North / South Lake Loop Nearby Campground?

[sambieni]

We're planning trip late August for a 5-6 day loop and want to get up there a day or two early to acclimate before setting out.

Anyone have recommendation of high elevation campground (or worse case lodging or car parking/sleeping) spot before setting out on North/South Lake loop? I noticed North Lake CG and Sabrina CGs in area, but both first come first served. We really would like a reserved camp sport or some really sure bet to park car for night so we can sleep at high elevation for 1-2 nights before we set out.

[maverick]

https://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/inyo/r ... 8&actid=29

[LMBSGV]

On the Sabrina Road, the only reservable campground is Four Jeffrey. However, I’ve never had a problem getting a campsite on a weekday. At North Lake, one of the walk-in sites is nearly always available. Also, Big Trees and Forks are usually not filled. Willow and Mountain Glen do not have piped water and so they also usually are not filled. Bishop Park, Intake, and Sabrina are usually the ones that fill first though I’ve camped at Sabrina a couple of times. If you must have a reserved site and don’t mind driving on the morning you leave, you can reserve a site at McGee Creek or East Fork (if you’re coming from the north) or Big Pine Creek (if you’re coming from the south).

[Wandering Daisy]

Four Jeffery campground (8000 feet) is very large, and it may have reserved sites. We have never had a problem with a first-come site. If all fails, you the campground at the S. Lk-Sabrina road junction is seldom full- it is not a desirable campsite- kind of ugly. What about reserving a campsite up at Lake Mary (9000 ft) above Mammoth Lakes? There are several large campgrounds up there. Nice day-hikes too.

Big campgrounds up Rock Creek too. French and Holiday always have spaces (reserve sites at French) at 7200ft. East Fork Campground is huge, at 9000 feet, and the smaller sites first reached as you come in are seldom full. They also have reserve sites. Great day-hike into Hilton Lakes.

I have found that if you put no criteria on a campsite when using Reserve America, more sites will show up as available. We have a 23 foot trailer and do not fill in the trailer stuff. That way we get all available sites shown, and since they specify parking lengths, we simply choose what works.

[c9h13no3]

https://freecampsites.net/#!bishop

I never reserve car camping, but then again, I'm sorta averse to paying to sleep on the dirt.

[Mike M.]

Sambieni,

The North Lake campground is a nice spot and generally has spaces available on weekdays (but weekend days are problematic). So, avoid Fridays, Saturdays and holidays. Sunday afternoon arrivals are good, since most campers head back to the city on this day. This campground has a walk-in camping area you can use if no car sites are available.

Although south of Bishop, the Onion Valley campground west of Independence is another good option and it is reservable. Like North Lake, It also offers good dayhike opportunities at elevation. My favorite sites are on the uphill side of the campground; you have to carry your cooler and gear up the hill a hundred yards or so, but the sites are private, with picnic tables and bear boxes.

Mike M.

[bobby49]

The campground at Lake Sabrina tends to fill up with fishermen.

[sambieni]

Thanks all! We're actually planning to set out on the trail on a Sunday so after long drive from LA, I will need the spot on the Saturday night before or possibly even the Friday night beforehand I think Four Jeffrey it will have to be. Not ideal for early am setting out, but it will do the trick just fine!
Much appreciated.

[SSSdave]

Those Bishop Creek campgrounds have so many spots that they usually keep the lower creek campgrounds closed. I'd be surprised if 4 Jeffries fills except mid summer weekends as sections of that campground are usually gated off no doubt due to too much space. The wiser strategy thus for a Sunday night would be to drive up and first check the North Fork campground and if full drive back down to one of the others. A hilarious secret of that campground that most that simply drive through looking at whether road side spots are occupied miss, is there are 2 sites upstream out of road view that one must carry gear a short distance. I rarely see any groups there. Thus park and walk up past the restroom building to take a look. Also a good choice for seclusion without the usual stream of vehicles passing nearby at all hours of day and night.

[rlown]

A hilarious secret of that campground that most that simply drive through looking at whether road side spots are occupied miss, is there are 2 sites upstream out of road view that one must carry gear a short distance. I rarely see any groups there. Thus park and walk up past the restroom building to take a look. Also a good choice for seclusion without the usual stream of vehicles passing nearby at all hours of day and night.

If they are occupied, it never hurts to ask them if you can set up one tent for the night and pay half the bill for the night. We didn't luck out in late September a couple years ago, as those sites were occupied, and no one was around to ask. We just started hiking and found a nice spot up the trail to sleep.