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Obsidian campground offers opportunity to get away from crowds amidst shade of aspens and pines. Campground is close to Molybdenite Creek and Little Walker River. The river is stocked with trout. Area trailheads offer several interesting hikes. The trail from Molybdenite Creek trailhead splits, with one branch heading south into the Hoover Wilderness, and one looping north along Wheeler Creek to connect with the trail along the Little Walker River. This can be hiked as a loop from Burt Canyon trailhead (just west of campground). The Emma Lake trailhead leads to a short but steep hike to Emma Lake on the shores of Mount Emma.
The Obsidian campground is popular with hikers, fishermen, and campers looking for a quiet rustic campground.
The Obsidian campground is at an elevation of 7800 feet.
$18 / night
BLM pull offs and camping with pit toilet. No other ammenities.
Just far enough off the beaten path to keep the crowds away, Virginia Lakes is an oasis for anglers and those who wish to get away from it all. A mere six miles off Highway 395 from Conway Summit (about halfway between Lee Vining and Bridgeport), Virginia Lakes consists of nearly a dozen alpine lakes located more at than 9,000 feet high in the Sierra. Three of the lakes are drive-to, with options to take anything from short strolls to long hikes to reach many others. Trumbull, Little Virginia and Big Virginia Lakes are all accessible by vehicles and offer camping and solid fishing. The Virginia Lakes Resort includes cabins, a general store, but none of the usual distractions like television or internet access. It’s a little quieter, too, as gas-powered boats aren’t allowed. The isolated location, hidden beneath Dunderberg Peak and Black Mountain, gives the Virginia Lakes Basin a cozy and quiet vibe, which helps keep the crowds away, making the Virginia Lakes even more appealing to many of us.
Guide
I loved camping here. There’s a few spots off the road that leads into the hot springs, before you hit the sign that says no camping. Just pull onto one of the dirt roads on the left and find a spot! Any car or smaller RV could easily drive the road.
There was no one else there when I was camped there, and as a solo female traveler I felt extremely safe. It was quiet and secluded, beautiful, yet only 10 minutes off of 395, less than a mile from the hot spring, and I had full LTE cell reception (verizon).
There are rock fire rings that previous campers have made if you’re going to be here when camp fires are allowed. There’s no other amenities such as picnic tables or a bathroom, water, or garbage collection - this is free dispersed camping, so be prepared to be self-sufficient: pack out what you bring in and leave no trace!
Guide
Standard dispersed camping on national forest land. Paved main road with dirt roads and areas for camping branching off. Plenty of room. Some areas have beautiful views of strawberry valley!
Guide
This spot is national forest, and overnight camping is not allowed. We had a knock from someone with the forest service the next morning who was very kind and let us know that overnight is not allowed.
Look up lakes and forest in this area on google — not many places allow dispersed camping
Traveler
Plenty of dispersed camping spots. My flat spot that I found not too far from a Creek and I even had 2 bars on my cell phone and watch the movie.
Guide
This BLM site is 1 of 3 along the west side of Walker Lake. This is the northernmost BLM campground along Highway 95. Follow the signage along the highway. Access to the site is along a slow and easy gravel road that is wide enough for two rigs to safely and comfortably pass each other. As you come down the road into the campground you'll notice you have an option to turn right (south) or left (north). Both roads lead to a vault toilet building with access to drive right on down to the beach. We opted for a site near the northern vault toilet. The views are spectacular as you are surrounded by mountains on all sides with Walker Lake in the middle of it all! This is dispersed camping at it's finest! While you'll have to deal with a little bit of highway noise it's not terrible since it's Highway 95 and not heavily travelled by anything other than semi trucks. The town of Schurz is a mere 12 miles north of the site and has several amenities along with fuel. The towns of Walker Lake and Hawthorne are 10 and 20 miles to the south, respectively. Hawthorne is a more populated area with grocery, gas and other shopping amenities. Highly recommend to any other lovers of boondocking. We stayed during the second week of November and the weather was clear, light wind with highs in the upper 60s to low 70s with the lowest nighttime temp of around 38. We'll be back here again for sure!
Scout
Free camping
Traveler
Several areas along Blue Lakes Rd offer dispersed camping. We had a wildflower-filled meadow to ourselves in early August with plenty of near-by trails for dirt bikes, Jeeping, horses, mountain biking or hiking.
LegendNo camping is allowed at the hot springs themselves, but outside of the hot springs there are a few cleared out spots with fire rings where you can camp. There is a cluster of about 6 spots fairly close together, as well as a few more isolated spots if you're lucky enough to get one. From here it is about a .5 mile walk to the springs.
So many cars zip in and out on the dirt road leading to the hot springs, from early in the morning to pretty late at night. The dust hasn't been too much of a problem but some people do drive rather quickly so watch out for your loose dogs and kids. It was also intermittently very windy.
No services or amenities here, but it is really close to the town of Bridgeport for supplies, so pack in and pack out your garbage(and maybe a little extra) and bring water.
The hot springs are amazing and we got a nice long soak by ourselves in the morning until around 11am when is starts to get busier. Clothing is optional at these hot springs but almost everyone was wearing something. Come sit in a hot spring and enjoy the free camping and extraordinary panoramic views.
The road in is pretty washboarded and rutty in parts, so go slowly.
You can hear road noise and hourly church bells :)
Good Verizon, ATT, and T-Mobile reception.
** Gas here in Bridgeport is very expensive (currently $5.15/gal) so fuel up before you get here.
Ranger
Dispersed camping not far from Lake Tahoe. Easy to drive into just be careful of potholes and large puddles from rain, even in summer. No amenities, but it’s a very beautiful area. There are herds of cows that will make their way through the area, please be respectful of them! Scott’s lake is just up through this area if you have 4x4 capability.
ScoutWe are new to dispersed camping and have a 40 ft 5th wheel as well as a GMC Denali 350 dually. We need a large space to fit into. We arrived on a Monday at noon and found that the large area about 1/4 mile in was not at all crowded. We had our choice of several places to set up. It is very quiet here, not hearing any road noise. A forest ranger told us there were more spaces up near the lake, but we didn’t venture up there.
Scout
This is a beautiful lake. I like visiting it and geometry dash breeze which is amazing. Upon reaching the lake, you will discover approximately twelve camping spots. These sites are fairly basic, each equipped with uncomplicated stone fire pits, though only around half of them seem to feature picnic tables based on my observation. Upon our arrival, all the Lakeview sites were occupied, prompting us to locate a pleasant spot towards the back to set up our camp. Unfortunately, there is a segment of the camping area that would typically be open for use but was closed off by the Department of Fish and Game(DFG) due to environmental concerns. It's regrettable as there were some appealing campsites situated beyond that wooden barrier.
Scout
So disappointing this app has failed us like 5 times now on camping spots. Not the right location.
TravelerThe coordinates listed on the app are simply for the entrance to the dispersed camping. There are infinite amounts of primitive roads to drive down and find camp. I stayed at N38.768811• W 120.238630° — on top of a peak that offered 360° views with sunrise and sunset right from my tent. At this specific sight, there are no overhead trees. Despite being primitive, the roads are well kept, even if you have a small SUV. It could get slightly tricky with a car. I stayed here for 7 days (10/31-11/6) and only saw one other person on the primivite roads. The above coordinates are about a 6 mile drive in from US50. You will see a campground on your right about 5 miles down when driving in, about a mile further down the road you will come up on the dirt road leading you up the mountain.
A couple of notes:
TravelerYou follow a dirt road and have camping spots along the road. When I was here it was jammed packed RV, vans and tents all set up along the road. To me it was good for a an overnight stay. No At&t service what so ever. Little highway noise.
TravelerThis is a nice little private camp spot for the most part, There's a campground with its own fence around it for private camping With signs posted very near it, "no camping here" in the other spots without the signs good to go.
TravelerWe recently spent a night at this campsite and found it to be perfect for a quick overnight getaway. The area is spacious and conveniently located not too far off the main road, making it easy to access without feeling too isolated.
There are plenty of sites to choose from, catering to different preferences. However, we recommend taking some time to survey the land before setting up camp, as some spots are slightly sloped.
A huge plus is the gas station just about 5 minutes down the road. It’s well-stocked with all the convenient store items you might have forgotten at home, making it easy to grab any last-minute necessities.
Overall, it was a delightful stay. Just remember, always practice Leave No Trace principles—pack out what you pack in!
LegendThis was my first stop after leaving Truckee and heading south.
I rolled in later in the evening and found the many springs already quite full. Seeking some solitude, I opted to backtrack and find a camp spot on the road leading to the springs.
From what I could tell, there were at least three springs and there could've been others hidden a bit down the hill.
There's no camping right at the springs, but several pull-outs on the road in.
I found a spot on the hill with a great view of the valley and Sierras to the east.
Also wound up sharing a spot with two gentlemen who gave me some great recommendations for Death Valley.
Woke up early for a solo sunrise soak in the main pool and had it all to myself!
Traveler
This place is really cool and easy to find! Great views
Weather isn’t to hot and very secluded.
Scout
This road follows power lines pretty much for the entire length of the road. It would be a really nice area to disperse if they weren't there as the area is beautiful. That said, you don't need 4x4 but you definitely will need a vehicle with some decent clearance. There are some weirdly purposefully placed speed bumps? on the west end of the road approaching 4N01 and Spring Gap Rd that will let you know if you have enough clearance pretty quickly. Overall not a super terrible road to disperse off of. There are a lot more and a lot better spots nearby and it's not too far from Beardsley Lake which can get pretty busy.
Traveler
Beautiful location and well secluded. Passed/saw only about 3 others during our one day stay here. Setup camp near the end of the road. A bit windy at night.
TravelerMy 9 yr old son wanted to try camping in or near the snow, and the weather was favorable on this December weekend (high 56, low 39). We are pretty new to camping and not hardcore, but this was very easy and comfortable. We camped right at the entrance because nobody was there and there was plenty of flat area. Easily accessible on paved roads. Spotted a rock climber on the nearby rock face when we arrived, who later came by to pick up his car he had parked there.
Caldor Fire damage was evident everywhere, but this made it easy for my son to chop down a small dead tree that we used for firewood. It was breezy, which made it chillier than the temps indicated, but we were fine and very toasty once in our tent cots.
We found a few beer bottles around (which we took home to recycle), and small amounts of building waste such as concrete. But overall the setting was peaceful and beautiful. Amazing to have a resource like this that's free. We brought a privacy shelter and portable camp toilet, and our own water. Those are really the only things you need that would normally be provided by a paid campsite.
GuideCamp just a small walk to the hot springs. Got crowed at the camp site toward the end of the day. Was still a relaxing spot.
TravelerEasy to see right off the road with plenty of campsites down either side of a nice dirt road. Rocky and steep road access to Scott’s lake, but easy camping on the edge of the valley.
TravelerCamped here for a night in early October. Easy access and reasonably good road quality make it very RV friendly - I would say that it was at least 75% RVs/Trailers. Beautiful views of the valley and hills to the east. Most sites are obvious, with a driveway and stone fire ring. We like a more "dispersed" feel, but felt comfortable.
There are no services - bring all the water you will need and practice "leave no trace." This goes for your waste (human and animal) as well. I wish I could say that we didn't see any dog waste or "TP Flowers" but we did. Not a significant amount, but any is too much.
The place was pretty much full, but still good vibes and quiet neighbors. Very close to Hwy. 88, so road noise and campers coming in looking for a spot after dark. Gets quiet later in the evening.
Overall, a nice spot.
TravelerRoad was accessible for us in a Toyota Tacoma, but a Camry also made it up. It was a little crowded in the area we stayed (with 4 other caravans and trailers), as the other dirt road giving access to different campsites was more for high clearance vehicles (very steep and uneven). Hot springs in walking distance. Incredible views of the mountains. We would definitely stay here again. No waste services or restrooms, but a vault toilet was available at the hot springs less than a mile away. Would visit again!
GuideWe had a great time camping here. The hot springs were super cool and there were multiple pools scattered around the area. We swam in the small spring pools as the sun was setting and got to watch the stars come out. Some of the pools are super hot and others not much, also they are very muddy. You can’t actually camp by any of the springs but there are a few pull offs to camp at before you get to the springs. We had phone service. If you want to make a fire make sure you bring some wood as there wasn’t really any wood to collect from the area. It also got super windy during the night but our tent held up fine. Over all really great site, and free!
LegendI visited this area and was so overwhelmed by the amount of people I saw in Yosemite I definitely expected this well known hot spring to also be filled with people. However I was extremely surprised when I turned down the road toward the springs and noticed that there was no one to be found. That was until I got to the spring itself. At that point I found a single person taking a dip.
Signs marked that the area nearest to the spring was off limits to camping, however they do allow parking and camping in several pull offs along the roadway toward the spring. These are designed for contained units only, not tents so I found that staying here would be problematic unless you could stay in your car or RV. Lucky for me I don't mind sleeping in my car when necessary so I was able to enjoy the stay uninterrupted just a short distance from the spring itself.
The area is dry and dusty and offers little to no relief from the heat of summer or the sharp winds of winter. This would not be an ideal situation for those wanting to have any kind of amenities as there are none available. You must be able to maintain your unit without power or water connections. Additionally, this area is an area which you must be able to provide proof of a waste disposal of some kind when staying should a ranger come to your camp. Keep in mind they just want to make sure you are not abusing the outdoors and leaving waste.
As these are dispersed sites no picnic tables or fire rings are available either.
The spring itself is pretty nice. Water is nice and warm and when I visited it did not have an odd sulfuric smell like some springs do. Instead it was welcoming and invited you to sit and soak for a while. While I wore my bathing suit I discovered that many do not so if you are visiting keep that in mind.
Other points of interest in the area are Yosemite, Mono Lake and Bodie Ghost Town. All of these locations have numerous stops which can be great for the trip and within a very short drive of the location.
I ended up spending an entire day at Bodie thanks to its close proximity and really enjoyed that this offered something closeby but also a bit closer to the community of Bridgeport where I could find services and supplies.
TIP: Make sure to fuel up when you see gas stations, they are sparse and you will want to ensure you have enough gas from one location to the next in this area.
Discover the beauty of dispersed camping near Coleville, California, where nature meets tranquility. With stunning landscapes and a variety of outdoor activities, this area is perfect for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Coleville, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Coleville, CA is Bridgeport Travertine Hot Springs Dispersed with a 4.5-star rating from 22 reviews.
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