Whether you're a tent camper, an RVer, or just passing through, Swall Meadows, CA has a lot to offer. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. At The Dyrt, campers like you share their favorite spots, plus tips and photos. No matter where you're headed in Swall Meadows, you'll find the best spot for you and your camping crew.
$35 / night
"The bathrooms are very clean and probably the nicest I've seen in California (in the Eastern Sierra). Our site was a short walk to the river and it was very quiet."
"It was neatly tucked away and was very peaceful."
$14 / night
"There is Pleasant Valley Campground, and if you cross the street and drive a little bit in you can get to Pleasant Valley Pit. This place has no shade, no trees, but amazing view of the Sierras."
"There is an awesome little wild trout section where you can get a hold of the colors of the sierras, otherwise the reservoir is a steep sided sketchy lake. Don't bring your dog."
$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."
"Approx. 1/2 sites close to level for 24' RV... 1/2 better suited for car/tent camping. Good clean flush toilets. Picnic tables / bear lockers in good condition. Hosts sell $10 firewood bundles."
$33 / night
"Lots of greens surrounding the area. Good for groups.. if you get neighboring sites. all campers around here were very respectful."
"In a little gorge type area so it blocks some of the wind and right next to a creek which sometimes has small trout and hiking trails."
"Watch your dog’s paws.
Decent cell reception for ATT and Verizon, not great, but usable."
"Access to trails. Wonderful views. Sites are
spaced apart to where it feels like you’re the only one in the area."
$35 / night
"Very nice campsite with around 70 sites and three ranger campsites so plenty of help. Went on a rainy day but there was plenty of tree cover and we stayed in our tent briefly."
"Awesome fishing up the road at Rock Creek Lake"
"I went here solo camping with my dog in may 2021. Great little spot. Pretty busy on the weekends though. It was also crazy windy which I think cooled off the hot spring a bit."
"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."
"There was also a store, a short walk, for more supplies which was great. Tons of nearby trails. We hiked from our camp to the lake and back. Host was pleasant."
"The area around this camp ground is very relaxing. Rock Creek runs right along side. There are a few camping spots along the main road. The lake has boats available to rent."
$35 / night
"One of the highest campgrounds you can drive to in CA! Some of the sites are small and difficult to fit two larger tents, but the campground is clean, quiet, and well cared for."
"This campground is near the lake and it is gorgeous! Trees everywhere. There are also some really great hikes nearby and a little general store that has some of the best pie!"
"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."
"Stay at Rock Creek Lake Campground in mid June. The drive up from Hwy 395 was easy for a mountain road. There were about 7 campgrounds along this corridor. Rock Creek Lake is at the top."
LegendMy group had a blast at this campground! We were really tucked away from neighbors and were very close to the lake and bathrooms. We went in August and it was perfect weather, warm days and cool nights. I am interested in what other campgrounds have to offer, but would definitely come back here and recommend! We also loved that it was pet friendly and an easy drive to everything wanted to see between Mammoth & Yosemite.
GuideBeautiful overall, great access to many back country inlets and lakes. A wonderful place to witness one of the many Yosemite thunder and lighting storms. If you can leave your pet at home you will have a better time, the majority of lakes and trails in the Yosemite area do not allow dogs, some are leash restriction such as campsites. If you're heading up to lake Tenaya the pups can't go.
LegendThis camp ground is smaller relative to some of the other camping options in the area, but still well maintained. It is close to the road but still quiet. Each site has a table, fire ring, and a food storage locker. There are two vault toilets. Bring your own water. You cannot reserve sites ahead of time.
If you want to experience the Yosemite area with your dog, camping in the Inyo National Forest is a great option, because dogs are allowed to join you anywhere you go in the area, as long as they are leashed or well trained to verbal commands. Since the Yosemite NPS does not allow dogs on trails, these national forest campgrounds are a better pet-friendly alternative.
If you like fishing, there are great fishing spots at the nearby stream and lake.
Because this campground is actually a part of the national forest, you can stay here for up to two weeks, in addition to the two week maximum enforced for camping within the NPS limits. So in total you could can stay in "Yosemite" for a month by combining camping at this site (or other nearby national forest sites) with camping inside the park, which is why we stayed here for a long rock climbing trip.
TravelerIt’s a small campground just next to the lake so the place is nice. But spots are very small so you don’t have a lot of space and you live with your neighbors, no choice. Impossible to find the host and we had to go to another campground to pay! Flush toilets, drinkin water, pet allowed, nothing for your dish, No showers. Nice but not one of the best place to stay
GuideGreat place to spend the night while traveling threw. No frills but clean ! Great price , Nice people and quite. Pet friendly which is a plus. Be mindful it’s bear country so wonderingl around at night not so wise lol
TravelerSmall campground with 5 sites, fires and pets are allowed. You get a lot of day hikers and backpackers coming through, but it is fairly quiet and very friendly. Plenty of hiking trails! Campsites are also fairly large.
LegendRANGER 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.
ScoutWe (a team of 6 people) are in SD participating in an adventure race called Questival. This campground had full restrooms and coin opporated showers. The site is pet friendly and has horse stables. Our neighbors were friendly and quiet. The site had a picnic table, fire pit, water spout and full electricity hook ups.
TravelerCurrently visiting during late June early July and it’s BEAUTIFUL! The smell of the trees and the sound of the creek behind our campsite is just perfect. we arrived late and The hosts came around and told us we had to check in the next day. RegIstration is out of the way a bit. They are very approachable. Hikes & lake are walking distance and there more In close by but driving distance.
No showers (sponge bath works perfectly) Water spikets very close to each lot and have drinkable water. Bathrooms close to campspots and are clean. Campsite has gravel and It was raked when we arrived. Free wood everywhere but If uoI dont want to collect dead wood the hosts have bundles for sale.
We had 2 adults, 1 vehicle and a tent. Close by are group sites and RVs as well. Dogs allowed.
Be prepared with bug spray! We sprayed our tent, chairs and hammock wIth sawyer and we used ben’s 30%deet for our skin. The bear box fit our LARGE cooler but not much room for anything else.
Discover the best spots for pets-allowed camping near Swall Meadows, California, where you and your furry friends can enjoy the great outdoors together.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Swall Meadows, CA is East Fork Campground – Inyo National Forest (CA) with a 4.2-star rating from 13 reviews.
TheDyrt.com has all 191 dog-friendly camping locations near Swall Meadows, CA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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