Sierra National Forest surrounds Mono Hot Springs, California with diverse camping options ranging from developed campgrounds to backcountry sites. Mono Hot Springs Campground serves as a central hub with tent sites, RV spaces, and nearby cabins, operating from late May through early October. Vermillion and Mono Creek campgrounds offer additional established options within a short drive, featuring standard amenities like fire rings, picnic tables, and bear boxes. The area sits at the edge of the Ansel Adams Wilderness, providing access to backcountry camping at higher elevations for those seeking more remote experiences. Most campgrounds in this region maintain a rustic character with vault toilets and limited services, though the small store at Mono Hot Springs provides basic supplies.
Kaiser Pass Road presents a challenging drive that requires careful navigation, particularly for larger vehicles. As one camper noted, "You can't describe enough what a crazy road it is. Do not take the warnings lightly. Your first drive down this road will leave you white knuckled." The narrow, winding mountain road serves as the primary access route to the area. Most campgrounds operate seasonally from late May through mid-September due to snow conditions at the 7,000+ foot elevation. Bear activity is common throughout the region, with multiple campers reporting sightings, making proper food storage essential. Cell service remains limited, with AT&T providing the most reliable coverage. Summer temperatures typically range from cool mornings to mild afternoons, while afternoon thunderstorms occur regularly during monsoon season.
Fishing opportunities rank among the most popular activities, with the San Joaquin River and nearby lakes drawing anglers. "The river runs right close to the campsites and it is amazing fishing," reported one visitor who stayed at Mono Hot Springs. Stargazing receives consistent praise from campers, with minimal light pollution offering exceptional night sky viewing. The natural hot springs provide unique soaking opportunities within walking distance of some campgrounds. Sites tend to be well-spaced compared to more developed recreation areas, offering a sense of privacy despite the area's popularity. Weekends see higher visitation, particularly during July and August, while weekdays typically offer better availability for first-come, first-served sites. Most campgrounds provide bear boxes, though their capacity may be limited for larger groups or extended stays.
$37 - $78 / night
"The drive is pretty interesting once you get to the single lane road. We didn’t stay in the campgrounds but we did get to experience the dispersed camping."
"My boyfriend and I recently camped at the mono hot springs campground, and absolutely loved it. As far as the campground, you get a fire pit, bear bin and tent area."
$5 / night
"Thousand Island Lake is a trek to get to but once you get there, well you don’t really want to leave."
"Thousand Island Lake is a backcountry camping area located at 9,839 feet elevation in Ansel Adams Wilderness within the Inyo National Forest, California."
$37 - $39 / night
"Wood, minor supplies, and a small restaurant are within a short distance. The lake around cg is dry but a river was running a short walk across the lake bed."
"Being at Lake Edison and Vermillion Campground is like being at the top of the world. It’s a rigorous climb up a one lane bumpy road once you travel past the paved road but it’s worth it."
$37 - $81 / night
"My family and I were in awe of the view the entire drive there. Bring dramamine and roll your windows down if you get motion sickness. I loved how spaced out each site was from each other."
"Nice simple primitive camping with tons of trails nearby. Note: on another trip, we stayed in a campground with this same name on the CA/NV border, double check when you look up info."
$47 - $121 / night
"There is already so much to do at the lake as well but the other lakes and hikes in the area are some of my favorite! It is also a great place for fishing."
"A well maintained campground & walking distance from the lake. Standard but roomy sites with the usual fire ring/grill & picnic table, bathrooms are clean too."
$47 - $96 / night
"Great campground along the lake. Lake has great fishing, on the lake and along the shoreline. Camped while sites were all full and wasn’t noisy or heavily populated."
"Campground is right on the lake with walking trails. Added bonus is the campground is next to the boat launch."
$40 - $105 / night
"Great campsite if you want to camp around Shaver Lake in the Sierras of California. Beautify lake, plenty of water sports. The small town has great rustic mountain vibe."
"Easy walk to lakeside and boat ramp. Nice picnic area near lake. Camped with full hookups. Nice store and hospitality center with food, drinks and stock of camp supplies."
"It is a beautiful campground located off Kaiser Pass Road. Even in June there was so many wildflowers and vibrate green. There was bathrooms and each site had a picnic table, fire pit, and bear box."
"When I visited some people had buried human waste next to the campsite and I cleaned it up. Most easily accessed via Kaiser Pass. Be aware that the road is steep, narrow, and has blind corners."
$35 / night
"It’s just a short drive from the highway and Mammoth Airport. The campground is very popular with a mix of reserved and non reserved sites."
"We recently stayed for 3 nights in July at convict lake. The lake is gorgeous and offers fishing, no wake boating sports, mountain biking and hiking trails."
"Located about 3 miles before Florence lake off of Kaiser Pass Road is this beautiful campground."
"Great small campground next to a small lake. Nice campsites, pit toilets. Overall pretty good, but we did come across several small rattle snakes."
GuideStayed here the first week of January. A bit of snow on the ground but temps in the 30's were manageable with proper gear. Firepits at each campsite, no camp host in the evening if you arrive late. Bathrooms did not have soap. No showers.
GuideIt was hard to tell the size od the sites booking online. What looked like it would be a rather big site needed up being one of the smaller ones in person. Dont trust the description or pictures on the reserve site. Spots are very close together and people just walk through your site.
LegendI have camped here twice. It is a beautiful area and has a cool little trail through a meadow in the campground. It’s less crowded than the more popular campgrounds like Lodgepole. I love it because you can get to the Sequoia Park attractions easily and it’s also on the road to Kings Canyon and Hume lake.
GuideWe decided to come back to this spot for a second night because we loved it so much and loved the convenience of the hot springs. Stayed at this specific spot due to the snow and weight of our rig and did t want to get stuck. Camping with our truck and truck bed camper, have the generator going and no one can hear it. We plan to make this our regular spot every winter
GuideWe parked it there over night and for the better part of the next day to walk in and enjoy Crab Cooker hot springs. We were in a truck bed camper. Super quiet. Didn’t want to drive into the parking area by the hot spring due to the snow being too soft and getting stuck.
ScoutThe view is amazing and beautiful but the road coming in the park is a bit to small its a 2 way road but it only fits one big rig, Very quiet but no wifi/service
TravelerJust had to share my experience after spending six awesome nights at this campground last September! It’s a sweet spot for seasonal campers, mostly attracting fishermen and rock climbers who love their peace and quiet. There are eleven sites—ten right by the stream and one facing a large meadow, where you can still hear that stream trickling away. The vibe here is all about chilling out, and it mostly draws older folks who enjoy a laid-back atmosphere. Robert and Kathy are the camp hosts, and they’re super friendly. Even though they manage the campground next door, they pop by a couple of times a day to check in on everyone. Chatting with Robert is a treat; he’s a chill former cop from London! They’re both really accommodating, but they don’t put up with any loud music or partying. I really appreciate that since I’m there for the nature, not the noise. Overall, my stay was fantastic, and I can’t wait to go back! Just keep this little gem between us, okay?
RangerShepherd Hot Springs is a unique dispersed camping spot, but it was pretty busy when we visited. Because the hot springs are tucked into a relatively small area, campsites were packed closely together with a lot of vehicles and tents competing for space, which means, it was pretty noisy. That said, the view of the Sierra Nevada mountains is absolutely phenomenal. The dirt road in is bumpy, so a high-clearance vehicle is strongly advised. If you’re looking for solitude this might not be the place, but for mountain views and soaking in the hot springs, it’s a memorable stop.
RangerBeautiful forested Sugar Pine Forest. The sigh of the breeze in the trees is enough to make this a paradise. Two to three bars verizon, no other services, though there is a trash can in the parking lot. Fish Camp is only a couple miles away with its General store. Plenty of relatively level sites, fire rings, easy in and easy out. The road is paved up to the parking lot and the Boondock sites on the dirt access road are to the right of the parking lot and meadow. There's nothing negative to say about these sites.
Camping areas near Mono Hot Springs, California offer sites at elevations between 7,000-9,800 feet, with most campgrounds experiencing daytime temperatures in the 70s during summer months. The San Joaquin River watershed provides numerous creek-side camping options throughout this region of Sierra National Forest. Dispersed camping is available in designated areas outside established campgrounds, particularly along Forest Service roads beyond Ward Lake.
Fish mountain creeks: Campsites around Mono Creek Campground provide excellent creek fishing opportunities. "Beautiful campground, in good shape. The fire pit was newer and great for cooking... I was there for fishing," reports one visitor who camped at Mono Creek.
Explore alpine lakes: Multiple hiking trails connect to stunning alpine destinations from Thousand Island Lake Backcountry camping areas. "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...this is for you," notes a camper who backpacked into the area.
Visit thermal springs: Natural mineral pools require short hikes from camping areas. "There are several different pools located across the river from the campgrounds. They are all over the hillside and range in temperature from lukewarm to bath water to Hot," explains a camper who stayed at Mono Hot Springs.
Dispersed camping options: Many visitors appreciate finding spots outside designated campgrounds. "If you go up to Mono Hot Spring and don't have a reservation there are plenty of campgrounds both before and after the main mono hot spring campgrounds," notes a camper at Mono Hot Springs Campground.
Wildlife viewing: The remote setting provides opportunities to observe forest animals. "Deer come right into your camp site," reports a camper at Convict Lake Campground, which shares similar wildlife patterns with Mono Hot Springs area campgrounds.
Night sky viewing: The minimal light pollution creates exceptional stargazing conditions. "At night you have the most beautiful view of the star sky," writes a camper who stayed at Ward Lake, highlighting an experience common throughout the region.
Bear activity is constant: All campgrounds require proper food storage. "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)," warns a camper at Thousand Island Lake Backcountry.
One-lane access road: Kaiser Pass Road presents significant driving challenges. "The last 18 miles over Kaiser Pass took 1.5 hours. A sub-par road surface little bigger than one lane in many places made transit interesting," notes a visitor to Sample Meadow Campground.
Early reservations essential: Most campgrounds fill quickly during peak season. "Sites tend to be well spaced compared to more developed recreation areas, offering a sense of privacy despite the area's popularity," notes a regular visitor to Vermillion Campground.
Choose creekside sites: Children enjoy water play opportunities at safe, shallow locations. "The Kaiser Creek provides hours of fun for the kids and you are close enough to trail heads for the adventure seekers in your group," writes a visitor to Sample Meadow Campground.
Pack for temperature fluctuations: Summer days can be warm while nights drop significantly. "The weather is always wonderfully warm during the day and brisk-chilly at night," explains a long-time visitor to Vermillion Campground.
Insect protection is critical: Mosquitoes are abundant near water sources. "I would strongly suggest to bring insect/mosquito repellent because you definitely will get bit up a lot due to the standing water from the lake," advises a camper who stayed at Ward Lake.
Size restrictions apply: Kaiser Pass Road limits the size of vehicles that can safely navigate to campgrounds. "RV usage prohibited and likely not possible over Kaiser Pass... We did take our Eurovan there, and saw a Vanagon. Mostly trucks and jeeps," shares a camper who stayed at Mono Hot Springs.
Level sites limited: Many campsites require significant leveling for larger vehicles. "Approx. 1/2 sites close to level for 24' RV... 1/2 better suited for car/tent camping," notes a visitor to Convict Lake Campground, describing a common situation throughout the area.
Bear boxes save space: Using provided bear containers helps manage limited storage in smaller RVs. "The bear boxes were quiet roomy, fitting both our coolers and all necessary gear," reports a visitor to Rancheria Campground near Huntington Lake.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Mono Hot Springs, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, Mono Hot Springs, CA offers a wide range of camping options, with 408 campgrounds and RV parks near Mono Hot Springs, CA and 81 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Mono Hot Springs, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Mono Hot Springs, CA is Mono Hot Springs with a 5-star rating from 10 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Mono Hot Springs, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 81 free dispersed camping spots near Mono Hot Springs, CA.
What parks are near Mono Hot Springs, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 21 parks near Mono Hot Springs, CA that allow camping, notably Sierra National Forest and Devils Postpile National Monument.
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