Best Cabin Camping near Swall Meadows, CA

It’s a 7+ mile hike to get to the high sierra camp. We went off season so the cabins were not set up but you can camp all around where the cabins would be. It was quiet, peaceful and ridiculously gorgeous! I could have stayed twice as long as we were there! There was also some snow on the trail and by where we set up camp. Highly recommend!

Stayed in a tent cabin, no bathroom. Very scenic and had a good time

Backing up to the John Muir Trail all the way into the back country of the high Sierra is this Gem of a ranch. It has amazing amenities, such as cabins, tent cabins, developed hot springs, all meals included, toilets and running water, horses back tours/packing, backpacker resupply, and store. 

Getting there however is quite a feat. First you have to traverse a one lane road nearly 30 miles back into Florence Lake. Then you have to take a boat ride to the other side of the lake, and finally you have to hike 5+ miles to the ranch. It is all worth it for the sunning views, great food, amazing fishing, hiking, and all around experience.

This place is perfect for ppl that want to experience Yosemite and still have commodities. The cabins or tents provided are clean and have everything you need. Showers restrooms etc the food in the cafeteria is also good. Parking is good and easy and the location is close to many trails

Tough drive, very narrow roads with steep drop offs. Scary drive in the dark. Its a thin road with 2 way traffic. Barely room to pass up on coming cars. Albeit a very scenic drive. This place is everything a wilderness seaker is looking for. Cozy village cabins, high uo in the mounatinous forest. Hiking trails leading to gorgeous lakes, hot springs tubs scattered around and across a clean chilly river. Secluded enough for bears to roam around likes its their hood.

Stayed here for a week. Great spot for the family while I worked. Plenty for the kids and family to do and a great location close enough to bike/walk to most stores on the east end of town. 

Our reservation said 50 amp partial hookups. But only the full-hookup sites have 50 amp. Partial hookups are 30amp with water, but the water access depends on the weather/season you're there in. We had to fill up with Fresh Water before we got to our site but it's in a convenient spot so not too big of a deal. 

It is a parking lot but there was plenty of space for us and our SUV. Pool and Laundry Mat/Showers were close as well which made things nice. Starbucks is a short walk away too if that's your jam. 

Great spot just make sure to call so there's no surprises with water/hookups etc. 

Amenities: Pool & Jacuzzi / Laundry Mat / Showers & Bathrooms / Dump Station / Playground.

Backcountry camping with several swimming spots, decent fishing and meals and hot showers! If you feel rich, this is a place for a big treat. Tent cabins with basic sleeping set up and a nice spot to sit around a group fire. The ranger talks can be a little much but easy to sneak off and enjoy the quiet. Food is fantastic and the folks who work there are super friendly. A nice loop is to walk in via Tenaya Lake, pass through the Mansfields and over to Merced Lake - a very doable 15 mile one day. Exit out through Happy Isles - about the same distance.

    I agree the road out is pretty scary I don't advise trailers but I have seen them while driving in. It is one lane and you must pull out for opposing traffic. But definitely one of my most favorite places in the Sierras. The views are amazing, I recommend giving yourself extra time to stop and get out for the views a few times on the way in. 

   Once in the campground/resort area there are two separate loops to camp in as well as cabins to rent and a small dispersed camping area there is also a general store, bath house, and small Cafe that are all seasonal since the road is closed most of the year. So open and close dates vary depending on snow. You can get firewood, drinking water at the store but it can be a little pricey, so I recommend bringing your own. The baths/showers are usually included for anyone paying for a campsite, but this may have changed. It is very cheap for day use persons to use the showers though. The sites are all very nice and surprisingly private though some are pretty close together. All provide a firepit, table, bear box, and parking space. I love that there are bear boxes at such a remote place! There are vault tiolets and dumpsters for trash. The river runs along one side of the campsites so about half of the sites are on the river. Bring extra bugspray for these sites as you are close to the water. 

     Most important if you made it this far reading 😅😂 there are multiple NATURAL HOT SPRINGS!! 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. They also pump the natural mineral water to the bathhouse for the showers! The springs are the main reason to come out and camp. There are also tons of hiking trails and other lakes in the area including 2 thermal lakes and tons of breathtaking views. I highly recommend this place. 🏞🏕

Also: I have not personally stayed in the cabins or dispersed camping area only the paid sites along the river, but I have been here several times and have seen them. There is also a corral area for horses so I'm not sure if that qualifies it as an equestrian camp but there is a spot for the horses.

Perfect campground to get away for the weekend. Almost every time I have been here we see lots of deer. Nice hiking trails, beautiful scenery.

If you read a few of the other reviews there is mention of the road getting to Mono Hot Springs.  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.  But so worth it!

I was taking a fly fishing trip in the morning and figured I would camp the night.  All campsites were taken.  But there are tons of other sites that you can just set up camp.  Basically pull off any area and set up camp.

I ended up sharing a campsite with a couple adventure riders for the first night and second night set up camp with the fly fishing guide just off to the side of the main campground.

In the campground each site had a fire ring, cooking area and bear box.

The camp host was amazing and so sweet!  She even gave me some tips on where to fish.

Pit toilets but super clean and no stink at all.  Again the camp host does an amazing job.

They also offer cabins, an amazing restaurant, a little country type store and a spa type area, or so I am told I did not check that out.

There are a couple hot springs you can walk to, again I did not check those out.

I was there for fishing.  

The river runs right close to the campsites and it is amazing fishing, I was told that it gets stocked often.

But the real gem is taking a drive around the roads around the area and finding more hidden fishing spots.

Getting there: As far as campsite in Yosemite go, Tuolumne Meadows is one of if not the most difficult to get to. From the East entrance of the park your still about 1.5 hours away from the campsite. To increase the difficulty of getting there Tioga Road is closed during the winters and will close anytime it snows.

Campsites: Tuolumne Meadows rest halfway between the Yosemite Valley and Mono Lake. Additionally Tuolumne sits just feet from the John Muir and the Pacific Crest Trail. All this access in combination with the difficulty of getting to Tuolumne Meadows makes it a great campground for those wanting to get away from the crowds and out onto the trails. WARNING: Because Tuolumne Meadows is so exposed to the forest there is HEAVY BEAR ACTIVITY. Keep your campsite clean, keep all food/toothpaste/sunscreen/anything that smells (even canned beer or alcohol) in the Bear Bin. The Park: Yosemite is awesome. What to do: You're already WAY OUT THERE so you might as well go see everything off Tioga Road (White Wolf, Porcupine Flat, etc. Also drive out to Mono Lake. You have perfect access to hiking the John Muir and Pacific Crest trail. Find a route and get out there!

CAMPGROUND REVIEW: Big Pine Creek Campground, CA

https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/inyo/recarea/?recid=20312&actid=31

As we traveled up Rt 395, along the Eastern Sierras, we searched for a campground offering trails into the wilderness…but also one with a shower, as they seem to be a rare commodity…and our last campground was primitive.

Reviews stated Big Pine Creek had showers and modern restrooms, so we drove through the night arriving at 7:00 Sunday morning…hoping for an available site. Spoiler alert: it doesn’t.

Turns out, the camper at site 2, beside the Host site, was packing up…so we claim jumped the site. Also turns out…after we paid $22 for the night…Big Pine Creek Campground does not have showers, nor modern restrooms.

So, to set the record straight…there are vault latrines and a river of cold glacier runoff of roughly 40F degrees. However, next to Big Pine Creek Campground is Glacier Lodge (they share the same entrance road and is privately owned)…and they will rent you a shower for $5/5 minutes. For that $5 shower, you can use the modern toilet.

Don’t let that run you off, though. We loved Big Pine Creek Campground. The sites are spacious and the backdrop is gorgeous. Not many campgrounds offer stellar trails into the Inyo John Muir Wilderness…more on that later. Mule deer roam between campsites, ground squirrels and magpies are everywhere. We also noted a resident lizard.

Most sites are somewhat tiered because of the sloped terrain. Site 2 parking pad was large enough for our SUV, but little else. You have a large bear resistant locker in front of a large fixed picnic table, situated on a large, raised, leveled pad that also has the fire pit. Up a few steps is the raised timber tent pad. Numerous large pines and smaller hardwoods populate the sites. Our neighboring site was visible with little obstruction, but was occupied by a delightful French family on holiday, that we enjoyed.

Big Pine Creek Campground is often filled with campers from all over the world and makes for interesting conversations.

Drinking water was a little walk. Last year’s winter had an avalanche destroy their water lines, so others were rerouted. No electric. Also, no cell service. Perfect for unplugging, relaxing and meeting your fellow campers.

There is a trout pond near the entrance that folks were capitalizing on. They were also fishing the creek. The glacier fed creek is cold…like 38 degrees cold. The trails…in a word…Epic!

The North Trail was incredible. We started late and only went to the first and second of seven alpine glacier lakes. The water is so emerald green, it’s surreal. We hiked out and back in 6.5 hours, taking an hour respite for a polar bear plunge in the near freezing lake. I was advised we missed the most beautiful third lake…also referred to as Emerald Lake. The North Fork Trail into The John Muir Wilderness does require permits for backcountry camping…an easy process and well worth it…https://www.recreation.gov/permits/John_Muir_Trail_North_Of_Devils_Postpile_Aa10/r/entranceEntryExitDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=72203&entranceId=315543&permitTypeId=1009473747&entryType=1

Of note, along the way is Lon Chaney’s (of Frankenstein, Werewolf and Hunchback of Notre Dame movie fame) backcountry cabin. Lon Chaney would bring guests back by horse and mule train. Upon his passing, it was gifted to the parks.

One horse/mule train passed us on the trail, returning after they deposited their riders and goods out into the wilderness.

The host couple were very helpful and a joy to glean local and trail information from.

A wonderful campground to visit.

CAMPGROUND REVIEW: Coldwater Campground, Mammoth Lakes, CA

A beautiful 77 site campground nestled in at over 9,000 ft in the Inyo National Forest of the Eastern Sierras.

Amenities: large sites, modern restrooms spaced throughout the camp (two unisex doors, includes one sink with running cold water, a flush toilet, and metal mirror), water spigots near the latrines.

Each site has a large picnic table, a fire pit with sliding cook grate, a double door bear cabinet and small paved parking pad.

We chose site 66, as it sprawled to s mountain stream, nestled in shaded pines, had a couple flat tent spots and was relatively close to restrooms and water.

No electric, no showers (nearby Twin Lakes Campground Store rents shower time at $7.00…one person per shower.

Coldwater Campground is a short drive from Mammoth Lakes, which has all you should need or desire.

The trails from the back of Coldwater Campground go up, up, up…but offer spectacular mountain views, glacier lakes, picturesque alpine meadows, waterfalls and cascades. A short drive and bus ride away are trails to Iconic Rainbow Falls and Devil’s Postpile, among other ridiculously beautiful mountain trails!

Mountain bike trails are innumerable…and the paved multi-use trails are stellar and travel for miles. https://www.visitmammoth.com/blogs/top-5-xc-mountain-bike-trails-near-mammoth-lakes

There are rentals nearby for every sportsman. This is the active person’s Mecca! Also close-by is Mammoth Ski area that offers the downhill mountain bikers absolute Nirvana, during summer months.

https://www.mammothmountain.com/summer/bike-park-overview/mammoth-bike-park/mammoth-bike-park

At $24 a night, this seems to be the standard rate for this region…and that without showers.

Note: Even during hot summer months, it gets chilly at night. August 6, it was 50 degrees at night. A 40 degree dip from the cloudless daytime temps.

It did not take long to fall in love with the Eastern Sierra Nevadas. I would not hesitate to camp here again, and am already planning a return visit.

Great place to stay. With clean sites and plentiful amenities, you can camp comfortably while seeing the sites that California has to offer.

The staff/owners were awesome even in a semi-crisis. This was during the California wildfires. I would recommend this RV park/campground they have ample space for both. Every site has a bear box. The one night I stayed there were at least 2-3 bear incursions into the grounds.

Tuolumne Meadows Campground is located in Yosemite National Park in the Central California's Sierra Nevada Mountain. Its elevation at 8000 plus feet gives you the chance to see beautiful scenery.

This is a gem for California where so many of the campgrounds have over a hundred sites and tons of huge groups of people. This is away from the crowds with only ten sites.

Sites 6, 7, 8 are all open to each other but they are the best spots on the river. If you are going with another couple these spots would be great to secure.

The creek is lovely and rocky in a shallow bed so it's easy to access.

Of all the places we took our kids on their first camping road trip (Grand Canyon, Yellowstone etc)it was right here in California that they found their favorite here at Kings; big trees ( and fallen giants you could walk through) cave tours, hikes, rivers .. they loved it. So much to cover its best to go to Recreation.gov and choose your camp area. Highly recommended by this family !