car camping mammoth

[anoukhassan]

heading up to mammoth this upcoming weekend to snowboard but was thinking about car camping instead of staying in a hotel. does anyone know any free dispersed camping spots between bishop-mammoth that are easy to drive to (clear path, not a ton of snow on the road)?

[c9h13no3]

     Lol, it’s a mess down there. Snow line is ~6500’ and any roads that are dirt have taken major damage. This is the time to use that “paved and discreet” spot in town.

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[John Harper]

You might try east of Tom's Place, toward the dam and Owens Gorge. I camp there during the summer, but probably got some snow now, not sure the altitude. Even try Gorge Road on way up Sherwin Summit, I recall some camp spots out there.

John

[c9h13no3]

Check this map for the legality of your dispersed spot.

For example, Lower Rock Creek Rd up to Sherwin Summit is illegal to camp on from 395 to Sherwin Summit (and beyond). Could you get away with camping there if you're clean & discreet? Maybe... It looks like there's a short strip on Swall Meadows Rd that might go? I'd try the pullout at 37.508, -118.628, it looks legal.

[Wandering Daisy]

I would stay in the Bishop area. There is a BLM campground just north of Bishop and a county campground (Millford) too. Not sure if they are open. Bishop is a lot lower elevation and may not even be covered with snow. Dispersed camping at the rock climbing/bouldering area, cannot remember the name of it. Check Inyo NF website, I think there are a few campgrounds open. Also, I think motels in Bishop are not as expensive as those in Mammoth.

[John Harper]

I would stay in the Bishop area. There is a BLM campground just north of Bishop and a county campground (Millford) too. Not sure if they are open. Bishop is a lot lower elevation and may not even be covered with snow. Dispersed camping at the rock climbing/bouldering area, cannot remember the name of it. Check Inyo NF website, I think there are a few campgrounds open. Also, I think motels in Bishop are not as expensive as those in Mammoth.

Yes, the BLM Pit campground off Pleasant Valley Road, also a county campground on the river. Happy and Sad Boulder areas, or drive up Fish Slough road for some privacy. Some really cool petroglyphs off FS road too, well worth exploring.

John

[SSSdave]

Thanks for the link that one cannot ordinarily get into without an argis account. Very useful for dispersed camping enthusiasts.

Dispersed camping is allowed on the pure yellow BLM areas.

Dispersed camping is allowed on the pure light green Inyo NF areas. However note, some of those areas may have roadside signs that state "NO CAMPING" that has precedence. For instance it appears the spur road to the Minaret Falls FS campground allows dispersed camping but is otherwise signed NOT. Also will have such signs at NF day use parking areas like Mono Lake South Tufa.

Dark green areas are NF wilderness where wilderness permits are required overnight.

Light pinkish red areas are National Forest no dispersed camping allowed areas. And that includes parking therein along roads. Usually near human infrastructure and public campgrounds.

Also light pinkish red areas are National Park with many restrictions.

The darker red areas are private lands.

The diagonal line overlay areas are most restrictive Los Angeles DW&P lands.

Brown are special lands one needs to check for on policies.

If one has 4WD/AWD, some dirt roads offer useful places to camp at. One zone I like to help acclimating to thin air at high elevations is the rough dirt road north of Minaret Summit that minus a high wheelbase requires careful driving in some spots. Notice tons of free to camp at spots along the Mammoth Scenic Loop Road. By using the caltopo NAIP satellite mode one can often find dirt road pull outs.