Best RV Parks & Resorts near Tahoe National Forest

Stopped for one night of a 4 week cross country trip. The staff were friendly and helpful with local information. The sites are full hookups, 30 & 50 amp electric, concrete pads (not entirely level), grass areas and trees. They have clean showers and bathrooms, and cable tv. There is WiFi, but it is very slow. It isn’t strong enough for the number of people trying to use it. After midnight it was better. They also have a “dog area” which is just a sandy area near the office, right in busy US 95, but it’s not fenced in! I would not let my dogs run there. The bathroom/shower code did not work in the evening and there was no one in the office to get it corrected.

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.

Highlands RV park is pretty cool. They offer many pull through spots and the back-in ones are located along the permitter of the park. A nice green area for your kids or dogs to explore. They even have a small pond out front. The spots are very well maintained, dirt sections and a concrete slab with picnic table. Due to Covid the facilities are closed, i.e. rek room, bathrooms, showers, however their onsite laundry was still available. At one end of the park they offer a fish station for your catch of the day. All in all it was a very well maintained park close to shops and restaurants. It was a little far to go from here to June Lake or Mammoth. We had a great trip, I’d definitely come back here again.

Fall color and camping in the Sierra is what we we were after. This gem of a campground did not disappoint on the color and its location made it easy to explore the Mono Lake area since there's no camping in that area.

• Beautiful aspens with rushing river surrounded by high peaks. Lots of fishers were taking advantage of the river. 

• Sites are very close and pretty small. There were a few sites that accommodated the few Class C and larger travel trailers that came through, but the turns in the loops were tight. Less experienced drivers might be challenged. 

• Many (most) sites are not very level and/or sloped. 

• Super quiet and dark at night. Star gazing was amazing. 

• Bears are very active. One camper had their car window broken and door frame bent because they had left something in the front seat. Another camper told us a bear walked through her site while she was sitting near the campfire but was easily scared off. 

• Not a lot of hiking without getting in your car but the dirt road connecting to the other campground (Big Bend) wasn't busy so served as a good walking trail to exercise our dogs. 

• Good location to access Lee Vining (groceries, fuel, restaurants, laundry) and explore the phenomenal Mono Lake area. 

• Water available but at a central spigot at the entrance. 

• No Verizon cell service but good signals down the road at the Mobil station and excellent free wi-fi at the Mono Lake visitors center both in Lee Vining. 

Nice little first-come campground. It was almost full by 4 pm each night we were there. We'd consider it again but only in shoulder season. Getting a spot in peak season seems challenging.

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.