Searching for a tent camping spot near Mono Hot Springs? Find the best tent camping sites near Mono Hot Springs. Whether you're looking for a quiet, dispersed site or an established camgpround with amenities, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect place to pitch your tent.
$5 / night
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 the Kaiser and Ansel Adams Wilderness', Sample Meadow Campground offers 16 campsites located along Kaiser Creek. Vault toilets are provided and each site has a picnic table, fire ring, and bear box. There is trailhead parking outside of campground approximately .5 mile for hikes into the wilderness. Large RV's and motorhomes not recommended. Horse camping is permitted. Water and garbage service not provided.
A small, quiet campground just below Rock Creek Lake. 11 campsites.
Located on Ward Lake, Ward Lake Campground provide sites with lake views. Sites offer picnic tables, fire rings, bear boxes, and pine and aspen trees provide shade for most campsites. Vault toilets are also provided. Ward Lake offers opportunites for non-motorized boating, fishing, and swimming.
Located along the Kaiser Pass Road near the High Sierra Ranger Station. Bosillo Creek runs adjacent to campground. There are 3 available first-come, first-serve campsites. The Corbett Lake Trail begins at the end of the campground. Large RV or motorhome not recommended for travel on the Kaiser Pass Road.
Families, friends and special interest groups enjoy Bishop Park for its access to prime fishing and its serene setting on Bishop Creek. The group campground one of the most popular facilities in the Bishop Creek Area. The campground is located near Inyo and John Muir Wilderness areas, with access to several trailheads, glaciers and lakes.
Bishop Park is an ideal setting for horseback riding, wildlife viewing, hiking and fishing. Tent sites back onto the creek, allowing anglers to fish from the comfort of their campsite. The stocked stream contains rainbow, brown, brook and Alpers trout. Similar fishing opportunities can be found just upstream in Intake Lake II.
Bishop Park, in the Inyo National Forest, extends along the North Fork of Bishop Creek. It is shaded by aspens, cottonwoods and Jeffrey and lodgepole pines. The Inyo National Forest is home to many natural wonders, including Mt. Whitney, Mono Lake, Mammoth Lakes Basin and the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest.
A nearby resort provides limited groceries, fishing supplies and Internet access.
$94 / night
North Lake Campground is situated among the trees and adjacent to the north fork of Bishop Creek. It is a lovely campground - all 11 campsites have shade among the tall Jeffery and Lodgepole pines. Three of the sites are very short walk-in's. The remainder have small parking spots at the sites. The road to North Lke is partially paved and partially gravel and is narrow and winding. Trailers and RVs are prohibited. In the spring and early summer, mosquitoes can be an annoyance.
Huntington Lake offers many activities, including swimming, sailing, boating, non-motorized boating, fishing and water skiing. Additionally, California Land Management sponsors a variety of interpretive programs and nature walks throughout the summer at several locations in the Huntington Lake area.
Traveler
Would’ve been great if it was open, I just pulled up and it’s admin access only. I should’ve checked the website before.Come on
Guide
We stayed at this campground may years ago (2006-2008) and it has remained one of our favorites.
Our most recent stay was for a small rally of 8 class A RVs from 34' to 43' in length all with tow vehicles. Wishon was able to accommodate all of us. The drive to Wishon starts with a long climb to Shaver Lake. Past Shaver Lake the road becomes windy for the remainder of the drive. Expect at least a 40+ minute drive from the Shaver lake turn off. On the way you will pass a grove of Giant Sequoia trees with a pull out to walk or picnic among them.
All sites are gravel and have full hook ups. Some sites have 50 amp service but it will rarely be needed because of the elevation of 6800 feet. All sites will accommodate the RV, vehicle, boat, and more. Wishon also has tent sites with or without platforms.
There are many activities available from this campground. Hiking, mountain bike riding, Jeep trails (Dusy-Ershim Trail), and fishing. Two reservoirs are nearby, Wishon and Courtright. Courtright at 8200' opens later than Wishon at 6600'. Rainbow and German Browns can be caught.
Wishon Village has a nice store with most necessities and sells fishing licenses.
Guide
Sites 120 - 144 offer full hookups. However, the sites are arranged on a parking lot. We were able to get our 43’ Blue Bird completely onto site 138. Power was good but there were only 4 of us in the FHU sites. Millerton is a great boating and fishing lake close to Fresno and within a few hours of Yosemite NP.
We would not stay here again until the park gets control of the ground squirrels. We heard stories of cars and RV’s being towed out because they chewed through wiring. Thankfully we escaped with just damage from them entering the RV and getting into plastic containers of food in the bays. On our last night we moved to a parking lot by the lake so we could avoid further intrusion. The campground was also littered with garbage. I was constantly picking up litter on my walks.
There are other campgrounds in the recreational area that have no utilities that could be a better choice for smaller RV’s.
Scout
We went here for a change. We like the idea of dispersed camping and this one fits the bill. Free. Roads are not clearly marked so a little sketch finding spots. But wait it's all dispersed so we found a cozy spot atop a mountain and made camp. Was really awesome one other camper we saw he was a mile away. The roads did get some cars as we where in fall harvest time, Lots of photographers buzzing around. Other than that amazing spot. SHHH don't tell everyone.
Scout
We have nothing but praise for Spencer, our host here at Dunlap Canyon Retreat. He is super attentive and friendly without being in your face, he strikes the perfect balance between helpful and respectful of your privacy. Great place!
Traveler
It's been great. This time of year is a little less crowded. Except this Xmas holiday time. The winter weather enhances the experience of you are up for that.
Guide
Quick stopover on our way to Death Valley. Vela got a chance to play ball. Found the site easily in the dark. Very quiet night for sleeping with the sound of a creek running behind our camper.
Guide
The name of the campground alone will let you know what to anticipate staying here. As far as views go they are phenomenal but people wise it gets busy.
Guide
I enjoy this site my spot was directly below the footbridge to head up to Weaver and Jennie lakes. Excellent brook trout fishing and feels off grid. Amazing rock formations near by and plenty of hiking for all levels in close vicinity.
Scout
We had a flat tire on a Sunday morning and permanent resident was more than helpful with taking the tire off and giving us a ride to the tire place to get it fixed and put back on. Beautiful view of the mountains and very close to the park
Guide
We arrived just before dark, it’s quite a small site. Room for 4 vans max, ideal for 3. We used to chocks to level up as it’s pretty uneven in parts. But a great nights sleep, we had the place to ourselves
Guide
Quite a large level area, though it was November and not peak season so there were loads of space. We pulled in and there were a couple of trailers with horses and a couple of other vehicles and we parked with loads of space between. When we left early in the morning a handful more of vehicles had joined.
Scout
Was going to stay at the truck stop overnight , till I opened up the dryt app and found this campground that was only 5 miles away. There was only 3 other campers there. Easy pay with kiosk pay station with credit card. There was also an artisan well for amazing water and a stream running thru camp
Scout
What a gem! We loved our two-night stay surrounded by the animals. While the dirt road/driveway is a bit bumpy, we had no problem with our 23' Airstream -- just go slowly and you'll be fine (there was a 40' Class A there, too, if that says anything). Great host who is truly kind. Quiet, peaceful, and fun...what more do you need?
Guide
Lovely campground. Nice creek sounds and beautiful large trees. Couldn't get a hold of host and sites aren't very private. Otherwise really solid choice for location, amenities (bear lockers were great) and maintenance.
Scout
Pull into a spot and relax while you listen to the creek, close to the road easy access
Traveler
We stayed in site #17, it was pretty private as we didn't really have anyone around us. The bathroom was clean and the site itself was well maintained. Firewood was for sale at the camp store or through the hosts. Gets super cold at night! Showers were available at the camp store as well as laundry.
Traveler
We arrived late in the night, there is a sign with available places on the office entrance. Good restrooms. Dump Station and Hot water shower is free if you pay for Camping. Laundry is available as well. Paid for 1 night with electric and water hookup 52 $. Only Cash.
Traveler
This was such a beautiful spot. It was our first night on our trip, and we knew we had to find a spot sooner than later. We drove through the campground to find a wonderful spot right by the creek. A day user was just leaving, and they said it was the best spot for fishing. The attached parking was uneven, but we found a few rocks that helped even us out. The spot is a bit windy as it is in kind of a canyon, but it died down as the sun went down.
I have T-Mobile and had absolutely no scerive until we got back on the 395.
There is a small vault toilet that was near the site, and I don't know where they buy their toilet paper, but it was quality stuff. There is a bunch of signage inside the vault stating the area is bear territory, and we needed needed to be bear aware.
Scout
I was expecting bad conditions because of the previous comments but it was actually a good surprise. It's very close to the entrance of Yosemite, in our case it was very quiet and well isolated. There is no view or wow effect but it's great location and isolated.
TravelerAs night approached, we had to find a campground. We were also looking for something maintained but scenic which this campground was. There are no actual views of the lake from the camp ground that we saw, but some of the sites have a stream flowing through. Even though it was late in the day (5-6pm) and the campground was basically all reserved, we did find a few open spots that you could pay for at the pay station. Each spot has a nice parking spot big enough for a small trailer. Not all spots were leveled, but we did find one that was leveled enough that we didn't need to make any additional adjustments. They all had fire pits, table, and bear lockers. All in all, it's a great campground. I want to mention there is a restaurant close by, but expect to pay upwards of $100 for a meal. It might be best to bring in your own meals. I have T-Mobile, and I was able to get a text or two, but I had absolutely no service until we got back to the 395.
Traveler
No camping happened. Campground closed when we checked on October 16th, 2034. Maybe next time.
Guide
We made an extra camping trip during Fall this year. We usually spend July up near Lee Vining, but we wanted to see what camping in October was like. Getting to Upper Sage isn’t tricky, it’s just very inconspicuous. You drive up Hwy 395 to a little town called Big Pine. It’s about 15 miles before Bishop. You turn left on a little residential street that takes you buy cute little homes of Big Pine. You’d swear you made the wrong turn. Then, you’ll continue on this worn little road for a few miles. It goes up quickly. Again, it seems you’re on the way to nowhere. After about 7 miles up, you’ll see the canyon with trees and campgrounds. It’s really pretty. Almost to the end of the road you’ll find Upper Sage Flat. We camped in sites 2 and 4. Both were real nice and next to the creek. The bathroom is close but not right next to your site. There’s only one bathroom so it’s nice to have it so close. As it turned out, there might have been 4 sites taken up, but that’s all. We had the place to ourselves. If you like to fish, the sites 14-19 are perfect. There are some beautiful hiking trails nearby, especially the Big Pine Creek Trail. The campground is paved, which is nice for bikes. Also, right up the street a little is Glacier Lodge, a place where you can rent little cottages. It’s old and looks worn, but it’s clean, looks taken care of, and they even have a little store. We only stayed for 3 days but they were wonderful. James the CG host was FANTASTIC! He pretty much doesn’t bother you and just asks you keep it clean and don’t get out of control. He was so nice we supported him by buying wood. He says he makes more with recyclables, so recycle when you’re there. All in all, we had a wonderful time and the CG was well worth it, in October at least. If you decide to do some Fall camping, Upper Sage Flats will not disappoint you.
Ranger
Spot#106. Unlevel, but most in this area are not level.#107 not bad. Some loops have no bathrooms so be aware of where you reserve. Good trails to village and grants tree. Crystal springs campground adjacent has more trees, more shade.
Foodie aside: Lodge across the road had market with chocolate milk for $1.60 per 2p. Almost out of beer after holiday weekend. We had Readywise mango sticky rice with for dinner, yum! Added butter and salt, but recommend cut back on water in Readywise direction so use <175 cup Dog approved.
Scout
Pulled in here since the sun was setting and we wouldn’t make it to lone pine. Nice off road trail with some scattered sites.
Guide
After numerous previous backpacking trips throughout Yosemite's high country, this was my first stay in the valley itself. The site was clean, spacious enough, flat enough, and very convenient to access to everywhere in the valley. We ended up driving up to Tuolumne Meadows in the high country so being able to leave the trailer and all our camping stuff in a safe, relatively crowded and lively campground was was really nice. The site easily accommodated my trailer and Jeep. There were plenty of clean bathrooms, fresh water, fire pits, and spacious site located bear boxes throughout. One thing to note, although it is in one of, if not the most beautiful national parks, I wouldn't call it rugged or even having the illusion of privacy.
Legend
How do you snag a reservation in one of the most popular campgrounds in the entire NPS with just a few days notice? Easy! Set up a Dyrt Alert with your Dyrt PRO subscription. We did this and turned 1 night in the valley into 10. Here's to shoulder season camping! But come prepared as you might need your kayaking gear and your snowshoes on the same trip.
This is a great campground in valley, with many sites right by the Merced River, a view of Half Dome in the background, and a little forestry action means that you even get some sunshine down through those big pines and can recharge with solar in a few key sites. We were also able to run our Starlink to get some work done. You can walk to many trails, bike to others, and even stroll over to Curry Village for a meal, shower, or an ice cream.
What you have in these campsites is very similar throughout this park, paved spot with not a lot of room for big rigs, small area for tents, a spot for your car, picnic table, fire ring, and a food/ cooler/ cooking equipment storage locker. Seriously y’all, they will ticket your butt for not storing food properly– they do not mess around here in this park with feeding wildlife, either on accident or on purpose. And you will quickly learn why because the ground squirrels do not give a#$%^ about you except that you are a quick source of Cheetos-- and they’ll even climb up your leg to get some. Don’t even get me started about the Ravens, they are smart and they have a taste for potato chips! Bears make regular visits to these campgrounds, too.
The “Comfort Stations” as the NPS calls them means a couple of toilets that flush, a sink with cold running water, and a hand dryer. Bring your own soap. They can stay on top of cleaning them, but do your part too. Showers can be purchased at the Yosemite Curry Village area and they are just fine, but there is a high demand for them so plan ahead.
Unlike most parks, Yosemite has its own grocery store, gas station, bike rentals, restaurants, visitor’s center, park film theater, gift shop– and if you come at the right time of year, you can see “Shakespeare in the Park’s” live theater.
You can bike, hike, paddle, float, climb, sightsee, stargaze, climber stalk, waterfall gawk and walk. But parking is a bitch. So just leave everything at the campsite and hop on the bus to get around the park and the different hiking areas. The buses also have bike racks so you can bike as much as you want, then hop on the bus if you’re not feeling it anymore.
There are so many beautiful hikes, but please don’t go to the popular ones in the middle of the day, or maybe do, that way I can enjoy the less popular ones on my own time at my leisure. Understand that the valley is one of the most “touristed” destinations outside of Disney World, and get your head around it, settle in and make nice-nice with all the other folks who have been dying to come. But please don’t feed those squirrels, ravens, or bears!
Depending on which way you come into the park, the closest town with reasonable grocery store prices can be up to an hour away. So, it’s worth the price of admission to stock up on your way into the park.
Tent camping near Mono Hot Springs, California, offers a unique blend of natural beauty and outdoor adventure, making it an ideal getaway for nature enthusiasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Mono Hot Springs, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Mono Hot Springs, CA is Thousand Island Lake Backcountry with a 5-star rating from 5 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Mono Hot Springs, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 84 tent camping locations near Mono Hot Springs, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
