High Sierra Topix

Hello All,

I have a permit for a trip between 8/4 and 8/11 out of the South Lake TH. I am coming in from Northern CA and looking for my options for camping on Saturday night (8/3). I usually pick up my permit, sleep at the TH and then hit the trail early next morning. This is essentially what I want to do for this trip, plus I want to give myself a little time acclimate and sleeping at elevation without hitting the trail on the 3rd will help me accomplish this.

Questions:

1. Can I camp at South Lake TH? Sleep in car? Behind a bush or mound of dirt? Or is this frowned upon and subject to sanction?

2. Is Four Jeffry Campground the only campground that is close and reasonably priced, etc.?

Any guidance, authorized or not, would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Hi Scrotata,

Welcome to HST!
Your closest NF Campground is: http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/inyo/rec ... 4&actid=29" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Which is much better and intimate than the larger Four Jeffrey Campground.
I know you mention not wanting to hike in but within 2 miles you have Hurd Lake or
Lower Marie Louise Lakes all to yourself.

I have never had a problem sleeping in my vehicle at trailheads or pullouts. Now a days I just plan on poaching a site in my vehicle unless I am feeling especially ritzy.

Now poaching a site "behind a bush".....I have been busted for that and it is a bummer!

Yeah but you have an SUV Sparky my Honda Civic doesn't make for a
very comfortable night.

I did exactly what you are proposing at 4 Jeffrey. It was OK, but at the time they had plague signs up and I remember wondering if I was setting up my tent in the dark in the middle of a prarie dog colony. Sad to say, I had just been reading about the Black Death, and fell asleep thinking of fleas.

The Willows campground looks a whole lot better but will probably fill up quickly and almost certainly will be full on a Saturday night. In fact, they all might be in danger of filling on a Saturday night in early August. I don't remember what, if anything, can be reserved. That would be the first question.

Thannks for the info. Is the Willows campground still in operation?

As for hiking in a few miles, I thinking about that, and I suppose that there is no 4 mile limit like in Yosemite, so I may consider.

Just trying to see what my options are and I really want to spend a night at elevation without hiking, since I am coming from sea level essentially.

I spoke with a ranger today out of Bishop and they basically said my best option was Four Jeffrey and there is was definitely no camping at the TH. I asked about sleeping in my car, and his reply was again, no camping at the TH.

Scrotata wrote:
Is the Willows campground still in operation?

If your asking because of the "closed status" notice at the top of the page, that is
because the road/area is closed for the season(snowed in).

Willow campground only has about 15 sites and will fill up by 1PM allot of days. There are campgrounds all down the road but the further you go the lower you go.

You should have asked them what the dispersed camping regulations are in that area since I don't know. There are many large turn out locations for all the people that fish in the area. If you just pulled into one of those and slept either in your car or on the ground next to it then it's highly unlikely you would be bothered. The National Forest locations are much more relaxed then National Park.

I have slept at South lake trailhead before and at North lake many times without a problem, although I sleep in my camper shell. If you are feeling rich (or worried) there is Parcher's Resort just down the road about a mile that has "hiker cabins" for just your purpose, I don't recall how much but they were not real cheap, I have never stayed there myself. I agree that it is unlikely to find a campground site on a Saturday night in August

I've slept in the car 3 or 4 times at the S. Lake TH parking lot. Never got hassled, looked as though pretty much everyone was doing the same.

(that's my green Xterra towards the back of the lot)