Searching for a tent camping spot near Big Creek? Finding a place to camp in California with your tent has never been easier. Each tent campsite offers quick access to one or more of Big Creek's most popular destinations.
$5 / night
Located near the Kaiser and Ansel Adams Wilderness', Sample Meadow Campground offers 16 campsites located along Kaiser Creek. Vault toilets are provided and each site has a picnic table, fire ring, and bear box. There is trailhead parking outside of campground approximately .5 mile for hikes into the wilderness. Large RV's and motorhomes not recommended. Horse camping is permitted. Water and garbage service not provided.
Located in a setting of pines and oak, Bretz Mill Campground is located alongside Big Creek. Some sites are located on the creek. The location of the campground makes an great get-a-way for picnicking, cooling off during hot days and overnight campging, especially when higher elevation campgrounds are under snow. The area also serves as a popular OHV base camp. Access to facility is paved. Campground is maintained by Mountain Toppers 4 WD club.
Regulations governing campfires can change with weather conditions and the seasons. To protect yourself and the forest, before each visit, check with the Forest Service office nearest to your destination for current restrictions.
You can help protect the National Forests from wildfires by knowing and following the rules for the safe use of fire. You must have a California Campfire Permit to use a stove or lantern outside a Developed Recreation Area such as a campground. The permit is your agreement to follow restrictions and regulations in effect.
Your California Campfire Permit is valid until the end of the calendar year; it may be used in any National Forest in California.
Go to any Forest Service, CALFIRE, or Bureau of Land Management office during business hours and a receptionist will issue you a permit. You may also go to this website to get a campfire permit online (please note you will need a printer to print it off).
Campfires - Campfires when permitted, you need to follow five conditions:
Campfire Permits are required. Clear all flammable material away from the fire for a minimum of five feet in all directions to prevent escape of the fire. Have a shovel available at the campfire site for preparing and extinguishing campfires. Have a responsible person in attendance at all times. Extinguish campfire with water, using the drown, stir and feel method. Take Responsibility... It is your responsibility to know the current conditions and restrictions for the area you intend to visit.
Details here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/inyo/recreation/ohv/?cid=stelprdb5362150
Huntington Lake offers many activities, including swimming, sailing, boating, non-motorized boating, fishing and water skiing. Additionally, California Land Management sponsors a variety of interpretive programs and nature walks throughout the summer at several locations in the Huntington Lake area.
This recreation area is part of Eastman Lake
Located on Ward Lake, Ward Lake Campground provide sites with lake views. Sites offer picnic tables, fire rings, bear boxes, and pine and aspen trees provide shade for most campsites. Vault toilets are also provided. Ward Lake offers opportunites for non-motorized boating, fishing, and swimming.
Beautiful private campground right on Willow Creek. This has a flat area to pop your tent on and includes a brand new sturdy picnic table and composting out house. Swim and fish in the creek and stargaze at night. There are fish in the creek so bring your poles. South creek requires 4x4 the terrain is very steep. Both camps have a fire pit and fires are forbidden June 1st til Nov 1st. You can have a camp stove during the off season months We do allow dogs.
50.00 charge for check in after Sundown
$60 / night
Guide
We have stayed at this campground many times and recently revisited in September’24. This COE is on a small lake that is used for irrigation during the summer resulting in a much lower water level than in the spring. Fishing is good. The Corps have added more electric sites over the years and there were 5-6 that fit our 43’ Blue Bird. We marked this as “big rig” friendly. Springtime has the grasses green with abundant wild flowers in late Feb through early March. Summer can be hot as the elevation is low in the California Central Valley and the grasses are brown. Sites are asphalt. Many sites may take some time to level. Back in and pull through are available. A nice dump stations is available within the COE park. Fall has a Tarantula migration and you will definitely see them. Coyote, Bobcat, and deer are frequently seen. Codorniz is 21 miles from Chowchilla. One way in and one way out cuts down on traffic.
Guide
We stayed at this campground may years ago (2006-2008) and it has remained one of our favorites.
Our most recent stay was for a small rally of 8 class A RVs from 34' to 43' in length all with tow vehicles. Wishon was able to accommodate all of us. The drive to Wishon starts with a long climb to Shaver Lake. Past Shaver Lake the road becomes windy for the remainder of the drive. Expect at least a 40+ minute drive from the Shaver lake turn off. On the way you will pass a grove of Giant Sequoia trees with a pull out to walk or picnic among them.
All sites are gravel and have full hook ups. Some sites have 50 amp service but it will rarely be needed because of the elevation of 6800 feet. All sites will accommodate the RV, vehicle, boat, and more. Wishon also has tent sites with or without platforms.
There are many activities available from this campground. Hiking, mountain bike riding, Jeep trails (Dusy-Ershim Trail), and fishing. Two reservoirs are nearby, Wishon and Courtright. Courtright at 8200' opens later than Wishon at 6600'. Rainbow and German Browns can be caught.
Wishon Village has a nice store with most necessities and sells fishing licenses.
Guide
Sites 120 - 144 offer full hookups. However, the sites are arranged on a parking lot. We were able to get our 43’ Blue Bird completely onto site 138. Power was good but there were only 4 of us in the FHU sites. Millerton is a great boating and fishing lake close to Fresno and within a few hours of Yosemite NP.
We would not stay here again until the park gets control of the ground squirrels. We heard stories of cars and RV’s being towed out because they chewed through wiring. Thankfully we escaped with just damage from them entering the RV and getting into plastic containers of food in the bays. On our last night we moved to a parking lot by the lake so we could avoid further intrusion. The campground was also littered with garbage. I was constantly picking up litter on my walks.
There are other campgrounds in the recreational area that have no utilities that could be a better choice for smaller RV’s.
Scout
We have nothing but praise for Spencer, our host here at Dunlap Canyon Retreat. He is super attentive and friendly without being in your face, he strikes the perfect balance between helpful and respectful of your privacy. Great place!
Traveler
It's been great. This time of year is a little less crowded. Except this Xmas holiday time. The winter weather enhances the experience of you are up for that.
Guide
Quick stopover on our way to Death Valley. Vela got a chance to play ball. Found the site easily in the dark. Very quiet night for sleeping with the sound of a creek running behind our camper.
Guide
The name of the campground alone will let you know what to anticipate staying here. As far as views go they are phenomenal but people wise it gets busy.
Guide
I enjoy this site my spot was directly below the footbridge to head up to Weaver and Jennie lakes. Excellent brook trout fishing and feels off grid. Amazing rock formations near by and plenty of hiking for all levels in close vicinity.
Scout
We had a flat tire on a Sunday morning and permanent resident was more than helpful with taking the tire off and giving us a ride to the tire place to get it fixed and put back on. Beautiful view of the mountains and very close to the park
Guide
Full hookups on level gravel pads. We stayed in lot 5 at the back of the fair grounds, and it was quiet at night. The showers were clean, and the wifi was the best campground internet we have experienced. It is 2 miles from town, but there are plenty of restaurants and a market in Mariposa to make the trip worthwhile Make sure you go to the Mine and Mineral museum on the the grounds.
Guide
We arrived just before dark, it’s quite a small site. Room for 4 vans max, ideal for 3. We used to chocks to level up as it’s pretty uneven in parts. But a great nights sleep, we had the place to ourselves
Guide
Quite a large level area, though it was November and not peak season so there were loads of space. We pulled in and there were a couple of trailers with horses and a couple of other vehicles and we parked with loads of space between. When we left early in the morning a handful more of vehicles had joined.
Scout
What a gem! We loved our two-night stay surrounded by the animals. While the dirt road/driveway is a bit bumpy, we had no problem with our 23' Airstream -- just go slowly and you'll be fine (there was a 40' Class A there, too, if that says anything). Great host who is truly kind. Quiet, peaceful, and fun...what more do you need?
Guide
Lovely campground. Nice creek sounds and beautiful large trees. Couldn't get a hold of host and sites aren't very private. Otherwise really solid choice for location, amenities (bear lockers were great) and maintenance.
Traveler
We stayed in site #17, it was pretty private as we didn't really have anyone around us. The bathroom was clean and the site itself was well maintained. Firewood was for sale at the camp store or through the hosts. Gets super cold at night! Showers were available at the camp store as well as laundry.
Traveler
This was such a beautiful spot. It was our first night on our trip, and we knew we had to find a spot sooner than later. We drove through the campground to find a wonderful spot right by the creek. A day user was just leaving, and they said it was the best spot for fishing. The attached parking was uneven, but we found a few rocks that helped even us out. The spot is a bit windy as it is in kind of a canyon, but it died down as the sun went down.
I have T-Mobile and had absolutely no scerive until we got back on the 395.
There is a small vault toilet that was near the site, and I don't know where they buy their toilet paper, but it was quality stuff. There is a bunch of signage inside the vault stating the area is bear territory, and we needed needed to be bear aware.
Scout
I was expecting bad conditions because of the previous comments but it was actually a good surprise. It's very close to the entrance of Yosemite, in our case it was very quiet and well isolated. There is no view or wow effect but it's great location and isolated.
TravelerAs night approached, we had to find a campground. We were also looking for something maintained but scenic which this campground was. There are no actual views of the lake from the camp ground that we saw, but some of the sites have a stream flowing through. Even though it was late in the day (5-6pm) and the campground was basically all reserved, we did find a few open spots that you could pay for at the pay station. Each spot has a nice parking spot big enough for a small trailer. Not all spots were leveled, but we did find one that was leveled enough that we didn't need to make any additional adjustments. They all had fire pits, table, and bear lockers. All in all, it's a great campground. I want to mention there is a restaurant close by, but expect to pay upwards of $100 for a meal. It might be best to bring in your own meals. I have T-Mobile, and I was able to get a text or two, but I had absolutely no service until we got back to the 395.
Traveler
No camping happened. Campground closed when we checked on October 16th, 2034. Maybe next time.
Guide
We made an extra camping trip during Fall this year. We usually spend July up near Lee Vining, but we wanted to see what camping in October was like. Getting to Upper Sage isn’t tricky, it’s just very inconspicuous. You drive up Hwy 395 to a little town called Big Pine. It’s about 15 miles before Bishop. You turn left on a little residential street that takes you buy cute little homes of Big Pine. You’d swear you made the wrong turn. Then, you’ll continue on this worn little road for a few miles. It goes up quickly. Again, it seems you’re on the way to nowhere. After about 7 miles up, you’ll see the canyon with trees and campgrounds. It’s really pretty. Almost to the end of the road you’ll find Upper Sage Flat. We camped in sites 2 and 4. Both were real nice and next to the creek. The bathroom is close but not right next to your site. There’s only one bathroom so it’s nice to have it so close. As it turned out, there might have been 4 sites taken up, but that’s all. We had the place to ourselves. If you like to fish, the sites 14-19 are perfect. There are some beautiful hiking trails nearby, especially the Big Pine Creek Trail. The campground is paved, which is nice for bikes. Also, right up the street a little is Glacier Lodge, a place where you can rent little cottages. It’s old and looks worn, but it’s clean, looks taken care of, and they even have a little store. We only stayed for 3 days but they were wonderful. James the CG host was FANTASTIC! He pretty much doesn’t bother you and just asks you keep it clean and don’t get out of control. He was so nice we supported him by buying wood. He says he makes more with recyclables, so recycle when you’re there. All in all, we had a wonderful time and the CG was well worth it, in October at least. If you decide to do some Fall camping, Upper Sage Flats will not disappoint you.
Ranger
Spot#106. Unlevel, but most in this area are not level.#107 not bad. Some loops have no bathrooms so be aware of where you reserve. Good trails to village and grants tree. Crystal springs campground adjacent has more trees, more shade.
Foodie aside: Lodge across the road had market with chocolate milk for $1.60 per 2p. Almost out of beer after holiday weekend. We had Readywise mango sticky rice with for dinner, yum! Added butter and salt, but recommend cut back on water in Readywise direction so use <175 cup Dog approved.
ScoutPulled in here since the sun was setting and we wouldn’t make it to lone pine. Nice off road trail with some scattered sites.
Guide
After numerous previous backpacking trips throughout Yosemite's high country, this was my first stay in the valley itself. The site was clean, spacious enough, flat enough, and very convenient to access to everywhere in the valley. We ended up driving up to Tuolumne Meadows in the high country so being able to leave the trailer and all our camping stuff in a safe, relatively crowded and lively campground was was really nice. The site easily accommodated my trailer and Jeep. There were plenty of clean bathrooms, fresh water, fire pits, and spacious site located bear boxes throughout. One thing to note, although it is in one of, if not the most beautiful national parks, I wouldn't call it rugged or even having the illusion of privacy.
Legend
How do you snag a reservation in one of the most popular campgrounds in the entire NPS with just a few days notice? Easy! Set up a Dyrt Alert with your Dyrt PRO subscription. We did this and turned 1 night in the valley into 10. Here's to shoulder season camping! But come prepared as you might need your kayaking gear and your snowshoes on the same trip.
This is a great campground in valley, with many sites right by the Merced River, a view of Half Dome in the background, and a little forestry action means that you even get some sunshine down through those big pines and can recharge with solar in a few key sites. We were also able to run our Starlink to get some work done. You can walk to many trails, bike to others, and even stroll over to Curry Village for a meal, shower, or an ice cream.
What you have in these campsites is very similar throughout this park, paved spot with not a lot of room for big rigs, small area for tents, a spot for your car, picnic table, fire ring, and a food/ cooler/ cooking equipment storage locker. Seriously y’all, they will ticket your butt for not storing food properly– they do not mess around here in this park with feeding wildlife, either on accident or on purpose. And you will quickly learn why because the ground squirrels do not give a#$%^ about you except that you are a quick source of Cheetos-- and they’ll even climb up your leg to get some. Don’t even get me started about the Ravens, they are smart and they have a taste for potato chips! Bears make regular visits to these campgrounds, too.
The “Comfort Stations” as the NPS calls them means a couple of toilets that flush, a sink with cold running water, and a hand dryer. Bring your own soap. They can stay on top of cleaning them, but do your part too. Showers can be purchased at the Yosemite Curry Village area and they are just fine, but there is a high demand for them so plan ahead.
Unlike most parks, Yosemite has its own grocery store, gas station, bike rentals, restaurants, visitor’s center, park film theater, gift shop– and if you come at the right time of year, you can see “Shakespeare in the Park’s” live theater.
You can bike, hike, paddle, float, climb, sightsee, stargaze, climber stalk, waterfall gawk and walk. But parking is a bitch. So just leave everything at the campsite and hop on the bus to get around the park and the different hiking areas. The buses also have bike racks so you can bike as much as you want, then hop on the bus if you’re not feeling it anymore.
There are so many beautiful hikes, but please don’t go to the popular ones in the middle of the day, or maybe do, that way I can enjoy the less popular ones on my own time at my leisure. Understand that the valley is one of the most “touristed” destinations outside of Disney World, and get your head around it, settle in and make nice-nice with all the other folks who have been dying to come. But please don’t feed those squirrels, ravens, or bears!
Depending on which way you come into the park, the closest town with reasonable grocery store prices can be up to an hour away. So, it’s worth the price of admission to stock up on your way into the park.
Scout
Parked overnight in the RV on the same road as the hotspring on a Wednesday night had no problems. 2 other vans were next to us
TravelerThis camp is small, but amazing. RVs are not prohibited according to the attendants who we ran into, but they have a sign saying so since the space is tight. If you have a big trailer you can easily get stuck. Class B easily works well. There are only about 8 sites, no formal host on site. We got lucky and got site 5 which was spacious and right on the creek. Sites are kind of close together. We came the weekend the aspens turned end of September and it was completely full. There’s a cool little abandoned road trail between this camp and patchers that is a nice morning stroll for any dogs. We didn’t run into anyone in the morning.
Scout
Easy access. Quiet and close to the Owens River. We slept well and didn’t hear another person all night. Beautiful night sky.
Tent camping near Big Creek, California, offers a fantastic opportunity to immerse yourself in nature while enjoying the stunning landscapes of the Sierra National Forest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Big Creek, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Big Creek, CA is Little Yosemite Valley Campground with a 5-star rating from 6 reviews.
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