Are you planning a dispersed camping trip to Johnsondale? We've got you covered. The Dyrt provides you with a diverse selection of places to camp, from dispersed backcountry camping to boondocking, and everything in-between. You're sure to find the perfect dispersed campsite for your California camping adventure.
The Alabama Hills are a formation of rounded rocks and eroded hills set between the jagged peaks of the Sierra Nevada and the geologically complex Inyo Mountains. Both geologic features were shaped by the same uplifting occurring 100 million years ago. Alabama Hills camping offers touring film sites, photography, rock climbing, exploring natural arches, and viewing the swaths of wildflowers that bloom every spring. Horseback riding and mountain biking are popular activities.
Dispersed camping is camping outside of a designated campground. It is allowed in many areas of the Sequoia National Forest and Giant Sequoia National Monument.
There are certain areas where dispersed camping is prohibited and these areas are posted.
Dispersed camping is free but you must have a CAMPFIRE PERMIT. These can be obtained fore free at Readyforwildfire.org. Be aware of fire restrictions, typically enforced by mid-summer, banning open fires outside of designated campgrounds.
Brush Creek is a dispersed camping or day use site open year round. There are vault toilets available and seasonal trash bins. This is where the Brush Creek meets the Upper Kern River and is a good spot for fishing. Campfire permits are required for campfires, barbeques, and camp stoves. Permits are available at your local Ranger Station or online at preventwildfireca.org
Dispersed Camping on Upper Kern River approximately 4 to 5 miles north from Kernville. Ther is no water available at this location. Portable toilets and trash recepticals are available during__summer months. See Larger Picture Here.
POTENTIAL FIRE BANS - CHECK BEFORE CAMPING Last report - bans in effect til 11/2020 (reported 10/2020) Located on the east side of Lake Isabella off Sierra Way. Open camping; Free use area; Chemical toilets. No limit on trailer length. Open year round. Supplies at Kernville
Keysville (formerly Keyesville) is a historic mining area that offers a wide variety of recreational opportunities. Set in rolling terrain amidst a blue oak and foothill pine woodland, Keysville is dissected by the lower Kern River. A little exploration can turn up a wealth of historic resources, including a variety of mining structures and features, a historic fort, and the famous Walker Cabin. Keysville offers commercial and noncommercial white-water rafting opportunities as well as fishing, recreational gold panning, and dispersed camping. A network of over seventy miles of trails provides for mountain biking, equestrian, and motorized recreation use.
Travel Responsibly - on designated roads and trails or in permitted areas
Respect The Rights of Others - including private property owners and all recreational trail users, campers and others to allow them to enjoy their recreational activities undisturbed. Educate Yourself - by obtaining travel maps and regulations from public agencies, planning for your trip, taking recreation skills classes and knowing how to use and operate your equipment safely. Avoid Sensitive Areas - such as meadows, lakeshores, wetlands and streams, unless on designated routes. Do Your Part - by leaving the area better than you found it, properly disposing of waste, minimizing the use of fire, avoiding the spread of invasive species, restoring degraded areas and joining a local enthusiast organization.
https://www.blm.gov/sites/blm.gov/files/documents/files/Keysville%20arch%20E%20low%20res.pdf
Legend
We stopped here after we found that all the sites along the Kern were full. It is just North of Johnsondale and just South of the National Forest. Easy driving access to Trail of a Thousand Giants, Moro Rock, and views of the Needles.
We camped out under the stars just after sundown and got up right after Sunrise. No one else camp out near our spot. The road is littered with turn offs for easy and free dispersed camping.
Closest bathrooms are either on the Trail of a Hundred Giants (there is a campground there too but it is closed in Winter) or down in Johnsondale.
Guide
This place is a dream. Free dispersed camping anywhere you see, & pretty well maintained dirt roads throughout. The landscape is just beyond beautiful and the area is so big to explore. There may be other people, but it would be a challenge to run into them unless going on one of the more popular hikes.
There’s little to no cell service in many areas, so be prepared for that. It can also get very hot.
RangerEasily one of my favorite places! The views here are like nothing else, perfect place without reception, fresh mountain air away from everything and yet close to a cute little town for chili cheese nachos or tackle. Owned and operated by BLM land, so it’s free to the public (first come first serve) but be sure to go prepared with your permit to have a fire and have the proper tools to extinguish it completely. Preservation of this land is imperative with rangers patrolling consistently and fines are unforgiving, there are seasons fire is not allowed and will be posted at entry. There are no specified camping spots, no restrooms, no available water, and no sewer or trash dumping areas available. Just the wilderness at its finest.
TravelerThis is the go to free camping area that my friends and I go to when we don’t want a campground. Its dispersed camping in the Alabama hills. No toilets or amenities so thats a little bummer. Its might be worth it to pay $8 a night at a campground if you want easy access to toilets. Tuttle creek is up the road and is a good option.
LegendAlabama Hills is a popular area to see the beauty of natural rock formations. This is BLM land so there's no campground amenities. However you can camp here for free in many dispersed locations. Just look around and look for spots that you can park and camp at. There are plenty of sites back into the rocks. There's cell service where the main road starts but not much after that. This is a great place to view the Milky Way and watch the sunrise. This is a great place to go rock climbing.
GuideCame because we needed a place to camp overnight. Unfortunately I was not aware that the BLM changed their policy on dispersed camping at Alabama Hills. They have limited marked camping spots and encourage visitors to camp at other nearby campgrounds.
Guide
dispersed camping along keyesville rd. big open areas for group or big rig camping, lots of pullouts with fire rings. vault toilets and dumpsters at staging areas. this recreation area has lots of trash, easily could spend days picking litter. keyesville rd. has plenty of traffic though from 2200hrs til morning is fairly quiet. it’s a rec area, so with that in mind the weekends are getting busy. a lot of motocross, ohv and atv traffic from late thurs to sunday. other than that it is a wonderful free camping.
TravelerCan't beat the views in this BLM area! Not only can you off-road and explore all it has to offer you can hike or go into town with a quick drive. Love the dispersed camping and exploring you can do here. Nobody to bother you. This is our most favorite camping spot to date. The weather is fun to watch and the views of mt Whitney are incredible.
GuideBLM land, so you can camp anywhere. Have to pack-in and pack-out. No fees, but you do need a campfire permit.
Stunning views and wide open spaces. Great bouldering and day use as well.
Guide
We love lake Isabella and just discovered this free camp spot right on the beach…
GuideWe absolutely love Alabama Hills. BLM land so you can camp anywhere. So many beautiful views. You can see Mount Whitney in the distance. 4 wheel drive isn’t required but definitely recommend. No bathrooms or water around. A lot of old movies were filmed in the hills. We went off roading to a nearby mine, you can drive all the way in the mine which was rad.
TravelerGreat place for a wide range of activities including rock climbing, hiking around mt Whitney or exploring the mind blowing rock formations. Drive up and pitch a tent and you’re set! It’s very quiet and peaceful, also an amazing view of the stars! Beautiful sunrise and sunset as well. Will definitely go back! (BLM land so carry out what you take in, including waste!)
GuideLocation- ALABAMA HILLS, Lone Pine- Movie Rd. CA. Tent Dry Camping. BLM Land, for disperse camping. No reservations required, unless you choose to stay at a “campground”.
Absolutely breathtaking place, it feels like you’ve landed on another planet or as if you’ve been taken back into time, to the early dawn of mankind days. This was our first disperse/dry camping and I wouldn’t camp any other way, it was marvelous.
Directions- Once at Alabama Hills, Take Hwy 395 to Lone Pine. (it’s a proper town with restaurants/ grocery stores/ car workshops). Turn west at the stoplight onto Whitney Portal Road, drive 2.5 miles to Movie Road, turn right & the road turns into a “well groomed dirt path” from that point onwards “The world is your oyster! You can basically set up camp anywhere. As you drive down the groomed dirt path, there are multiple exits to various dirt paths leading inwards, where you can pick your spot to set up camp.
One very important thing is you MUST come here in a GOOD condition 4WD! There’s NO other way. You don’t want to get WHEELS stuck on the dirt path. We had rented a 4WD for the weekend.
We camped about 3miles in Movie Rd. Another good thing is if you run out of any supplies or have car trouble “Lone Pine” town is nearby you can drive over in minutes or call for any help. Phone service & wifi is available only on the groomed dirt path, also a bit unstable, however manageable for a call or text. So you’ll have to walk out of your campsite back to main rd.
It’s wonderful to go on hikes and explore during the day, that’s what we did. Evenings we’d sit around fire and cook dinner. Then at night time S’mores time! (we have a camp fire permit) you get it online.
Another important item to have around is a sturdy SHOVEL, as it’s very sandy here and the shovel is very multi-purpose, well at any camp for that matter. Bring Plenty of WATER, it’s very dry out here. As there are no water taps around, unless you head back to Lone Pine. Also you MUST clean up after, bring along a few trash bags or a bin, to clear up before you leave. LEAVE no Trace. Keep nature clean.
This is purely disperse camping. You’ll have to bring everything of your own. Our camp was a 3days/ 2nights. Arrived on Friday and left on Sunday morning. Waking up every morning to this spectacular view, is pure bliss! We’d definitely be coming back here a few more times! If you haven’t already then hop on a 4WD and head over to Alabama Hills!
GuidePlease note: This review is regarding the dispersed camping. There are (at least) two formal camp grounds right near the dispersed camping area.
We went up there with another family, both of us towing camping trailers with 4x4 trucks. A 4x4 is not needed, nor is a high clearance vehicle. All of the camping spots in the dispersed area are either off the the side of the main road, or down small roads branching from the main. A lot of the sites are not visible from the main road, you need to travel down the little road to see if anyone is there. Easy to do if you are in a car or truck. A little more challenging if you are towing something big. If it looks like there are a lot of people there and you are driving something that can not turn around easy, I would suggest dropping of your trailer at the beginning of the dispersed camping area and scouting out your spot. Every spot has an incredible view. The terrain is awesome. There are several short hiking loops in the area.
The only thing I would change is that we would park further off of the main road. Some people rip down the dirt roads in their cars and dirt bikes.
Also, there is an evening breeze that can come out of nowhere and relocate your chairs and adjust your awning so you might want to put them away before calling it a night.
Guide
Great hideaway with plenty of dispersed sites. I spent two days here and only seen a handful of vehicles drive through, mostly US Forest Service trucks. Pack in, pack out. No toilets, showers, or water so bring in everything you need. 14 days of free camping every 30 days. A great find to get away from it all.
RangerHigh desert meets Sierra Nevadas in a magical rock playground with views of My Whitney. This spot literally has it all. Right off the 395, you have access to civilization and amenities. It's dispersed camping, but heavily used sites are well established. The deeper into the park you venture, the more primitive and less crowded it becomes. Take a quick drive and you're at Whitney Portal. We lucked out and had 360 degrees of the best views ever! Loads to do here. Popular for rock climbing, hiking, spectacular night sky, wildflowers, photography. Even though it's right off the highway you feel like you're on another planet. No facilities. Pack it in, pack it out. Hands down, one of the best camp spots I've ever had!
GuideEverything about Alabama Hills is incredible. From the moment you drive down Whitney Portal Rd to Movie Rd, it has uniquely amazing views. Movie Rd has the best dispersed camp spots. All with amazing views. SUV would probably be best for navigating the roads or at least 4x4. They’re all pretty far apart so they’re private. It’s so quiet at night you could hear a pin drop. The stars and the Milky Way are insane! So many constellations and shooting stars and satellites. Sunset was amazing over Mt. Whitney. The moon rise was quite the experience. Then sunrise... it was all just so beautiful!! Highly highly recommended! Pack lots of water! Lone Pine is nearby for firewood. But I think fires are currently restricted! As always pack it in and pack it out. Leave no trace!
Traveler
My wife and I love this location and definitely will come back. There was only one other camper and they were 50 yards away. Relaxing creek runs through the campsite, allowing access to a fresh water source. On the other side of the creek there is a gorgeous clearing that opens up to a blue sky with wispy clouds. You will be at 7000ft elevation so dress warm. Only issue we ran into was in order to get to the camp spots you have to squeeze your vehicle through two trees because a large fallen tree has blocked the original entrance path. Hopefully the forestry is able to remove it. No worries tho, my full size truck was able to get through it so you shouldn't have any problems. A wonderful spot for small and large camping groups. Also there is a hot springs store on the way up there. Recommend stopping there for any last minute supplies. They have everything you need for disperse camping.
TravelerAmazing camping. Very quiet and no light contamination. Beautiful night sky’s and dispersed camping
GuideGreat dispersed camping among the rock formations in the Alabama Hills. No facilities but no fee - a great area to visit!
Traveler
Dispersed camping at a Yellow Post campsite was great. About 4 mi. of washboard dirt road past Heart Bar Campground to Yellow post site #6. No amenities other than a picnic table and a fire ring. That means, bring plenty of water and a port-a-potty. There is no fee, however, you need to go on line to get a fire permit, which is necessary even for a propane stove. Actually, the fire permit is for anything that has a flame. This trip was over Labor Day weekend of 2022 and the use of the fire pit was forbidden at that time due to high fire hazard conditions. The campsites are quite far apart so you feel a sense of privacy. However, you will see vehicles and or horses go by on the road next to the campsite. Some of the vehicles drive fast on the dirt road which can kick up dust clouds. This is only a problem if you are downwind. The temperature was about 83 for a high and 55 for a low and the wind was light and comfortable. We were glad we had our canopy. The canopy has bug screens on 4 sides but the bugs were not too bad. We used lemon grass bug spray repellent and were comfortable. This campground is away from light sources making it great for stargazing. We enjoyed the campsite so much that we just hung out and relaxed there all weekend ...no hikes or trips away from the campsite. We hung a couple of hammocks with tarps for shade but backed our teardrop under a naturally shaded area of the campsite. We will probably camp there again. If you are not into dispersed camping, there are several campgrounds nearby. Heart Bar campground is huge with amenities and South Fork Family Campground is nice with more shade and a small stream running through. The parking for rv's at South Fork is a bit short at some of the campsites. Best to check the length for a match with your gear. This area is great for camping but make sure you have everything you need as there is no grocery store at the corner. Happy camping..!
RangerDirections didn’t lead me to any dispersed camping but I did find just an ok spot along the road. Don’t know if where I camped was allowed but I did anyway
GuideThis place is amazing. Beautiful views, great dispersed camping. Very chilly at night in early March. Incredible star gazing too. Cell service (Verizon) in spots, mainly at high elevations.
GuideI dispersed camped here in late September and it was absolutely beautiful. Views of Mt. Whitney, perfect camping weather and sleeping temperatures, otherworldly landscapes, what else do you need?
GuideOn my way into Sequoia NF I was so excited to see Hanning Flats dispersed camping area. My pup and I stayed for three nights and didn’t see another person or vehicle the whole time. So peaceful, quiet, sunny, green. My dog did get lots of ticks and we had a mouse find its way into the van but I still really have no complaints. Such a gorgeous spot, lovely sunsets and sunrises. We loved walking on the sandy dirt roads at golden hour. My van is only 2WD and did fine. As with all dispersed camping.. pack in pack out and we found a pre-made site to park at. No services/facilities. About 35 mins to Isabella for groceries/gas. We will be back :)
LegendPretty dusty from offroaders sometimes but its pretty quiet at night with everything being spaced out a LOT. It's all dispersed camping so no bathrooms, trash, water, etc. Find a nice dirt patch and it's yours. Lots of great hidden spots.
LegendWe spent one night in the Alabama Hills at the base of Mount Whitney at the beginning of April. Such a gorgeous place for a stopover. So many other people but still many options for dispersed camping with stunning views. Port-a-potties at nearby trailhead. Spotty AT&T cell reception.
Discover the beauty of dispersed camping near Johnsondale, California, where nature enthusiasts can enjoy serene landscapes and a variety of outdoor activities. This area offers numerous spots for camping, each with its unique charm and access to the stunning wilderness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Johnsondale, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Johnsondale, CA is Alabama Hills Recreation Area with a 4.8-star rating from 84 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 39 dispersed camping locations near Johnsondale, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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