The best camping near Inyo National Forest

Discover the most magical spots to pitch your tent or park your rig on your next Inyo National Forest adventure.

The best camping near Inyo National Forest

Discover the most magical spots to pitch your tent or park your rig on your next Inyo National Forest adventure.
96% (465 reviews)

Discover the most magical spots to pitch your tent or park your rig on your next Inyo National Forest adventure.

Explore ancient pine forests, curious rock formations, and massive peaks in this sprawling national forest.  

Popular ways to camp

Community favorites near Inyo National Forest

Top-rated campgrounds reviewed by the Hipcamp community.

Public campgrounds in the park

Stay at a public campground in Inyo National Forest

Top-rated campgrounds near Inyo National Forest

100%
(367)

Five Fours Camp in Three Rivers

2 sites · Tents2 acres · Three Rivers, CA
This is a private campsite with a million dollar view! We no longer open the bunkhouse campsite; so that spot is now another area for your group to relax and enjoy the spectacular views. We welcome dogs and don't charge additional fees for you to bring your dog(s) to camp. The park allows dogs into the park BUT NOT ON ANY TRAILS! (Only the national forests allow dogs on trails, not national parks.) PLEASE, let us know you are bringing dog(s), when you request to book. We currently have 2 - Our boy Chance is a Husky Doberman mix; and we rescued and are fostering the friendliest Great Dane, Winston! We can dog sit your dog(s) while you explore the park for $7/hour. Please contact us ahead of time, if possible, so we can arrange to be available to dog sit on your chosen day(s). Three Rivers is the southern gateway to the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Our town has some wonderful and unique restaurants, shops and even a brewery next to the River! Our hillside property has great Mountain View’s and the driveway turns directly off of Sierra drive, four miles past the town center (3R post office) and just 2 miles from the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks entrance. It's conveniently located and easy to find! You can hear the tranqual sounds of the flowing Kaweah river from across the street. Sorry, there is NO river access from this campsite. You can go to Slick Rock Recreation area, Lake Kaweah or into the parks to swim, boat, fish and more. Lake Kaweah is about 8 miles away. You drive by it as you enter Three Rivers. My wife Elizabeth and I bought our log home in 2015 and we have been dreaming and adding here ever since! Our dog Chance chases all the fun wildlife off of our property! In addition to deer, we have seen fox, bob cats, an Ocelot, too many coyotes, wild turkeys and bear crossing an animal highway along our upper hillside property line. Hawks, hummingbirds, quail, blue birds, woodpeckers and yellow bellied finches are regularly seen here as well. Owls have been heard; but not seen. We love our country home and mountain views, and look forward to sharing them with you!
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$67
 / night
90%
(502)

Sequoia Mountain Farms

45 sites · RVs, Tents10 acres · Miramonte, CA
We have over 10 acres of stunning campground conviently nestled only 15-20 minutes from the North entrance to the Sequoias and Kings Canyon! We are located between both, so you have the best access to both attractions here! We have multiple sites to accommodate every type of camping from tent camping to tents-attached-to-cars, to pop-up campers to RVs and trailers with or without power/water hookups. There are wonderful views down into the valley with off-the-chain sunsets and city lights twinkling in the valley distance! Come get away from it all and enjoy the wonderful beauty and quiet serenity of mother nature in the South West Sierras at Sequoia Mountain Farms!!! Welcome Hipcampers! PLEASE read all of the below before booking and screenshot/print the directions below. Please note we have different site types with different prices and capacities. Choose the type that's best for your group. We are outside of Bear and Marmot areas, so no Bear cans needed here. However, we are not far away and nature is wild and can be unpredictable sometimes, so please keep food in your car at night as a precaution. We have not had issues and we don't want to invite any! Hot showers, flushing toilets, deep sinks for washing and WIFI (over 70 mps in many places for you teleworkers) now available for all campers at no extra charge! ARRIVAL: THERE ARE 3 GATES HERE: RIGHT GATE: just to the right of the Giant Sequoia Tree with address sign, goes to the CAMPSITES! Look for ORANGE CONES a few feet off the highway and drive down camp road about 600 feet to the camp. MIDDLE GATE: RV1 and RV2 LEFT GATE: house, please DO NOT ENTER this gate or approch the house. DIRECTIONS: If you put our address in to navigation apps, sometimes it brings you to our neighbors (fire department) for some reason, even after multiple emails to google...if this happens come south/down hill about 600 feet and look for the ORANGE CONES on the same side of the road. Drive between them and down camp road to your site! (There is a pic of the site map in the posted pic's) Go to Google Maps (NOT GOOGLE SEARCH). Search for Sequoia Mountain Farms Campground. Navigator apps sometimes push folks coming from the south up the 245 highway. It is a very windy and slow climb up the hill. It is doable (even for bigger rigs), but we HIGHLY RECOMMEND continuing north on highway 99 towards Fresno and then heading east on highway 180 up the mountain. It's faster, much more scenic and a much smoother drive. This route also goes right by the nearest gas station on your way up! Heading east on highway 180, out of Fresno, the last gas station is a Valero at 35468 E Kings Canyon Rd. (aka Clingan's Junction). From Clingan's, head east on the 180 for exactly 13.8 miles to the 245 highway (it comes up quick with only 1 or 2 small signs), make a right, heading south. If you hit the park entrance, you went too far, turn around drive back about 5 min and look for the 245 on your left. Once on the 245 heading south, go 5.1 miles. On your right you will pass the 'Pinehurst Lodge', which is on google maps, an easy reference point and is 1 minute or less away (great food, bar, pool table and karaoke on weekends in the summer!). Then a few seconds later the U.S Forest Service "Work Center" is on the right and we are just past that on the same side of the road. First you will see a Giant Sequoia Tree in the front yard (campground road is just to it's right with ORANGE CONES on either side) then an apple ranch with an ole loggers cabin chimney from the late 1800s still standing in the front yard directly off the highway! If you hit the 'leaving sequoia national forest' sign and the community center, you went too far, turn around and drive 1 minute back and look for the apple ranch on your left, pass it and turn left at the ORANGE CONES. Please take note of the posted pics from directly across the street facing what you will see when you get here. PLEASE CHECK THE WEATHER: If you ask us about weather, were just going to have to look online too, so please be sure to check it yourself prior to your trip, before asking us to do it for you. Just know we are operating under the assumption that you are aware of the conditions and are prepared for them. If nature happens message us and we will do our best to assist! We look forward to seeing you soon at Sequoia Mountain Farms!! :)
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$50
 / night
98%
(61)

Camp Hye Sierra

9 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents160 acres · Dunlap, CA
Camp Hye Sierra is a 160-acre property located about 35 miles east of Fresno, California (within five miles of the the entrance to Kings Canyon National Park).Our property offers a unique rental opportunity and serene retreat setting perfect for reflection and fellowship.Learn more about this land:Camp Hye Sierra is a 160-acre property located about 35 miles east of Fresno, California (within five miles of the the entrance to Kings Canyon National Park).Our property offers a unique rental opportunity and serene retreat setting perfect for reflection and fellowshipSPORTS COURTLocated at the center of camp, our all-weather, outdoor, lighted basketball court provides a great experience for basketball, tennis, and a host of other court friendly games. At night, the sport court provides us with an excellent place to take the entire camp for some spectacular stargazing!CAMPFIREOur campfire is also located next to beautiful Ketchoyan Lake. It features a stage, amphitheater, and outdoor lighting. The campfire location is a great venue for daytime classes and an area where campers have a chance to perform skits, sing songs, and roast marshmallows at evening campfires.ARBOROur arbor is a gorgeous open air structure adjacent to the sparkling water of Ketchoyan Lake. It is the perfect venue for an evening dance in the cool mountain air, daytime classes, talent shows, and a host of other activities. LAKESOur property has 2 fully stocked lakes where you can enjoy catch and release fishing, swimming and sunbathing.
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$70
 / night
99%
(120)

Dunlap Canyon Retreat

43 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents22 acres · Dunlap, CA
22 acres of camp sites and another 40 acres nextdoor to a hang gliders and paragliders landing. We have restrooms with showers attached to a geodesic dome on property. BBQ , water at sites. A seasonal 2 acre pond. We are about 25mi from sequoia and Kings Canyon right off the Highway 180 and a close drive from restaurants, stores. Beautiful views. We strive to make sure you have an amazing experience in the outdoors. We are still working on making the campground 100% so sorry in advance but what we are lacking we will make up for it with making your experience memorable hope to meet everyone soon P.S I got 6 things ask you to do while you are here 1.Enjoy your time here 2. If you need anything or have concerns say something ( I will try to accommodate the best I can) 3.Have fun 4. Only TP in toilets please 5. Make memories 6. Be respectful to your neighbors ( Get to know them. I don’t really have quite hours just keep in mind some ppl might be waking up early to hike in the park)
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$40
 / night
94%
(101)

The Mountain Chapel Campground

13 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents25 acres · Badger, CA
While on a family backpacking excursion through Sequoia King’s Canyon National Park, and the surrounding area, we came across this charming campground. A long-forgotten chapel in the mountains that was formerly a summer camp. From here, a short 15-minute drive will take you directly to the main entrance of Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park for access to the Giant Sequoias at Grant Grove and the Grant Grove Village. For those who prefer to travel off the beaten path, a short 30-minute hike will take you to the National Forest. We are excited to invite you to camp at this hidden gem, while we undertake to restore the campground to its original splendor. Easy drive to available parking, with easy access and pull through drive for any vehicle, even with trailers. For campers bringing their own tents, we provide beautiful and well- shaded sites with level ground, soft grass, tucked underneath the many old-growth trees.
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from 
$35
 / night

The best camping near Inyo National Forest guide

Overview

About

Encompassing nearly 3,000 square miles of land in California and western Nevada, Inyo National Forest offers ample opportunities for camping and outdoor recreation throughout the year. Popular attractions include the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, towering Mount Whitney, Devils Postpile National Monument, and the salty inland sea of Mono Lake. Inyo is home to nine designated Wilderness Areas, spanning nearly a million acres, and backpacking (with a permit) is a popular way to explore these areas. That said, many campers stick to the numerous campgrounds, some with full RV hook-ups, that are spread throughout the vast expanse.

Notable campgrounds

Tips for snagging a campsite

  1. Many campsites in the Inyo National Forest can be booked up to six months in advance through the Forest Service website. Reservations go live every morning at 7am Pacific Time. If you’re looking for a cabin or yurt, it’s wise to reserve right when sites go live.
  2. Some sites are available on a first-come, first-served (FCFS) basis. If possible, try to arrive by Thursday to avoid the weekend rush.
  3. If you aren’t able to secure a campsite or cabin for the dates you want, consider booking a Hipcamp in the area or look into camping on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land.

When to go

Inyo National Forest is a year-round destination, with ample opportunities for hiking and other outdoor activities in the summer, plus great skiing and snowshoeing come winter, particularly in the June Mountain Ski Area. The weather is warm enough to camp comfortably in late spring or early fall. While most of the campgrounds in the area are only open from April or May until September or October, there are a few BLM- and county-managed campgrounds that are open year-round.

Know before you go

  • The best place to pick up supplies before heading off into the forest is the town of Bishop, near the junction of State Highway 168 and the US-395.
  • Wildfires are an issue in this part of the country, so make sure to look into any fire bans before you head out and be prepared for alternative ways to prepare your food.
  • Check for road closures before heading out. Snow and avalanches can close sections of road in the winter, while construction work can cause major delays in the summertime.
  • Don’t expect to have cell coverage everywhere in the forest. It’s wise to download offline maps before you head out.
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