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Anyone else here ever disperse camp or backpack camp in legal areas around Mono Lake? I've disperse camped many times along the road.
At Mono Lake one can camp outside the old exposed lake bed areas delineated by the dotted line on the above map except in developed recreation areas such as South Tufa, Navy Beach, Old Marina, and County Park. There is also a Recreation Restricted Area Boundary zone around the lake shown on the 2010 Inyo National Forest Map that otherwise prevents camping within about 1000 feet of the lake.
According to that boundary, where these map cross hairs show on the below map is the closest one can camp near the creek close to the lake:
That light line just left of the crosshairs is an old creek bank. Thus some protection from west winds. So about 0.4 mile sparse rabbitbush and sagebrush walk from where Rush Creek enters the lake. Note the old dirt road a bit west that ends at that area. One might park along the main dirt road at this spot per below map link, where one could also legally disperse camp inside a vehicle. That is the entrance to a boulder blocked old dirt road that one should follow to reach the lake. That is about 1000 feet from the above potential camp spot.
In the South Tufa area the no camping area is usually inside the dirt Test Station Road (heavily washboarded) that follows the shore west. More visible on this map:
The dirt dotted dirt roads on the topo can be extremely treacherous to drive on unless one has 4WD, tires, and extraction gear to deal with deep soft sand.
I've explored a bit of the area, mainly hiking down Rush Creek trout scouting. I've also driven/hiked to the site they filmed 'High Plains Drifter', and even found a few scattered scraps from the set, and the big rock formation you see at the very beginning of the film. Test Station road was really well maintained, but some of the other roads might be an issue without 4WD, or maybe deflate your tires, or both. Your maps make we want to go back this summer and prowl some more.
Back in the late 80s(?) I camped in that area (along Rush Creek rather far downstream) after not being able to get a walk up permit for one of the east side trailheads. I don't recall it being anything particularly special, but it was certainly handy in a pinch. The next morning we were able to secure the permit we wanted (in those days you couldn't do walk up for the next day entry sort of thing).
BTW, intrigued by this, took a ride out to Mono Lake, just to see. Found it stark, cold, and breezy...nothing that spectacular but it wasn't a great day weather-wise and bailed out early. One item to also note, the Visitor Center at the lake...sign said closed for the winter.
