuttle Creek, the mosquitoes came out in droves at dusk, 

2. you will hear (but not see!) a steady sound of fighter stealth jets from Edwards Air Force Base flying overhead from about 8 am to 8 pm) and 

3. There are gnarly speed bumps on the road into the campground. Other than that, the unpaved road is well-maintained.

I wish we had planned to spend another night here!