Looking for the best dispersed camping near Mono Hot Springs? Here you'll find a diverse selection of places to camp, including remote dispersed camping to boondocking, and everything in-between. You're sure to find the perfect dispersed campsite for your California excursion.
Dispersed Camping is allowed in the National Forest except in the area surrounding Huntington Lake, Shaver Lake, Bass Lake, Redinger Lake, and the Merced River Canyon. Campfire permits are required at all times whenever you plan to have a fire on public land outside of a developed campground. When building a fire please remember to only pick up down and dead wood that is no larger than wrist size and to never leave a campfire unattended.
You can obtain a campfire permit at any Forest office or online at http://www.prevetnwildfireca.org/. Be sure to check and see if campfire restrictions are in effect, when campfire restrictions are in place you will not be able to make a fire in dispersed camping areas (Developed Designated Campgrounds Only) but, you will be able to operate gas stoves, and lanterns with your permit.
When camping in the Forest proper food storage is also required either using a bear box, or by the proper use of the counter balance method. While camping anywhere in the forest also keep in mind that there are other people in the forest and we advise you to respect them and their space.
You may stay at one campsite for a limit of 14 days and you may stay on each district for a limit of 21 days before we will ask you to vacate. Please follow ENVUM maps for all designated roads and vehicle limitations.
We ask you to always remember to pack out what you pack in. Human waste needs to be buried 6 to 8 inches deep. For any other questions about visiting and camping in the forest and in the wilderness please visit LeaveNoTrace.org.
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
Located near Mammoth Lakes, Crab Cooker Hot Springs is one of several hot water springs in the area that are suitable for soaking in. The pool consists of a manmade cement tub with water piped in from a mineral spring about 30 feet away. Though the water at the source is too hot to bathe in, or even to touch, the tub has been outfitted with a valve that allows for the control of hot water.
Crab cooker is located on land that is owned by the LA Department of Water and Power, which forbids camping. However, camping is permitted on nearby public land.
Many people enjoy the solitude and primitive experience of camping away from developed campgrounds and other campers. Dispersed camping is the term used for camping anywhere in the National Forest OUTSIDE of a designated campground. Dispersed camping means no services, such as trash removal, tables, or toilets. There are extra responsibilites and skills that are necessary for dispersed camping. Camping rules and regulations apply to make your experience safe, and to keep the natural resources scenic and unspoiled for other campers.
Most of the land in Inyo and Mono counties is publicly owned. Dispersed camping (camping outside of designated campgrounds) is allowed throughout much of the area. If you plan to backpack into a wilderness area to camp, you will need a wilderness permit, issued at Inyo National Forest visitor centers. If you wish to camp outside of developed campgrounds/sites, there are a few things you need to know:
Land Ownership: The three major land-owning agencies in the Eastern Sierra are the Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the City of Los Angeles. Dispersed camping is allowed on most Forest Service and BLM land. However, camping is prohibited on land owned by the City of Los Angeles.
Maps: Anyone planning a dispersed camping trip should invest in a copy of the Inyo National Forest map, which depicts land ownership as well as roads, streams, trails and other features. The map also shows “restricted use areas” where dispersed camping is not allowed.
Restricted Use Areas: Certain high-use recreation zones, including those along paved roads leading into the mountains, are not open to dispersed camping (see Inyo National Forest map). Dispersed camping is not allowed in the following areas: Horseshoe Meadow, Onion Valley, Big Pine Creek, Bishop Creek, Rock Creek, McGee Creek, Convict Lake, Mammoth Lakes, Reds Meadow Valley, June Lakes Loop, Lee Vining Canyon, Lundy Canyon, Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, and any research area.
Owens River: All land along the Owens River is owned by the City of Los Angeles, and is closed to camping.
Length of Stay: On Inyo National Forest land, you may camp up to 28 days per six months on any one ranger district (there are 4 ranger districts on the Inyo –Mt. Whitney, White Mountain, Mammoth, and Mono Lake). Always check with your local ranger station.
Locating a Dispersed Campsite: Look for an area at the end of a spur road or a pullout that is clear of vegetation and has a hard, compacted surface. These sites might have a primitive fire ring. Stay on established roadways; do not drive off-road to camp. Try to select a campsite at least 100 feet from lakes and streams.
Campfires and Fire Permits: If you plan to build a campfire or use a barbeque or camp stove, you must obtain a campfire permit from a Forest Service, BLM, or CalFire office. You must have a shovel and a container of water (for drowning the fire). Clear an area least 5 feet wide all the way around your fire ring down to mineral soil. During times of high fire danger, camp fires are prohibited; always check with the local fire office or ranger station for fire restrictions.
Mammoth Lakes Ranger District is located in the northern half of Inyo National Forest, and is centered around the town of Mammoth Lakes, CA. While known for winter sports, it is also a mecca for mountain biking and fishing enthusiasts when the snow melts. Hiking and equestrian trails go into wilderness areas of Sierra Nevada.
The 10,500-acre Jennie Lakes Wilderness is a lovely mixture of lakes, meadows, forests, and streams. Mostly above 7,000 feet in elevation, this wilderness contains scenic variations of alpine and sub-alpine forest of White & Red Fir, Lodgepole Pine, Western White Pine, Jeffrey & Ponderosa Pine, with an abundance of wildflowers in the Spring and Summer. The summit of Mitchell Peak is the highest point at 10,365 feet. Four trailheads access 26 miles of trails within the wilderness. Several of these trails also connect to Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park's enormous backcountry.
Legend
All around Mono Lake is USFS and BLM land that is open for dispersed camping, as long as you stay above the 1941 water line (you will see signs marking this line, which is fairly close to the lake). Note there are multiple pull out areas and forest service roads to stay in along Hwy 120 east just be mindful that the entire area is sand, as some vehicles may get stuck.
The road into these spots is quite sandy and narrow in some places, but we did fine in our 26' Class C. There is a very large previously burned area with charred remains of plants and trees but it made for some interesting eerie photos. Very quiet place with amazing views and stunning night sky. There are no amenities so bring water and pack in and pack out all trash. Nearby are various hikes and other roads to the range of craters in the area and the tufas along Mono Lake.
We stayed there on a Monday night and did not see anybody else around, other than a truck that drove past our camp spot in the night. Very quiet night.
Good cell reception from AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile.
Note that Google Maps said that Hwy 120 is closed Oct through May and would not direct us to this area via that road, but the road was open in April 2021, probably due to the mild winter. Check Hwy 120 conditions for yourself because without it you miss out on so much beautiful area to explore.
Scout
We boondocked in Inyo National Forest just last weekend, September 27-29, and it felt like we had the place to ourselves. The location was incredible, there were fellow boondockers around, but not too close, and it felt like we had the place to ourselves. There is no water on site that we found, but we knew that going in. Our rig was 58' long and we had no issues getting in or out. We enjoyed Jeeping on the trails in Inyo National Forest, and we enjoyed the peace and quiet. We will be back.
Scout
Easy to find if you turn on that road leading to Chicago stump. Keep driving down and you’ll see dispersed camping spots. Beautiful views, quiet, peaceful & there are some fire rings already built.
Legend
This BLM land is managed by the Bishop Field Office.
There are many clearings where you can find a spot to camp. Even though most spots were taken the weekend we stayed there, everyone is so spread out that you still have silence and privacy. The spots do have stone fire pits.
The road in, Casa Diablo, is gravel and heavily washboarded.
Sad Boulders is a rock climber's playground. There are petroglyphs to be found on some of the boulders in the area, as well as rattle snakes, only saw one baby though. Areas are being restored so tread lightly and "Don't Crush the Brush".
There are no amenities here so pack in and pack out and bring water. It was nice to see that there wasn't too much trash laying around so let's help keep it that way.
We did see a Ranger drive by twice during the 4 nights we stayed there, so that was nice.
There is ok Verizon service, better ATT service, and T-Mobile alternated between roaming and no service.
Traveler
Nice big camp spot in the Sequoia National Forest, the road was really calm mid-April, we had no car during the night. The spot has firepits, a camping table and loads of bushes. The view is nice on the forest or a mountain top. We were alone but the spot is big enough for 3 or 4 véhicules, the access is just before the U turn.
RangerNice open spaces with tree cover near Hume Lake off the 180. This is a dispersed camping and OHV staging area that is first come first served for camping. Great for those who are backpacking and need a free place to camp before heading off into the Sierras! Most Parks have “backpacker camps” which allow you to camp 1 night before or after a backpacking trip, but Sequoia does not. This dispersed camping area is perfect for staging your next big hike, or simply camping for free in one of the most popular National Parks.
Guide
First Dispersed camp site, arrived at 10pm and had no problem finding a camp site. It’s super dark so arriving early would hand been best. Great experience. Were several others camped out as well. Will stay again.
Legend
RANGER REVIEW: Mountain House Spaghetti with Meat Sauce at Gladys Lake Backcountry Campsites, Ansel Adams Wilderness, CA
CAMPGROUND REVIEW: Gladys Lake Backcountry Campsite, Ansel Adams Wilderness
Backcountry camping often offers great hiking, epic scenery, serene solitude and otherwise missed sights. Depending on location, backcountry campsite locations can offer their own challenges, whether through the permitting process, preparation of gear and meals, logistics, or difficult terrain…but the trade offs can pay out big dividends.
Leaving behind the din of packed campgrounds…getting unplugged from electronic encumbrances…relaxing beside an untouched alpine lake where the only sound you hear is the whir of dragonfly wings as they dart about.
Only a set number of backcountry permits are issued daily, so crowds and impact remain minimal to nonexistent.
Permits are necessary for all backcountry overnight stays in the Inyo National Forest. https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/inyo/passes-permits
Whenever backcountry hiking/camping in California, do yourself a service and go online https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/inyo/passes-permits/?cid=stelprdb5139009 and take the California Campfire Permit test to acquire your certificate and possess it when in the backcountry.
Several ways to get to Gladys Lake exist…
1. John Muir Trail (JMT) thru-hike permits NOBO or SOBO
2. John Muir Trail section hike permits
3. Wilderness Permits Day hike permits
You could enter from Reds Meadows and follow the JMT north to Gladys Lake…or better from Agnew Meadows and follow the Shadow Creek Trail (https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/inyo/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=21272&actid=51 ) up and around Shadow Lake and then south on the JMT past Rosalie Lake to Gladys Lake. Each access trail has a daily quota…such as Shadow Creek, which has a daily quota of 30…18 secured through reservation and 12 walk-ups. So if you are choosing to walk-up, have some flexibility of starting days.
We had a JMT SOBO permit acquired six months in advance through the NPS permit lottery. But next visit, I will likely enter through Agnew Meadows via day permit.
Most hikers will stop and camp at Rosalie Lake, which is a wonderful option and a much larger lake. Some would suggest a more picturesque lake than Gladys Lake…but that is all in the eye of the beholder.
August of 2018 saw little precipitation and the winter snowfall was below expectations, so lake water levels were lower and surrounding shoreline not marshy or soggy. Which made for dry and mosquito free conditions.
The effects of local forest fires did cover surrounding mountain views during certain times of the day, and brought with it a bit of lung burning and eye stinging. Early morning and late evening hours brought clearer skies.
Be forewarned that seemingly every backcountry campsite brings with it a steep uphill slog, but worth it. Gladys Lake is at 9600 ft elevation.
I believe there was one other camper at Gladys Lake the night we stayed…but we neither heard nor saw them. It was a perfectly peaceful evening!
Amenities? Well, no showers…no toilets…no water spigots…no electricity…no picnic tables…one lonely stone fire ring but open fires are not permitted. No cell service or WiFi…no general store or local grocery store. However, Gladys Lake water was refreshing both to wade and drink (filtered). You are surrounded by fragrant conifers that buffer sound. A perfectly peaceful location to relax and dream.
PRODUCT REVIEW: Mountain House Spaghetti With Meat Sauce
https://www.mountainhouse.com/
As a frequent user of Mountain House freezes dried dinners, and being a creature of habit, I often settle into a couple favorite meals and don’t deviate to new offerings. Mundane and boring?…perhaps.
But…after winning $100 worth of Mountain House meals through an early season TheDyrt.com contest… and with my daughter as my hiking buddy, I selected several different meals to avoid mutiny.
One of these meal pouches was Mountain House’s Spaghetti with Meat Sauce.
I admit, I was a little suspect as to how freeze-dried spaghetti with meat sauce would taste, but we were both very pleased with the sauce flavors, seasoning and the amount of meat in the sauce. The only thing I would add is a couple slices of toasted garlic bread.
If the next rotation of Mountain House Spaghetti with Meat Sauce was easily located in our bear canisters, we would’ve likely had a second helping…but sadly, it was not.
In pairing down weight before our backcountry hike, I removed the contents from Mountain House’s original packaging and utilized a commercial vacuum sealer to make smaller, lighter meal packs as 11 days of food needed to fit in a bear canister. It worked, but the distinct drawback was not being able to prepare the meal in the resealable pouch. A pot was necessary to allow the freeze-dried contents to soak in the boiling water. So clean up was more extensive than it would’ve been by using the Mountain House resealable pouch. It was a trade off and we made it work.
If you are new to Mountain House freeze dried meals, directions are printed plain and simple on the pouch.
•Measure out the prescribed amount of water
•boil water
•open meal pouch and remove moisture packet
•pour boiling water in pouch and stir contents thoroughly
•seal pouch for prescribed time
•open pouch and stir contents
•serve and enjoy
It doesn’t get any easier.
LegendWithout a doubt one of the best boondocks of the trip. The exact coordinates are: 37.924790, -119.033893. There is a large pullout (soft gravel) that loops around. Excellent view of mono lake and the east entry into Yosemite. There are no fire rings at this spot and the conditions are dry, dry, dry so caution is in order. We lit no fires, only the stove in the rig. Wild life abounds and the evenings are super quiet. We boondocked several sites and found this one to be the one to pass on info about as it is just too cool. Happy dispersed site hunting!
GuideSuper convenient free camping between Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks. A park ranger directed me here when all the campgrounds in the park were full. There are sites all along the road, but the first at the junction is great and big enough for a small RV. Also a quick walk to the Chicago Stump which is a must see.
TravelerWhat a view! Very close to the Tufas (a must see). Dispersed camping on gravel/sand so we stayed near the road, in the middle of ponderosa trees. Sunset was gorgeous, peaceful place my kind of camping! Camping in nature!!
Scout
The scenic loop dispersed camping was great a couple of weeks ago. Quite a few spots even though Mammoth was open for snow. However, my partner and I drove around the whole loop looking for internet and couldn't get anything better than a couple Mbps with both T- Mobile and Verizon, even with our MiFi.
TravelerI dispersed camped on both both owens river rd and bald mountain. Both sites were beautiful but the one on bald mountain rd seemed to have more bugs. Both roads were decent to drive on and are spaced well from other sites. Didn't see another person from either site. Alot of nice dirt roads to take walks on too.
ScoutRoad getting there is pretty scary at night, but it’s super close to the park. There’s a parking lot to the left for rvs/vans and a dirt path that opens into an area for tents or any dispersed camping. We stayed in tents, there’s plenty of room to find a tent spot
No cell service
Scout
As previously mentioned, these coordinates are not correct, if you travel beyond the coordinates towards the South Park Entrance and pass the Springdale Campground on your left, you will see a sign shortly afterwards that says SnowPlay area 1/2 mile and that’s where you will turn onto Mount Raymond Road, which takes you to the dispersed camping about 5 minutes from the park entrance. Plenty of spots available.
TravelerNote: drove to “end of Mt Raymond Rd / Goat Meadow Ttailhead” following Hannah’s review as the directions. That is not the directions to this campground. It’s the directions to the Meadow campground across the 41. So, unfortunately never found this location. Leaving proper review of Meadow dispersed camping on that campground across the street so head over to that one, irs super easy to find, not busy, tons of great spots.
GuideStayed Saturday and Sunday. This is the most perfect dispersed camping in the area. Just a few minutes from Yosemite NP entrance. Spots are pretty obvious which is great. Some have fire pits already established by previous campers. There’s a huge pile of wood that’s great for your fire. There’s a large paved area for RVs as well. Everyone was respectful. Some arrived closer to 10pm and still found a spot. No problem with noise after 10pm.
Guide
This is definitely a boondocker's paradise. Huge selection of spots and all sorts of roads to explore. Super close to the town of Mammoth too.
Ranger
This was a second stop along a 50 mile backpacking trip with my son when he was 11.
This is a broad area along the Pacific Crest Trail at the Deer Creek crossing. Fresh water to filter (always filter stream water), so you can resupply.
Even in August there are occasional thunderstorms and sudden downpours in the Sierras, regardless of the weather forecast. Be prepared just in case.
Dispersed camping, spread out to minimize your impact on the area.
Beautiful and serene, this is the beginning of the deeper backcountry of the Sierras, so press on!
Guide
Camped in August. Busy little spot for dispersed camping. Tents and vans were there. Views on one side are mountains. Views on the other are rolling fields / foothills with lots of cutie vocal Moo Moos and Alkali Lake! You can see other hot springs in the distance. No shade. Lots of flies and red ants. Found this spot just driving side roads off of Benton Crossing Rd which is off the 395. Amazing sunsets and sunrises. The crab cooker hot spring was a little confusing to find. Once you find it... it’s TINY. 3 people comfortably. And HOT HOT HOTTTT!
TravelerGREAT SPOT. so so close to the mountain. If you want to real dispersed camping you kind of just have to drive off the road there are some obvious adjacent roads to sites and also some not so obvious clearing that people just literally drive off the road into. If you are just looking to spend the night close the resort for parking you are not alone and will probably see everyone parked along the road on the side. Everyone gets up at 5:30 and drives to mountain and goes back to sleep. Great spot so beautiful. Drive the west half of the scenic loop road and keep an eye out. Day light helps for finding road turnoffs !
LegendWe spent a total of 6 days out in the Inyo national forrest, outside of mammoth lakes. There are hot springs scattered through out the forrest. Clothing optional. If your clever and or smart enough to find them your in for a real treat. The driving can get rough on some of the roads but for the most part our mini van handled it well. We met all kinds of people in different springs while camping. It was great fun.
The dispersed camping is all over the place. No amenities. Well a hot spring is the ultimate amenity if you ask me. Carry in carry out. Use only existing fire pits. Good luck on the hot spring hunt.
Cheers!
Guide
This is a really nice area for camping on the side of the road here, but we only could've squeezed our 39ft Class A into maybe 2 of these spots. Usually when a dispersed site is marked Big Rig Friendly, we'll find that there is a large paved or gravel area for us to pull into and setup before you get to dirt road or off-road sites. There is a large paved area at this location, but we received a warning citation the next day, stating that we weren't allowed to camp there. It's confusing because this is the exact same setup as any other "snow play" or "sno-park" areas that have allowed camping in the gravel or paved areas area.
The paved area does have a couple of small stakes that say "no camping", but in our past dispersed camping experiences, those were used to mark areas where tents and vehicles couldn't pull off-road to camp. Apparently those stakes refer to the paved area in this case? There wasn't any reasoning provided on our citation, other than "find another area to camp."
Guide
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.
The road gets a little rough and soft after the 4th site.
Good Verizon service (4G/LTS, 4 bars).
This is a primitive campground near a unique geological and biological site. The area is relatively pristine and we hope that it will stay this way when you visit. Please take all trash out including TP. Campfires are not allowed here; there are no pre-existing sites and fire rings. The ash/sand might be a little soft for securing tents. When there is wind, it really blows.
RangerThere is lots of area to disperse camp. I personally would recommend not going as far as the GPS coordinates. I came up in my truck towing my teardrop trailer, and I probably should’ve stopped about a mile before it. There were plenty of spaces down lower that were just as nice. There weren’t as many higher up. once I found my spot it was really quiet. I found some nice trees to be in. Wasn’t very busy even though it was the Fourth of July. two bars with Verizon Wireless.
GuideMy friend and I decided to go on a camping/road trip with no plans or reservations. Little did we know that due to COVID, Yosemite was only allowing people in the park with a printed reservation. There was no getting passed these ladies. We asked if there was dispersed camping nearby and they directed us to a street less than a mile south of the southern entrance to Yosemite. The street was Mount Raymond. There were plenty of spots to pull off and camp out and lots of space between other campers. It was quiet and a sweet deer came by as we were setting up. She wasn’t afraid of us at all, just minding her business eating away.
***Only downfall: We were in an area near trees that produced a lot of sap. It was all over our car the next morning and it stuck to the bottom of our shoes pretty bad. We took sticks and really had to dig out all the gunk. Be aware of the trees you park your car under or set your tent up near.
Stopped at Bass Lake on the way up - Great spot for day picnics (pics)
GuideWe were near where the coordinates take you and we didn’t see another person the entire time we were here! We saw a few fellow campers on our way in but felt really secluded when we found our spot. Expected to see more obvious pull in spots for camping but we did not, so you might have to go a ways in. All the obvious camping spots close to the highway were taken when we got here on Friday afternoon. Some soft gravel, soft sand and rough roads but we managed in our truck + trailer. Weather was beautiful with afternoon storms which we loved. Would absolutely come back!
Dispersed camping near Mono Hot Springs, California, offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in nature without the constraints of traditional campgrounds. With stunning landscapes and a variety of outdoor activities, this area is perfect for adventurers seeking solitude and scenic beauty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Mono Hot Springs, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Mono Hot Springs, CA is Goat Meadow - Dispersed Camp Site with a 4.4-star rating from 29 reviews.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Mono Hot Springs, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 73 dispersed camping locations near Mono Hot Springs, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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