Eastern sierra dispersed camping november

[Beantown]

Hi every thanksgiving I like to go camping, its also by bday, and I bbq a turkey on the charcoal grill, its so good! This year i would like to dispersed camp somewhere off the 395 in the eastern sierra. Anyone know any good spots. I was also looking at bitterbrush camp since it open all year round. I have a lifted jeep rubicon so any 4x4 roads or a little snow is no problem. I know there are probably tons of good spots, I just don't know any. I have 4 season camp gear too, and like cold snow camping. spots with access to any hiking is a plus also. thanks!

[dave54]

Google for 'boondocking'. A number of websites have lists of dispersed campsites. The RV crowd does it a lot. Go to some RV websites and ask.

[oldranger]

I really like the Alabama hills area. There are usually quite a few others scattered in the area but if you can get one of the primo sites the sunrise on Whitney can be outstanding.

1alabamahills.jpg

We drank our coffee watching the sunrise on Whitney thru the window while in bed. Pretty comfy! there is a fire ring on the other side of the trailer at this site. Lots of wandering thru the rocks here and about 1.5 miles off the road to Whitney Portal.

Mike

[SSSdave]

November thru January along US395 stay south of the Sherwin Grade north of Bishop elevation 4k lest one get snowed on. And south of there along the Eastern Sierra bajada slopes stay below 6k.

Alabama Hills is best as noted though the RV navigatable spots tend to be beat up with trash donated by inconsiderate pig visitors. There are places to disperse camp all over the Owens Valley as long as one is NOT on the large areas of LADWP lands. Most are not going to have shade because it is sagebrush but that ought not be an issue in November. Find a nice spot near some creek. Also any places there are clumps of trees are more likely to look like a pig sty. To know where LADWP lands are, absolutely necessary to buy an Inyo National Forest map that shows both the NF and LA lands as well as the considerable BLM lands.

Areas along Buttermilk Road west of Bishop off SR168. Note map crosshairs at center.

http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=37.33516,-118.51694&z=15&t=M

Switch tabs to Topo and Satellite.

Beyond this point the road becomes 4wd with clearance:

http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=37.32799,-118.58217&z=15&t=T

Further south lots of dirt spur roads off Tinemaha Road climbing up the sagebrush slopes. Also a couple public camps in that area.

http://mapper.acme.com/?ll=37.06757,-118.26400&z=14&t=M

David
http://www.davidsenesac.com/2015_Trip_C ... les-0.html

[calipidder]

There are SO many options, but conditions along 395 can vary considerably in November. Alabama hills are probably the best bet at that time of year. Be aware of road closure locations. I once camped at one of my favorite dispersed spots off of 120 between 395 and Benton, and woke up to an un-forecasted 6 inches of snow on my truck. Gates had been closed on either side of the highway and we were locked in. Luckily we were in a decent truck and could bypass the gates using dirt side roads. That was the Saturday before Thanksgiving in 2010.

[KathyW]

There are so many options with all the public land. Check out BLM's site: http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/bishop.html

[Beantown]

thanks for all the info. i'm thinking alabama hills and then holiday camp so i can skin up to rock creek lake or further is there is snow. right now its looking good.