Question about Cottonwood-Horseshoe Meadow TH

[Wandering Daisy]

I have been here years ago, but cannot remember details.

1) Is it possible to haul a 23-foot trailer up the road?

2) are there campsites that would fit such trailer?

3) Where is the trailhead to Cottonwood Lakes loacated? I recall the USGS map does not accurately locate the trails and trailhead.

4) Are dogs allowed on the trails.

I am planning a trip to come out here and my husband will pick me up. We are then going north on the east side 395 road tour with our trailer. I was thinking he could camp at the trailhead campground and walk in for one overnight with me at Cottonwood Lakes. He will not backpack in unless dogs are allowed on the trail. Otherwise, he could just camp in Ownes Valley and drive up to pick me up. We are planning this trip in September.

[rlown]

I've never been there, but if this is it: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/inyo/re ... ecid=20692

call them. Descriptions make me think a trailer is a bad idea.

[Wandering Daisy]

If you can haul a horse trailer up the road, probably our trailer would go. But I doubt we could use the equestrian camp and the others are walk-ins. Looks like we should plan for a simple pick-up and camp elsewhere.

[gary c.]

WD, from what I can see on the web site and what I remember both of the regular campgrounds are walk in tent sites. Not sure about the horse camp. The HM camp ground has a very large parking lot that you could park in but you might get run off. That being said I wouldn't haul a trailer up that road for anything. Just too steep, narrow, and too many sharp turns for me. You can see the road from 395 just south of Lone Pine. It is often called the Z road because of the way it switchbacks all the way up the mountain.
Hear is a link to the FS site with a general description.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/activity/inyo/r ... 8&actid=29

[overheadx2]

Camped there last fall and did some day hikes. The camp sites are walk in but right next to the road/ parking area and I believe they are meant for backpackers. All parking spots are pull in so there are no elongated parking spots that would accommodate a trailer at the camping area. We took a cab over and it was perfect. As far as getting a trailer up the road, I wouldn't take one unless its light and you have at least a 2500/ 250. If you have a 250 and a light trailer, it would be relatively easy. Definitely easier than towing up to Kennedy meadows in south sierra. This spring we trailer camped at Lone Pine campground and drove the 20 min up to day hike.

[Wandering Daisy]

Thanks for the information. I will show this to my husband (since he is the one who hauls the trailer). I suspect he would rather not haul the trailer up that road.

[Hobbes]

We took our 22' rv up a few years ago. Wouldn't do it again. We parked in the equestrian lot. I talked to the patrol ranger in lone pine before we drove up who said it was ok.

The cottonwood pass th is around .3 mile from the armies. You can see it on the map. Both th have overnight backpacker sites.