Car Camping Eastern Sierra in early May?

[Gozerian138]

Hello,
My sons want to go camping the first weekend of May and I have relatives who are going to be staying in the Mammoth Lakes area same weekend at a cabin. I would like to car camp relatively close to that area so that I can please everyone! Are there any good car camping options for the Eastern Sierra in early May? To avoid camping in the snow, would clearly need lower elevation outside of Mammoth Basin. (Would ideally like to camp somewhere fire pits) Maybe campgrounds outside of Bishop near the Owen’s River or near Tom’s Place? Any suggestions would be much appreciated!

[maverick]

http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/bishop/c ... index.html
http://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/inyo/re ... 8&actid=29

[SSSdave]

Some others could open early May but for now Holiday Campground is just a half mile off US395 and won't have snow.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/inyo/rec ... 8&actid=29

[markskor]

Just a FYI -
Mammoth Lakes Basin today - 4/20!
...9,000 ft.

Lake Mary - 9,000 ft.jpg

[rlown]

Where's the puff of smoke to celebrate the day?

[snevill]

I stayed in the Big Pine Creek campground last year in April and it was probably my favorite campground that I've ever stayed at. Highly recommended and not too far from Mammoth.

[mkbgdns]

currently closed, unlikely open in two weeks. remember, last winter featured the lowest snowpack on record...last year first week of may, hiked out of mosquito flat to 11,000 ft before being turned back by snow. a different year, this.

[Troutdog 59]

!st of May is typically a tad early for car camping up near Mammoth. All of the nearby National Forest campgrounds (Shady Rest, Convict, French Camp on Rock Creek, etc) I believe are still closed, but you might want to call and ask if they know when they might open up as the web cams dont show much snow at the Village Gondola or any at all at the 395/204 intersection. If those are all closed, just outside (northwest) of Bishop is a private camp called Browns Mill Pond or something like that, and I would bet it would be open. I've never stayed there, but I know others that have and they said it was fine.

[SSSdave]

!st of May is typically a tad early for car camping up near Mammoth. All of the nearby National Forest campgrounds (Shady Rest, Convict, French Camp on Rock Creek, etc) I believe are still closed, but you might want to call and ask if they know when they might open up ...

The above link I provided to Holiday Campground is to the only campground open now and all winter closest to Mammoth.

[Gozerian138]

Great thanks for the great info guys! I called up to the Mammoth Visitors Center and the woman told me that Tuff and French Camp are opening this weekend. Looks like quite a bit of snow up in those mountains still! Great news, but not good outlook for early season camping!