The Dyrt is here to help plan your best camping near Inyo National Forest. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in. Experience some of the most stunning views that California camping has to offer. You're sure to find the perfect campground for your Inyo National Forest camping trip.
"No bathrooms, water, electricity, or fire rings. Pretty dispersed but close enough to downtown. Would go back!"
"GREAT SPOT. so so close to the mountain."
"First I checked out the crab cooker campsite nearby and the road was ROUGH. The drive is definitely worth it if you plan to stay there without going back and forth into town."
"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"
"There is no trash, no water & no reservations. The good: Plenty of beautiful trees and shade. The creek is lovely, and a wonderful place for the kids to play."
"Beautiful campsites with plenty of space. Best sites are right next to the creek. The only downside is the stench of the pit toilets."
"No cell, no wifi, and felt immersed in nature. Some spaces are certainly more desirable than others. We stayed in the lower section—I believe there were about 10 spots total."
"The area around this camp ground is very relaxing. Rock Creek runs right along side. There are a few camping spots along the main road. The lake has boats available to rent."
"The road is maintained but requires high clearance.
There are many sites on the way in and then 5 or 6 once at obsidian meadows trail head."
"Nice off road trail with some scattered sites."
"Along a National Forest Service Road are 4-5 pullouts with great views of Mono Lake and the adjacent small crater. You can walk up the crater or hike down to the South Tufa area. "
"We found a nice, open campsite with great views of Mono Lake and the eastern Sierras. Road got quite sandy in some sections, would recommend having a 4x4 to access some of the sites."
$5 / night
"Thousand Island Lake is a backcountry camping area located at 9,839 feet elevation in Ansel Adams Wilderness within the Inyo National Forest, California."
"This is not an easy location to get to, but if you take the PCT High Trail, it's relatively easy. Still a ~8 mile hike in, but it's SO worth it.
The lake is beautiful at all times of day."
"At just above 10,000 feet, 4th Recess Lake is quite a climb to get to."
"It's a long day hike to get to Garnet Lake from Agnew meadows but it's worth it for the incredible views in the Ansel Adams wilderness. Quiet and safe. I would definitely camp here agin."
"Stayed here 2 nights while hiking to Mono pass and Summit Lake. Hike in about 4 miles to lakeside campsites. Wasn't too busy, some dayhikers, but not too many camping overnight."
LegendThousand Island Lake is a backcountry camping area located at 9,839 feet elevation in Ansel Adams Wilderness within the Inyo National Forest, California.
If you desire 360 degree mountain beauty, a cool lake to fish, float, swim or reflect by, epic sunrises and sunsets, star-filled night skies...or just desire the unearthly quiet of being unplugged and being a speck in rugged vastness...this is for you!
This incredible dispersed backcountry camping area must:
There are a few methods of getting to Thousand Island Lake...all involve backpacks and hiking. First, if you are hiking the Pacific Crest Trail NOBO or SOBO, you will at some point of your journey reach Thousand Island Lake. Second, if you are hiking the John Muir Trail NOBO or SOBO, you will reach Thousand Island Lake during your journey. Third, you can choose a beautifully scenic 14.3 mile out and back from Mammoth, CA...the shortest of the three options. Fourth, there are horseback/mule train options.
We happened to reach Thousand Island Lake as part of our August 2018 SOBO John Muir Trail attempt.
Choosing to hike in by any of the options takes planning and preparation. This is beautiful country, but it is also rough and unforgiving. The trails are wonderfully cared for, but not groomed and flat...know this and adequately prepare.
Every hiking/camping group must possess a permit, which for a short hike directly into Thousand Island Lake is secured through the Inyo National Forest office. PCT and JMT permits are primarily lottery based (although several walk-in permits are granted each day on site...but that's a gamble).Inyo National Forest website page states: "Groups cannot be larger than 15 people (includes day use). Quota of 30 people permitted to start overnight trips each day from May 1 to November 1."
This is active black bear country, so you must use approved bear canisters for food and odoriferous items (toothpaste, soap, lip balm, insect repellent, etc). Stiff fines by rangers (and they do backcountry patrols) await if you foolishly ignore this law...worse yet, you might receive a catastrophic visit from Yogi or Boo-Boo. We did not see any bear or evidence of their presence but I’m sure they saw us.
Leave No Trace...pack it in...pack it out. Yes, that means everything. Know the rules and abide by them. Nothing more distasteful and damaging to pristine wilderness are those that believe they are the exception to this rule and leave trash...worse, waste and TP dotting the landscape. Unfortunately, I found myself burying selfish stranger's waste. So bring a small shovel (www.tentlab) and a Ziploc freezer baggie to pack out your TP.
There is signage at Thousand Island Lake advising where to camp, which is far away from the main JMT trail. Again, abide by the rules and camp at least 40 feet away from the trail and 100 feet from the lake. Read and obey the list of rules on the website.
We camped on the northwest area of the Lake. Numerous hikers were there, some groups that hiked in for a day or two, others were thru-hikers. I enjoy the "community" of backcountry backpacker's. Day hikers can bring "Fido."
It is unnecessary to pack in hordes of water, as there seems to be streams and lakes aplenty. I'd recommend a reliable water filter or boiling the water to ensure a parasite free thirst quencher. We used a simple Sawyer Squeeze, which was both lightweight and effective.
Once camp is set, hike around the trails of this pristine wilderness and soak it all in...or just pull out your sleeping pad and relax.
I have read and been admonished to use 100% DEET for the mosquitoes on the JMT...particularly June-July, and though prepared, we experienced none in mid-August, nor at this elevation. The elevation should not be bothersome healthwise, as it is not above 10,000 ft. As Floridian Flatlanders, we had no adverse altitude maladies...other than being out of breath while climbing passes. June and early July hikers may experience snow at this elevation depending on the winter accumulations.
Several notable peaks shadow Thousand Island Lake, Banner Peak being one of them.
For those securing a day hike permit, search out several websites/blogs for the best starting locations (https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/thousand-island-lake-pct).
If you are looking for the best bang for your buck in backcountry short trips, file this one away as a "must do!" There are others in the eastern Sierra Nevadas...but that's for another post.
GuideI stayed here May 10-12th with my two dogs. I chose a site right along the creek which was wonderful to fall asleep to the sounds of rushing water. Many sites are quite spacious and offer a sandy area for tent set up. Most sites have a picnic table, fire pit, & metal bear box for food storage. Vault toilet available that were surprisingly clean. Camp host was friendly and had firewood on site available for purchase for $8/bundle. The website lists nightly rate as $21/night but when I arrived the sign had been updated to $23/night. This was the perfect basecamp for some day hikes up Big Pine Creek Trail to some beautiful blue lakes.
ScoutI really recommend this campground. I can come here and play online games with my family. The campground offers both reservable and first-come, first-served campsites. The sites are relatively spacious and provide a mix of shade and sun. Each campsite typically includes a fire ring, picnic table, and food storage locker. It provides basic amenities such as restrooms with flushing toilets and drinking water. However, it does not offer showers or hookups for RVs. There are no electrical or water connections at individual campsites. The campground's location provides access to various outdoor activities. Nearby attractions include the Mariposa Grove, where you can explore giant sequoias, and the Wawona Golf Course. Additionally, there are hiking trails, scenic drives, and opportunities for wildlife viewing in the area.
LegendNorth Pines is one of three campgrounds on the floor of Yosemite Valley. Across the Merced River from the other two campgrounds and adjacent to the horse stables, it is relatively isolated with no major roads running by it. Nevertheless, it is well connected to the rest of the valley amenities, with a quick walk to the bus station, a longer walk (1 mi) to the visitor center via the Valley Loop Trail, or a drive (if you don't mind braving traffic and searching for parking spaces).
The sites are not well defined. You have a place to park and besides that, it is a little of a free-for-all with the adjacent sites as to where you set up your gear. Despite that, we had plenty of room to set up our large 10 person tent, without feeling crowded or that we were overspilling our space. We were there the last weekend it was open (Oct 26/27) and all sites were booked. There are no hook-ups, and the comfort stations only have toliets and sinks (no showers), a fresh water faucet, and a disposal "toliet" for dish water. All dishes must be washed at camp. The facilities were fairly clean, though the disposal toilet often backed up. Being late October, I was expecting very cold conditions. But the weather was great! 70s during the day and 40s at night. Clear skies. Absolutely beautiful.
Our site was located right next to the comfort station, and in hindsight I wish we had found a place a little farther away. But besides the proximity, our site was nice with a fire pit and picnic table. Quiet hours are from 1000-0600, and we had to remind our neighbor campers who came back drunk at midnight to shut it, but that seems to be more the normal than abnormal these days. There were mostly tents in the campground, with a few small RVs and trailers. Generators are allowed during limited hours, but the noise wasn't overwhelming, since they were few and far between.
As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time. This weekend I got to test the Wenzel Great Basin 10 tent (https://wenzelco.com/great-basin-10/). Overall, my impression of this tent is that it is a solid and reliable tent. Yes, it has a few design items that could be improved for ease of use, but overall it served us well and I look forward to using it again. The tent is a domed center-opening design, with two side "rooms" that can be separated by zipped curtains, making three interior spaces total. My husband and I filled up on room with two large cots facing length wise (we had them oriented along center line and still had enough room to move along the sides). The other side has more than ample room for my daughter's small cot, which ran the width of the tent along the side window. Very comfortable for three people.
Yes, this is a huge tent. Can it be set up by one person? Probably, if that person is patient and tenacious. Two people work much better. A few design items we found annoying were the pole connections, which would frequently catch on the tent pole sleeves and center strap. Also, the zipper flap on the tent's door would frequently get caught in the zipper, making it almost a necessity to use two hands to open and close the tent. Besides these two small inconveniences, the tent worked great. The rain fly fits snug against the tent roof. The construction felt sturdy and we liked the design of the three interior rooms.
Overall, we had a fun two nights in Yosemite. We might make a tradition out of going for the closing weekend each year.
LegendThis camp ground is smaller relative to some of the other camping options in the area, but still well maintained. It is close to the road but still quiet. Each site has a table, fire ring, and a food storage locker. There are two vault toilets. Bring your own water. You cannot reserve sites ahead of time.
If you want to experience the Yosemite area with your dog, camping in the Inyo National Forest is a great option, because dogs are allowed to join you anywhere you go in the area, as long as they are leashed or well trained to verbal commands. Since the Yosemite NPS does not allow dogs on trails, these national forest campgrounds are a better pet-friendly alternative.
If you like fishing, there are great fishing spots at the nearby stream and lake.
Because this campground is actually a part of the national forest, you can stay here for up to two weeks, in addition to the two week maximum enforced for camping within the NPS limits. So in total you could can stay in "Yosemite" for a month by combining camping at this site (or other nearby national forest sites) with camping inside the park, which is why we stayed here for a long rock climbing trip.
RangerThis campground seems more fitted to those using campers more so than those tent camping.
I saw very few tent campers and the RV's and tow behind campers were the majority here.
I managed to grab a decent site, I think it was 36. Tucked in a wooded area not far from the restrooms. Which are flush toilets and running water. Clean and well maintained.
Site was a bit muddy and wasn't that easy to find a level spot for a tent. A bit of garbage was left on site and trash in the bear box. All sites have a picnic table, fire ring and bear box.
Noise level was higher than I prefer but then again if I'm not just hearing nature, it's too loud for me.
Pretty lakes, waterfalls and a nice area to venture around.
Traffic in Mammoth can get pretty busy.
LegendWonderful campground with gorgeous views that won’t disappoint! Plenty of shade and spacious camp sites. Restrooms and water were also available. You can also purchase firewood from the camp host. I had no cell phone service in the Reds meadow valley. There is plenty to do in the area with hikes to the Devils postpile which is a National Monument, and Rainbow falls. You can see them both on a 4 mile loop that leaves from the postpile parking lot. There is also river access In the campground for great fishing. You will need to purchase an adventure pass on your way into the valley either from the mammoth mountain adventure center or the guard station upon entering the park for 10$. Take plenty of water on your hikes and remember to leave no trace on trails. Also remember to properly store food in the provided bear boxes this is very active bear country!
GuideLake George was the perfect camp spot for our 4 night stay. It is first come first serve. We stayed in site 14 - the mountain side or tree side is better because it’s not windy at all! All the spots with lake view are very windy and it can be cold even in the summer! The bathrooms are super clean and have real toilets. No showers though! There is lots to do in the area and Lake George isn’t nearly as busy as Lake Mary/ Pine City camp. Although there is day use areas and it can be busy with fishing. Lots of wildlife in the area, so use the Bear box and keep food in containers. Even the chipmunks, birds, and mice will get into your stuff. I saw chipmunks trying to break into tents. This site is small RV/Trailer friendly - we stayed in our truck camper. This is NOT for big rigs or class A RVs. Also no hookups but they have a water spyket. Beware of elevation if you are not used to it - it’s at a whopping 9,250 feet and I was sick for 2 days. It’s $34 a night and quiet hours are 10pm-6am. Generators are aloud just not during quiet hours. Bring your paddle board or kayak and hit the water! It’s so beautiful here.
GuideOn our way from Reno to Vegas we drove into a serious thunderstorm, so while we weren’t planning to stop, we were thrilled to find this campground when we did! Close off the Highway and very close (~2 miles) from grocery, gas etc. in town, yet feels secluded and is very quiet. Clean vault toilets. Picnic table, water spigot, fire ring, BBQ pit and bear box at each site. Despite the rain we were happy to find a covered, honor-system firewood stack ($7 in the bucket) so we could still have a fire. Great spot for getting up and heading to hike at the many awesome trails surrounding. Lots of people had their OHVs along too- must be good trails for that too! Gotta pay on rec.gov.. no cash ranger box.
Tent camping near Inyo National Forest in California offers a fantastic opportunity to immerse yourself in nature, with stunning landscapes and a variety of outdoor activities.
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Inyo National Forest is Scenic Loop - Dispersed Camping with a 4.7-star rating from 10 reviews.
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