Looking for the best Prather dispersed camping? With The Dyrt, it's easy to find peaceful dispersed camping near Prather. Each dispersed site offers quick access to one or more of Prather's most popular destinations.
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.
Tips and rules on dispersed camping: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/sequoia/maps-pubs/?cid=fseprd883625
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. More on campfire rules here.
The maximum length of time you may camp in dispersed areas is 14 DAYS at a time and 30 DAYS in a year.
Each year the number of people taking advantage of dispersed recreation opportunities has increased, making it more essential that these areas be left clean and undamaged.
The following acts are PROHIBITED on the Sequoia National Forest and Giant Sequoia National Monument and are subject to a fine:
Driving off designated roads inside the Monument.
Leaving campfire unattended.
Leaving trash buried, stashed or left in campfire ring. Abandoning or leaving personal property. PACK IT IN-PACK IT OUT.
Cutting or otherwise damaging trees for use as a lean-to or a horse corral. Do not leave anything tied to trees.
Destruction of government property such as signs, posters, gates, etc.
Removing forest products without a permit.
Discharging any firearm within 150 yards of any building, occupied area, across forest development roads, or body of water
Here are some tips to appropriate dispersed camping: More information on dispersed camping here.
Protect standing trees from nails and scars from axes, knives and hatchets. Use only dead and down trees for firewood.
Bury human waste at least six inches deep and 200 feet from any waterway or trail. DO NOT bury toilet paper–PACK IT OUT
Wash at least 200 feet away from any water source using biodegradable soap.
Set up camp more than 200 feet from any waterway or trail.
Take a litterbag to carry out all refuse. Do not leave trash in fire rings. Do not bury trash.
A campfire permits is required to have a campfire, charcoal barbeque, or camp stove. Use existig fire grates or fire rings. Gather only dead and down firewood. Firewood may not be transported off of the Forest without a permit.
Avoid leveling or digging trenches around tents. Place tent on bare ground and not on vegetation.
Protect your food from the bears and other animals. Keep your food and anything with a scent stored in an airtight container in your car truck. If your vehicle has no truck, put everything on the floor, cover it well and close the windows. Always, Keep a clean campsite.
LEAVE YOUR CAMPSITE BETTER THAN WHEN YOU ARRIVED!
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.
Tips and rules on dispersed camping: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/sequoia/maps-pubs/?cid=fseprd883625
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. More on campfire rules here.
The maximum length of time you may camp in dispersed areas is 14 DAYS at a time and 30 DAYS in a year.
Each year the number of people taking advantage of dispersed recreation opportunities has increased, making it more essential that these areas be left clean and undamaged.
The following acts are PROHIBITED on the Sequoia National Forest and Giant Sequoia National Monument and are subject to a fine:
Driving off designated roads inside the Monument.
Leaving campfire unattended.
Leaving trash buried, stashed or left in campfire ring. Abandoning or leaving personal property. PACK IT IN-PACK IT OUT.
Cutting or otherwise damaging trees for use as a lean-to or a horse corral. Do not leave anything tied to trees.
Destruction of government property such as signs, posters, gates, etc.
Removing forest products without a permit.
Discharging any firearm within 150 yards of any building, occupied area, across forest development roads, or body of water
Here are some tips to appropriate dispersed camping: More information on dispersed camping here.
Protect standing trees from nails and scars from axes, knives and hatchets. Use only dead and down trees for firewood.
Bury human waste at least six inches deep and 200 feet from any waterway or trail. DO NOT bury toilet paper–PACK IT OUT
Wash at least 200 feet away from any water source using biodegradable soap.
Set up camp more than 200 feet from any waterway or trail.
Take a litterbag to carry out all refuse. Do not leave trash in fire rings. Do not bury trash.
A campfire permits is required to have a campfire, charcoal barbeque, or camp stove. Use existig fire grates or fire rings. Gather only dead and down firewood. Firewood may not be transported off of the Forest without a permit.
Avoid leveling or digging trenches around tents. Place tent on bare ground and not on vegetation.
Protect your food from the bears and other animals. Keep your food and anything with a scent stored in an airtight container in your car truck. If your vehicle has no truck, put everything on the floor, cover it well and close the windows. Always, Keep a clean campsite.
LEAVE YOUR CAMPSITE BETTER THAN WHEN YOU ARRIVED!
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. More on campfire rules here.
The maximum length of time you may camp in dispersed areas is 14 DAYS at a time and 30 DAYS in a year.
Each year the number of people taking advantage of dispersed recreation opportunities has increased, making it more essential that these areas be left clean and undamaged.
The following acts are PROHIBITED on the Sequoia National Forest and Giant Sequoia National Monument and are subject to a fine:
Driving off designated roads inside the Monument.
Leaving campfire unattended.
Leaving trash buried, stashed or left in campfire ring. Abandoning or leaving personal property. PACK IT IN-PACK IT OUT.
Cutting or otherwise damaging trees for use as a lean-to or a horse corral. Do not leave anything tied to trees.
Destruction of government property such as signs, posters, gates, etc.
Removing forest products without a permit.
Discharging any firearm within 150 yards of any building, occupied area, across forest development roads, or body of water
Traveler
I visited both parks and needed a place to sleep in my car, I had seen this spot on this site before so I looked and found it, it’s a dirt road but my matrix did fine driving through. Very close to the Chicago stump! Lots of wood laying around also.
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.
TravelerThis is more of an ATV spot, I arrived on a Sunday evening and the ATV people were set up and essentially taking up most of the spots meant for camping. They were using the many many trails meant for ATVs before I arrived and, when I parked a decent distance away from where they were set up, they opted to ride circles around my RV throwing dust everywhere and revving their engines (likely an attempt to run me off). The open space at the top of the hill where the restrooms are is meant for camping, I would NOT ADVISE taking any of the other roads as they are steep, uneven, and you will struggle to turn around.
There’s one spot at the entrance good for camping (away from most of the ATV action) but it is taken up by a permanent boondocker.
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."
Traveler
Quiet place on dirt, not really levelled but fine for a night and easily accessible with any car.
Traveler
While the road to get up there is a bit nerve wracking (hoping no one comes around those corners the other direction!) It's worth taking it slow and steady. We were the only ones there and enjoyed a very peaceful night bathed in moonlight and the sounds of nature. Great place!
Traveler
We got there at 5pm on a Sunday. Went all the way to the back and In my opinion got the best spot. We had plenty of trees around us for privacy and shade. Highly recommend if you’re trying to camp close to Yosemite without a reservation. Only downside were the mosquitoes were on another level. They turned off once it got dark though.
Guide
Booked a last minute permit for the Pohono trail on a recent trip and had Dewey Point as one of my camp sites! Beautiful views of el cap and the valley made for an iconic back country spot !
ScoutEasy 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.
GuideNice spot off the road . Most have fire pits . I found a spot with good sun for my solar panels.
GuideA quiet, large space for setting up.
GuideThis spot is great, right outside the YNP, but the mosquitos will suck ever last drop of blood out of you! This was the very back spot but also a quiet spot.
GuideGot there late at night, around midnight. Had to find a spot but very quiet. Will stay there again!
GuideThis is a good location right near the south entrance of the park, but still about an hour from the valley. It was a little crowded and pretty bumpy road to get into the sites. But it worked well for staying for the night.
Traveler
super accessible spot right by the entrance (10 min drive max) to yosemite np !! not sure why some of these reviews are complicated lol but just go up mount raymond road like the directions tell you to then once you get to the end i just went to the turn out on the right ! super lowkey, fire pits, and beautiful scenery 🌱
ScoutVery good spot to camp, there were plenty of spots and most had rings. There was also a bathroom so that was nice. Right off of the main road that goes throughout the whole park
TravelerSimple campground, but suitable for one night
Still some snow around in may
TravelerSimple campground with toilets available
Tent and RV (4wd recommended, steep road)
ScoutIt’s great
ScoutSecluded with very little traffic. Especially good if you're traveling with dogs to let them roam around. There's a stream and waterfall downhill that makes for great hikes.
TravelerGreat location, close to Yosemite Park which allows you to sleep for free. the spot was clean, impressive camper vans were present and they were parked on the tarmac. lots of pitches, vans can be placed under the trees with the tents.
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.
TravelerWe stayed here when visiting Yosemite and it was a great location, easy to find in the dark, and quiet. Part of the road was closed due to the season but we were still able to find a spot and had the place to ourselves. No cell service, bathrooms, or clear fire pits but it didn’t bother us!
ScoutSince it's offseason and the Campgrounds were closed, we quickly needed to find an alternative and were happy to stay a quiet night at this spot. There is space for maximum 4 small RVs. Large RVs should avoid this place!
ScoutWas a great place to stop so we could get an early start towards Yosemite. The stars were beautiful as there is almost no light pollution. There were a few others parked around the edge of the big lot and people were friendly. Easy to find. Will keep this spot saved. It was very cold, a bit icy in the morning the second week of November.
LegendI found this last minute after digging through many campspots on the north side of Sequoia National Park, but most were closed for the season. Everything else was a little bit of a drive away
You have to get up a steep incline, right road off of the main road and the road is narrow. It was not our favorite part.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dispersed campsite near Prather, CA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dispersed campground near Prather, CA is Goat Meadow - Dispersed Camp Site with a 4.4-star rating from 28 reviews.
What is the best site to find dispersed camping near Prather, CA?
TheDyrt.com has all 36 dispersed camping locations near Prather, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
