Car Camping Eastern Sierra in early May?
- Gozerian138
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Car Camping Eastern Sierra in early May?
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!
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
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Re: Car Camping Eastern Sierra in early May?
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/bishop/c ... index.html
http://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/inyo/re ... 8&actid=29
http://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/inyo/re ... 8&actid=29
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I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.
Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.
Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
- SSSdave
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Re: Car Camping Eastern Sierra in early May?
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
http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/inyo/rec ... 8&actid=29
- markskor
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Re: Car Camping Eastern Sierra in early May?
Just a FYI -
Mammoth Lakes Basin today - 4/20!
...9,000 ft.
Mammoth Lakes Basin today - 4/20!
...9,000 ft.
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Mountainman who swims with trout
- rlown
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Re: Car Camping Eastern Sierra in early May?
Where's the puff of smoke to celebrate the day?
- snevill
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Re: Car Camping Eastern Sierra in early May?
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
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Re: Car Camping Eastern Sierra in early May?
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
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Re: Car Camping Eastern Sierra in early May?
!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.
Once in a while you can get shown the light
In the strangest places if you look at it right.
The Grateful Dead
In the strangest places if you look at it right.
The Grateful Dead
- SSSdave
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Re: Car Camping Eastern Sierra in early May?
The above link I provided to Holiday Campground is to the only campground open now and all winter closest to Mammoth.Troutdog 59 wrote:!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 ...
- Gozerian138
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Re: Car Camping Eastern Sierra in early May?
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!
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