Posted by Greg Coates on October 2, 2008 at 5:47 PM
I'm thinking of heading to somewhere in the Lee Vining/June Lake/Bishop area to shoot fall color next week if this weekend's storm doesn't strip all the leaves off the trees. I'll be camping, and I was wondering if any of you good folk have any recommendations for campgrounds for a trip like this.
Posted by Lon Overacker on October 2, 2008 at 7:29 PM
Greg,
I guess it "depends" on what kind of camping you like. There are official campgrounds in most of the canyons with camp hosts and camp fees. There's also a gillion places in National Forest land where you can basically camp where ever you like. Now I'm not sure how the color will be, but an area where you can get away from the crowds would be in the area above Dunderberg meadows; Dunderberg road, Green Lakes Rd and Upper Summer Meadows road.
Lee Vining has some great camping spots. Just get off 120 a couple miles west of the mobile station (120/395) and follow the frontage road (Poole Power Plant road I believe)
June Lake has some established campgrounds, actually I'm thinking of Silver Lake, suitable for trailers, RV's and of course tents.
There's even a campground right in Lee Vining.
Further south, there's camping on McGee Creek, Rock Creek Canyon, etc.
If you really want to get remote, head out highway 120 east of Mono Lake in to the Inyo Natl forest and look for a place on the map called Sagehen meadows. Aspens, and miles and miles of forest service roads you can get lost in.
I suspect this didn't really help. Personally, my favorite location is Lee Vining canyon for it's central location AND photo opportunities. It's just a few minutes to the town of Lee Vining if you need something.
You should still have color the following week in both Lee Vining Canyon and JLL. Have a great trip.
Lon
Posted by Greg Coates on October 2, 2008 at 7:44 PM
Lon,
That's fantastic information. I certainly have no problem with remote, free, and alone.
Does anyone know what kind of mountain biking trails are in the national forest areas around here? I've been wanting to give cycling with photo gear a try as a time saver.
Posted by David Senesac on October 6, 2008 at 3:09 PM
One addition to Lon's input. The non-public campground camping is referred to as "dispersed camping". The Inyo National Forest Map shows areas where that is prohibited where one can only legally camp in public campgrounds. An online pdf copy of that map can be downloaded. Everywhere else in a national forest unless specifically prohibited can be legally camped at. Areas where one may only use public campgrounds tend to be within a few miles of public campgrounds and mountain communities. Thus there is NOWHERE to disperse camp beyond the lower sagebrush areas of Bishop Creek nor up Lee Vining canyon, about June Lake Loop above Grant Lake, up Lundy Canyon, up Rock Creek, or anywhere near Mammoth Lakes or its lakes basin, etc. It is true one will sometimes see people pulled up along such areas camping but that is usually because they are ignorant of policy and thus may be rousted by Inyo NF personnel. So to so camp one at a minimum ought to possess an up to date Inyo NF map or have recently looked at one at a ranger station about target areas. The prohibited areas have continually grown over the last several years so one cannot relie on older NF maps. One reason this is occurring is that the public campgrounds and resort communities have a monetary interest in forcing visitors to use their for pay campgrounds and lodging.
Discussion
3 repliesI guess it "depends" on what kind of camping you like. There are official campgrounds in most of the canyons with camp hosts and camp fees. There's also a gillion places in National Forest land where you can basically camp where ever you like. Now I'm not sure how the color will be, but an area where you can get away from the crowds would be in the area above Dunderberg meadows; Dunderberg road, Green Lakes Rd and Upper Summer Meadows road.
Lee Vining has some great camping spots. Just get off 120 a couple miles west of the mobile station (120/395) and follow the frontage road (Poole Power Plant road I believe)
June Lake has some established campgrounds, actually I'm thinking of Silver Lake, suitable for trailers, RV's and of course tents.
There's even a campground right in Lee Vining.
Further south, there's camping on McGee Creek, Rock Creek Canyon, etc.
If you really want to get remote, head out highway 120 east of Mono Lake in to the Inyo Natl forest and look for a place on the map called Sagehen meadows. Aspens, and miles and miles of forest service roads you can get lost in.
I suspect this didn't really help. Personally, my favorite location is Lee Vining canyon for it's central location AND photo opportunities. It's just a few minutes to the town of Lee Vining if you need something.
You should still have color the following week in both Lee Vining Canyon and JLL. Have a great trip.
Lon
That's fantastic information. I certainly have no problem with remote, free, and alone.
Does anyone know what kind of mountain biking trails are in the national forest areas around here? I've been wanting to give cycling with photo gear a try as a time saver.